New legislation that may force residential landlords in Britain to take responsibility for water bills that their tenants failed to pay is causing concern and many in the buy-to-let sector are planning to oppose these plans.

If current proposals pass, landlords may find themselves saddled with as much as £500 million in water bills that tenants have not yet paid. Both the Residential Landlords Association (RLA), as well as the British Property Federation are concerned by proposals raised by representatives of water utilities. It is undeniable that unpaid water bills pose a problem in the UK, but the proposed solution would very seriously disadvantage residential landlords.


Each year, tenants end up accumulating around £500 million in unpaid bills and those residential property owners and tenants that do pay in a timely manner end up contributing £11 from their own monthly payments to cover those that do not meet these obligations. Water companies note that they must continue to supply this essential service, even if tenants fail to pay their bills and current legislation makes it nearly impossible to require tenants to make their financial obligations in this regard.

(CD/KMcA)