Buying, selling & moving
What happens when you buy a property?
Do you know what to expect from us when you buy a property?
When you've found 'the one', whether it's a family home or an investment property, you can relax knowing your water supply will be available when you or your tenants move in.
Water bills are made up of both fixed service charges and water usage charges.
The fixed charges are a debt against the property - not the owner. They're usually cleared between the buyer and seller as part of settlement.
You may need to pay some water usage charges once you've moved in that weren't included during settlement. If that applies, you'll see the charge on your first bill.
During settlement, money is exchanged between the seller and the buyer. This generally clears any debts against the property - including Sydney Water. Your conveyancer or solicitor will do this for you. Check under ‘water usage adjustments’ in your settlement papers.
When you (or your tenants) move in, the water will be ready to use as we don't turn it off between owners.
We're proud to supply you with water from natural sources. It’s filtered to high standards to ensure it’s safe to drink straight from the tap. Find out more about our safe drinking water.
At this stage, bills will still be in the seller's name. If you receive one of these, please disregard it. We'll send a bill in your name once we receive details from NSW Land Registry Services.
This usually takes a few weeks after settlement.
When NSW Land Registry Services tells us you're the new owner, we'll update our records and send you a welcome letter. It will include all the information you need to help you manage your account.
Tell us how to contact you
Please complete the new ownership form when you receive the letter so we can easily contact you about important account and water supply information.
If you're a pensioner, you'll also be able to apply for a pension rebate once you receive the letter. Find out more about pension rebates.
Receiving and paying your bills
Direct Debit
Direct Debit is the easiest way to pay your bills on time, every time. Once you've registered, we'll automatically process your bill payments on the due date each quarter using your preferred payment method.
Your payment will be due 21 days after we send the bill. This gives you plenty of time to contact us if you have any questions or concerns about the charges.
Find out more about how easy it is to pay by Direct Debit.
eBill
Would you rather get an electronic bill instead of a paper one? Join more than 250,000 customers who've already switched to eBill!
You just need a recent paper bill (or the details in the letter we sent you if you've recently bought a new property) to begin.
Find out more about eBill.
We'll generally send you a bill every quarter. We'll include some extra information with your first bill to help you understand it better. Find out more about your bill.
If you have any concerns about the charges on your new bill, contact your conveyancer or call us on 13 20 92.
If you'd like us to send your bill to a managing agent or a different address, please update your mailing address details when you receive your welcome letter.
Prefer to get your bills online? Sign up for eBill and we'll send your bills by email each quarter.
The bill is the responsibility of the owner, even if the property is rented out. We don't bill tenants directly.
What happens when you sell a property?
The main thing you need to know when you're selling is that you don't need to disconnect the water supply.
Your selling agent or conveyancer will generally buy a Conveyancing certificate from us as part of the settlement process. The certificate lists any outstanding charges on a property at a specific date. This helps ensure the buyer and seller pay the correct amount when a property is sold.
If you receive a bill after your property has settled, please return it to us and tell us that you've sold the property.
If you're not using a solicitor or conveyancer, you can buy a Conveyancing certificate online from a Property Link broker.
Find out the cost of a Conveyancing certificate in Prices for other services.
Water - our most precious resource
There's many ways to save water and help the environment? Check our water wise tips.
Find out moreSafe drinking water - available on tap
Sydney's water is from natural sources. It's filtered to high standards so it's great to drink straight from the tap.
Find out more