Pensioners from a community housing block in Forbes have voiced their outrage at the water rates they are being charged by Housing NSW.
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The housing block, located in north Forbes, is made up of 13 one bedroom units, where tenants each currently pay $9 per fortnight.
Tony Higgins has been a tenant in the block for 18 months and he believes that this amount is almost three times more than other community housing water rates.
“Others in community housing pay just $3.10 per fortnight which means they pay only $80.60 per year per house and we pay $234 per year per unit for the same water,” he said.
“I’m just upset about paying three times more than what Housing NSW are being charged themselves.”
While the Forbes Shire Council set the water rates for the town, they charge Housing NSW who in turn bill their tenants.
Current Housing NSW tenancy agreements declare that the water rate is set at 4.7 per cent of tenants rent, up to a maximum of $7.
Yet at this rate, the pensioners are paying more than the Shire Council are charging Housing NSW.
Mr Higgins is frustrated with this and believes that as tenants of community housing, their discounted rent should not mean they pay more for water and other amenities.
“With our consumption under the shire council’s water rates we should have paid $790 for the past 12 months, instead we have paid a staggering $3042,” he said.
“In my opinion, community housing should not be trying to recuperate some of the subsidy that we’re getting as pensioners in water rates,” he said.
While the water rate charged by Housing NSW is set and therefore consumption should not alter the water bill, a spokesperson for the Department of Family and Community Services said if charges are high it is because of excess usage.
“Tenants are responsible for excess water usage but Family and Community Services does not apply any additional administrative charges on top of this,” the spokesperson said.
“Some tenants receive higher bills than they expect, but this is generally found to be due to them maintaining a garden or having a large family.”
Yet neither Mr Higgins, nor any of the other tenants have families and as Mr Higgins explains, none of the tenants are avid gardeners.
“We’re all single here and I certainly don’t do any gardening,” he said.
“I’ve got white pebbles for my garden.”
Twelve of the 13 tenants have signed a petition and taken their case up with Housing NSW.
