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Business Water for Landlords
Compare licensed water retailers for rental properties and get clear on who pays water rates, the tenant or the landlord.
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Last updated August 2026
Who we help
Business Water for Landlords
Water is the utility that causes landlords the most confusion, because responsibility moves with the tenancy. Who pays water rates, the tenant or the landlord, depends on what the tenancy agreement says and whether the property is occupied, and getting it wrong leaves bills in the wrong name for years.
Commercial and mixed-use landlords can also switch retailer. England opened the market in 2017 and Scotland in 2008. This page covers who is responsible for water charges in a rental, how void periods are billed, and where landlords overpay.
| Wholesale supply | Comes from regional water companies (Thames Water, Severn Trent, Yorkshire Water, and others). |
|---|---|
| Who pays | Usually the occupier. The tenancy agreement decides, and during voids responsibility falls back to the landlord. |
| Contracting | Landlords with several commercial units can contract centrally, and each occupied unit can also hold its own account. |
| Biggest savings levers | Void management, correct account naming, drainage banding and tariff reviews on landlord-held supplies. |
| Market opened | England in 2017 and Scotland in 2008. |
| Licensed retailers | Around 20 are licensed by Ofwat to supply non-household water. |
Where the money goes
Why landlords pay more for water than they should
Who pays water rates, tenant or landlord, follows occupation and the tenancy agreement. Tenants normally pay while they occupy, the landlord pays during voids, and the account should change name at every handover. Bills left in the wrong name are the single biggest source of landlord water disputes.
Landlord water problems are usually administrative rather than technical. Accounts stay in a former tenant name, void periods run on full occupied tariffs, and deemed contracts start every time a unit changes hands without anyone appointing a retailer.
On commercial property the landlord often carries shared supplies, common areas and vacant units. Each of those sits on a default tariff unless it has been actively reviewed, and drainage charges on the whole building are worth checking against what the leases actually recover.
Where it shows up
The five areas landlords overpay
Where landlords overpay and why it matters.
Bills in the wrong name
When a tenant leaves and the account is not updated, charges accrue against the property and land on the landlord. Registering each change of occupier promptly keeps liability where the tenancy puts it.
Void period tariffs
An empty unit still accrues standing charges, and sometimes full charges if the change is never reported. Telling the retailer a property is vacant is often enough to change what is billed.
Deemed contracts on handover
Every time a commercial unit changes occupier without a chosen retailer, a deemed contract starts. Across a portfolio that can mean dozens of units on the most expensive terms available.
Shared and common supplies
Supplies serving common areas, gardens or shared facilities sit with the landlord. They are rarely compared, and recharging tenants does not remove the value of getting the rate down.
Surface water drainage
Drainage is charged on the building, often by rateable value or area. On multi-let property the banding, and how it flows through the service charge, deserve an occasional check.
Results
Case studies
Consolidated multi-site billing onto a single contract with one retailer and one point of contact.
Worth knowing
Who is responsible, and how the market works
For household tenancies, the general rule is that the occupier pays for water unless the tenancy agreement says otherwise. Government guidance on renting, including utilities, is published at GOV.UK private renting. When a property is empty, responsibility sits with the landlord.
Commercial units and landlord-held supplies such as common areas count as non-household, so they can switch retailer through the open market run by Open Water. England opened in April 2017 and Scotland has been open since 2008.
The market
Switch water supplier for your property portfolio
Yes. England’s non-household water market opened to competition in April 2017 and Scotland’s opened in 2008, so every landlord-held supply can choose a different water retailer. Wholesale supply still comes from your regional water company; only the retailer (the company that bills you and reads your meter) changes.
The 12 retailers below are all licensed by Ofwat to supply non-household water. Pricing, service and sector experience vary from retailer to retailer.
Choose your route
Routes to procurement
Three ways landlords typically bring a new water contract in. Each comes with its own trade-off between control, effort and how sharp the price lands.
Direct with a retailer
The landlord signs straight with a licensed retailer. Best for a single commercial unit or landlord-held supply. You handle the comparison and the switch yourself.
Portfolio-wide contract
Landlords with several units or buildings can put every landlord-held supply on one central contract with one retailer. One renewal date and one point of contact across the portfolio.
Broker-led market test
A water broker compares the market for you, handles the paperwork and manages the switch from start to finish. Nothing changes for tenants.
Why choose The Business Water Shop
- Award-winning independent brokerage, not owned by or tied to any water retailer.
- Rated 5 stars on Google and 5 stars on Trustpilot by UK businesses.
- Experts with experience in business water for landlords, letting portfolios and managed buildings.
- We compare quotes from up to 14 licensed retailers.
- We handle the whole switch, from the comparison and paperwork to the supplier contact.
- One point of contact for multi-property portfolios.
Questions
Landlord water FAQs
Who pays water rates, the tenant or the landlord?
Usually the tenant while they occupy the property, unless the tenancy agreement says the rent includes water. During void periods the landlord is responsible. The key is making sure the account name changes at every handover.
Is the landlord liable if a tenant does not pay the water bill?
If the account is properly in the tenant name, the debt generally belongs to the tenant. Where bills stayed in the landlord name or the supplier was never told about the tenancy, the landlord can end up pursued for it.
How do I get a quote?
Send a recent water bill for any landlord-held supply. The SPID, annual volume and current retailer are all on it. We come back within two working days with an alternative quote and a flag if anything looks worth checking on void billing or account naming.
What happens to the water account when a unit is empty?
Standing charges continue, but occupied-use charges should not. Report the void to the retailer or wholesaler so the account reflects an empty property, and take a meter reading at each handover.
Who fixes a burst pipe or supply problem?
The regional wholesaler still owns and maintains the network up to your boundary, whichever retailer you choose. Anything on the private side of the meter remains the property owner responsibility.
We run several buildings and units. Can they go on one contract?
Yes. Retailers operate nationally, so a group can consolidate sites in different wholesaler regions onto a single retailer, one contract and one point of contact.
Will switching disrupt anything on site?
No. A switch is paperwork rather than plumbing. There is no interruption to supply, no engineer visit and nothing changes for tenants.
