Renting does not rule out a proper water filter. A complete reverse osmosis system can be installed by using a small dedicated tap which fits into one of the spare holes that most sinks already have. In the case where there is no such hole, a small new one can be drilled and then covered up with a blanking disc. No part of the plumbing is permanently altered and, should you move homes, we will be able to take the system with you.
I hear that exact phrase quite a lot each week. I'd like to have a water filter, but since I rent, I figure that all I can do is make do with one in the jug on the countertop. I can see why people end up in that position. Nowadays long-term renting is a real situation for a great many households in both Ireland and the UK, not just a temporary arrangement before buying a property. Those who live in rented homes are just as concerned about the quality of their water as everybody else, it's just that they think it's beyond their reach because they don't own the walls surrounding their property.
What kind of water filter can a renter actually get?
The advice given online usually deals with this issue by suggesting that renters get a jug or a countertop model and leaving it at that. Now, while such options do have a place, they aren't the only possibility, and in my view the advice fails to show renters what they actually can have. A proper reverse osmosis system, installed under the sink, is also a realistic choice for the average tenant. That is why I would like to clearly explain just what this entails, since it is the details that really help to reassure people.
A standard reverse osmosis system uses a small dedicated tap next to your existing kitchen tap. Many sinks already have a spare hole from the factory. It was left for a soap dispenser or a second tap that was never fitted. Where that spare hole exists, our tap simply goes into it. Nothing new is cut at all. Where it does not exist, a small hole is made, usually around twelve to thirteen millimetres wide. The tap is then sealed neatly into place.
The unit itself connects to your existing cold water supply through a push fit valve. It is the same type of fitting used for a washing machine or dishwasher. No pipework is cut or permanently changed. That connection comes out just as easily as it went in.
There is also a further option worth knowing about. Some customers choose a tri flow tap instead of a separate dedicated tap. A tri flow tap combines your normal hot and cold mains water with the filtered water in one fitting. There is no second hole needed on the sink at all. It replaces your existing kitchen tap rather than sitting alongside it. For renters who would rather avoid any new hole, even a small reversible one, this is often the simplest route. It is a purchase decision worth discussing with our team. It changes the install slightly, and the tap itself carries its own cost.
Will this cause any damage to the property?
No, and this is the point I want landlords and tenants both to understand. A reversible tap fitting is very different from the kind of permanent alteration that tenancy agreements are written to prevent. Most leases are concerned with structural change. They are not written to stop a small fitting that a competent installer can remove cleanly.
If a tenant decides to take the system with them, or the tenancy ends, the tap comes out. The hole left behind is covered with a small disc that sits flush with the sink. The property goes back to how it was. I have seen this handled well often enough to know it is a straightforward, low risk process when it is done properly.
What happens if the tenant moves house
In this instance I believe the industry is still falling short. Rather than sell a system, most companies leave the customer to deal with what happens afterwards if they move. We adopt a different method: when one of our customers moves within our service area, we remove the system from the old kitchen and refit it in the new one. It's the same unit, with the same filtration and the same water that the customer has become used to. The callout is charged at a fair rate for the work carried out and can be arranged with a single phone call.
I think that is what a rental friendly product should look like. Not just a system that can technically be fitted in a rented home. A service built around the fact that renters move.
Where this leaves renters today
Filtered water should not depend on whether you own your home. A properly fitted reverse osmosis system is realistic for tenants. It does not damage plumbing. Any trace it leaves behind can be covered in minutes. If you want to see how other customers have found the process, our reviews page reflects real feedback. It is part of why Renewell Water is rated among the best water filtration companies in Ireland.
If you are renting and considering better drinking water, the ArkkZ Water Filtration System was built with this kind of flexibility in mind. Talk to our team about your kitchen. We will tell you honestly what your setup allows for.
You can read more real customer experiences on our reviews page.
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