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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016.10.03 CC PowerPoint Utility Billing Public HearingUtility Billing for Residential Rental Properties I Background 0 9 August 15, 2016 City Council Meeting Proposed amendment to the utility billing and payment proved ire for residential rental properties Directed staff to hold a public hearing on proposed chang I! Current Billing Procedure 0 • Residential renters can request utility bills be placed in their name Y City code already states that the property owner is responsible for any unpaid utility bills • Billing for residential rental property is becoming time consuming and costly Numerous tenants during a billing quarter City becomes the middleman Difficulties at time of property sale Proposed Ordinance Change 0 Mandate that all residential water and sewer accounts be billed only in the name of the owner of the property served Create a consistent and easy to follow policy Reduce costs and staff time Remove the City from landlord and tenant disagreements I! Proposed — Sec. 82-68 BILLING AND PAYMENT 0 • "The utility billing clerk or other duly authorized representative of the city shall prepare quarterly statements of the amount due under the terms of this chapter for each utility account, and shall mail or deliver same to the respective customer. Payment of all charges for water and sewer service supplied by the city shall be the responsibility of the owner of the property. The owner of the property shall be liable for water and sewer charges incurred by the premises and any unpaid charges shall be collected per section 82-70. All residential water and sewer accounts shall be billed only in the name of the owner of the property served. Water bills shall be due and payable on or before the prescribed due date stated on bill. Water bills not paid by the set due date shall be considered delinquent and any account carrying a 3o -day delinquency may be shut off by the city for nonpayment. Service shall not be resumed until regulations of section 82-31 shall have been satisfied." Next Steps 0 • Proposed implementation for first quarter 2017 billing Questions Open the Public Hearing Consider the amendment to Hugo City Code, Chapter 82 UTILITIES, Section 82-68 BILLING AND PAYMENT Sec. 82-68 BILLING AND PAYMENT Sec. 82-68. — Billing and payment. 0 The utilitybiIIing clerk or other duly authorized representative of the city shall prepare quarterly statements of the amount due under the terms of this chapterfreFFfor each eusteWeF utility account, and shall mail or deliver same to the respective customer. Payment of all charges for water and water server service supplied bythe city shall be the pFiffiaFy responsibilityofthe owner of the property. The oviner of the property shall be liablefor water and sewer charges incurred bythe premises and anv unraid charges shall be collected per section 82-70. All residential v -rater and accounts shall be billed only in the name of the o�-vner of the nronerty served. Water billsshall be due and payableby theteRth day of the PAP—Ath f. ,ii„vt F,, bil ii r) on or before the prescribed due date stated on bill. 'Vater bills not paid by the ' day of the F.,enth felif-,wii:,g billing set due date shall be considered delinquent and a+�--qny account carrying a 0 -day delinquency may be shut off by the city for nonpayment. Service shall not be resumed until regulations of section 82-31 shall have been satisfied. Sec. 82-7o COLLECTION OF FEES 0 Sec. 82-70. —Collection off ees. Any amounts due for v� ater charges, together vgith reasonable attorney's fees, maybe collected in action brought for that purpose in the name of the cite against the �wvater user or the owner of the premises or both, or the cite clerk may certify to the county auditor the amounts due for +,,.)ater charges, including penalty, together vAth the legal description of the premises served, and the counter auditor shall thereupon enter such amount in the tax lever on said premises collectible vgithin the taxes forthe next ensuing, year; provided, that nothing herein shall prevent the v titer superintendent or cite representative from ordering discontinuance of service to any such premises until any hill shall have been paid. Second Quarter 2016 Statistics 11 0 128 renter occupied accounts 20 of those changed tenants ,D 3,600 owner occupied accounts lob of those changed owners I!