What can I do about my water bill?

by **hackett** » Wed Nov 23, 2011 10:27 am

I moved into a rental property in March. Since we have been here we have not got a single water bill. Finally, yesterday, I got my first bill. It is a $300 shut off notice to be paid in 2 weeks. Legally, do I have to pay it all? I don't understand how they can do that! Does anyone know the laws in NC pertaining to this issue?

by **nemausus36** » Wed Nov 23, 2011 10:29 am

Your question is not controlled by state law but is covered under your cities municipal code, The billing cycle may be twice yearly which is unusual but give them a call and they will work it out with you. 300 for 7 months is cheap, mine is 175.00 dollars every 2 months so I may move where you are.

by **motega** » Wed Nov 23, 2011 10:40 am

The water is in your land lords name, and he has been receiving the bills. That's why you haven't seen the bills. But before shutting the water off they send a final notice to the address. They do it for just this reason. So the current tenant can straighten it out.

You need to find out who pays for water. It will say in your rental agreement. Which is probably in the drawer where you put stuff that you can never find again. So call the land lord and ask him.

It might be that the land lord is waiting to the last minute to pay. Or it could be that you where suppose to put the water in your name.

If you don't have the money, you can ask them for payments.

by **chozai65** » Wed Nov 23, 2011 10:42 am

The water is in your land lords name, and he has been receiving the bills. That's why you haven't seen the bills. But before shutting the water off they send a final notice to the address. They do it for just this reason. So the current tenant can straighten it out.

You need to find out who pays for water. It will say in your rental agreement. Which is probably in the drawer where you put stuff that you can never find again. So call the land lord and ask him.

It might be that the land lord is waiting to the last minute to pay. Or it could be that you where suppose to put the water in your name.

If you don't have the money, you can ask them for payments.

You have to read over your rental agreement and see who is to pay for the water, if it's you then the water department screwed up and did not send you bills on a regular basis. If your agreement tells you it you who pays for water then go to the water dept. and make a deal to pay this off monthly explain what happen most will cut you a break. But if the agreement states that the landlord pays then you need to go after them right away and also explain to the water department.

by **hyun-su** » Wed Nov 23, 2011 10:44 am

Your question is about communication. You have to call the water district and verify whose name is it listed on such address where you are now. Then if you found out it is in the name of your landlord or who owns the house, then, make another call. Call this person whose name is listed in the water district. Ask for explanation as to whose responsibility it is to pay for the water supply. Still if there is no solution to your porblem, then, make an arrangment with the water account department and for sure they will understand if you tell them that there were no bills ever been received in your present address. Then you may now say ,"Can I just pay you in installment untill fully paid?" You failed to tell us as how was the bill addressed, is it in your name or just a print out that says the "Occupant" If this is the case, it is your responsiblity to pay for such water bill. Make a complaint why did they waited so long until such bill became so big! Ask a consideration for this negligence of sending it on a regular basis for you to have been alerted. It should not have been your fault, and you may say that the warning for discontinuance seems like a harassment to your own interpretations of the situation. Got it?

by **hawiovi** » Wed Nov 23, 2011 10:46 am

So in the 7 months you have lived there, you never once thought to yourself, "Gee, I have not received a water bill since I moved in. Maybe I should contact them about this and see what is up."

What can you do about it? Pay it. If you need to, contact them about paying it off over 3 or 6 months (whatever you can afford). But it does need to be paid, one way or the other.

*EDIT* - That would have been a nice bit of detail to include in your original post. Most people live in urban or suburban homes, and are supplied by city water.

It's hard to know the facts when they are not provided. And when they are not provided, then those "facts" need to be assumed.

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