HUMBOLDT — To help landlords whose tenants aren't paying for water services, the city is changing shutoff dates for delinquent accounts from 50 days from the billing date to 35 days.
"There's been a number of complaints from property owners that our current policy enables tenants to run up significantly high utility accounts prior to having their water shut off," Lori Yaworski, the City of Humboldt's city clerk, told council at their April 25 meeting. "Some tenants have even vacated the property during that time and leaving the responsibility of those established accounts to the property owners."
The money owed will eventually be applied to the landlords' property taxes if it's not paid by other means.
Before the change in policy, the bills were due 20 days after the billing date, with a three per cent penalty charged after the due date. A notice was then sent to unpaid accounts giving an additional 25 days to pay. A door knocker is then placed, giving an additional five days before the water was shut off. The process took 50 days.
Now, the bills are due 20 days after the billing date, with a three per cent penalty charged after the due date. A notice is then sent to unpaid accounts giving an additional 10 days to pay. A door knocker is placed, giving an additional five days before the water is shut off. The new process takes 35 days.
"This would lessen the tenant's outstanding balance and limit the amount that's added to the property owner's taxes," Yaworski said.
Michael Behiel, Humboldt's mayor, expressed support for the change.
"I think that this is something that's definitely in our best interest because we do not want to see those landlords continually being left with bills created by their tenants and therefore getting it stuck on their property tax bill."
Coun. Roger Nordick said he was concerned about what would happen if a landlord didn't pay their water bills, affecting multiple tenants.
"We do work as much as we can with any of these delinquent accounts," Yaworski said. "Even with the property owners, we would never shut off services to rentals without giving due notice."
