ComplaintsforCity of Ashland Utilities

• Initial Complaint

  08/05/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Charging for fees where the service is not provided/needed. Charging for sending out notices that I never agreed to pay for. Theft on cash payments I have made. They always come up missing when I have made cash payments so I stopped doing that.

  Business response

  08/12/2024

  Utility bills are processed the last week of the month.  Utility bills are always due on the 15th of each month. If the 15th of the month falls on a weekend, customers are allowed to make payments without penalty until the following Monday at 5:00 p.m.  If payment is not made by the due date at close of business, a late fee of 10% will be applied to each account. If not paid by the 25th of each month a $10 penalty will be applied and Customers will be sent a notice telling them the date of disconnection for non-payment.  The City of Ashland is now taking online payments. There is a 3% convenience fee for using this service. ****** payments take ***** hours to process.  Customers can pay online at: **************************************************************

  The current rates for utility services in Ashland are as follows:

  Water: $8.90 base charge monthly and $4.71 per thousand gallons.
  Sewer: $22.75 base charge monthly and $5.25 per thousand gallons.
  Trash: $12.95 charge for residential customers.
  Collection Fee: $2.00 charge per month.
  Recycling Fee: $1.00 charge per month for residential customers.
  Yard Waste Fee: $1.50 charge per month for residential customers.
  Primacy Fee: $0.25 charge per month.
  Sewer Collection Fee: $0.07 charge per month.
  Wastewater Bond: $5.00 per month.

  Additional Charges: 1.) Late Charge: a 10% charge will be added to each utility bill if payment is not received by the 15th of the month by 5:00 p.m. If the 15th of the month falls on a weekend or holiday, the customer has until 5:00 p.m. the following business day before the charge is assessed. 2. Final Notice Charge: If the bill is not paid by 5:00 p.m. on the 25th of the month, a $10.00 charge is assessed and a final notice is sent. The FINAL NOTICE will state the last day to make payment (before shut-off). If the 25th lands on a weekend or holiday, the customer has until 5:00 p.m. the following business day. Failure to receive a bill does not relieve the customer of the liability for payment. The City Water Department is not responsible for the ******************* or customer e-mail address changes that the City was not aware of. It is the customers responsibility to contact the City if their bill is not received by the first week of the month. Customers can also view their bill ****** at the City of Ashland's website. Collections: Utility accounts are reviewed every 6 months. Accounts that have a balance of $100.00 or more will be sent to **************************** for collections. Any account that is uncollectable or inactive and has less than $100.00 balance will be presented to the Board of Aldermen to be written off. 

  Final Delinquent/Shut Off: 1.) Customers who have not paid their utility bill by 5:00 p.m. on the date listed on the FINAL NOTICE sent will be disconnected the following day. 2.) To have service reconnected, customers will pay a $75.00 reconnect fee during normal business hours, 8:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. 3.) After hours (after 5:00pm) and weekend reconnects will be charged an additional $75.00 service fee. All delinquent bills, fees, and service charges must be paid in full prior to being reconnected. 4.) The City of Ashland Water Superintendent has the authority to delay customer disconnects when the situation has the potential to damage the City meter or when weather does not permit. At the direction of the Water Superintendent disconnects may be delayed due to temperature or when more than 2 inches of snow covers the ground. 

  Attached is the customers transaction history.  All transactions are monitored and the customer counter is under camera surveillance.  All accounts are reconciled by the City Treasurer to ensure proper posting of payments received.

   

  Business response

  08/12/2024

  Utility bills are processed the last week of the month.  Utility bills are always due on the 15th of each month. If the 15th of the month falls on a weekend, customers are allowed to make payments without penalty until the following Monday at 5:00 p.m.   If payment is not made by the due date at close of business, a late fee of 10% will be applied to each account. If not paid by the 25th of each month a $10 penalty will be applied and Customers will be sent a notice telling them the date of disconnection for non-payment.   The City of Ashland is now taking online payments. There is a 3% convenience fee for using this service. ****** payments take ***** hours to process.  Customers can pay online at: *************************************************************************;

  The current rates for utility services in Ashland are as follows:

  Water: $8.90 base charge monthly and $4.71 per thousand gallons.
  Sewer: $22.75 base charge monthly and $5.25 per thousand gallons.
  Trash: $12.95 charge for residential customers.
  Collection Fee: $2.00 charge per month.
  Recycling Fee: $1.00 charge per month for residential customers.
  Yard Waste Fee: $1.50 charge per month for residential customers.
  Primacy Fee: $0.25 charge per month.
  Sewer Collection Fee: $0.07 charge per month.
  Wastewater Bond: $5.00 per month.

  Additional Charges: 1.) Late Charge: a 10% charge will be added to each utility bill if payment is not received by the 15th of the month by 5:00 p.m. If the 15th of the month falls on a weekend or holiday, the customer has until 5:00 p.m. the following business day before the charge is assessed. 2. Final Notice Charge: If the bill is not paid by 5:00 p.m. on the 25th of the month, a $10.00 charge is assessed and a final notice is sent. The FINAL NOTICE will state the last day to make payment (before shut-off). If the 25th lands on a weekend or holiday, the customer has until 5:00 p.m. the following business day. Failure to receive a bill does not relieve the customer of the liability for payment. The City Water Department is not responsible for the ******************* or customer e-mail address changes that the City was not aware of. It is the customers responsibility to contact the City if their bill is not received by the first week of the month. Customers can also view their bill ****** at the City of Ashland's website. Collections: Utility accounts are reviewed every 6 months. Accounts that have a balance of $100.00 or more will be sent to **************************** for collections. Any account that is uncollectable or inactive and has less than $100.00 balance will be presented to the Board of Aldermen to be written off. 

  Final Delinquent/Shut Off: 1.) Customers who have not paid their utility bill by 5:00 p.m. on the date listed on the FINAL NOTICE sent will be disconnected the following day. 2.) To have service reconnected, customers will pay a $75.00 reconnect fee during normal business hours, 8:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. 3.) After hours (after 5:00pm) and weekend reconnects will be charged an additional $75.00 service fee. All delinquent bills, fees, and service charges must be paid in full prior to being reconnected. 4.) The City of Ashland Water Superintendent has the authority to delay customer disconnects when the situation has the potential to damage the City meter or when weather does not permit. At the direction of the Water Superintendent disconnects may be delayed due to temperature or when more than 2 inches of snow covers the ground. 

  Utility accounts are reconciled daily by the Treasurer.  The utility counter is monitored by surveillance.  

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