Collection of Overdue Utility Accounts

All utility bills are due upon receipt. When utility bills are not paid on time, the account becomes overdue.

When an account becomes overdue collection activities are initiated. The customer is notified of overdue accounts on:

• Future water bills;
• Delinquency notices; and
• Disconnection notices.

In April of 2009, the City of Regina is implementing a new delinquency process for overdue utility charges. This means that all customers who do not pay their account balances on time are subject to collection activity. This can result in disconnection of services.

This new process allows a more consistent approach to customer service and reinforces consistent payment of outstanding charges.

Provincial legislation provides us with the authority to enforce payment. The options available to the City of Regina to collect overdue utility accounts include: disconnecting service, transferring outstanding balances to the tax roll, if the account is with the property owners, or placing the account with an external collection agency. The first option to collect outstanding balances will be to disconnect the utility service.

***Tax transfer will not be the first option for collection of outstanding balances.***