Unpaid Utility Bills Add Up in Robbinsdale
It’s a not-so uncommon problem. What do cities do when property owners are late on their utility bills? For the city of Robbinsdale, the issue adds up to a lot of unpaid bills.
Residents in the city owe $349,000 in delinquent utility bills, officials said this week. That’s nearly one-sixth of its yearly billings.
Robbinsdale provides water, sewer and garbage services for its residents and sends out a bill every other month. This week the Robbinsdale City Council approved a $50 administrative fee for July bills that are more than 30 days past due.
If bills are not paid by Nov. 15, property owners will be docked 8 percent interest with late bills rolled into 2020 property taxes.
According to city documents, dozens of residents had unpaid bills of more than $1,000. One had an unpaid tab of more than $5,000.
City officials stress that residents can have bills automatically deducted from their bank account to avoid forgetting to pay. Auto bill pay includes a $2 discount.
