Utility Policies and Procedures

Village of Yellow Springs

Utility Office Policies and Procedures

Effective 2-20-2020

**Procedures associated with property owner responsibility of tenant utility bills shall not apply to accounts currently in the name of the tenant at a rental address until the tenant moves and is replaced by another tenant.  Otherwise, any new occupancy of a rental property after January 1, 2016 the property owner will be responsible for any utility bill associated with their property per Village Ordinance 1040.02.

 

New Account Set Up 

  1. Any new accounts must be set up in person at the Village Utilities Office or via email to utilitybilling@yso.com prior to the date of move in order to establish a clear start of service date and/or avoid disruption of services.
  2. The applicant must provide the Village Utilities Office with the Utility Account Registration form, properly completed, as well as any other required documentation. If the property is a rental property, a copy of the lease agreement will be required. This form is available online at yso.com and click on “Village Departments”, then click on “Utility Billing”, and finally click on “Forms and Applications” under the heading “More Information”. 
  3. Utility services at any property shall be placed in the name of the occupant unless the property is a rental unit and the property owner elects to keep the utility services in their name. 
  4. Owners of rental properties shall have the option of the account being placed in their name or the name of the tenant. If the account is put into the owner’s name, the bill will be sent to the owner. If the bill is placed in the tenant’s name, the bill will be sent to the tenant, unless the owner elects the bill to be sent to them directly. 
  5. In the instance of rental properties, residential or commercial, both the property owner and the tenant must supply pertinent information as determined by the Village of Yellow Springs. 
  6. No utility service shall be initiated at any property until such time as proper paperwork and documentation has been provided to the Village Utilities Office.
  7. If services are disconnected at time of application, any outstanding balance associated with that property must be brought current before services are reconnected. 
  8. It is the responsibility of the applicant to bring any past due balances in their name current before utilities will be placed in their name. Landlords are welcome to verify if there are any past due balances in the name of a potential tenant. If a past due balance exists in the name of a person who is a renter, they must bring the account current prior to the utilities being put in their name. 

Payment Options and Fees 

The Village Utilities Office accepts a number of different forms of payment. We accept cash, checks, money orders, credit cards, and automatic debit from a checking or savings account. Fees will apply if paying by credit card/debit card. Also, if paying by check, over the phone, there is a processing fee. To pay by phone you can call 1-937-701-7352 anytime.

Delinquency Procedures 

  • For the purposes of determining delinquency, if the utility bill is not paid in full upon the due date on the 15th of each month, the customer's account shall be classified as delinquent. Once they are classified as delinquent, they are assessed a 5% penalty. There will be no extensions granted.
  • Once the following month’s bill is issued, customers will be notified of any past due balance on their bill.
  • If a customer has not paid their bill by the time the next month’s bill becomes due, they are notified by letter of potential disconnection if the past due balance on the account is not paid by the date indicated on the letter. If the property is a rental property, the property owner will also receive a copy of the disconnection letter.  There will be no extensions granted. **Disconnect letters will  be sent for any account $20.00 or more past due
  • After the passage of seven days from the date of the letter, if the account remains delinquent and no payment plan has been executed, the designated workers of the Village may enter the premises where such utility service is being provided, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., and disconnect any and all meters, conduits or attachments from the mains, pipes or lines of the Village. If utility services are disconnected at any address, service shall not be reinstated for any utility until the full balance of the account attached to said address has been paid in full. 
  • Once services have been disconnected, or if a tenant moves and leaves an outstanding balance, an attempt to collect the full amount due plus penalties will be made by the Village. Any correspondence in an attempt to collect an unpaid bill will be sent to the landlord as well, if applicable.  At that point the tenant/homeowner/landlord will have an opportunity to pay the balance no less than 30 days after the due date of the final bill. If the account is not brought current after 30 days passed the bill due date, any outstanding balance, including any penalties, will be assessed to the property taxes along with an applicable assessment fee through the process prescribed by the Greene County Auditor. 
  • Delinquent amounts incurred by tenants prior to the implementation of this policy shall stay with the tenant and shall not be considered attached to the property for the purposes of this policy.

 

Utility Disputes 

If you are disputing your current meter reads, a courtesy re-read will be offered once a month. Any additional customer requests for re-reads incur an additional charge per work order created.

Inquiries or complaints regarding a specific utility bill must be made prior to the due date. Utility bill complaints are filed with the Village Utilities Office.  Complaints may be filed via mail, in person, or via email to utilitybilling@yso.com. Any pertinent documentation should be presented at that time. Bills in dispute are still subject to penalty and/or disconnection for non-payment. 

Minor complaints will be handled within the Village Utilities Office. More complex issues will be referred to the Finance Director who will determine if the issue will require a decision by the Utility Dispute Resolution Board. 

Access to Meters 

A number of meters within the Village are located inside residences or buildings and not accessible by Village staff. Per Village Ordinance 1040.11, customers shall allow Village staff access to Village equipment, including meters, at intervals not to exceed 90 days. This policy is in place in order to ensure that the equipment is functioning properly and collecting accurate readings. Gaining access to meters and acquiring reads also alerts Village staff to any water leaks or other issues that could affect a customer’s bill. 

If the meter reader is unable to gain access at the time your reading is due, a customer card will be left in a conspicuous location at the property. In order to collect a read, the customer is expected to fill out the card immediately and return it to the Village Utilities Office via postage paid mail or in person. It should be noted that the customer card does not substitute the meter reader gaining access. 

If Village staff has not accessed a customer’s meter in over 90 days, they will receive a letter notifying them of such and requesting the customer set up a time to have their meter read. 

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