Water/Sewer Billing

[MA]

I have a question reguarding Water and Sewer Billing done by mobile home parks.

Over the past few years I have lived in two different parks in Michigan.

The first park installed their own meters in the within park, with an independent billing company and billed individual residence for their usage. (There charges were supposed to be the same as the city/county passed on to the park).

The second park was a little different. The water/sewer bills came directly from the City Office, instead of the parks agent. The troubling part of this was their was an indivudual charge for both water and sewer debt reduction on each bill that totalled about $50-$60 bucks every three months.

If the parks leases state they provide "water and sewer connections". Should the residences have to be paying debt reduction on this property.

What is your opinon??

[Chrissy]

I'm not sure I've ever heard water and sewer charges referred to as "debt reduction" before. However, if the lease says the community provides water and sewer connections, that does not mean they provide water and sewer usage. It only means they provide the utility stub-outs to your homesite. This is where your home is connected to the underground utilities to provide you with water and sewer.

[MA]

Thanks for the reply.

Let me try to clarify what I am talking about.

The water bill carries normal chages based upon meter usage for water and sewer, and it contains daily service charges for water and sewer. This part I understand and realize that I must pay.

The additional charges are for the water and sewer debt reduction. When talking with the city, this is basically a charge the city imposed for a certain number of years (I belive 10-20 year time frame), to pay for the cost of the sewer system. If this extra charge is to cover the installation of the sewer system, the residents should not have to pay this in my opinon. (I do understand it is really a moot point, because if it were ever fought and won, the park would just raise the rent to cover the extra charges).

[Chrissy]

Yes, it would appear that if the debt reduction figure actually covers the cost of infrastructure in the community, and your lease says the community provides water and sewer connections - you should not be paying this. If you are in a condominiumized community, the terms may be different. A competent attorney may be able to decipher the documents for you.