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Council Members Gadus, Komives and Melden
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Enacting Toledo Municipal Code Sections 933.07(c) and 933.12, Voluntary Termination of Water Services.
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SUMMARY & BACKGROUND:
The purpose of this Ordinance is to address the serious health, safety, and economic concerns where water service is terminated at a rental property due to no fault of the tenant. First, this frequently arises when the property owner/account holder fails to make payment on the water bill. This ordinance clarifies and ensures that non-owners may make payment arrangements with the City to avoid a termination of services for nonpayment, and that options for such repayment will never cost more than those available to the Owner. It also ensures adequate notice to the tenant as well as the right to set off such payments against future rental payments. Second, this problem also arises when a request to terminate water services is made by a property owner/account holder in order to effectively evict someone from a property. Such conduct cannot be allowed in the City of Toledo. This ordinance ensures appropriate access to essential water services in both of these circumstances.
Summary
NOW, THEREFORE, Be it ordained by the Council of the City of Toledo:
SECTION 1. That a new Section 933.07(c) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
933.07. Owners to contract.
(c) (1) Notwithstanding 933.07(a) and 933.07(b) above, any non-owner may make payment arrangements directly with the City of Toledo's Department of Public Utilities in order to avoid a disconnection of water services due to nonpayment, or cause reconnection of services which were disconnected due to nonpayment.
(2) Before terminating water services for nonpayment, the Department of Public Utilities must provide a notice to the address where services will be terminated at least thirty days before termination setting forth all options to avoid a termination of services for nonpayment that may be availabl...
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