Paying your water bill late? Get ready for a surprise. The Lakewood MUA has added an 18% charge for overdue bills, TLS has learned. The 18% late fee is not a jump from a lower fee, but a completely new fee. “I called to pay a bill for my school and was told that I owed more than the bill”, a school administrator tells TLS. “I asked why and was told that they started charging interest”.
But apparently, the MUA didn’t feel the need to notify their customers about it, until it’s too late.
“I asked to speak to a manager and I asked her why they didn’t at least notify the customers about this decision, especially when the interest rate was higher than most credit card rates”, the school administrator says. “Her response was, that they didn’t feel it was necessary to notify customers!”, he says.
The new fee took effect this month. TLS.
It’s a Slush fund(piggy bank)for some of our leaders
bob singer is on that board too isn’t he ….. thanks bob
How could u not allow the public to become aware of any increase of any kind? you just don’t do things like that, is money growing on a tree, or fallen from heaven, there r some real issues going on in this wonderful world we live in. Is there a secret that u are not telling us, we the people, for the people in this state of New Jersey, with so much corruption going on all over, whts up with tht.
This is 100% not within the Law. The state states clearly about the rate on Taxes and MUA charges. You can only charge 8% on balances under $1500 and 18% on the the amount over $1500 but not on the whole amount only on the amount over $1500
Is this allowable ? do not need approval from anyone to do this?
what if they decioded to make it 50%
Just called and I was told that they will start charging on next billing cycle ( which for me is December). As of now, they have not assessed any interest yet.
When I called last month to pay partial payment, the representative warned me that they will start charging interest but admitted that they will do so without warning.
Ask ’em how much their recent renovation cost US?
could you be more oxymoronic? they “warned” you that they would do it without “warning”. hmmmm
who is on the board?
can we expose the no show jobs going on there? this is the tip of the iceberg ……..
http://www.lakewoodmua.com/board_members.php
Most water companies send quarterly bills – the NJAWC sends monthly. The simple reason is because, the average NJAWC monthly bill is higher than most water company’s quarterly bills! No wonder they don’t the bill to get too high, it would be simply un-collectable.
Now that the NJAWC has invented a “new” charge – the “pipe charge”. In addition to the water and sewer charge, the average bill is now well over two hundred dollars a month – in the winter – that’s without using their water for irrigation as in the summer months.
Additionally, the NJAWC has it all worked out with Lakewood Township, as not to allow homeowners to dig their own wells for home-usage. (Specifically, a well for home usage, not irrigation, can not be within a few hundred feet of an existing NJAWC water pipe for fear of damage to their pipes. Mind you, if the well is already there serving an irrigation purpose its fine!)
And now an 18% interest charge for late payments!
Its time for a class action suit – the NJAWC has the highest rates in the county – without allowing the option of a homeowner to use his own water resources.
As per a former LTMUA board member, the recent big bucks renovation of their office was a complete waste of our money. They simply could have moved into the HUGE Public Works Bldg. Consolidation, it’s the latest rage
She was warning me to pay in full now, so I would not be subject to the interest which would be charged soon,at any time without warning. I don’t see the issue with this statement!
The ltmua recently instituted a new fee of 500 dollars on every bill for buildings that use a sprinler system
when asked to explain they said it was in case the sprinkler system needs to be used
2000 dollars a year IN CASE the sprinler needs to be used
Sue in small claims court & win, they have no right to add a fee, Possibly not even if they inform you, unless you have an option of using another company.
#11:
Thank you. It’s all the same story…
A litlle knowledge is a dangerous thing. The NJ American water co is a subsidary of a German company and has nothing to do with the Lakewood MUA. So comment # 13 is clueless.
BY STATE STATUTE 18% interest shall be charged for all delinquent mua bills. The fact that Lakewood mua neglected to do so till now is reflective of PREVIOUS leadership. The current job is now being done correctly and everyone will be treated the same. The fact that no ‘warning’ was given is true, however since they only send out bills quarterly and in order to get delinquent balances to tax sale this year and NOT WAIT A YEAR they had to do it without notices. Hey…. heres a simple soloution, Pay your bills on time.
Why must they send you a letter, everyone knows you should pay your bills on time, the MUA is not a credit union or bank.
yea pay your bills on time then you wont get absurd late fees!!!
THANK YOU Number 18. You are 100% correct. This is not a story. This is someone within the community trying to make a mountain out of a mole hill.
Why is it that it isnt reported that Lakewood MUA’s charges are significantly less than NJ American Water?
Other utilities don’t charge interest if you are late in paying (NJ Natural gas, JCP &L etc.) The MUA is not NJAWC.( I don’t know why it is alled NJ “American Water Co, since it is owned by a German Co.)
Why was my comment never posted???