Thousand Oaks Municipal Code Art. 9 Billing and Payment

The Public Works Director and Finance Director are primarily responsible for the issuance of wastewater bills and for direct assessments of single-family residential wastewater service charges via Ventura County's property tax roll. Within the City, the Finance Department provides customer service functions associated with the preparation, issuance, and receipt of wastewater bills and revenue.

(Ord. 1515-NS, eff. June 5, 2009, as amended by § 3, Ord. 1684-NS, eff. May 28, 2021)

Except for wastewater service charges collected via a direct assessment on the Ventura County property tax roll or those covered under “Miscellaneous Uses and Special Services,” all wastewater service charges shall become due and payable upon presentation. Such bills shall have a due date of twenty-one (21) days and become delinquent and subject to penalty charges in an amount set by City Council action if not paid in full on or before twenty-eight (28) days after the billing date. Payment shall be made to the City of Thousand Oaks Finance Department.

(Ord. 1515-NS, eff. June 5, 2009, as amended by § 4, Ord. 1684-NS, eff. May 28, 2021, and § 2, Ord. 1721-NS, eff. January 1, 2024)

All bills for miscellaneous wastewater system use and special services and treatment costs or expenses, and the like furnished during any calendar month shall be due and payable upon presentation and shall become delinquent twenty-one (21) days after the date the billing was prepared. Such bills shall be delinquent and subject to penalty charges in an amount set by City Council action if not paid in full on or before twenty-eight (28) days after the billing date.

(Ord. 1515-NS, eff. June 5, 2009, as amended by § 3, Ord. 1721-NS, eff. January 1, 2024)

In the event of payments in excess of the billed amount, the City shall credit the amount of overpayment thereof upon the next ensuing wastewater service charge bill issued to the same property.

(Ord. 1515-NS, eff. June 5, 2009)

Any underpayment of a wastewater service charge bill shall be deemed as nonpayment. In all cases, the amount of nonpayment or underpayment shall be subject to a penalty. Any underpayment on a combined water and wastewater bill shall be subject to discontinuance of water service.

(Ord. 1515-NS, eff. June 5, 2009)

(a) A recipient of wastewater service charge billing who has a complaint or question concerning their bill, shall have the opportunity to review the problem with the Public Services Division of the Finance Department during regular business hours. The Public Services Division shall have the authority to correct any billing errors identified through this review.

(b) Adjustments in the opening and closing dates of an account shall not be made unless approved by the Public Works Director or the Finance Director. With respect to opening dates, the date on the application or date of transfer of property shall control unless otherwise approved.

(c) When the Public Works Department or the Finance Department identifies an error in billing or account calculation, the Public Services Division shall have the authority to correct the billing errors. Where adjustments are necessary, the City shall evaluate the adjustment using past data and other factors necessary to make an adjustment.

(1) Overbilled Accounts. When a customer has been overbilled, the City will credit the account for the amount overcharged. Upon written request, the customer may receive a refund instead of a credit. Billing corrections shall not exceed three (3) years from the date the error is identified. If the error occurred for a shorter period, the correction will be limited to that period.

(2) Underbilled Accounts. When a customer has been underbilled, the City may bill the customer for the unbilled amount. Billing corrections shall not exceed three (3) years from the date the error is identified. If the error occurred for a shorter period, the correction will be limited to that period. The City may allow repayment through an installment plan in accordance with City administrative policies.

(d) A customer who disputes the correctness of a wastewater bill issued directly by the City shall notify the City’s Public Services Division in writing within twenty-one (21) days from the billing date and before the bill due date. The written notice shall describe the reason for the dispute. The decision of the Public Services may be appealed pursuant to Section 10-2.906(e). This subsection shall not apply to customers whose charges are collected through the Ventura County property tax roll.

(e) The decision of the Public Services Division may be appealed to the Finance Division Manager or Public Works Supervisor within ten (10) business days. During the review, the customer shall pay all undisputed portions of the bill to avoid penalties or service interruption. The Finance Division Manager or Public Works Division Supervisor shall review the account and provide a written response within ten (10) business days.

(f) If the customer disagrees with the Finance Division Manager’s or Public Works Supervisor’s determination, a written appeal may be filed with the Finance or Public Works Director within ten (10) days of the determination. The Finance or Public Works Director shall review the record and issue a final decision within thirty (30) business days. The Director’s decision shall be final.

(Ord. 1515-NS, eff. June 5, 2009, as amended by § 2 Ord. 1744-NS, eff. January 2, 2026)

In the event there is a blockage in the lateral, no adjustment in billing will be made. It shall be the property owner's responsibility to maintain his own system.

(Ord. 1515-NS, eff. June 5, 2009)

(a) The property owner shall be responsible for payment. The current owner of a property shall be responsible for payment of all unpaid fees and charges not collected, or collectable, from the applicant, user, or occupant on the parcel. If more than one occupant or tenant on a commercial, industrial, or multi-family parcel of property is served, then the City shall render a single bill to the property owner. In the event of nonpayment, the property owner shall be liable for payment.

(b) Non-residential and apartment property owners and/or occupants may, if they wish, make special arrangements with the Finance Department for the purpose of sending the bill to the occupant of the property rather than to the property owner. In such a case, the property owner shall be liable for any nonpayment.

(Ord. 1515-NS, eff. June 5, 2009, as amended by § 5, Ord. 1684-NS, eff. May 28, 2021)

Payments not received on or before twenty-eight (28) days from the billing date shall be deemed delinquent and subject to penalty charges in an amount set by City Council action. The amount due shall consist of the entire unpaid balance. Wastewater service charges that are collected on the Ventura County property tax roll are not subject to the delinquency provisions in this section.

(Ord. 1515-NS, eff. June 5, 2009, as amended by § 6, Ord. 1684-NS, eff. May 28, 2021, § 4, Ord. 1721-NS, eff. January 1, 2024, and § 3 Ord. 1744-NS, eff. January 2, 2026)

Two (2) or more parties who join in one application for service shall be jointly and severally liable thereunder and shall be billed by means of single periodic bills.

(Ord. 1515-NS, eff. June 5, 2009)

The City and its proper officers, agents or employees shall promptly, efficiently and economically take all steps, actions or remedies necessary for the collection of charges and the penalties thereon (including the enforcement of the lien of such charges and penalties) which are now or may hereafter be provided for in the Code or in the Revenue Bond Law, California Government Code, commencing with Section 54300. Such remedies for collecting and enforcing the rates and charges shall be cumulative and may be pursued alternately. As determined by the City Treasurer, a list of delinquent charges shall be recorded. If any one (1) remedy provided for in this section is held to be invalid, all valid remedies shall remain effectual.

(Ord. 1515-NS, eff. June 5, 2009, as amended by § 5, Ord. 1721-NS, eff. January 1, 2024)

The City Treasurer shall record with the County Recorder a list of all delinquent charges, and the penalties thereon, and shall include in each such list the amount of each charge and the penalty thereon, a description of the real property upon which the same is a lien, and the name of the City, all as provided in the Revenue Bond Law, California Government Code, commencing with Section 54300, as the same now exists or as hereafter amended. All delinquent charges and penalties, when so recorded, shall constitute a lien upon the real property served by the enterprise (except that no such lien shall be created against any property owned by a public corporation or as the result of delinquent charges accrued by a tenant or lessee of the property), and each such lien shall have the force, effect, priority and duration, and any real property subject to any such lien may be discharged therefrom, and each such lien shall be enforced as provided in the Revenue Bond Law, California Government Code, commencing with Section 54300, as the same now exists or as hereafter amended. Payment of all charges and liens shall be the property owner's responsibility.

(Ord. 1515-NS, eff. June 5, 2009)

In the event all structures in which wastewater is produced are removed, abandoned or uninhabitable on a property served by the wastewater system, the Public Works Director may terminate service to the property after receiving a written request from the property owner. The termination shall not be effective until all charges and expenses are first paid.

A property for which service has been terminated shall not be inhabited by humans nor shall any wastewater be produced thereon until service has been restored and any applicable connection charge paid. If the property is inhabited by human beings or any wastewater is produced thereon before the service has been restored, the Public Works Director shall have authority to cap the service lateral of the property line and to disconnect the property without notice.

(Ord. 1515-NS, eff. June 5, 2009)