8.28.180   Fee Collection.
   A.   Billing for refuse disposal service, and payment thereof, shall be to and by the person residing at a location or to the owner of the property as stated in section 8.28.050 if a tenant does not pay. City may require proof of residency prior to opening account and may require a deposit prior to service. Deposit fees must be set and adopted by the Visalia City Council. Upon written application by the property owner of tenant-occupied property, billing and payment may be to and by each property owner.
   B.   The date charges for service begin to accrue for refuse service is the date occupancy begins, or the date the bill is transferred to the owner, or the date utility service is activated in occupant's name, whichever is earliest.
   C.   If a prepayment or deposit is collected but not entirely used for service, the city may automatically prepare a refund; however, it shall be the responsibility of the billing party to apply for the refund.
   D.   Service charges shall be calculated on a monthly basis. Service missed as a result of non-compliance with this chapter can be rescheduled for a fee. Service missed as a result of an error by the city can be rescheduled by the customer; however, the monthly service charge will not be adjusted.
   E.   Schedules for billing, payment due dates and delinquency schedules shall be determined by the Director. The schedule shall allow at least fifteen (15) days for payment prior to considering the unpaid balance delinquent.
   F.   At the discretion of the city, service on accounts may be stopped or reduced to a minimum as a result of delinquency. The total due on all accounts under the control of the party and a restart fee may be required prior to reinstatement of the necessary or desired service level.
   G.   Fees for service may be billed through more than one account on more than one billing system. Balances for each property or each billing period may be transferred within the city billing systems to ensure collections, or to minimize the service and administration costs of billing.
   H.   The city may, at the Director's sole discretion, approve of a temporary suspension in residential service if the residential property will be vacant for a period of not less than three months. A written application for a temporary suspension of residential service must be submitted by the property owner or tenant a minimum of ten working days prior to the effective date of the suspension. Upon approval, all City containers at the property will be removed on the effective date of the suspension and utility service will be terminated for the duration of the temporary suspension. Customer is responsible for all fees accruing to the account prior to the effective date of the temporary suspension of service, without regard to whether the property was occupied prior to the effective date. The Director shall have the authority to establish a fee for the cost of removal and delivery of containers associated with a suspension of service. No temporary suspension of service is established for commercial or industrial businesses.
(Ord. 2018-03, 2018; prior code § 4044)