Oxford Sanitation Bills Must Now be in Property Owner’s Name For Trash-Only Customers

By Alyssa Schnugg
News Editor
alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com

Newly annexed Oxonians who rent their homes and are receiving only trash collection from the city of Oxford will now need to have the sanitation bill put into the homeowner’s name.

Oxford Utilities General Manager Rob Neely said some homes now in the city limits do not receive water and/or electric from Oxford; however, since annexation in the fall, their garbage is now being collected by the city of Oxford.

“There was no mechanism for turning off service which would force the customer to put the service in their name and pay for the bill regularly,” Neely said.

The Oxford Board of Aldermen on Tuesday approved a request by Neely to change the Oxford Utilities Rules and Regulations to require that all sanitation bills, which is $21 a month, be put into the actual homeowner’s/landlord’s name if they do not receive other city utilities.

A provision was added that customers can receive a credit on the bill when the property is proven to be vacant.

Neely said it is illegal for the city to just stop collecting trash even if the bill is unpaid and without a proper billing address for the property owner, bills were going unpaid.

Sanitation charges that go unpaid are transferred to the Lafayette County Chancery Clerk and applied to the property owner’s taxes.