Legal Question in Business Law in New York

regestered letters

the village i live in sends out regestered letters to the people who have not paid their water bill on the day after the bill is late. they charge us a 10% late fee plus $15.00 for a letter that costs them about $4.65. is this $15.00 charge legal? and do they give us enough time to get the payment in the mail before they send the regestered letter?the bill states A 10% CHARGE AFTER THE 16th

thank you for your time

Karen Neidhart


Asked on 5/24/06, 9:03 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Nancy Delain Delain Law Office, PLLC

Re: regestered letters

Your town sounds like it bills in arrears, meaning you have incurred the charges before the bill is sent. Do they give you a due date for the water bill? If so, they are giving you the last day on which you can timely pay your water bill, and the past-due notices that go out are due diligence on their part.

Yes, the $15 is legal. Letters cost more than just the postage to send: the person who dictates them, who types them, who signs them must be paid; the paper must be paid for; the time to go to the Post Office to send the letters registered/certified return receipt must be accounted for and paid.

You can avoid all these problems by paying your water bill before the listed due date.

THE INFORMATION PRESENTED HERE IS GENERAL IN NATURE AND IS NOT INTENDED, NOR SHOULD IT BE CONSTRUED, AS LEGAL ADVICE. FOR SPECIFIC ADVICE ABOUT YOUR PARTICULAR SITUATION, CONSULT YOUR ATTORNEY.

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Answered on 5/24/06, 10:53 am


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