Customers in Trenton with eligible delinquent balances urged to pay or make arrangements to avoid tax sale certification
TRENTON, N.J. — Trenton Water Works (TWW) will mail Pre-Tax Sale Warning Notifications to delinquent customers in Trenton whose unpaid water and sewer balances are eligible for certification to a municipal tax sale.
TWW is sending notifications only to eligible delinquent accounts associated with properties in the City of Trenton.
Next year, TWW plans to certify delinquent water account balances for inclusion in township tax sales as part of its continuing effort to strengthen collections and is beginning discussions with service-area mayors and tax collectors about implementation, preparation, and public communication with ratepayers.
The notification is part of TWW’s ongoing collections program and is intended to give affected Trenton customers advance warning and an opportunity to address their delinquent balances before eligible charges are certified for tax sale.
Customers who receive a Pre-Tax Sale Warning Notification should not ignore it. They are strongly encouraged to contact TWW Customer Care promptly to determine the amount due or, if eligible, to establish a deferred payment agreement.
“Our goal is to collect the revenue owed to the water utility while giving customers clear notice and an opportunity to resolve their delinquent accounts before they advance further in the collection process,” said Michael Walker, TWW’s Chief of Communications and Public Outreach and manager of Customer Care and Collections. “Customers who receive this warning should contact us as soon as possible so they understand their account status and the options that may be available to them.”
TWW is mailing the notifications as part of a broader effort to strengthen collections, improve account management, and ensure that customers pay for the water and sewer services they receive. Revenue collected by the utility supports its daily operations and its 10-Year $763 Million Capital Improvement Plan, which includes major investments in water infrastructure throughout the TWW service area.
A Pre-Tax Sale Warning Notification is not itself a tax sale certification. It advises customers that their delinquent balance may be eligible for certification if the account is not brought into compliance. Eligibility and subsequent collection actions are subject to applicable laws, regulations, policies, and procedures.
Under New Jersey’s municipal tax-sale process, certain unpaid municipal charges can become liens against the property. If an eligible delinquency remains unpaid and is included in a municipal tax sale, the municipality generally sells a tax sale certificate representing the lien to a purchaser rather than selling the property itself. The certificate holder may be entitled to collect the amount owed, along with applicable interest and other charges. Property owners generally retain the right to redeem the certificate by paying the amounts required by law. If the certificate remains unredeemed for the applicable statutory period, the certificate holder may eventually pursue foreclosure proceedings, subject to New Jersey law.
Landlords and property management companies with properties in Trenton that have changed tenants, including properties where current or previous tenants may have been responsible for paying water and sewer charges, should check the status of all applicable accounts to determine whether current and former tenants have paid outstanding balances on accounts in their names. Property owners should be aware that eligible unpaid water and sewer charges associated with a property may be subject to the municipal tax-sale process.
The purpose of TWW’s Pre-Tax Sale Warning Notification is to encourage customers in Trenton to address eligible delinquent water and sewer balances before they reach that stage of the collection process.
Customers who need in-person assistance may visit TWW Customer Care during regular walk-in hours on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Extended walk-in hours are available on Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon.
Customers are encouraged to act promptly upon receiving the notification rather than waiting for additional collection action.
TWW Customer Care can be reached at 1-866-TWW-BLUE.
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