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Nicole Geissinger recently learned her new Detroit home came with a surprise: A $5,200 water bill from the city, according to Metro Times.
The 32-year-old physician was excited to move into her new home and start her medical career with a fellowship at Detroit Medical Center, but that excitement soon turned to shock when the city sent her a $5,200 water bill. Geissinger called the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department to ask it the bill was a mistake, but learned she inherited the previous owner's unpaid water bill. She also learned she would be charged a late fee of more than $250 a month if she didn't pay it.
New homeowners are responsible for the pervious owner's delinquent water bills under state law, according to DWSD spokesperson Bryan Peckinpaugh. “This is a dispute between the buyer and the previous owner,” he told Metro Times.
However, invoices and financial transactions reviewed by Metro Times show that the previous owner did pay what she was billed. As it turns out, the owner's water meter wasn't relaying usage to the city, so the bill was a flat service fee. When Geissinger moved in, a DWSD employee came to her home and checked the meter to determine how much water the former owner used, which is how DWSSD arrived at $5,200.
According to Peckinpaugh, it was the previous homeowner's responsibility to give the city access to inspect the meter and update the billing. He said DWSD tried to alert the previous owner about the meter readings, but they never allowed the city to come and inspect the meter and update the account.
“I am early, early in my career. I’m a new homeowner,” Geissinger says. “But I’m not in a position where I can’t pay the bill. There will be a lot of late fees, and it will hurt by credit rating. I’m stuck with a more than $5,000 water bill.”