HomeMy WebLinkAboutFIN-2021-39 - Uncollectable Utility Receivable Account Write-Off
REPORT TO: Committee of the Whole
DATE OF MEETING: August 23, 2021
SUBMITTED BY: Saleh, Saleh, Director, Revenue, 519-741-2200 ext. 7346
PREPARED BY: Ignor, Marcy, Supervisor of Customer Service and Collections, 519-
741-2200 ext. 7460
WARD(S) INVOLVED: ALL
DATE OF REPORT: July 5, 2021
REPORT NO.: FIN-2021-39
SUBJECT: Uncollectable Utility Receivable Account Write-off
RECOMMENDATION:
That uncollectable Utility Accounts amounting to $272,871 be written off against the
Allowance for Doubtful Utility Receivables
REPORT HIGHLIGHTS:
As per council policy, approval from Council is required for accounts to be written-off
and sent to an outside collection agency for third party collection efforts.
Staff have worked diligently in attempting to collect on these accounts but have not been
successful in the process.
Approximately $178,000 in grants has been provided through the COVID-19 Energy
Assistance Program (CEAP) to qualifying residential and small business customers.
This report recommends that accounts totalling $272,871 be written off and forwarded
to an outside collection agency.
BACKGROUND:
As per council policy FIN-FEE-517 Utility and Miscellaneous Receivable policy, approval
from Council is required for accounts to be written-off and sent to an outside collection
agency for third party collection efforts.
Utilities receivable represent invoices generally billed through thSAP utility billing
System. The majority of these invoices relate to usage for Gas and Water. The current
report represents write-off of utility accounts which have been deemed to be uncollectable
up to the end of June 30, 2021.
*** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. ***
Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance.
Collections activity was paused during the pandemic during periods when the City of
Kitchener was in a lockdown phase. Further, no disconnection of services has taken place
from November 1, 2019 to July 31, 2021. Staff have worked with customers by providing
extended payment arrangements and providing access to the COVID-19 Energy Assistance
Program (CEAP) to qualifying residential and small business customers.
REPORT:
Staff are recommending that accounts totalling $272,871 be written off and forwarded to the
collection agency. Staff have worked diligently in attempting to collect on these accounts
but have not been successful either due to the customer declaring bankruptcy or having no
forwarding address. Any tenant deposits previously received on the uncollectable accounts
have been applied to reduce the debt outstanding. A total of 367 customer accounts are
being recommended to be written off and transferred to a third-party collection agency.
The collection procedures staff have undertaken include:
Sending customers statements and demand letters.
Verbal request by telephone or in person.
Negotiating revised payment terms.
Applying any deposits held to the outstanding amounts.
Transferring uncollec
permitted by the Municipal Act.
Providing the option to apply for CEAP for qualifying customers.
The pandemic has resulted in an increase in citizens experiencing financial hardships
because of loss of employment, temporary suspension/ reduction of pay and business
revenue loss. The CEAP program administered through the Ontario Energy Board, has
assisted in providing limited funding to qualified Kitchener Utility customers to help offset
their gas related utility bills. To-date, through this program, the City of Kitchener has
provided approximately $178,000 in total funding. This has resulted in approximately 42
small business customers and 562 residential customers receiving funding to pay a portion
of their utility bill. If this funding allocation was not available, write-offs reflected in this report
would have been significantly higher.
The cumulative amount of utility write-offs identified in this report equal $272,871 and relate
to the years 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. The cumulative write-offs are shown in the table
below and the average is well below the targeted upper limit for write-offs set at 0.3%
previously approved by Council.
A five-year summary of write-offs is included in the table below.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
through the delivery of core service.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
The uncollectable accounts will be written off against the Allowance for Doubtful Utility
Receivables account.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
INFORM
the council / committee meeting.
PREVIOUS REPORTS/AUTHORITIES:
FIN-FEE-517 Collections- Utility and Miscellaneous Receivable
APPROVED BY: Jonathan Lautenbach, Chief Financial Officer, Financial Services