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 St. Petersburg
 Code of Ordinances
 Chapter 27. UTILITIES
 Article I. IN GENERAL

  § 27-4. Liability for charges; liens.  

Latest version.

  • (a)

    Except as otherwise provided by law, on all premises the owner shall be held liable and responsible for charges for all water supplied thereto, irrespective of whether the premises are occupied by the owner or a tenant. Failure to pay such charges when billed shall constitute grounds to terminate services to those premises.

    (b)

    The City shall have as security for the collection of any charges for water, sewer, sanitation and/or reclaimed water service supplied to any building or to any premises, lot, piece or parcel of land, a lien upon such building and upon any premises, lot, piece or parcel of land upon which such building shall be situated or to which such utilities are supplied. Such liens shall become in full force and effect when the bill for the utilities is past due and shall remain a lien until paid in full. When recorded in the public records such lien shall be prior to and superior to all other liens except taxes and shall be on parity with the lien of such taxes. Such liens shall accrue interest at the rate of ten percent per annum from the date of recording in the public records. No discontinuance of service, nor any attempt to collect such utility bills, assessments or charges by any process shall in any way invalidate or waive the lien upon the premises. The City may proceed to foreclose such lien pursuant to the manner prescribed by law.

    (c)

    The lien provided for herein may be recorded in the public records of the county. The amount of any lien so recorded shall include all unpaid utility charges and all costs incurred in recording the lien including but not limited to the filing fees and administrative costs incurred by the City which administrative costs shall be established by the City Council. Such costs shall have the same priority as provided for the public utility charges so recorded. Upon payment of such lien, a release or satisfaction of lien will be provided to the owner for filing or will be filed for the owner upon receipt from the owner of the filing fees charged by the county.

(Code 1973, § 28-19; Code 1992, § 27-4; Ord. No. 1179-F, § 1, 6-21-1990; Ord. No. 2080-F, § 1, 9-5-1991)

State law reference

Restrictions on termination of service for nonpayment of bills, F.S. § 180.135.