Renting in Rocky Top? Deposit for water service will soon triple, to $300
Getting water service turned on in Rocky Top soon will be considerably more expensive for residential renters, as the City Council has agreed to raise the deposit to $300 from the current $100.
The council last Thursday (Jan. 18) passed on first reading Ordinance 582, which triples the “residential renters refundable fee.”
To become final, the ordinance still must be approved on second reading, which is expected to be done at the next regular council meeting, on Feb. 15.
“We’ve had issues with renters skipping out on their final bills, which has become a common occurrence,” Mayor Kerry Templin said during presentation of the proposed ordinance during last week’s meeting.
The city hopes that the new $300 deposit requirement will at least cover the final water and sewer bill if a renter leaves without paying it, the mayor said.
City Manager Michael Ellis said that while the upfront cost will be significantly higher to get water turned on, the full amount would still be refunded to the customer after the final bill is paid.
Council members approved the ordinance on a 4-0 vote, with Councilwoman Stacy Phillips absent.
Voting in favor of it were Templin and council members Mack Bunch, Jeff Gilliam and Zack Green.
Rocky Top already has water and sewer rates that are among the highest in the region.