In my opinion, several parties dropped the ball here, not just your realtor.
Was the balance of the Third Quarter 2011 (August 19 through August 31, 2011, and September 2011) sewer bill listed on your closing papers (the HUD-1)? Your balance for that bill would have been calculated something like this:
You would be responsible for 43 of the 92 days in that Third Quarter (there are 92 days in July, August and September 2011; from August 19 through September 30...the portion of the quarter for which you are responsible...is 43 days).
Unless I am misunderstanding, it seems that according to what you posted, the usual quarterly amount due is $73.56 ("
Total charges = $412.76...broken down its $289.24 previous balance, $49.96 in interest, with the rest of it current quarterly charges"). So, you would owe (43/92) X $73.56 = $34.38 for that Third Quarter 2011. Again, this should have been itemized somewhere in your closing docs.
Then, of course, you'd owe $73.56 for Fourth Quarter 2011, First Quarter 2012, Second Quarter 2012, Third Quarter 2012, and now your Fourth Quarter 2012 is due.
If that Third Quarter 2011 sewer bill balance was NOT listed somewhere in your closing docs, the people who possibly dropped the ball, in addition to your realtor, include:
- your real estate attorney
- the seller's real estate attorney (assuming both you and the seller used an attorney for the transaction)
- the seller's realtor
- the seller (the seller would have been responsible for telling North Hudson Sewerage Authority that he is no longer responsible for the sewer bill at 123 Condo Street as of August 19, 2011, and closing out that sewer account in his name)
I'm thinking that your portion of the Third Quarter 2011 sewer bill probably WAS listed on the HUD-1, but your realtor probably forgot to remind you about keeping an eye out for the bill. Having said that, though, I think North Hudson Sewerage Authority is also partly to blame. Where were they sending the Q4 2011, Q1 2012, Q2 2012 and Q3 2012 sewer bills? Technically, it's not their fault, but these municipal entities need to have a better system in place.
Something similar happened to me with the sewer bill when I purchased my current home. In my previous home/town, a separate sewer authority did not exist (the water bill included the sewer fee). So, when I moved, it never even occurred to me to look for a separate sewer bill. Over a YEAR after having moved to my current town, the township sends me a surprise DELINQUENT sewer bill with interest charges. I though it was funny how the township automatically knew I was the new owner at my current address and was mailing me a new property tax bill practically the next WEEK after moving in, but it took the sewer department OVER A YEAR to send me a bill...and then told me I was the one that was delinquent. And not ONCE during that 1+ years did they ever send me a Past Due notice.
Personally, I don't think you should be responsible for the interest, but you know what they say--you can't fight city hall. I know I didn't even bother trying. I just paid it. Although with a note attached informing them that their system sucks.
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