Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/27/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Our family received a bill from Arnold Irrigation District of $838.24 for unexplained charges and was charged for .25 acres that we don't have. I called and asked for an explanation of the charges and was told that four out of the six categories fell under "maintenance and improvements" and their policy is to round up to the nearest acre. I asked to clarification that we are being charged for 1 acre when we only own .75 and they said that is correct. I do not believe that it is our responsibility to pay for .25 acres that we do not own, does not exist and is not being serviced. I also asked for a break down of the categories shown on the bill and was told each one fell under maintenance or improvements which leads me to believe there is overlap in the charges. I relayed that we had no maintenance or improvements completed on our land and the representative informed me that they split all their customers evenly on assessment bills. So if our neighbor needed vast improvements that is reflected on our bill. I pushed for further details and was told this is their policy and if we fail to pay it, they will place a lien on our home even though we never signed a document stating we are in charge of paying for their unannounced or explained maintenance projects. I asked how we can end this water service and was told only after we pay the full $838.24 bill then we can have the water sent back for an additional $500. In summary we are being charged for an additional .25 acres that we do not own and does not exist as well as other properties maintenance and improvement needs. I would ask that this bill at minimum be reduced by 25% to reflect the land we own and is serviced and remove any maintenance/improvement charges that do not reflect our property at **************************************. I would also like to know the legalities of this company charging homeowners for land that does not exist on their property.

  Business Response

  Date: 02/20/2025

  This is in response to both letter from the BBB regarding Complaint #********.  Your letter dated January 27, 2025, did not arrive at our office until February 10, 2025, and the letter dated February 6, 2025 was received on February 12, 2025.

  Arnold Irrigation District is not a commercial business. We are a quasi-governmental entity authorized by and following the rules and regulations in ORS Chapter 545.

  Our policies and procedures are fully compliant with the requirements under said statutes and elsewhere under Oregon law.

  With respect to the customer's concern about the assessment of a full acre when her property has a 0.75 acre water right, please refer to OR 545.381(2).

  The assessments to all of our patrons cover the costs of the District to maintain the District for an entire year.  The maintenance fees are not specifically for maintenance on her property.  The fees are distributed to all patrons equally pursuant to state law.

  Our assessments are based on our budget for the year, an when the assessments go out to our patrons they are owed the District  If a patron wants to return their water right to the District, and the District is willing to accept a return of the water right, the patron must first pay the assessment which is part of the current assessment roll.  The patron can then return their water to the District for a fee of $500.00.  This fee is to cover the document preparation, and document recording at the county clerk's office.

  Please let me know if you have questions relating to this explanation.

  In the meantime, I will reach out to this patron one more time and try answer in detail what I have stated above.

  Regards,

  ******* ******

  Office Manager

  ************