Customer with the late noticed he received about his electric bill from the Holland Board of Public Works.
HOLLAND, Mich. (WZZM) - A recent report from Holland's Board of Public Works shows $100,000 more in late payments than last year, and two companies were responsible for more than half of that.
Andrew Harris says he is $20 short and one month late on paying his $300 electric bill.
"I've been on medical leave from my job," says Harris.
A recent report from the BPW shows late payments are on the rise. Spokeswoman Julie Thompson says two industrial companies are responsible for most of it.
"It's around $100,000 more than the previous year," says Thompson. "About $62,000 of that was two large customers."
One of the unnamed companies has since paid, but the other still owes $37,000.
The BPW says the average residential customer with an unpaid bill owes $250. It would take 148 of those to add up to the company's $37,000 dollar bill.
"I don't think that's fair, that's quite a bit of money," says Harris.
"It's all about perspective," says Thompson. "It's not based on money. It's based on time, so once they hit three months we would do a disconnect."
The Holland BPW also adds a 2% fee for every month the bill is late. Under state law, utility companies are not allowed to disconnect residential customers during winter months, from November to April.