Simplifying Bill Payments with the City of Woodland

Paying bills can be a tedious task, but it doesn’t have to be. The City of Woodland in California offers various convenient online services to make paying your utility bills quick and easy. In this article we’ll explore the different options Woodland provides for streamlining bill pay.

Online Account Management

The most useful tool Woodland offers is the ability to manage your utility account online. After creating an account on the city’s website, you gain access to a wealth of features

• View current and past billing statements
• Make one-time payments
• Set up recurring auto-pay
• Monitor water usage
• Receive email notifications for leaks, high usage, and billing alerts
• Submit meter reads
• And more!

With online account management, you can take control of your utility billing and simplify payments. No more waiting for paper statements or scrambling to pay bills on time. The online portal allows you to view your balance and pay with just a few clicks whenever it’s convenient for you.

Setting up automatic payments is one of the best ways to stay on top of your bill. You can schedule recurring charges to a credit card or bank account so your payment is made automatically each month. Not only does this prevent late fees, but you’ll avoid the hassle of manually making payments.

The features that track usage are also very helpful for finding leaks or changes in how much is being used. Any unusual increases in water use will be reported, and you’ll receive emails whenever a possible problem arises. This lets you fix leaks quickly and keep your utility bills from being a big surprise.

Payment Methods

Woodland offers various payment options tailored to your needs:

• Online payments – Securely pay bills through the online portal via credit card or electronic check.
• AutoPay – Set up recurring automatic payments from a checking account or credit card.
• Phone payments – Call the utility billing department to make one-time payments.
• In-person payments – Visit the utility billing office at City Hall during business hours to pay with cash, check or money order.
• Drop box – After-hours payments can be placed in the drop box at City Hall.
• Mail – Send checks or money orders via postal mail.
• Bank drafts – Set up automatic debits from your bank account on your due date.

It’s easier to live when you can pay online 24 hours a day, seven days a week, but Woodland makes sure you have other options too. It should never be hard to pay, so pick the option that works best for your budget and schedule.

Account Management Tools

Managing your utility account through the City of Woodland website provides additional features beyond just bill pay. Here are some of the helpful tools at your fingertips:

• Usage tracking – Monitor your daily water consumption to identify abnormal usage. Catch leaks early and view your usage patterns over time.

• Billing history – Access up to two years of past billing statements, payment history and water usage data.

• Profile management – Update your contact information, phone number, email address, mailing address, etc.

• Paperless billing – Opt out of mailed paper bills and access statements electronically.

• Account management – Manage multiple accounts from one login. Ideal for landlords or property managers.

• Alert settings – Customize notification settings for billing, leaks, high usage and other alerts. Choose to receive alerts via email, text, push notifications or all three.

• Payment plans – Set up personalized payment arrangements if you need help paying your bill.

• Paperless billing – Opt out of mailed paper bills and access statements electronically.

These features allow you to truly take control of your utility billing and simplify your experience. Instead of waiting on hold with customer service or visiting City Hall, you can manage everything directly through the online portal or mobile app.

Special Payment Programs

Woodland aims to provide utility services to all residents, regardless of income level. They offer programs to assist customers who are struggling financially:

• Payment arrangements – Set up a payment plan tailored to your financial situation with personalized installments.

• Bill rounding program – Round up your bill to the nearest dollar, with the overage going into an assistance fund.

• Leak adjustment – You may qualify for a billing adjustment if you experience a costly water leak.

• Low-income discount – Income-qualified residents can receive a 30% discount on their utility bills.

If you are going through financial hardship, contact Woodland’s utility billing department to discuss programs that can help ease the burden. They are committed to keeping services on for residents in need.

Convenient Features for Landlords

Landlords and property managers have specialized needs when handling multiple rental properties. Woodland’s online portal offers useful features to simplify this process:

• Consolidated account management – View and pay all tenant utility bills from one login.

• Automatic tenant billing – Tenant utility costs are automatically billed to them each month, separating usage.

• Shared portal access – Allow tenants limited portal access to pay their own bills and monitor usage.

• Custom billing rules – Set up automatic fee distribution for water, sewer, garbage, and other utility costs.

• Tenant screening – Require tenant enrollment in portal to activate services and perform background checks.

• Usage tracking – Monitor property usage to identify issues and reduce tenant disputes.

Managing utility billing for multiple properties is complex, but Woodland provides the tools to handle everything seamlessly online. Streamlined account management saves landlords time while improving transparency for tenants.

Going Green with Water Conservation

In addition to simplifying payments, Woodland’s online portal encourages environmentally friendly water use through conservation tools:

• Usage analysis – Breakdown of indoor vs outdoor consumption to identify savings opportunities.

• Drought alerts – Get notifications when drought restrictions are in place.

• Conservation tips – Access articles and videos with water savings advice for your home and yard.

• Rebate programs – Get rebates for installing water efficient appliances and fixtures.

• Usage comparisons – See how your water use stacks up against similar households.

• Monthly water budget – Set a personalized water budget tailored to your property and needs.

These resources promote thoughtful water use while saving you money on bills. Small behavior and landscaping changes add up, lowering your environmental impact.

Enhanced Accessibility

The City of Woodland offers multiple ways to access your account, making bill pay more accessible:

• Online portal – Manage everything directly through your computer.

• Mobile app – Bill pay on the go with the Android/iOS app.

• Account management – Authorize a spouse, family member or property manager to access your account.

• Multiple language options – English and Spanish language available.

• Paperless billing – Eliminate clutter with online-only access.

• Phone payments – Speak to a representative during business hours if you prefer human interaction.

• In-person service – Visit the Utility Billing department at City Hall if needed.

No matter your situation, Woodland provides options to simplify utility billing and payments. Everyone can take advantage of the conveniences provided by technology to save time and hassle.

Reliable Customer Service

While Woodland’s online services minimize the need for customer support, they do maintain reliable reps to help when needed:

• 24/7 emergency service – Experienced teams ready to respond to any emergencies.

• Account support – Contact billing reps by phone or online chat if you need account assistance.

• Payment extensions – Work with billing reps to set up personalized payment plans.

• Tech troubleshooting – Get help if you experience issues with the online portal or app.

• Conservation advice – Talk to water conservation specialists for usage reduction tips.

• Community classes – Attend in-person workshops covering utility billing topics and conservation.

Even when managing your account online, it’s reassuring to know friendly experts are standing by if needed. Woodland teams focus on delivering exemplary service to customers.

Simplifying Your Life

Juggling utility bills every month causes unnecessary headaches in today’s busy world. Fortunately, the City of Woodland provides state-of-the-art tools to automate billing and simplify payments.

Their user-friendly online portal and mobile app make account management a breeze. You can monitor usage, track billing, set up automatic payments, receive alerts, and more.

Multiple payment options fit any schedule or budget. And specialized programs assist customers facing financial hardship or managing rental properties.

By leveraging Woodland’s digital services, you can greatly reduce bill pay stress. Now you can spend less time worrying about utilities, and more time focusing on what matters most!