Tenants or Landlords

Tenants

Customers establishing a Tenant account are required to submit a Tenant Authorization form and a Lien Offset payment of $190 prior to the service start date – exceptions cannot be made. 

Please review the information we will need:

• The service address
• The name(s) to appear on your account
• Your telephone number(s)
• Your email address
• Your mailing address
• The date service should begin - Please note that we do not schedule service requests on weekends or holidays
• Owner Information (Owner name, email, mobile and home phone numbers, and mailing address
  • Note the owner's mailing address must be different from the service address)

The Tenant Authorization form must be completed and signed by the legally recorded property owner or authorized agent. If a property manager is completing the form a property management agreement (PMA) must be submitted with the form if one is not on file.

Once the form is approved you will receive an email confirmation with additional information.  Please allow us at least 4 hours after submission on a business day to process your form.

The Lien Offset may be paid through the following methods:

Important: The Lien Offset must be received before 8:00am on your start date to avoid delays in service.  

• Our Customer Portal allows one-time payments, without registration. If you choose to pay by bank account, there is no service fee
  • Note: If you are making the lien offset payment on the day the account is opened, payment can only be made via bank account
     
• Speedpay offers payment by phone at 1.877.311.9969, TTY 711 for a convenience fee of $4.25
  • Use your 13-digit account number (include leading zeroes) and select "Lien Offset Payment"
  • NOTE: Payment cannot be made using this option until 6am the day after your account is opened
     
• In Person- Cash, check or money order payments are accepted at our main office Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 4:30pm ET, except holidays.
  
  Fairfax Water
  Morin Building
  8570 Executive Park Avenue
  Fairfax, VA 22031

If service begins same day – you must contact us at 703-698-5800 once the Lien Offset Payment (LOP) has been paid to have your water service turned on. 

The $190 Lien Offset payment will be applied to the final bill when the account is closed.

There are no additional fees required at the time you open your account. However, your initial bill will include a one-time Account Charge. Bills are rendered on a periodic basis. Your first bill will be generated by the next meter reading scheduled for the property.

Again, the Tenant Authorization form and $190.00 Lien Offset payment must be submitted prior to the service start date to establish service with us.  

Landlords

Since July 1, 2012, due to a modification in the Code of Virginia §15.2-5139 and §15.2-2119, which governs water and sewer systems, Fairfax Water has required two additional items to establish service for tenants.

• Tenant Authorization form, completed and signed by the owner/landlord
   
• Remittance of $190 Lien Offset payment, paid by the tenant

An owner may endorse a waiver of the payment, if the tenant receives rental assistance from local, state or federal agencies. To do so, attach relevant documentation when submitting the Tenant Authorization Form.

The $190 is applied to the tenant’s final bill, to mitigate risk to you, the owner. Fairfax Water will send the owner a copy of the tenant’s final bill and an additional notice if a balance remains unpaid past 15 days. If we do not receive payment from the tenant and made reasonable effort to collect, we will contact the owner to settle the bill, since final responsibility rests there.

Unpaid debts to Fairfax Water constitute a lien on the property in accordance with the Code, which states the following:

Such fees and charges, and any penalty and interest thereon, shall constitute a lien against the property, ranking on parity with liens for unpaid taxes.

If you have any questions, please contact us at 703.698.5800 or tenantform@fairfaxwater.org, using “Lien Law” in the subject line.

Our office hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, at 8570 Executive Park Avenue in Fairfax, Virginia 22031.