Accounts receivable

Why did I receive an Accounts Receivable Invoice?

Review the “Description” field of the invoice for more detailed information or a contact name from the City department that created the invoice. If your invoice was received electronically from ar-in@ottawa.ca, additional back-up documents (including pertinent contracts, etc.) may have been attached for your review. Determine what City service you recently received that you were told you would be invoiced for (a list of some of those services can be found here). If you are still unsure what you are being invoiced for, please contact Accounts Receivable at 613-580-2424 x13668 or by email at accountsreceivable@ottawa.ca.

**The due date of the original invoice stands and interest will accrue as of the first day of default at a compounded annual interest rate of 16.08% regardless of any questions you may have.**

How can I receive future invoices by e-mail?

Email your request to accountsreceivable@ottawa.ca. Identify your customer number and the email address you want invoices to be sent to. Please note that ALL AR invoices produced for this customer number will be e-mailed to the address you have provided.

I can't pay the full amount all at once - What should I do?

It is very important that you contact us so we can discuss payment arrangements - collection escalations will otherwise continue.

I am expecting a cheque from the City of Ottawa - Why did I not receive payment?

If you or your company has invoiced the City for goods or services but you have an overdue accounts receivable invoice, your expected payment may be applied to your outstanding receivable balance owed to the City of Ottawa.

I have been refused access to City Services due to an unpaid Accounts Receivable invoice - How do I rectify that?

Call our office at 613-580-2424 x13668 so we can discuss your outstanding balance and the steps necessary to restore your access to City services.

Why did I receive an overdue notice when I already paid?

There are a number of reasons that you would receive an overdue notice after you have sent in your payment. The most common reason is your payment was late and your account was subject to interest in accordance with the by-law. The by-law states that accounts paid after the due date are subject to interest at the annual compounded rate of 16.08% (1.25% per month). Please call our office at 613-580-2424 x13668 so we can confirm that your payment was received and to discuss payment of the remaining balance.

I paid the invoice - Why is the collection agency calling?

The City of Ottawa has retained three collection agencies for the collection of unpaid invoices. Once it is referred to an agency, additional fees are added to the account. If you paid the amount of the invoice the fees could be outstanding and the collection agency could be calling to collect this amount.

You can pay agency fees directly to the collection agency handling the invoice, by mail to:

City of Ottawa, P.O. Box 3441
Ottawa, ON K1P 1J5

Paymentus is a third-party service provider that securely processes online property tax and water utility payments on behalf of the City.

Security

When paying online, you can verify the security of the third party, Paymentus, by viewing the bottom right hand corner of the Paymentus screen where you will see an icon displaying a lock and indicating the site is secured by ‘Thawte’, Paymentus encryption security provider.

Payment Methods

We accept payment by MasterCard, Visa and American Express (Amex).

The maximum amount per transaction is $100,000.00. However, your personal financial institution may have preset daily limits based on your individual spending patterns. When making a large or unusual payment by credit card, call and advise your personal financial institution before completing the transaction.

Service Fee

Paymentus charges a fee which covers handling and processing costs. Payments made by credit card will be subject to a 1.95% service fee, while payments made by Mastercard Debit or Visa Debit will be subject to a 1.65% service fee.

The City of Ottawa does not receive any part of the service fee. Paymentus is an independent corporation providing a hosted service for the City of Ottawa. Ottawa City Council passed By-law 2013-191 in June 2013 allowing third party payment processors to charge a fee for handling payments.

Your credit card statement will have two entries: one will be for the payment to the City of Ottawa and the other will be your service fee payment, noted as “Paymentus Corporation.”

Payment Confirmation and Processing Time

When using your credit card, you will receive an on-screen confirmation number. You will also receive an email receipt which will include the service fee from the third-party provider, Paymentus Corporation.

Your payment will be recorded on the day it was submitted. Payments made before 10:00 pm will be credited to your account on the next business day. Payments made after 10:00 pm will be credited to your account within two business days.

Technical Difficulties

For technical help with online card payment, please contact the Paymentus Call Centre: 819-525-2108 or email Paymentus customer care at customercarecott@paymentus.com.