Robert Haslett is on the hook for another man's water.

This March, the city sent him a letter stating that it was transferring $499.79 of charges to his account for a property he owns in Ottawa's Hintonburg neighbourhood. The balance was for four months of water arrears, "plus accrued interest to date."

Those arrears date back to 2017, just before he bought the property, and the city didn't get around to telling him until now.

"We were never even afforded the opportunity to pay the original bill or to contest it at that time," Haslett said. "It's accrued in secrecy, with no detail, no accountability."

Unlike most other utilities, unpaid water charges attach to the property, not the individual. They transfer to the new owner after a sale. But it isn't quite so simple. The city told Hasl

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