| Consumer Q & A |
 |
|
 |
| Frequently Asked Questions |
|
This information applies to customers of utilities regulated by the Oregon Public Utility Commission (OPUC). Those utilities include privately owned natural gas and electric companies, and certain telephone and water companies. The OPUC does not regulate cooperatives, people's utility districts or city-owned utilities, except for safety, and does not handle questions or complaints from customers of those utilities.
This page contains answers to questions commonly asked by utility customers. More detailed information about consumer protection rules administered by the OPUC is available in Oregon Administrative Rules, Division 21. Complete copies of Division 21 rules are available by contacting the OPUC Public Information/Consumer Services Section, 550 Capitol St. NE Suite 215, Salem, OR 97301-2551, phone toll-free 1-800-522-2404 (TTY 711).
The office also has other information, including fact sheets on how utility rates are set and on OPUC history, and a Public Involvement Guide. Copies are free upon request.
When I apply for utility service, will I have to pay a deposit?
If you owe an unpaid balance to a utility company for the same type of service within the last 24 months, you will be asked to pay a deposit. Someone who voluntarily terminated utility service and paid the final bill by its due date is not required to pay a deposit. Also, anyone whose service was terminated for theft of services is required to pay a deposit.
In all other cases, people who can establish credit are not required to pay a deposit. Credit may be established by submitting to the utility company a letter from another utility stating that service was voluntarily terminated and the bill paid in full by the due date.
You may also establish credit by having a third party who has been a customer in good standing with the same utility for a least 12 months, sign an agreement with the company to secure payment of two months' usage of service.
Credit may also be established by submitting positive identification, such as an Oregon driver's license, a U.S. passport or immigration and Naturalization card, or a combination of birth certificate or Social security card and current identification from a school, an employer or a state agency, such as Adult and Family Services.
If I have to pay a deposit, how much will I have to pay?
Deposits cannot be more than one-sixth the amount of an estimated bill for one year. For example, if the utility company estimates that you will use $600 worth of service in one year, your deposit cannot exceed $100.
Deposits for telephone service are based on two months' average or estimated usage of the company's tariffed or price-listed services, which does not include long-distance usage.
Additional deposits may be required as a condition of continued service.
If I must pay a deposit, do I have to pay it all at once?
If a utility company requires you to pay a deposit, you may pay it all at once or installments unless you are on a 50% plan.
If the deposit is for electricity or natural gas service and you decide to pay the deposit in installments, your first payment is due immediately. The next installment is due 30 days after that and the last one is due 60 days after the first installment was paid. For each installment, you must pay either $30, or one-third of the deposit, whichever is larger.
For telephone and water service, deposits and any installations charges may be paid in four installments. The first is due immediately and the other three are due in 30, 60 and 90 days after the date the payment agreement is executed.
If you do not pay the deposit on time, a utility may shut off your service after giving you a five-day notice.
When do I get my deposit money back?
If you have a deposit with a utility company, the company is required to refund your deposit promptly if you terminate service. Deposits will be used, however, to pay any balance on your account.
A utility may hold your deposit indefinitely until you establish credit. Credit is considered established if you keep your account current and do not receive more than two five-day notices for 12 consecutive months, and you were not disconnected for non-payment during the previous 12 months. The company must then return your deposit, with interest. The deposit may be refunded or credited to the account.
If you move to a new address within the same company's service area, the deposit, plus the interest, will be transferred to your new account.
How often will I receive my bill and what do they show?
Generally, meters are read monthly for electric, natural gas and water services, and monthly bills are generated for phone services. The readings for gas, electric and water services are used to calculate what usage is each month.
For electric, natural gas and water service, bills will show the meter readings at the beginning and end of the period covered. Bills also will show the date of the meter readings, the number of units of service used, the schedule number under which the bill was computed, and any other information used to compute the bill.
Bills also will include the date on which the current bill becomes delinquent.
Sometimes an estimated bill will be sent to a customer if circumstances prevent the company from reading a utility meter. Any estimated reading will be clearly noted on the bill, however.
When is my bill due?
Utility bills are due on receipt. Bills become past due 15 days after they are sent by the company. If you have a question about when your bill is due, contact the company's customer service department, Companies provide contact numbers on their bills.
Are there equal payment plans available?
Electric and gas utilities must make equal-payment plans available to residential customers. Customers who have no outstanding balance may enter into a 12 month equal-payment plan at any time during the year. What this means is that your annual charges will be divided into 12 equal payments which you pay each month. This kind of payment option can help those on fixed incomes pay equal amounts through the summer and winter and avoid high winter heating bills and other seasonal fluctuations.
In addition to the 12-month plan, your local utility company may offer other plans which better suit your situation. If you have questions about special payment plans, contact your utility company.
Utility bills are sometimes confusing. What if I have trouble understanding my bill?
Each utility company's bill format is different. Utilities strive to make their bills understandable. If you have trouble understanding your bill, contact your local utility company for assistance.
Are utilities required to furnish information in languages other than English?
Yes. Utilities must provide certain notices and information for some non-English-speaking customers. A utility must have available publications on customers' rights and responsibilities and must provide disconnection notices in five languages other than English-Russian, Spanish, Laotian, Cambodian, and Vietnamese.
What is the monthly service charge that appears on my bills from electric and gas companies?
Your monthly service charge is the base charge for providing service to your residence. It covers costs such as processing accounts and, meter reading and billing. The charge will appear on the monthly bill even if you use no service during the billing period.
Am I responsible for a bill incurred by someone I lived with?
If you have service in your name, you are responsible for paying the bills no matter who used the service. If you share an apartment or house with someone else, however, and the service is in the other person's name, you are not held responsible for paying the bill if that person moves out.
If, however, you decide to change the account into your name and the person owing a bill still lives with you, the company may first require that any outstanding balance be paid.
What should I do if I think there is something wrong with my utility meter?
You have a right to request a regulated gas, electric or water company to test your meter if you feel it may not accurately reflect your usage. A utility company must comply with your request within 20 working days of the request. There is no charge for a meter test. However, if you request more than one test in any 12-month period, a deposit to recover the cost of the test may be required. The deposit will be returned if the meter is found to register more than 2 percent fast under normal operation.
If I have been billed incorrectly, what should I do?
The first thing you should do if you feel you have been billed incorrectly is contact the company. Utility companies are obligated to thoroughly investigate the matter and report the results to you.
The company must also inform you of your right to a supervisory review and, if the dispute cannot be resolved, must notify you of the Oregon PUC’s dispute resolution procedure and give you its toll-free telephone number.
If I'm not able to pay a utility bill on time, will there be a late charge?
Telephone and water companies may charge a late-payment fee on a monthly basis for bills not paid by the due date. Gas and electric companies also may charge a late-payment fee, but are restricted by certain limitations.
If a gas or electric utility offers preferred billing dates to customers (which means the customer can choose a date that coincides with pay periods, etc.), then the utility can charge a late payment fee if the bill is not paid by that date.
If the utility does not offer preferred billing dates, then it cannot charge a late payment fee on balances under $200 or for amounts carried forward for less than two consecutive months.
New residential customers who have not been disconnected for non-payment can be required to pay a full deposit before reconnecting with no installment payments.
If I build up an overdue amount, can I pay it off on a time-payment plan?
If you fall behind on your gas, electric or water bill, you can avoid disconnection of service if you sign a time-payment agreement with the company.
The utility may offer various choices of time-payment options from which to choose. According to Commission rules, energy utilities must offer at least the following two plans:
Levelized-payment plan: This plan allows you to pay a down payment equal to your average annual bill, including the overdue balance, divided by 12. After paying the down payment, you agree to pay the remaining payments each the next 11 months.
Equal-pay arrearage plan: plan allows you to pay a payment equal to one-twelfth of the past due amount owed including any current amount due. Each month for the next 11 months, you must pay an amount equal to the down payment along with payment for your current monthly bill.
If you fail to pay your time-payment agreement as specified, a utility may disconnect your service after giving you 15 days' notice.
If I am unable to pay my entire telephone bill, what can I do to maintain local dial tone?
As long as you pay your monthly bill for local service, a telephone company cannot disconnect your local dial tone for charges owed to long-distance companies such as AT&T, Sprint or MCI, or for calls to the 900-prefix pay-per call numbers.
Although you will not be able to make long-distance calls from your phone, local calls will not be affected by the restriction.
May I restrict the use of my phone from 976 and 900 numbers?
As a telephone customer, you can request that access from your phone to numbers with 976 and 900 prefixes be restricted. This means that no one can dial the 976 or 900 pay-per-call numbers from your phone.
Telephone companies do not charge for this service. However, if you request the service, then cancel it and request the restriction again within a year, some companies may charge you a one-time fee.
Can I restrict the use of my phone from long-distance calls?
Yes. The company will restrict long-distance calls from your telephone on request. Your local company may charge a fee for this service. If you fail to pay long-distance charges, the company also has the right to restrict your long-distance service.
What programs are available to help me if I am injured or very ill and/or become financially unable to pay my utility bills?
Many programs are available to help people hook up to or continue receiving service. Information on federal programs, such as the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program for gas and electricity customers, and Link-Up America for installation of telephone service, are available through your utility company.
Gas and electric companies also have programs available which are funded by stockholders and customer contributions to help those who need financial help with their energy bills.
In addition, counties and community action agencies also may offer various kinds of assistance. You can find out about what is available m your area by contacting the Oregon Department of Human Resources or a local social service agency.
The OPUC also administers the Oregon Telephone Assistance Program (OTAP) for low-income households. OTAP offers a monthly 7 credit on telephone bills. For more information on OTAP, call 1-800-848-4442. For hearing-or speech-impaired persons, call 1-800-848-4442 (voice) or TTY 711.
Each year utility companies must supply their customers with certain information, including where to go for financial assistance with utility bills. If you need assistance and did not receive notification, contact your utility company.
What if I or someone in my home is injured or becomes ill and I have trouble paying my bills, can I get a medical certificate to prevent disconnection of my service?
Gas, electric and telephone companies can disconnect service to households even if they have an approved emergency medical certificate from a qualified medical professional. The certificate states that disconnection would significantly endanger the physical health of the customer or of a member of the customer's household.
As long as a customer with a medical certificate follows Commission rules concerning the reasonable payment agreement they will not be disconnected.
If a company receives certification of a medical condition over the phone, it must be confirmed in writing within 14 days. Information on the certificate must include a complete description of the health conditions and how long the condition is expected to last.
An emergency medical certificate is valid for only six months without renewal unless the condition is chronic. Medical certificates do not release a customer from his or her obligation to pay any bills owed; customers who submit medical certificates must enter into agreements to pay off any overdue bills.
How much notice does a utility have to give me before my service can be disconnected?
Before a gas or electric company may disconnect service, the company must provide a 15-day notice explaining, among other things, the reason for the disconnection, the amount which must be paid in order to avoid shut-off, and the earliest date you will be disconnected if you fail to pay the amount owed.
If the bill is not paid within at least five business days before the day you are to be disconnected, the company must mail or deliver another written notice.
On the day the utility company expects to disconnect your service, a company representative must try to contact you or another adult at the residence to inform you of the company's plans to disconnect service. If the company representative contacts you at home, you may still avoid disconnection by offering a reasonable partial payment to maintain service.
Telephone and water companies are required to give you a disconnection notice at least five days before shutting off your service.
Can my service be shut off on a weekend or holiday?
No. Except for safety reasons, utility companies may not disconnect service on the day before or on a weekend or state holiday.
What if I have a complaint about my service?
If you have a service related complaint, contact your local utility customer service representative. If you are not happy with their response, you may request that a supervisor from the utility your compliant. They also will review the representative's response for its appropriateness. Be patient. It may take time for the supervisor to gather all the facts concerning your complaint.
Keep a record of your conversations with the utility, including the name of the person with whom you spoke.
If I contact the utility company about a complaint or problem and I don't agree with their answer, is there someplace else I can get help?
If you are not satisfied with the utility company's response, you may contact the Oregon Public Utility Commission's Consumer Services Section at 1-800-522-2404. If you are hearing-or speech-impaired and have a TDD, the toll-free number is 711. The address of the OPUC Consumer Services Section is: 550 Capitol St. N.E. Suite 215, Salem, OR 97301-2551.
If you write, please tell us how we can contact you.
The Commission’s Consumer Services Section will make an effort to resolve the dispute between you and the utility company.
What can I do if I am unable to resolve a dispute with a utility company or I don't agree with the answer I receive from Consumer Services?
If you don't agree with the answer you receive from Consumer Services, you may file a formal complaint with the Commission.
If you decide to file a formal written complaint, you must state the facts of the dispute and the relief you are requesting. Within 15 days, the company must answer the complaint and state its side of the dispute.
A hearing is then set and a final determination will be made by the Commission based on a recommendation by a hearings officer.
Consumer Services has information which explains the formal complaint procedure in detail, and has other information about utility services and customer rights.
|
|
| |
|
|
