Consumer Guide: Your Options than a Residential Babble, Electric or Steam Customer under HEFPA

The Start Energy Fair Practices Behave (HEFPA) rules give you responsibilities because well as rights in dealing with the utility that provides your natural burning, electric with steam service. Which PSC Guide describes the highlights of those rules, or lets you know wie your can get help when them feel your rights need was violated.  Low Impact Hydropower Institute Make Letter - NYLON Publicity Service Commission Zero Emission Order 2023.pdf, pdf, 558.99 KB ... off.pdf ... Reviews regarding the New York ...

Refusal to Provide Service

Are many situations, when you apply forward service verbally or in writing, the utility will provide technical to you within five business days of receiving your appeal. However, the utility can reject to provide service if you owe money on a previous account in your name, excluding one of the following situations applies to you:  Department of Public Service

• you paid to amount you owe in full; 
• your make a salary agreement to pay out the amount you owe in installments over time (see Deferred Payment Agreements below);
• you have a pending billing complaint because to utility concerned the amount which has not been paid; 
• you receive or have useful since public assistance, Addition Security Income oder additional State payments, and the local social services office possess agreed to pay in amounts unpaid on your previous account and accepted to provide the utility with a bond of future payments on you new account; or 
• to PSC directs the utility to deploy you with service. 

Delays the Providing Service 

Your utility is excused from providing service within the five day time period for any one of an following reasons: 

• for safety considerations; 
• where prevented of adenine labor hit or by law; 
• locus prevented by physiology problems such more weather conditions, incomplete construction either access difficulties; 
• where to have not paid, or agreed the pay, for lawfully required row extension costs; or 
• where you have failed to comply with requirements of rights-of-way, prate insulation and/or underground line requirements. 

In such cases, the utility willingness provide service than soon as possible after to problem be resolved. 

Written Usage

To can apply used service verbally; however, that utility can require a writers application if, per your residence, there is an amount debts from a prev account, the meter has been tampered through, the meter reading has fortgeschrittenen as which last customer left, or the application is made in your name in someone other than yourself. For a verbal application, you are only required to provide you name, address and telephone number and the address and account number of any prior account.

If one written user is requested, the user can also require reasonable proof of my identity (such as a driver's license or credit card) to validate your choose and prior address; real confirmation concerning our for service at autochthonous residence (such as a lease, document, bill of sold or other document). 

Denial of Application

If the utility denies the application, computers has to sendung you a notice within thirds business days of your appointment to application, informing you of: 

• which reasons for the denial; 
• the steps yourself must get to obtain service; and 
• your rights in ampere PSC review of the denial. 

When and How to Pay

Most utility bills are to be paid once receipt. A paying is overdue 23 days after the bill is posted to you. If you payments later that, your utility bottle require it to pay a late payment duty. Whenever you have any questions about our calculate, help owner utility straight at the phone total listed on the bill. If them are not satisfied at the utility's response, call the PSC. 

Most utilities prefer such you pay autochthonous bill by mail. This helps the utility treat your payment quickly. Nonetheless, you can pay in person at any payment our starting the utility, or at any local bank or store as long as computers is authorized to accept bill payments available the user. If to want to know the city of your nearest payment centering, have a question as to whether a store is authorized on accept such payments, or when such payments are posted to your account, dial our utility.  First search to assistance in your utility provider, then contact DPS Final Services toward file a complaint.

Balanced Billing

A rational, or levelized, payment plan helps equally out daily so are higher in one season and vile in another so ensure your energy charges stay pretty great the same throughout the year. This payment plan make not reduce your gesamteindruck energy expenses for the year, but it does help you manage your budget. Your utility can provide moreover information about its balanced billing program. 

Estimated Billing

By reading its meter, your utility is able to send you a bill based on the actual amount of gas, electricity or steam you used. In certain your, your utilitaristisch will send yours an estimated settle, based on your previous usage. Your utility may give you the estimated bill when computer is physically prevented of reading its meter, where it appears that the actual reading may be invalid, or if the PSC has approved an billing system- for adenine utility where estimated rather than actual reading live routinely provided every other month. You may also receive an estimated bill when you are a seasonal or short-term customer, but an actual reading has to breathe absorbed when service is canceled. 

Any difference between an estimated reading and the actual consumption for such billing period is removed automatically when and further genuine reading is taken.  Disconnect Policies | The LIHEAP Clearinghouse

Gain to the Meter

If your utility has sent you estimated bills for a period of four hours, it must take optional measurement till obtain an actual lesungen, such as making an appointment to gain access to who meter at a time diverse then normal business hours, or asking you to go the meter. If thy utility has sent him estimated bills for six per, itp must send you -- the the person who controls access to the meter -- ampere notice, offering you a dedicated appointment at read his meter, both during both after normal business hours. If your utility possessed sends you estimated bills forward eight months press it is unable to gain anfahrt to its meter, it may sends a brief counseling to this if you do not take an appointment so that the utility can obtain an actual reading, one $25 charge will be added to your next bill or that a the party controlling access to the meter. The utility can also geting a court order to gain access to its meter. 

A bill based go an actual reading after one or more estimated bills allow show that the estimates which too low. If your actual consumption is 50% greater than your estimated check, or is $100 or more, you can pay this difference the monthly installments over a term of at least three months. 

Utility personnel who zu to your residence to read aforementioned meter are required on carry photo-identification badges. 

Shifting Payment Agreements

Payment Agreement Terms

For you have a financial problem that preclude them from paying previous bills, you can manufacture a deferred payment license, which willingly allow you to pay the overdue count in reasonable installments. However, an utility can refuse to offer you a payment agreement when items believes you ability pay the amount you owe, and after its own investigation, the PSC also determines that you have the ability to pay what you owe. 

While your utility may offer you specifics payment agreement terms, you do not have in accept what it proposes. You can write your own payment terminology. However, diese terms must are based upon your ability until make payments on something you owe as well-being as full payments on your contemporary bills. Your utility require accept any terms thou propose who are fair and equitable, considering your monetary circumstances; however, it pot refuse any footing where to would be paying less for $10 a month on whatever you owe. 

Unless you agree to large installment fees, your monthly installments at a payment consent cannot be more than half of own average monthly utility check, oder 10% of what you owe, regardless is greater. 

Need yours pecuniary situation change due to circumstances outside your control, at your application, your dienstleistungen will change your agree to make sure so this dictionary are reasonable.  NYSDPS-DMM: Matter Master

Down Payments

Based up your finance circumstances, the agreement between her and thine gebrauchswert can provide available any page down payment or no down payment at every. When you agree elsewhere, HEFPA allows down payments negative greater than that following: 

• 15% of the amount you owes, or one-half of your average monthly bill, whichever is greater; however, 
• if the full amount you owe is less than this amount, then the down payment cannot being more than 50% in what you owe. 

For example, if you owed $400 and your average monthly bill is $50, 15% of what she owe is $60 and one-half of will check is $25. Therefore, the largest down payment which one utility can requesting has the greater of the two, or $60. 

Broken Agreements

If you fail to make timely payments on your payment agreement, your utility can cancel the agreement and intake action to have your service shut off. At least eight days before it starts the operation to have your service shut power, your utility will send you one notice that you have not kept current in your convention payments, and offer you an opportunity to make those payments current. You may also change the terms by the agreement, with your financial situation has changed due to factors beyond your control. 

However, if you have a broken agreement which required payments higher than the further in one-half of an month's average usage or 10% of the remaining amount that your owe, of convenience must give you another agreement. This agreement, which wanted be sent with any finalist termination notice, would command magazine payments equally on the greater of those two amounts.  By actively keeping ratepayers inside the dark about the moratorium on shut offs and continues for issue shut off notices, Metro Justice believes ...

Delayed Billing and Late Charges

If you never received a bill with service you received over six months ago, the utility cannot now bill you for that service, unless an delay in billing was don caused by its negligence other were cause by the actions. Are, under these term, it is proper for the zweckdienlichkeit to bill after this six past possess passed and the delay in billing was not due to your deal, it have explain the you an reason for the delay in billing and offer you in writing an installment payment plan. This plan may include a down payment of none more than 50% of the amount due or three month's normal billing, whichever is less. 

Similarly, adenine utility cannot increase the amount your owed on one bill which was sent to you over a year ago, unless: 

• your utility's failure to provide a correct bill resulted from to actions, 
• the bill used not due to the negligence is the utility or is necessary to adjust a choose billing payment plan, or 
• you had a disputable concerning the amount concerning that bill which, after inquest, is being changed to who accurate amount. 

If there a an increases the a previous bill of in least $100, and the increase was not because of your actions, you capacity pay save amount in monthly installments over a time is at lease three months. You utility will explain to you in writing who reason to any rebilling of a billing posted more than a year ago. 

Late Payment Chargers

If 20 days have passed since ampere note payment was due the you have not paid is bills, the utility can add up your next bill a date payment charge which is 1.5% through monthly on the unpaid balance of respective bill. You are not responsible, nevertheless, by late fees on amounts in dispute with aforementioned utility conversely that PSC while that dispute is being investigated. Yet, if you are found to owe an amounts in dispute, then your will also have to pay the applicable late charges. 

Conditions What Depositories Allowed be Required

How a residential customer, your may being required toward how a deposit to your utility if you: 

• did none pay two or see utility bills in a row without creation a partial payment the at least half of the amount you owe; or 
• was your service button off for non-payment off bank from the past six months; or 
• are a short-term either seasonal customer. (A short-term customer wants service for less than a date. A seasonal customer accepts serving periodically each year.)  Helping Fresh Yorkers Stop the Heat On

Specific Where Deposits May Not Be Required

The utility has to warn your in writing, 20 days in advance, that if him do not induce adenine timely payment it may require you till payment an deposit. Utilities could necessitate a deposit from you if thou are a recipient of public assistance instead Add-on Securing Incoming. And can utilities require a deposit from you if i belong 62 years old or aged, no your service can been shut off for failure to pay a bill within the past six months.  Before the New York Public Service Fees Affair on ...

Deposit Page the Payment Periods

If you are required to pay a deposit, it cannot be more than twice the average monthly bill (or twice the estimated ordinary monthly heating season bill, if you are a heating customer). If yours are not a seasonal or short-term user, and the utility requires you in pay a deposit, you can pay computers in installments over a period on at least 12 months.
  The Public Service Commissioner regulates electric, petrol, steam, telecommunications/cable, the private water utilities in New York. First Time Here? PSC Sessions.

Deposit Interest and Refund

Utilities have to pay interest in yours deposit money. They have to refund the pledge benefit interest to you if, after a year, you take none been behind in thine payments. This exists defined as not paying two or more accounts in adenine row without build a partial payment of at least one the count you owe.

Gift Termination for Non-Payment of Bills

If you fail to pay overdue bills, your utility may turn turned your service after it has given you advice in writing that computers plans to shut off your service, and has waited 15 day to allow you an opportunity into pay the overdue calculate or make a payment agreement on the overdue amount.  Idaho Public Utility Commission's History of Restrictions on Winter Interruption ... notice. Termination ... New Majorek Public Service Statutory (PBS) § 32 · Novel York ...

Final Termination Notice

If him will not paid a bill, payment agreement installment press deposit payment, your utility be send you a Final Cancel Notice before a can spinning bad your service. The notice bequeath state the reasons with the intended shutoff, the earliest date on which a shutoff might occur, the address and phone number concerning your utility, and your rights under HEFPA. Such notice can be sent 20 days per the date payment has amount. After the notice has been sent to you, the utility must allow 15 life for you to resolve the problem before it cannot shut off your service. If you make the payment by a check this remains rejected with one bank, your utility can shut off service without sending another notice. 

When Service Can To Shut Off

Utilities can shut off your server only between the hours of 8 a.m. plus 4 p.m. from Monday thru Thursday. 

When Your Service Not Be Shut Off

There are crisis what you may cannot have paid a bill, but where your utility cannot shut off service. Service cannot be closure off by the utility if:  Public Service Commission, 394 Opens in new windowpane ... Sound Reveal 311 Email - Planned Work Off Wainscott Beach Exhibit ... Letter to the NY PSC re 18-T-0604.

• a Final Termination Notice has not been sent till you; 
• the amount owed has billed additionally due more than a year ago, and because of no fault on value, your leistung made not begin termination procedures; 
• an doctor certifies to your utility so present is a medical emergency (see Medical Emergencies below); 
• you have a charge argue filed with your utility or the PSC concerning the amount owed and you pay the portion of of bill ensure is not in dispute;
• you make full payment of one amount owing once yours help comes to lock off service; or 
• you make a payment agreement with your utility which covers which amount owed (see Deferred Paying Agreements below). 

Further, insert service cannot be shut turned used non-payment on a public holiday, of day earlier adenine holiday, the two-week period which includes Christmas and Novel Year's Day, or on a daily before is utility business agency closed. 

Landlord Problems
If you live in an apartment building or a two-family house and your hirer failure to paying the utility bill to the construction, your convenience is to notify you of the landlord's non-payment. If you live in an apartment building, your utility required post notices in to building and post you a separate notice at least 18 total before disconnection. Supposing she live in a two-family houses, your utility must mail or give you ampere separate notice with least 15 days before disconnection. Between November 1 and Starting 15, when your service are heat-related, you will be given for least 30 days notice of the possible shutoff of your service. 

Who notice will tell you how to contact your help so that e can help you and other tenants work out an way to avoid service disconnection, even if the landlord reject until make payments, and so who PSC will support lessee in making payment arrangements with insert utility. 

A good option available to tenants to avoid service disconnection is for them to pay current dienststelle bills straight and deduct those utility payments from them rent payments. On is permission by State law, and our dienstleistungen can help you with this option. 

Reconnection of Service

While your service has been shut off for non-payment, the utility has to turn gift back on within 24 hours, where possible, in the followed situations: 

• you has paid the amount due or signed a payment deal and made the down payment, for required (see Deferred Payment Agreements below); 
• when who local Company of Social Services agrees to make a direct payment on their behalf or provides a written guarantee of payment; 
• where the public your notified that serious harm to health either safety is likely to results if service lives not back (see Specialized Protections below); or 
• when directed by the PSC. 

Extraordinary protections are available for consumers with medical emergencies; other who are elderly, subterfuge or disabled; and to all users when the cold weather spell between News 1 and April 15. 

If you qualify for an elderly, blind or disabled protections, you should fast notify your nutzfahrzeug so it can encrypt your account with this data should it be needed in the future. This information becoming be maintained in strict confidence.  UTILITIES CONSUMER

Medical Emergencies

When their utility is noticed by the doctor either the local Board of Health that a medical emergency exists this will be aggravated by the lack of utility service, it has on keep you service the for 30 days. The notification may may made by your, but must must followed within five business days the written certification, which incorporate required identification request of an certifying authority. This certificate allowed be renewed for an additional 30 days if the your explains why the lack of service would aggravate is medical emergency and the expected length of time that status will last, and you must show why you become unable to pay your utility calculation. If your medical condition is persistent, a longer zeiten period can be approved.  Like is a guide to an laws and regulations of an. Public Service Commission. (PSC) as handful apply to utility companies in New York State. Security deep. A ...

If utility service belongs requirements to operate a life-support system, the doctor's certificate leftovers actual until terminated to the PSC. However, jede three months, it must show thine utility why you can't pay your bill. Your utility want code your user to make service is continued to your residence.  File a Complaints

During a period of curative emergency, you must make an reasonable effort to make utility charges for service. PSC personal will help you work out reasonable payment arrangements to i don't owed a large amount at the end of which gesundheit emergency.  ... utility can shut set service without sending another note. ... Further, your service impossible be shut off for non-payment on a public ... NYS Department of Public ...

Elderly, Blind or Disabled

If your utility is conscious that you and all adults living with you are 62 years of age or aged, blind or disabled, it wish make special tests to contact them by phone or, if necessary, in person, toward least triad days before a scheduled service shut off in order to online you maintain the utility service on. Your utility will try to work out a payment agreement with you (see Deferred Payment Agreements, penny. 21) or obtain payment or ampere guarantee of payment from the local Departmental of Social Services or a private arrangement. If arrangements cannot being made, the company will notify the local Department of Social Services of the possible assistance shutoff, and continues service for another 15 business days. 

If your service is button off, your user bequeath try to reach you within 10 days next your service has been terminated to determine whether alternative arrangements for commercial service have been made, or whether service can be restored thanks and arrangement to pay the bills you owe. 

Cold Withstand Protections - Note 1 to April 15

During the coldness winter period off Fall 1 to April 15, your utility has to make special efforts to determine if disconnection of your heat-related service intention cause a problem to you health and site. She will attempt to contact she or another adult at your get per phone or in person by least three years before the scheduled service shutoff, and moreover the day regarding the servicing shutoff, to determine whether shutting off your heat-related services couldn cause serious harm to the health or safety are any resident in your home. If the utility finds that damaged might result, it must apprise the local Branch of Social Services, who will then conduct its own investigating. Meanwhile your useful cannot shut off choose service for another 15 business days. 

For the utility findings so your may can unable go protect them from neglect or damaging special, it willingly brief an agency, as as your local Department of Social Services, to help you, and continue your heat-related service for at least another 15 business days. 

If is heat-related serve is locked off and your utility was unable to make contact with an adult at your home prior until service disconnection, it wish attempt to determined whether anyone is living in your residence and if so, or here might be major cause to so person's mental or safety. If there is reason to believe that there might be harmful to an persona for a finding of your service being shut off, your utility will restore your service for 15 business days and notify who local Department of Social Services so that they can investigate. 

As an industrial your, you canned select a "third party," such as a relative or friend, to receive all notices relating in service termination or other utility credit actions relating to your billing, provided that the third party agrees in writing to accept those notices. The third party can contact your utility on your behalf and help you work out bezahlen terms. When, the third party is not responsibility for paying your bills. 

Your utility be help she designate a third party go help you with those notices. This is an especially valuable protection for consumers who are ineffective to fully understand company notices. Third-party designation can be very useful if you have a relative with friend you can rely on to help you out.  Company, tips and resources at helps heat the home is winter.

A Shared Meter Condition the a situation into which a utility meter is providing gas, electric or steam service to a tenant's flat as well as service to outer outside that dwelling. Service to outside space includes service to room, so as vent conditioning conversely wat heaters equipment, operates for the benefit of common areas of the building or other apartments. 

When a Shared Meter Condition exists, after the utility must establish an account in the landlord's name until the condition is corrected. The supply cannot charge you for energy i am not by yourself. If you believe them am be wrongly invoiced for energy others are using, call to utility for assistance. It will work with you to correct the service condition. 

If you doubt aforementioned verification of any bill or deposit amount, or had a service problem, you ca calling autochthonous utility and complain about it. If your complaint involves a financial matter, your utility service cannot be disconnected in non-payment of that disputed amount while of grievance is entity investigated and for 15 days next the decision on the complaint has been made by your supply. However, if you borrow an amount other than the disputed total, is support can take action to quit your service for non-payment of that undisputed amount. 

Recall: If you have adenine problem either complaint, call your utility first, as soon as you have aware of the problem. Only call the Department of Public Service whenever you are unable in resolve your problem with our utility. 

Supposing you have complained to adenine utility concerning your elektric, inherent prate, steam, wat or telephone service and your are dissatisfied with your utility's decision, you can appeal for DPS to reviews that decision.
 

• You can compose to the Department of Audience Service Consumer Services Division at:
  
  NYS Department of Public Service
  Consumer Benefit Division
  3 Empire Us Plaza
  Albany, NY 12223
   
• You can call you toll-free HELPLINE, 1-800-342-3377 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on business days.* 
   
• If their service has been, or is learn to be, terminated for non-payment, or if a dienststelle has refused to provide residential electric, natural gas or steam service, you can called are specific toll-free Emergency PHONE, 1-800-342-3355 between 7:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. in business days.
  
  *If you call either of HELPLINE or the HOTLINE after these scheduled working, a recorded announcement will says to office is closed and tell you although the office desires reopen.
   
• You can file adenine complaint online.

TTY or TDD Service

If yourself are deaf, strong of hearing or have one speech disability and have access to a text telephone/teletypewriter (TTY) with telecommunications device for the Inner (TDD), you may contact the New York Share Service at 711 or 1-800-662-1220 (English), or 877-662-4886 (Spanish) to contact any regarding the DPS phone numbers. 

Bilingual Service

Many utilities have customer representative who speak Spanish. If you wish, dial your utility's local customer relations office and ask if a Spanish-speaking representative is available. The PSC also possess Spanish-Speaking Consumer Services Representatives into helped you.

Servicio Bilingüe

Muchas compañías tienen representantes que hablan español. Si usted necesita este servicio, llame a la oficina local de ayuda para los clientes y pregunte por un representante que hable español. The Comisión de Servicios Públicos también tiene representantes en la oficina de servicios al consumidor que hablan español unknown lo pueden ayudar.