Pennsylvania Code
Title 52 - PUBLIC UTILITIES
Part I - Public Utility Commission
Subpart C - Fixed Service Utilities
Chapter 56 - STANDARDS AND BILLING PRACTICES FOR RESIDENTIAL PUBLIC UTILITY SERVICE
Subchapter C - CREDIT AND DEPOSITS STANDARDS POLICY
PROCEDURES FOR APPLICANTS
Section 56.35 - Payment of outstanding balance

Universal Citation: 52 PA Code § 56.35

Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 52, December 28, 2024

(a) A public utility may require, as a condition of the furnishing of residential service to an applicant, the payment of any outstanding residential account with the public utility which accrued within the past 4 years for which the applicant is legally responsible and for which the applicant was billed properly.

(b) A public utility may not require, as a condition of the furnishing of residential service, payment for residential service previously furnished under an account in the name of a person other than the applicant, except as provided for in paragraphs (1) and (2).

(1) A public utility may require the payment of an outstanding balance or portion of an outstanding balance if the applicant resided at the property for which service is requested during the time the outstanding balance accrued and for the time the applicant resided there, not exceeding 4 years from the date of the service request. The 4-year limit does not apply if the balance includes amounts that the public utility was not aware of because of fraud or theft on the part of the applicant.

(2) A public utility may establish that an applicant previously resided at a property for which residential service is requested through the use of mortgage, deed or lease information, a commercially available consumer credit reporting service or other methods approved as valid by the Commission. Public utilities shall include in their tariffs filed with the Commission the methods, other than those specifically mentioned in this paragraph, used to determine the applicant's liability for any outstanding balance.

(3) Any outstanding residential account with the public utility may be amortized in accordance with § 56.191 (relating to payment and timing).

The provisions of this § 56.35 amended under the Public Utility Code, 66 Pa.C.S. § § 331, 501, 504, 1301, 1401-1419, 1501-1504 and 1509.

This section cited in 52 Pa. Code § 56.36 (relating to written procedures); 52 Pa. Code § 56.83 (relating to unauthorized termination of service); and 52 Pa. Code § 56.142 (relating to time for filing an informal complaint).

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