Chapter 13.36
UTILITY BILLING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Sections:
13.36.010 Policies and procedures established.
13.36.020 Rates for senior and disabled citizens.
13.36.010 Policies and procedures established.
The following utility billing policies and procedures are hereby established:
A. The utilities shall stay in the property owner’s name, and the city will bill the owner of the served property for the payment of utility rates and charges specified in this title. The owner may request that a copy of the bills be mailed to a tenant, or agent with a signed utility update form, but this shall not relieve the owner from liability for utility rates and charges. A $3.00 per month alternate address fee will be charged to the utility account for this service. Tenants will not receive prorated or partial bills. No billing will be sent to a tenant until all accounts for the property are in good standing, and payments are current. It is the sole responsibility of the property owner to notify the city of any change in tenants when additional billing copies have been requested.
B. Accounts are past due after the fifteenth day of the month following billing, or after the first business day following the fifteenth, if that date is on a weekend or holiday.
C. Past due accounts are subject to a penalty equaling five percent per month of the balance due. Balances less than $10.00 will not be subject to penalty.
D. Accounts delinquent 30 days since billing are subject to discontinuance of service.
E. Accounts subject to discontinuance of service will be notified as follows:
1. Utility bill will be mailed out with both the current and the past due amounts within 10 days prior to receiving a shut-off notice.
2. Utility shut-off notices will be mailed 10 days before actual shut-off to allow account holders an opportunity to respond with payment.
3. All past due amounts must be paid prior to shut-off to prevent shut-off.
4. Property owners will be notified of rental accounts with shut-off pending.
5. Past due balances less than $100.00 will not be subject to shut-off.
6. It is the responsibility of all utility account holders to provide current mailing addresses and a business hour phone number to the city.
7. In the event of a disputed account and tender by the owner of the premises of the amount the owner claims to be due before the service is cut off, the right to refuse service to any premises shall not accrue until such suit has been entered by the city and the judgment entered in case.
8. Utility service for residential space heating shall not be terminated between November 15th through March 15th if the customer:
a. Notifies the utility of the inability to pay the bill, including a security deposit. This notice should be provided within five business days of receiving a payment overdue notice unless there are extenuating circumstances. If the customer fails to notify the utility within five business days and service is terminated, the customer can, by paying reconnection charges, if any, and fulfilling the requirements of this section, receive the protections of this chapter;
b. Provides self-certification of household income for the prior 12 months to a grantee of the department of community, trade, and economic development, which administers federally funded energy assistance programs. The grantee shall determine that the household income does not exceed the maximum allowed for eligibility under the state’s plan for low-income energy assistance under 42 U.S.C. 8624 and shall provide a dollar figure that is seven percent of household income. The grantee may verify information in the self-certification;
c. Has applied for home heating assistance from applicable government and private sector organizations and certifies that any assistance received will be applied to the current bill and future utility bills;
d. Has applied for low-income weatherization assistance to the utility or other appropriate agency if such assistance is available for the dwelling;
e. Agrees to a payment plan and agrees to maintain the payment plan. The plan will be designed both to pay the past due bill by the following October 15th and to pay for continued utility service. If the past due bill is not paid by the following October 15th, the customer shall not be eligible for protections under this chapter until the past due bill is paid. The plan shall not require monthly payments in excess of seven percent of the customer’s monthly income plus one-twelfth of any arrearage accrued from the date the application is made and thereafter during November 15th through March 15th. A customer may agree to pay a higher percentage during this period, but shall not be in default unless payment during this period is less than seven percent of monthly income plus one-twelfth of any arrearage accrued from the date application is made and thereafter. If assistance payments are received by the customer subsequent to implementation of the plan, the customer shall contact the utility to reformulate the plan; and
f. Agrees to pay the moneys owed even if he or she moves.
9. With respect to the agreement described in subsection (E)(8) of this section, the city will:
a. Include in any notice that an account is delinquent and that service may be subject to termination, a description of the customer’s duties in this section;
b. Assist the customer in fulfilling the requirements under this section;
c. Transfer an account to a new residence when a customer who has established a plan under this section moves from one residence to another within the same utility service area;
d. Disconnect service if the customer fails to honor the payment program. Utilities may continue to disconnect service for those practices authorized by law other than nonpayment as provided for in this section. Customers who qualify for payment plans under this section who default on their payment plans and are disconnected can be reconnected and maintain the protections afforded under this chapter by paying reconnection charges, if any, and by paying all amounts that would have been due and owing under the terms of the applicable payment plan, absent default, on the date on which service is reconnected; and
e. Advise the customer in writing at the time it disconnects service that it will restore service if the customer contacts the utility and fulfils the other requirements of this section.
F. To reconnect a utility service which has been discontinued:
1. The account holder must pay the full balance due, including both past due and current amounts, plus a service fee.
2. Payments made after shut-off must be made in cash, by money order or by credit card or debit card.
3. Payments must be received before 4:00 p.m. for same day reconnections, and must include a $50.00 service fee. Utility reconnections will be made by close of each business day.
4. For same day connections on payments received after 4:00 p.m. there will be an additional fee of $185.00.
G. As feasible through the city’s billing program, the city will offer a budget billing plan. Under this plan, account holders may opt to have their utility billing averaged at a monthly payment amount, based on the previous year account history. Some account holders may choose this plan to avoid low and high balance spikes throughout the year.
1. An annual adjusting bill under this program would bill the account a higher or a lower amount, based on actual usage during the year.
2. At such adjusting bill cycle, budget plan accounts will be restructured for the ensuing year’s monthly payments, based on the account history for the year just completed.
H. Exemptions.
1. Individual Circumstances. If it is determined by the utility clerk and the finance director that an account has become past due because of circumstances beyond the control of the account holder, a time payment plan on the past due amount may be arranged, with one percent per month interest charged on past due amounts. This request must be submitted by the property owner.
2. Payments received insufficient to cover both current balances and the scheduled payment on past due amounts shall be credited first to the older balance.
3. In an effort to assist customers due to individual circumstances the finance director is authorized to accept short term arrangements to avoid discontinuation of services. This must be authorized by the property owner and cannot exceed 90 days.
I. Utility services, enforcement of lien, limitations on terminations of service for residential heating is subject to RCW 35.21.300.
J. Corrections and Adjustments.
1. The finance director with concurrence from the public works director has the authority to authorize the correction of billing errors and to make adjustments to utility accounts as necessary as a result of billing errors, or for expediency. Any adjustment in excess of $1,000 must also be approved by the mayor or their designee. (Ord. 1915 § 1, 2017; Ord. 1914 § 1, 2017; Ord. 1888 § 3, 2016; Ord. 1753 § 1, 2010; Ord. 1744 § 2, 2009; Ord. 1739 § 1, 2009; Ord. 1731 § 1, 2008; Ord. 1680 § 4, 2006; Ord. 1590 § 1, 2003; Ord. 1476 § 1, 2001; Ord. 1398 § 1, 1999).
13.36.020 Rates for senior and disabled citizens.
A. All senior and disabled citizens that qualify shall be allowed a discount of 30 percent off both monthly water and monthly electric utility standard rate billings. This discount applies to residential customers only.
B. A senior citizen is considered to be anyone over the age of 62. A disabled citizen is considered to be anyone meeting the definition of “disabled” as defined by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). To be eligible for the senior or disabled citizen discount, a citizen must meet the above definitions as well as the low-income criteria, defined as someone earning 50 percent below the median family income for Pierce County based upon the most current income data furnished by Pierce County housing authority.
C. Each senior or disabled citizen requesting the 30 percent discount shall sign a certification form which is on file in the city clerk’s office. Certifications for senior or disabled discounts shall be renewed each year for continuation of discounted service. (Ord. 1738 § 2, 2009).