For some of us, a utility service disconnection notice can literally be life or death. This is particularly true for the elderly and infirm who are going through extreme weather. Luckily, utility companies have to follow guidelines and procedures before they can disconnect you. Here are some of points to remember.
Regulated or not? The first thing to do is find out if your utility company is regulated or not. This way, you can find out exactly what you can do under the law.
What are the rules? Research on how the local laws apply for service disconnection. Chances are, you will be able to find a way to delay disconnection, and perhaps even come to mutually agreeable terms with your utility service company.
Do find out if there are applicable local moratoriums on disconnection for particular customer brackets, like the elderly or disabled. Most of these clauses apply during the winter months, or other similar extreme weather situations.
Look for alternatives. Do ask your local government offices, or your utility service company itself, if there are special payment programs or government funding available to help you with your bills.
You should get due action. Before a utility service can disconnect you, they must first give you a notice with pointers to help you avoid disconnection itself. This is important, as this document usually contains most, if not all the information necessary to start a dialogue with the company. If the company fails to comply with the local requirements for notices, then you can file for a wrongful termination.
By the same reasoning, even the act of termination itself has strict guidelines, including the time of day or the week. Make sure you know the local laws for this.
Always communicate immediately with your local government offices and the utility company when you are given a notice of service disconnection. Doing so can save you many headaches.
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6 Responses
II am trying to get help for all my utilities My So,Sc. is not enough and every month is a nervousness that I will get disconnected. PLEASE help me in getting help I have tried to get help and always a negative reply. show me the correct place I need to go. God Bless Thanks
Posted on July 26th, 2010 at 2:35 pm
Please any one out there this is not a scam to get money I really do need help gettiing my water back on please look in your heart and help my and my children please thank you. i need 779.00 to get it turn back on I have no money and I m struggling to make it.I call all around Savannah,Ga for help but no help so I m pleading for help any thing u can do is appeciated and I thank you for it.
Posted on July 27th, 2010 at 1:37 pm
Hello, Cora!
If you keep on getting a negative reply, your next step may have to be to find free legal services that can assist you. Your local government offices, city or town hall should have information on these organizations. If not, do check with your nearest community center and charity organizations, such as churches, soup kitchens and shelters. These organizations usually work with one another.
Posted on July 28th, 2010 at 12:33 pm
Hello Eica!
If you haven’t done so yet, please fo contact your local utility company to find out if they have options for deferred payments or pay-later programs. After that, you should contact your nearest local government office to see if they have cash assistance programs that you qualify for, be it under LIHEAP, Weatherization, Social Security or even Unemployment programs. Don’t give up.
Posted on August 2nd, 2010 at 6:43 am
please help me find ways to help on bills. we’re on social security too with two small children and only get 695 a month
Posted on August 10th, 2010 at 8:45 pm
Hello, Robin!
My suggestion would be to to inquire about the following in your local government offices: TANF Assistance, LIHEAP and WAP programs, and to see if you also qualify for SNAP (the Food Stamp program). Depending on the age of your child, you can also qualify for more asssistance specific to the children. You can also check on School Meal programs with your local schools.
Posted on August 13th, 2010 at 6:34 am
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