Conn. Agencies Regs. § 16-11-68 - Customer deposits
(a) Each utility
may require from any customer or prospective customer a deposit to guarantee
payment of bills. Such deposits shall not exceed an amount equivalent to the
estimated maximum bill for ninety days.
(b) A company may not refuse to provide
utility service where a residential customer lacks the financial ability to pay
a security deposit, which is defined as:
(1) A
person receiving local, state, or federal public assistance including but not
limited to:
(A) aid to the blind;
(B) aid to families with dependent
children;
(C) old age
assistance;
(D) aid to the
disabled;
(E) medicaid;
(F) supplemental security income;
or
(G) general
assistance;
(2) A person
whose sole source of financial support is derived from social security,
veterans' administration or unemployment compensation benefits;
(3) A person whose income falls below one
hundred twenty five per cent of the poverty level as determined by the federal
government in accordance with the income poverty guidelines from the regional
office of family assistance, department of health, education, and welfare or
its successor agency; or
(4) A
person whose circumstances threaten a deprivation of the necessities of life
for himself/herself or dependent children of his/her household if payment of a
security deposit is required.
(c) If a company has determined that a
security deposit should be required from a residential customer, it shall
inform that customer that service will not be denied if the customer lacks the
financial ability to pay, and shall provide him or her with a copy of these
regulations.
(d) Each utility
having on hand deposits from customers, or hereafter receiving deposits from
customers, shall keep records to show:
(1) The
name of the customer making the deposit; (B) the account number or other
identification of the premises occupied by the customer when the deposit was
made;
(2) the amount and date of
making the deposit; and
(3) a
record of each transaction concerning the deposit.
(e) Each utility shall issue a receipt to
every customer from whom a deposit is received and shall provide means whereby
the depositor may receive his deposit or balance if such receipt is
lost.
(f)
(1) Interest on any security deposit received
from a customer for each calendar year shall be paid at the rate prescribed in
section
16-262j
of the general statutes. Interest shall accrue daily and shall be paid or
credited to the customer's account annually. Accrued interest shall be paid
upon return of the deposit if such return is made at other than the annual
payment date for interest.
(2) The
deposit shall cease to draw interest on the date it is returned, on the date
service is terminated, or on the date notice is sent to the customer's
last-known address that the deposit is no longer required.
(g) A record of each unclaimed deposit and
the interest thereon shall be maintained until the funds are paid over to the
state treasurer under the escheat provisions of the general statutes. During
this time the utility shall make a reasonable effort to return the deposit and
accrued interest.
(h) Deposits may
be retained by the utility as long as required to insure payment of
bills.
(i) Upon final
discontinuance of service the utility may apply such deposit, including accrued
interest, to any amount due from the customer for service. Any balance due to
the customer shall be promptly refunded.
(i)
Deposits shall be returned, together with accrued interest, where satisfactory
credit has been established.
Notes
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