(a) Any
payment to the provider shall be applied first to the rent owed and then to
charges for electric service, unless otherwise designated by the
lessee.
(b) No charge for
connection or disconnection or late fee or deposit paid by the provider to the
supplier shall be allowed, and no provider may terminate a lease for nonpayment
of electric service.
(c) No
provider may disconnect or request the supplier to disconnect electric service
for the lessee's nonpayment of a bill.
(d) Bills shall be rendered at least
monthly.
(e) The date after which a
bill for electric service is due (the past-due date) shall be disclosed on the
bill and shall not be less than twenty-five (25) days after the bill is mailed
or otherwise delivered to the lessee.
(f) A provider shall not bill for or attempt
to collect for excess usage resulting from a meter malfunction or other
electric condition in appliances such as water heaters, HVAC systems, or ranges
furnished by the provider to the lessee, when the malfunction is not known to
the lessee or when the malfunction has been reported to the provider.
(g) Every provider shall provide to each
lessee at the time the lease agreement is signed, and shall maintain in its
business office, in public view, near the place where payments are received,
the following:
(1) A copy of the rates,
rules, and regulations of the provider applicable to the premises served from
that office, with respect to electric service;
(2) A copy of these rules and regulations
(Chapter 22); and
(3) A statement
advising lessees that they should first contact the provider's office with any
questions they may have regarding bills or complaints about service, and that
in cases of dispute, they may contact the Commission either by calling the
Public Staff - North Carolina Utilities Commission, Consumer Services Division,
at (866) 380-9816 (toll-free) or (919) 733-9277, or by appearing in person or
writing to the Public Staff - North Carolina Utilities Commission, Consumer
Services Division, 4326 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, North Carolina
27699-4300.
(h) Each
provider shall adopt a means of informing its lessees initially and on an
annual basis as to the provider's method of allocating bills to the individual
lessees and its administrative fee, returned check charge, and late fee, if
any. A copy of the supplier's current schedule of charges shall also be
included in these disclosures.
(i)
Every provider shall promptly notify the Commission in writing of any change in
the information required in Rule R22-4(a), except for changes in the rates and
charges of the supplier (Rule R22-4(a)(8)).
If a provider anticipates that it will not pay a supplier's
bill on time, or if the provider receives notice from the supplier of pending
disconnection, whichever comes first, the provider must within 24 hours provide
written notice to the Commission and all of the provider's affected lessees of
the anticipated nonpayment or disconnection notice. A provider may not abandon
or cease providing electric service to its lessees without advance permission
from the Commission.
Notes
04
N.C. Admin. Code 11 R22-07
NCUC Docket No. ER-100,
Sub 0, 08/17/11; NCUC Docket No. ER-100, Sub 0, 04/19/2012; NCUC Docket No.
ER-100, Sub 0, 03/31/14; NCUC Docket Nos. ER-100, Sub 0, ER-100, Sub 2,
07/20/2015 & 07/23/2015; NCUC Docket No. ER-100, Sub 4,
04/24/2018.
NCUC Docket No. ER-100,
Sub 0, 08/17/11; NCUC Docket No. ER-100, Sub 0, 04/19/2012; NCUC Docket No.
ER-100, Sub 0, 03/31/14; NCUC Docket Nos. ER-100, Sub 0, ER-100, Sub 2,
07/20/2015 & 07/23/2015.
