Ohio Administrative Code › Title 4901:1 - Utilities › Chapter 4901:1-18 - Termination of Residential Service › Section 4901:1-18-05 - Extended payment plans and responsibilities

Current through all
			 regulations passed and filed through July 1, 2024
(A) Upon contact by a customer whose account
			 is delinquent or who desires to avoid a delinquency, the utility company shall
			 inform the customer that it will make reasonable extensions or other extended
			 payment plans appropriate for both the customer and the utility company. If the
			 customer proposes payment terms, the utility company may exercise discretion in
			 the acceptance of the payment terms based upon the account balance, the length
			 of time that the balance has been outstanding, the customer's recent payment
			 history, the reasons why payment has not been made, and any other relevant
			 factors concerning the customer including health, age, and family
			 circumstances.
(B) If the customer
			 fails to propose payment terms acceptable to the utility company, the utility
			 company shall then advise the customer of the availability of all of the
			 following extended payment plans and the percentage of income payment plan plus
			 (PIPP plus). If a customer requests additional information about PIPP plus, the
			 utility company shall inform the customer of the eligibility requirements as
			 set forth in paragraphs (B) and (C) of rule
			 4901:1-18-12
			 of the Administrative Code (gas PIPP plus) or to Chapter 122:5-3 of the
			 Administrative Code (electric PIPP plus),  provide the customer with a copy of PIPP plus
			 literature and direct the customer to the toll-free
			 telephone number of the Ohio department of development which the customer may
			 call to identify the local energy assistance provider or other
			 community-based nonprofit organization designated by the Ohio department of
			 development to offer services in the customer's service area. In addition to
			 PIPP plus, the extended payment plans are:
(1) One-sixth plan - A plan that requires six
			 equal monthly payments on the past due balances
			 in addition to full payment of the current bill.
(2) One-ninth plan - A plan that requires
			 nine equal monthly payments on the past due balances in addition to a budget
			 payment plan for the projected monthly bills, which will end nine months from
			 the initial payment. The budget portion of the payments may be adjusted
			 periodically during the nine-month period as needed.
(3) Winter heating season plan - In addition
			 to the one-sixth and one-ninth plans in this paragraph, during the winter
			 heating season, the utility company shall offer to any customer not already on
			 a payment plan, the one-third payment plan for any bills that include any usage
			 occurring from November first to April fifteenth of each year. The one-third
			 plan requires payment of one-third of the balance due each month (past due
			 balances plus the current bill). For any outstanding balance remaining after
			 the last one-third bill has been rendered, the utility company shall remove the
			 customer from the one-third payment plan and shall offer the customer the
			 option to pay the balance, or to enter into one of the other plans in this
			 paragraph, or to enroll in PIPP plus, provided that he/she meets the
			 qualifications for that PIPP plus plan.