Pennsylvania Code › Title 52 - PUBLIC UTILITIES › Part I - Public Utility Commission › Subpart C - Fixed Service Utilities › Chapter 56 - STANDARDS AND BILLING PRACTICES FOR RESIDENTIAL PUBLIC UTILITY SERVICE › Subchapter C - CREDIT AND DEPOSITS STANDARDS POLICY › PROCEDURES FOR APPLICANTS › Section 56.36 - Written procedures

Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 28, July 13, 2024
(a) Public
						utilities shall include in their tariffs filed with the Commission their credit
						and application procedures along with a general description of their credit
						scoring methodology and standards.
(b) A public utility shall establish written
						procedures for determining the credit status of an applicant and for
						determining responsibility for unpaid balances in accordance with §
												56.35 (relating to payment of
						outstanding balance). The written procedures must specify that there are
						separate procedures and standards for victims with a protection from abuse
						order or a court order issued by a court of competent jurisdiction in this
						Commonwealth which provides clear evidence of domestic violence. The procedures
						must also specify that any applicant that is confirmed to be eligible for a
						customer assistance program will not be required to pay a deposit. A public
						utility employee processing applications or determining the credit status of
						applicants shall be supplied with or have ready access to a copy of the written
						procedures of the public utility. A copy of these procedures shall be
						maintained on file in each of the business offices of the public utility and
						made available, upon request, for inspection by members of the public and the
						Commission and be included on the public utility's web site.
(1)
Reasons for denial of
						credit
. If credit is denied, the public utility shall inform the
						applicant in writing of the reasons for the denial within 3 business days of
						the denial. This information may be provided electronically to the applicant
						with the applicant's consent. The written denial statement must include the
						provider of the credit score, information on the applicant's ability to
						challenge the accuracy of the credit score and how to contact the credit score
						provider. If the public utility is requiring payment of an unpaid balance in
						accordance with § 56.35, the public utility shall specify in writing the
						amount of the unpaid balance, the dates during which the balance accrued and
						the location and customer name at which the balance accrued. The statement must
						inform the applicant of the right to furnish a third-party guarantor in
						accordance with §
													56.33 (relating to third-party
						guarantors) and the right to contact the Commission. The statement must include
						information informing victims of domestic violence with a protection from abuse
						order, or a court order issued by a court of competent jurisdiction in this
						Commonwealth which provides clear evidence of domestic violence, that more
						lenient credit and liability standards may be available. The statement must
						also inform the applicant that if he or she is, based upon household income,
						confirmed to be eligible for a customer assistance program a deposit is not
						required. The public utility shall inform the applicant of the procedures and
						documentation necessary to qualify for an exemption from a security deposit
						requirement.
(2)
Informing
						applicants of procedures.
Public utility personnel shall fully
						explain the credit and deposit procedures of the public utility to each
						customer or applicant for service.
(3)
Third-party requests for
						service.
Requests from third parties to establish public utility
						service on behalf of an applicant will not be honored until the public utility
						has verified the legitimacy of the request. Verification may be accomplished by
						any means appropriate to confirm that the applicant consents to service being
						established or that the third party is authorized to act on the applicant's
						behalf.