Electric Account Closing Bill Adjustments

DPP NUMBER DPP 500 P III-411

EFFECTIVE DATE 7/11/2017 SUPERSEDES 1/11/2012

APPROVED BY /s/ by Larry Weis, General Manager and CEO

1.0 Purpose

1.1 To establish Department policy regarding billing adjustments to electric customer accounts not having given notice to the Department to close said accounts or disconnect service, in accordance with Seattle Municipal Code (SMC) 21.49.100.

2.0 Organization Affected

2.1 Customer Care Division

3.0 References

3.1 SMC 21.49.100, or as the same may be amended or superseded.

4.0 Definitions

4.1 Acceptable Written Verification. Copies or originals of any of the following documents which substantiate the date the customer moved from his/her previous premises:

4.1.1 Rental Inspection report from the customer's old premises indicating date occupancy was terminated.

4.1.2 Final phone or utility bill from the customer's old premises indicating the date service was terminated.

4.1.3 Letter from previous owner/agent verifying tenant's period of occupancy/control of the old premises.

4.1.4 Court-filed eviction papers verifying eviction date.

4.2 Billing Adjustment. A monetary adjustment to a customer's account.

4.3 Billing Adjustment Request. A verbal or written request from a City Light customer to change the move-out date of his/her electric account and to change the monetary amount of the closing bill accordingly.

4.4 Customer. Any person, firm, corporation, or other legal entity that uses, has used, or has contracted for electric service from the Department.

4.5 Department. The City Light Department of the City of Seattle.

4.6 Force Out. An action initiated by the Department to close an electric account in order to open an account at the same premises for a new customer who has provided the Department with a move-in date.

4.6 Move-in Date. A specific date conveyed by a customer to the Department by telephone or fax, in person, on-line, or through a signed service contract to activate an electric account for which the customer will be responsible.

4.7 Move-out Date. A specific date conveyed by a customer to the Department by telephone or fax, in person, on-line, or in writing to close an electric account for which the customer has been responsible.

5.0 Policy

5.1 In cases where notice is not given to City Light, City Light's policy will be to allow a billing adjustment to be made on a customer's electric closing bill when acceptable written or verbal verification of the period of occupancy or control of the premises by the customer is received by the Department from the owner, agent, or previous or current customer.

5.2 SMC 21.49.100 Section B states, "In cases where the customer is a tenant, the property owner or his agent must provide notice to the Department of the dates a tenant starts and ends occupancy or has control of the premises. Such notices must be made within ten (10) working days of the start and end dates. Failure of a property owner to provide such notice may result in billing charges to the property owner for a tenant's use of electric service."

6.0 Responsibilities

6.1 Customer Care Division responsibilities include:

6.1.1 Reviewing occupancy verification documents received from customers and authorizing billing adjustments when warranted.

6.1.2 Processing billing adjustments to electric customers' accounts.

7.0 Appendix

Distribution: Posted online at http://sclweb.light.ci.seattle.wa.us/dpp/

REVISION HISTORY:

DATE CHANGES MADE REVISED BY

6/20/17 Updated to reflect current practices. Author: Shirley Mah, Kelly Enright

Coordinator: Kim Kinney

INTERNAL APPROVAL:

Divisions/Business Unit:

Customer Care ?

Customer Service, Communications and Regulatory Affairs ?