Orrville Public Utilities - Customer Policy

All customers and potential customers of one or more of the Utility Services provided by the Department of Public Utilities of the City of Orrville, Ohio, shall be subject to the provisions of this policy

APPLICATIONS AND DEPOSITS

Customers and potential customers have been placed in the following classification to determine a reasonable and sufficient deposit for various classes of services as provided by the Department of Public Utilities: Residential-Homeowners, Residential-Renters, Business-Owned, and Business-Rented.

Residential-Homeowner-The property owner(s) who reside at the property being served shall complete the application. This application must be completed either in person or by telephone. No cash deposit will be required at time of application, unless the homeowner has been disconnected two times within a three year period due to non-payment of a bill, and reconnecting is requested. At which time a cash deposit of $90 ($135 for an electric heated home) is required.
Residential-Renters-The leasee(s) who reside at the property being served shall complete the application. This application must be completed either in person or by telephone. The landlords name and telephone number must be listed on the application. Rental applications will be maintained in a pending file, and services not available until either receipt of a cash deposit or signature from a cosigner is obtained. A cash deposit of $90 ($135 for an electric heated rental) will be required unless the property owner or an authorized representative of the property owner, or any property owner served by the Orrville Electric Utility, cosigns the application for services. The cosigner agrees to be fully liable for any amounts owed the Department. If a leasee has been disconnected for nonpayment of a bill, a cash deposit will be required before reconnecting. Landlords may request notification of accounts that are delinquent by more than 30 days.
- Exceptions to the deposit and co-signer requirement are leasee(s) who are senior citizens by definition, or leasee(s) who have been previous homeowners. These leasee(s) may also apply for service via telephone. If these leasee(s) have been disconnected for whatever reason in the past 5 years, they will forfeit this exception and be required to meet all above stipulations before service will be connected.
- Tenant-Landlord Policy: If as part of your rent payment, your landlord includes utilities (electric, water, and sewer), but fails to make the appropriate bill payment, your utilities will be subject to shut-off. Notice will be given approximately five days before scheduled shut-off in the form of an orange door hanger, and written notification alerting the occupant of the unpaid bill and the shut-off date. If the landlord does not make the necessary bill payment by the date on the notice, Orrville Utilities will disconnect the electric service.
- Tenant options to maintain their utility service, or have it restored are; pay the current utility bill and any fees themselves, or vigorously impress upon the landlord to make the appropriate bill payment.
Business-Owned-Any person, partnership, corporation, or combination thereof who does business at the property being served, whether for profit or nonprofit, shall complete the application. This application must be completed either in person or by telephone. No cash deposit will be required at time of application, unless the business has been disconnected due to nonpayment of a bill, and reconnecting is requested. At which time, a cash deposit equivalent to two months usage (as determined by the department) will be required.
Business-Rented-Any leasee(s) who does business at the property being served, whether for profit or nonprofit shall complete the application. This application must be completed either in person or by telephone. The landlords name and telephone number must be listed on the application. Rental applications will be maintained in a pending file, and services not available until either receipt of a cash deposit or signature from a cosigner is obtained. A cash deposit equivalent of two months usage (as determined by the Department) shall be required unless the property owner or an authorized representative of the property owner, or any property owner served by the Orrville Utility, cosigns the application for services. The cosigner agrees to be fully liable for any amounts owed the department. If a business has been disconnected for nonpayment of a bill, a cash deposit equivalent of two months usage shall be paid before reconnecting.

All deposits shall be held in trust for the customer's account at no interest, and shall be refunded after discontinuing service, settlement of final accounts and proof of ownership. Deposits of customers shall be returned annually in April to all parties who have not been disconnected for nonpayment in the past three years.

Service to a customer will not be started or reconnected until all applicable fees, charges, and amounts owed are paid in full according to the laws, ordinances, rules, and regulations in effect at the time.

DISCONNECTIONS

Upon receipt of written notification by the party being served, the Department will, at no charge, stop service and read the meter(s) within three working days. The Department will stop services during non working hours upon receipt of a specific request, provided the standard charges in effect at the time are paid in advance.

Parties shall be required to pay for services for a reasonable period of time after receipt of a request to stop services. The time shall allow employees to stop the service, read the meter(s), and issue a bill.

The Department is authorized, at its sole option, to remove meters and/or service facilities; to shut off or disconnect any or all service at the end of its agreement with any party and/or whenever any account is past due and/or upon violation of any applicable laws, ordinances, rules, and regulations.