Or. Admin. Code § 860-034-0130 - Adjustment of Utility Bills

(1) When a small telecommunications utility has incorrectly billed a retail customer, the utility must take corrective action as follows:

(a) If the date of the error can be determined, the small telecommunications utility must issue a bill credit or refund for the over-charge or a corrected bill for the under-charge back to such date. If the date of the error cannot be determined, the small telecommunications utility must issue a refund or bill credit for the over-charge or rebill the under-charge for no more than six months' usage.

(b) In no event may a small telecommunications utility issue a corrected bill or refund for more than three years of incorrectly billed charges.

(2) When a small telecommunications utility issues a bill to collect under-billed amounts, a customer may enter into a time-payment agreement as provided in OAR 860-034-0276. If the utility customer is already on a time-payment plan, the utility must offer to renegotiate the payment plan to include the under-billing error. If the customer and utility cannot agree upon payment terms, the Commission will establish terms and conditions to govern the customers' obligation.

(3) When a small telecommunications utility requires payment for amounts previously under-billed, the utility must provide a written notice that explains:

(a) The circumstance and time period of the under-billing;

(b) The corrected bill amount and the amount of the necessary adjustment,

(c) The Commission's consumer complaint process; and

(d) The right for a customer to enter into a time-payment agreement with the utility.

(4) The small telecommunications utility may waive rebilling or issuing a refund check when costs make such action uneconomical.

Notes

Or. Admin. Code § 860-034-0130

PUC 6-1993, f. & cert. ef. 2-19-93 (Order No. 93-185); PUC 12-1998, f. & cert. ef. 5-7-98; PUC 4-1999, f. & cert. ef. 8-12-99; PUC 15-2001, f. & cert. ef. 6-21-01; PUC 5-2014, f. & cert. ef. 6-26-14

Stat. Auth.: ORS 183, 756 & 759

Stats. Implemented: ORS 759.045