- A. Except as provided by Regulations .03 and .04 of this chapter and by Chapters 03, 04, and 05 of this subtitle, a utility shall terminate service in accordance with the provisions of this regulation.
B. Commencing Termination Procedures.
- (1) A utility may commence termination procedures only if it has made reasonable attempts to collect the past-due bills using normal collection procedures.
- (2) “Normal collection procedures” shall include collection practices normally used by the utility and shall include at least one notice that the bill in question is past due.
- C. The utility shall send a notice of termination to the customer at least 14 days before the date on or after which termination will occur.
- D. Notices of termination shall be delivered in person or sent by first class mail, and shall be sent to the name and address of the person in whose name the account is held.
- E. If the customer has designated a third person to receive termination notices pursuant to COMAR 20.31.01.07 Third-Party Notification, the notices of termination shall be sent to the designated third person as well as to the customer.
- F. The utility shall advise the customer of the availability of alternate payment plans offered by the utility in accordance with COMAR 20.31.01.08 and the Utility Service Protection Program offered by the utility in accordance with COMAR 20.31.05.
- G. If a customer disputes the proposed termination, he shall do so in accordance with the provisions of COMAR 20.32.01.
- H. The utility may terminate service if it is prepared to accept payment of the amount due and to reconnect service on both the day of termination and the day subsequent to termination, except that termination of service on a Saturday is permissible in those special situations where the service must be terminated at a meter inside the premises and where the utility has previously and unsuccessfully attempted to gain access to the meter on at least two weekdays.
Authority: Public Utilities Article, §§2-113, 2-121, and 5-101, Annotated Code of Maryland
Effective date: October 12, 1981 (8:20 Md. R. 1637)
Regulation .01 amended effective November 18, 1985 (12:23 Md. R. 2224)
Regulation .01B amended effective October 22, 1984 (11:21 Md. R. 1815); May 10, 1993 (20:9 Md. R. 780)
Regulation .01B amended as an emergency provision effective January 1, 2002 (29:3 Md. R. 215); emergency status expired June 30, 2002
Regulation .01B amended as an emergency provision effective January 1, 2003 (30:5 Md. R. 364); amended permanently effective January 20, 2003 (30:1 Md. R. 29)
Regulation .03 amended effective August 29, 2016 (43:17 Md. R. 957)
Regulation .04 amended effective April 21, 1986 (13:8 Md. R. 904); July 28, 1986 (13:15 Md. R. 1736)
Regulation .04A amended effective May 10, 1993 (20:9 Md. R. 780)
Regulation .04E amended effective August 6, 1990 (17:15 Md. R. 1862)
Regulations .05A, C, F and .06E amended effective October 22, 1984 (11:21 Md. R. 1815)
Regulation .05F and G amended effective August 6, 1990 (17:15 Md. R. 1862)
Regulation .05H amended effective May 24, 1982 (9:10 Md. R. 1023)
Regulation .06H amended effective August 6, 1990 (17:15 Md. R. 1862)
Regulation .07 adopted effective August 29, 2016 (43:17 Md. R. 957)