Customer Care Policies

Purpose:
It is the responsibility of KCBPU to provide electric and water service to the residents within our service territory.

Scope:
This Customer Service Policy (or “Policy”) outlines the responsibilities of KCBPU and the Customers of KCBPU, in accepting use and submitting timely payment for services.

This Policy is also designed to inform Customers of potential charges associated with certain situations, and to ensure all customers receive uniform and equitable consideration.

Privacy Policy:
KCBPU employs a blend of technology and standard practices to safeguard customer information from unauthorized access or exposure. Customer information is protected on secure systems with restricted access, and KCBPU has implemented appropriate security controls to safeguard this data during storage or transmission. Before disclosing any information regarding their service and/or account, KCBPU requires customers to verify their account identity information. Contractors acting on behalf of KCBPU are also obligated to safeguard customer information.

In certain circumstances, such as by law, legal process, litigation, or requests from public and governmental authorities, KCBPU may need to disclose some customer information. As a municipal utility, KCBPU is governed by the Kansas Open Records Act (KORA). Additionally, KCBPU may disclose customer information if it determines that disclosure is necessary or appropriate for national security, law enforcement, or other matters of public importance. Moreover, disclosure of customer information may occur if deemed reasonably necessary to enforce KCBPU’s terms and conditions or to protect operations or users. KCBPU may also request that customers voluntarily provide additional information to better understand their needs and provide enhanced service.

Conditions of Service:
A Customer is the end-use consumer of the Service(s) and the party who is responsible for payment of the Service(s) provided to the applicable Service location. If, prior to Service initiation or within 180 days after, KCBPU discovers an outstanding debt owed by a Service Applicant or existing Customer, as applicable, such Applicant or Customer must pay in full the outstanding debt as follows: (i) either prior to KCBPU accepting a Service application or upon notification (for Customer), or if requested, KCBPU shall enter into a maximum 6 month payment arrangement with the Applicant or Customer for the outstanding debt with the requirement that at least 1/6 of the outstanding debt must be paid up front; (ii) Service installation or provision is not unduly delayed due to the outstanding debt; and (iii) the 180 day timeframe following Service initiation does not apply in cases of fraud or diversion. Customers shall timely pay all bills for Services rendered. All Customers must be at least 18 years of age or legal adult to sign for Service(s).

Supplying Electric and Water Service:

Reference the Electric Service Policies, then reference the ‘Supplying Electric Service’ section.

Reference the Water Service Policies, then reference the ‘Water Services and Water Service Connections’ section.

Requests for Service:
KCBPU shall use a third-party credit rating service to assist in determining the risk profile of a Customer. A Service Initiation Fee, as set forth in the Fee Schedule, is assessed by KCBPU on the initial bill.

Residential Applicants must provide valid driver’s license, or State or Federal issued photo identification, excluding military identification. A Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) is requested, but not required to be provided.

KCBPU may waive the Service Initiation Fee for a Residential Customer if the Customer signs up for automatic utility bill payments by bank draft and continues such automatic bank draft payments for at least one year. If the Customer cancels the automatic payment or incurs an insufficient funds transaction within the first year, the Service Initiation Fee will be reinstated and must be paid.

The property identified on a Service application must qualify to receive applicable Service(s) requested. If a property failed inspection or is determined to be unfit/unsafe for Service, Service will not be provided until property passes inspection and is determined fit/safe for Service. A property will have all Services established at account creation.

Discontinuing Service:
Customer may discontinue Services upon giving KCBPU notice at least two business days in advance. If no such notice is given to KCBPU, the terminating Customer shall be responsible for all Services supplied until such notice is given to KCBPU.

Customer shall notify KCBPU when a change of occupancy or any other change of legal billing responsibility occurs on any Service being rendered, and when all required information is received by KCBPU, the request will be processed within two business days. The outgoing Customer shall be responsible for all Service(s) rendered until the notice of change has been received by KCBPU.

In the case of rental property, when services are terminated at the request of any tenant or landlord, a request to revert services to landlord may be requested for Services to be continued automatically, with full responsibility for payment of all Services thereafter delivered. If the landlord has an outstanding KCBPU debt, the Services will not be reverted and the outstanding debt must be paid or Services will be terminated.

Individual Liability:

Where two or more persons are joint account holders, such persons shall be jointly and individually liable and shall be billed by means of a single periodic bill provided to the person(s) designated on the application to receive the bill.

A Primary Account Holder may add a Secondary Account Holder to an existing account, and such Secondary Account Holder shall be jointly and severally liable for the bill from KCBPU, as well as any past delinquencies at any Service location previously under the Primary Account Holder’s name, provided that such delinquencies were discovered by KCBPU within 180 days after Service initiation at the Service location. When a Secondary Account Holder is added to an account, they must acknowledge to KCBPU in writing (which may be electronic) their acceptance of joint and several liability for Charges, including past delinquencies on the account (subject to the ‘Purpose’ section under GENERAL).

If, within 180 days after a Secondary Account Holder is added to an existing account, KCBPU discovers an outstanding debt owed to KCBPU by the Secondary Account Holder, KCBPU shall notify the Secondary Account Holder of the debt, and: (i) such outstanding debt must be immediately paid; or (ii) the Secondary Account Holder must enter into a maximum 6 month payment arrangement where 1/6 of the debt must be paid up front; or (iii) if neither (i) nor (ii) occurs within 5 business days of the notice to the Secondary Account Holder, then KCBPU shall notify the Primary Account Holder of the removal of the Secondary Account Holder. Upon request to KCBPU, a Primary Account Holder or Secondary Account Holder may be removed from the account at any time, provided the account is at a zero balance when the request is made.

A Primary Account Holder or a Secondary Account Holder may add an Authorized User to an existing account, and such Authorized User is not financially responsible for the account in any way, but may obtain account information, make payment on the account, and reconnect Service(s).

Unknown User:

A Designated Account Holder is the person(s) that signs up for a KCBPU account. A Customer must notify KCBPU if there is a change in status of such Designated Account Holder, which includes but is not limited to, death, divorce, or other similar change of circumstance whereby the Designated Account Holder no longer resides at the Service location. If a user fails to notify KCPBU of such change in status of the Designated Account Holder, KCBPU may send an Unknown User notification to the Customer and require the Customer to apply for KCBPU Service by the date identified in the notification.

Following the change in status, the user wanting to maintain Service(s) at the Service location: (i) will become the new Designated Account Holder; (ii) is required to transfer the Services into their name; (iii) must bring the account balance to a zero balance; and (iv) may be subject to new deposit requirements. The new Designated Account Holder shall adhere to the requirements listed in the SECURITY DEPOSITS section.

Deceased Account Holder:

When an account holder(s) is deceased, and a new responsible party seeks to transfer Service(s) into their name or to Final the account of the deceased, KCBPU may request documentation including, but not limited to, a death certificate or obituary. If KCBPU receives notice or determines that an account holder is deceased, notification of account closure may be given that would set forth a date on which the responsible party must bring the account balance to a zero balance and transfer the Services into their name to continue Services at the location of the deceased account holder.

If a new responsible party wants to maintain Service(s) at the deceased Customer’s Service location, such responsible party: (i) will become the Designated Account Holder; (ii) is required to transfer the Services into their name (ii) must bring the account balance to a zero balance: and (iii) may be subject to new deposit requirements. The new Designated Account Holder shall adhere to the same requirements that are listed in the SECURITY DEPOSITS section.

If a party brings a legal challenge (“Challenging Party) regarding the property rights and/or the right to use the Service(s) at the original deceased account holder’s property location that is now being occupied by the new responsible party/new Designated Account Holder, KCBPU may, but is not required to, provide interim Service(s) to the new Designated Account Holder at the location pending a lawful determination of the legal owner of the property and/or the party legally responsible for or entitled to the property. If the Challenging Party provides proof of such lawful determination to KCBPU directly, then KCBPU shall require the new Designated Party to Final the existing account.

Effective Date of Service:

KCBPU’s Charges will be assessed and bills rendered from the earlier of (i) the date the Service(s) are first requested to be available at the Service location; or (ii) the Service(s) are used by the Customer.

Charges:

Charges for electric and water Services provided to a Customer at any point of delivery are established by resolution(s) adopted by the Board of Directors and include various fees and penalties. The Rate Application Manual is available on KCBPU’s website.

Accounts will be charged monthly minimum charges, including Unified Government Charges, even if there is no meter usage on the account.

Returned Items:

If a Customer payment is returned it may be converted to an Automated Clearing House (ACH) electronic transaction for re-presentment and collection.

The Customer may be charged the maximum established rate for a Returned Item pursuant to K.S.A. 60-2610.

Upon receipt of a Returned Item for any reason, KCBPU may disconnect a Customer’s utility Services if the item is not redeemed or payment of the item and any applicable fee is not received. If Services are disconnected for a Returned Item, all past due Charges and the returned payment amount and applicable fees become due immediately. A Returned Item can be paid by cash, money order, credit/debit card, cashier’s check, or wire payment only.

KCBPU may notify a Customer that future payments to KCBPU must be made by cash, money order, cashier’s check, or wire payment only upon receipt of two returned checks or one returned credit or debit card payment.

Payment Arrangements:

In accordance with this section, a Customer may contact KCBPU to request and KCBPU may approve a payment arrangement. Payment arrangements are not available for: (i) Non-Residential Customers; (ii) Finaled or disconnected accounts: (iii) where diversion or fraud has occurred; (iv) if Service is currently scheduled for disconnection that day; or (v) a Returned Item.

To maintain an approved payment arrangement, Customers must keep their account current by paying any new utility charges billed plus the applicable payment arrangement amount due. Late Payment Charges may be applied to all past due amounts.

Any past due amounts incurred during a Payment Arrangement will render the Payment Arrangement in default and all outstanding balances are due immediately.

If a payment arrangement is in default, a Customer’s Services are eligible for disconnection without prior notification. A Customer is allowed up to three Terminated Payment Arrangements per calendar year.

Disconnection of Service:

If the amount due as indicated on the bill is not paid on or before the Due Date, a Late Payment Charge may be added to the bill. A courtesy phone call or text message shall be attempted to the phone number on file to notify the Customer of a late payment. Non-payment in accordance with this Customer Service Policy can result in disconnection of Service(s).

If the bill remains unpaid following the Due Date and before the date for disconnection, a courtesy phone call or text message shall be attempted to the phone number on file to notify the Customer of a pending disconnection, except in instances of a technical difficulty beyond KCBPU’s control. Failure to receive a phone call or text message does not release the Customer from pending disconnection. Payment must be made before the cutoff date noted on the bill to avoid disconnection. Any previous unpaid amount is eligible for disconnection at any time.

Restoration of Service:

To restore disconnected Service, a Customer must pay all past due Charges, Late Payment Charges, reconnect fees, applicable penalties, plus the appropriate deposit if applicable.

KCBPU shall use commercially reasonable efforts to restore affected Service(s) within 24 hours of payment confirmed in KCBPU systems.

Cold and Hot Weather Disconnection Rule:

On any day when the National Weather service forecasts the temperature to be at or above 95 degrees Fahrenheit, or the heat index will rise above 105 degrees Fahrenheit, KCBPU will not disconnect electric Service for non-payment of bills. KCBPU will check the weather forecasts daily between 8:00 AM and 9:00 AM.

On any day when the National Weather Service forecasts the temperature will be at or below 32 degrees Fahrenheit in the next 24 hours, KCBPU will not disconnect Residential electric Service for non-payment of bills. KCBPU will check the weather forecasts daily between 8:00 AM and 9:00 AM.

Water Service can be disconnected at any time.