City of Riverside
Public Utilities Department
17-1
Disputed Bill Appeal Process
Adopted by Board of Public Utilities: October 16, 2009
Approved by City Council: May 4, 2010
Effective Date: May 4, 2010
Board Resolution No. 2009-03
Council Resolution No. 22012
WATER RULE 17
DISPUTED BILL APPEAL PROCESS
A. Customers who believe their utility bill is in error must first contact the Customer Service Division by telephone, in writing, or in person, by electronic mail, or on any RPUUtility mobile or webpage forms within 10 calendar five tendays after receiving their bill and initiate a complaint or request an investigation concerningto dispute the bill. Unless stated otherwise herein, the contact information is as follows: 3901 Orange Street, Riverside, CA 92501, or [email protected], or (951) 782-0330.
Utility Services will not be discontinued for nonpayment of a disputed bill pending the outcome of a timely filed disputerequested investigation. The Utility may require that an amount equal to an average bill for a comparable period of time be deposited with the Utility pending outcome of the investigation of the disputed bill. Failure to make the deposit as and when due shall constitute abandonment of the dispute to the bill. complaint or request for investigation. Subsequent utility bills, which are not disputed, must be paid to the Utility within the time allowed to avoid discontinuance of service.
B. If, after contact with the Customer Service Division, the Cust omer believes the bill is still incorrect, the Customer must, within 10 calendar ten days after receiving the explanation from the Customer Service Division, contact the Customer Service Manager, Collections Supervisor, or Customer Service Supervisor by phone or send a written statement telephone, in writing, or in person, by electronic mail, or on any RPUUtility mobile or webpage form s regarding the disputed bill billing dispute to the Customer Service Manager, 3460 3901Orange Street, Riverside, CA 92501.
C. A Review Manager will be designated to conduct an investigation of the Customer’s billing dispute. The Review Manager will be the Customer Service Manager, or Customer Service Supervisor, and the investigation may involve other staff at a higher level in the organizationUtility. The investigation will include consideration of whether the Customer may amortize the unpaid balance over a reasonable period of time, not to exceed twelve months, but usually over a shorter time period. The results of this determination will be communicated to the Customer in writing within 10 calendar days.
D. If the disputed bill is not resolved, theAny Customer, whose complaint or request for investigation regarding a bill for utility service results in an adverse determination by the Review Manager, may appeal such determination, after receiving the explanation from the Review Manager, by sending a written statement telephone, in writing, or in person, by electronic mail, or on any RPUUtility mobile or webpage form s within 10 calendar City of Riverside
Public Utilities Department
17-2
Disputed Bill Appeal Process
Adopted by Board of Public Utilities: October 16, 2009
Approved by City Council: May 4, 2010
Effective Date: May 4, 2010
Board Resolution No. 2009-03
Council Resolution No. 22012
days following of mailing of the results of the investigation. the explanation setting forth the reasons why the Customer believes the investigation is incorrect. The Customer must send this statement appeal to the Assistant General Manager, Finance of Public Utilities Customer Service/Business Services, 3901 Orange Street3750 University Avenue, 5th floor, Riverside, CA 92501, or [email protected], or(951) 782-0330. .
Upon timely receipt of the written statement, the Director, or designee, Assistant General Manager, Finance of Public Utilities or his/her representative will determine if the Review Manager’s investigation was thorough and
Formatted: Left
City of Riverside
Public Utilities Department
17-3
Disputed Bill Appeal Process
Adopted by Board of Public Utilities: October 16, 2009
Approved by City Council: May 4, 2010
Effective Date: May 4, 2010
Board Resolution No. 2009-03
Council Resolution No. 22012
complete, addressing the aspects of the billing dispute. The results of this determination will be communicated to the Customer in writing , within 10 calendar days of receipt of the appeal.
within 10 days.
D. If the billing dispute is not satisfactorily resolved with the Assistant General Manager, Finance of Public Utilities or his/her representative, the Customer may request a review by the Public Utilities Director General Manager by telephone, in writing, or in person, by electronic mail, or any RPU mobile or webpage formssending a written statement within five ten days of mailing the Assistant General Manager, Finance determination to: Public Utilities DirectorGeneral Manager, 3901 Orange Street3750 University Avenue, 5th floor, Riverside, CA 92501. Upon timely receipt of this written statement, the Public Utilities Director General Manager will make his the determination and communicate said determination to the Customer in writing within ten days.
E. If the Customer is not satisfied with the determination of the Director, or designeefindings of the Public Utilities DirectorGeneral Manager , the Customer may appeal to the Board of Public Utilities. The appeal must be submitted either by telephone, in writing, or in person, by electronic mail, or on any RPUUtility mobile or webpage forms in writing to the Public Utilities DirectorGeneral Manager ,Director, as Secretary of the Board of Public Utilities, together with the reasons for the dispute of the bill within 10 calendar ten days following mailing of the Director’s responsePublic Utilities Director’s General Manager’s determination. In the absence of a timely filed appeal, the decision of the Director’s Director General Manager’s determination shallwill be final. Upon receipt of a timely appeal, the matter will be reviewed by the Board of Public Utilities at a public Board meeting within 45 calendar days of receipt. The customer will receive notification of the Board meeting appeal hearing date, time and location. The Board’s decision will be made at the public meeting and the customer will receive aA written decision of the Board of Public Utilities shall be delivered to the Customer by personal delivery or by certified mail within 15 cale ndar days fifteen days following the appeal hearing. The decision of the Board of Public Utilities is subject to appeal to the City Council pursuant to Section 10010 of the Public Utilities Code. The City Council has designated the Board of Public Utilities as the appropriate governing body to decide on the appeal pursuant to Section 10010 of the Public Utilities Code. The determination of the Board of Public Utilities will be the final decision.
Formatted: Left
Formatted: Font: 12 pt
Formatted: Font: 12 pt, Not Bold, Font color: Auto
Formatted: Font: 12 pt, Not Bold, Font color: Auto
Formatted: Font: 12 pt, Not Bold, Font color: Auto