A utility company may deny your application for service if you owe money for the same type of service at the same or different address. 

However, the company cannot deny your application if you

• pay any past-due bill, or
• enter into a payment plan to pay any required deposit.

When a utility company cannot deny service

A utility cannot deny your application because of an issue that is not related to your service, including

• charges owing by another customer (unless you were married to and living with the other customer at the time covered by the past-due bill),
• charges owing for non-utility service and merchandise, or
• charges owing to another utility company. (For example, if you did not pay for gas that does not mean the water company can deny you service.)

If you have an unpaid bill 

Ask the company to give you a summary of the records showing you owe the past-due bill. The billing information must include:

• Address for where the public utility was being served;
• Meter readings and dates;
• Dates of usage; and 
• Bill amounts and dates for any past due bill which occurred after November 2014. 

You have the right to dispute the bill if any of these are incorrect.

If you were under 18 years old when you got the debt, the utility company must write it off.