PURC Urges Consumers To Pay Utility Arrears By Instalment

Dr. Shafic Suleman, Executive Secretary, PURC

 

The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) in the Ashanti Region has advised electricity and water consumers not to panic when presented with huge accumulated utility bills, stressing that the law allows such arrears to be settled through an agreed instalment payment plan.

According to the Commission, the provision is contained in Regulation 31 of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (Consumer Service) Regulations, 2020 (L.I. 2413), which was enacted to safeguard the interests of both consumers and utility service providers.

PURC explained that consumers are entitled to request an instalment payment arrangement if a public utility, such as the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) or Ghana Water Limited (GWL), fails to issue bills for more than three months and later demands payment of the accumulated amount.

The Commission added that the same right applies where a utility provider discovers that it has undercharged a customer and subsequently seeks to recover the outstanding balance.

It noted that under Regulation 31(1), consumers and utility providers are expected to agree on a suitable payment plan to ease the financial burden on affected customers.

Where the two parties fail to reach an agreement, PURC said Regulation 31(2) empowers either the consumer or the utility provider to refer the matter to the Commission for resolution.

The Commission stressed that the regulation was introduced to prevent consumers from being compelled to pay several months’ utility bills at once due to billing lapses or errors by service providers.

It further explained that consumers who comply with an approved instalment payment arrangement are protected from disconnection while honouring the agreed payment schedule.

PURC Ashanti therefore urged the public to familiarise themselves with the provisions of L.I. 2413 and report any disputes relating to accumulated bills to the Commission for redress.

“The Commission exists to protect the interest of both the consumer and the utility. No one should suffer because of billing delays or errors. Know your rights under L.I. 2413 and use them,” the Commission stated.

FROM David Afum, Kumasi

 

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