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If you need to prevent utility shut-off because you are behind on your bills, then read on.
A lot of my clients around this time of year are struggling to keep up with massive gas or electric bills. A majority of those have entered into payment plans to prevent utility shut-off, which is essentially where a person agrees to pay 1/12 of the overdue amount over a 12 month period. So, if you are behind $1,200 on your electric bill, you agree to pay $100/mo extra ($1,200/12 months) on top of your normal monthly payment.
These payment plans can get out of hand real quick – especially on a tight budget. Many times the only reason utilities are not shut off is due to the Cold Weather Rule, which is in effect from November 1 through March 31st.
Let’s take Westar Energy as an example – and say you owe $800. When a bankruptcy is filed, a notice is sent out to Westar Energy. Westar will first apply any deposit on hand to the $800 balance. The remaining balance is immediately written off. Westar will then issue you a new account number with a ZERO dollar balance.
Your next bill from Westar will be Pro-Rated. Again, let’s go back to the prior example. Let’s say that you filed your bankruptcy exactly ½ ways through the billing cycle. That means that your next bill from Westar will be Pro-Rated by ½. So if your bill was going to be $200, you will actually receive a $100 bill.
But wait, there’s more! You will also be required to pay the deposit over again. Westar usually gives 3-4 months to pay the deposit, and the deposit can be expected to be around $180+. So, in this example, your next bill will be 1/3 of $180 ($60) plus $100 = $160.
Nearly all of my clients are honest, hard working folks who want to pay back what they owe. Sometimes it just isn’t possible. No matter what they sacrifice, they will never get ahead. Sometimes Bankruptcy is the only way out from a never ending cycle of shut off notices and payment plans.
If you have questions about Prevent Utility Shut-Off, please give us a call at 785-379-3600 for a FREE Consultation over the phone, in person or you can email us now.
Chris W. Steffens, Attorney at Law is a Bankruptcy Lawyer serving Topeka, Lawrence, Overland Park & Kansas City KS. I’ve filed hundreds of cases and spent years honing my practice at one of the largest consumer bankruptcy firms in Kansas. I bring with me my exceptional knowledge and experience and I treat every client with the respect and care they deserve.
Disclaimer: The information you obtain at this site is not legal advice. You should consult an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please do not send any confidential information to us until such time as an attorney-client relationship has been established. We are a debt relief agency. We are attorneys who file bankruptcy cases.