38.5.1101    ESTABLISHMENT OF CREDIT -- RESIDENTIAL

(1) An applicant for residential utility service may establish credit by demonstrating to the utility any one of the following factors:

(a) Prior service with utility in question within the previous 12 months during which for at least 6 consecutive months service was rendered and was not disconnected for failure to pay, and no more than one delinquency notice was served upon the customer.

(b) Prior service with a utility of the same type as that of which service is sought with a satisfactory payment record as demonstrated in (a) above, provided that the reference may be quickly and easily checked by the utility and the necessary information is provided.

(c) Full-time consecutive employment during the entire 12 months next previous to the application for service, with no more than two employers, and the applicant is currently employed or has a regular source of income.

(d) Ownership of significant legal interest in the premises to be served.

(e) Furnishing of a satisfactory guarantor to secure payment of bills for services requested in a specified amount not to exceed an estimated one year bill, such estimation to be made at the time the service is established.

(f) In the case of telephone utilities, the guarantee amount shall be for the total amount of the bill.

History: 69-3-306, MCA; IMP, 1975 HJR 27; NEW, Eff. 4/5/77; AMD, 1978 MAR p. 721, Eff. 5/26/78.