GREENSBORO, N.C. — There WAS a moratorium on utility shut-offs and late fees. While the larger utilities like Duke Energy and Piedmont Natural Gas have to extend their grace periods, locally operated utilities were able to start late fees and shut-off processes as early as August 1.
October 1 is the beginning of late fees for Winston-Salem Forsyth County utilities.
If you haven't called your utility and you have a past due account, you need to get in touch with them to set up a payment plan so your services aren't shut-off in the near future. Mike Borchers, the Director of Greensboro Water Resources, Tyra Clymer from Greensboro Urban Ministry, and Gale Ketteler with WSFC Utilities are helping you navigate the process. They joined 2WTK to help explain how the process works and what resources are available.
WSFC Utilities
Customers need to call by October 30 to avoid late fees and disconnection. Call CITYLINK 311 or 336-727-8000. Payment arrangements will be made for Oct 2020 - June 2021, with up to nine months of equal monthly installments.
As of right now, there are:
15,000 outstanding accounts
$3.5 million in past-due regular charges
$1.6 million in waived fees from May 13-Sept 30
GREENSBORO Utilities
Customers can call 336-373-2489 and ask to speak to a customer service representative regarding the utility bill. A call and a "Promise to Pay" must be done by October 30 to avoid future late fees and disconnection. Monthly installments will be made from Oct 2020 - Sept 2021, with 12 equal monthly installments.
As of right now, there are:
4,000 outstanding accounts
$1.3 million past-due regular charges
$920,000 waived late fees from March 13 - Sept 30
If customers are unresponsive, the process goes like this:
August-September- the city will use door hangers, emails and calls to alert customers to their past-due accounts
October- if customers are unresponsive and owe more than $250 shut-offs will begin
November- if customers are unresponsive and owe more than $150 shut-offs will begin
December- regular shut-offs resume
"We encourage our customers to contact us if they are having difficulty paying their utility bill. We are ready and willing to work with them based on their unique circumstances. The Governor’s Executive Order calls for utilities to offer payment plans that extend up to 6 months for those who missed payments between 3/31/20 and 7/29/20. Plans can be extended through Jan. 30, 2021 provided customers honor the terms of their payment plan. We call it Promise to Pay plans," explained Borchers.
NEED HELP PAYING YOUR UTILITIES?
If you are having trouble with your bills and need the assistance of Greensboro Urban Ministry, contact Chris Ringuette 336.271.5959 ext. 301 or email ringuette@guministry.org
If you are in WSFC, CITYLINK can refer you to local agencies that can help with assistance.