Seattle City Light will start a new service this month to provide automated phone call reminders for some customers whose current utility bill is past its payment due date.
Seattle City Light will start a new service this month to provide automated phone call reminders for some customers whose current utility bill is past its payment due date.
The courtesy calls feature a recorded voice notifying customers that an account is past due and then informing them of the choices for making payments: by phone, online or in person. The calls will be made when bills are 7 days past due. No specific account information will be included in the calls.
Listen to Seattle City Light’s payment reminder message here.
By offering these reminders, City Light hopes to help customers avoid the $10 late fee that is charged when a balance is overdue by 15 days. The utility also hopes to encourage people who are having trouble paying their bills to contact the utility so customer service representatives can make payment arrangements, help customers apply for emergency assistance through Project Share or apply for the utility’s low-income rate assistance program.
Customer Care Director Kelly Enright.
“We heard from our late-paying customers who asked us how the utility let them get so far behind on their electricity bills,” Customer Care Director Kelly Enright said. “The utility has developed the reminder calls as one measure to help customers keep current on their bills. Paying your bill on time avoids penalties. It also helps your publicly-owned utility – and that keeps costs down and rates low for everyone.”
Customers can pay their bills by phone at (206) 684-3000, pay online at www.seattle.gov/light or pay in person by visiting one of the utility’s payment locations.
Seattle City Light provides a written notice before disconnecting electrical service for non-payment. The utility does not call customers about a potential disconnect due to non-payment. If anyone calls you and tries to pressure you into providing immediate credit card information over the phone to avoid a disconnect, immediately contact City Light at the (206) 684-3000 customer service number.