Will My Power Services Be Affected By Bankruptcy?
Wednesday, February 29th, 2012When going through a personal bankruptcy, the disruption to daily life ranges via liquidation of assets to be able to dealing with court times. However, another question can arise. Will my utility providers be affected by bankruptcy? Am i allowed to keep the lights, drinking water and phone on whilst going through bankruptcy?
• If you borrowed from money to your power company and have certainly not paid the bill in a number of months, most energy services can turn off of the services for non-payment. There are several exceptions. For example, energy cannot be turned off with a home where an individual is medically dependent on the power supply say for example a ventilator. However, this different can only be utilized if you find a medical certification on file with all the utility company.
• Your utility services typically will never be shut off if you enter a payment plan from the bankruptcy to pay back your overall bill and built up debt.
• Utility assistance packages exist for electricity, gasoline, heating oil and telephone customers. Power services may be sold at a discounted rate if the person going through personal bankruptcy is now considered to be from poverty level or living on a repaired income. These applications often allow those with limited incomes to pay a reduced rate for utilities. Others, like “lifeline” phone service, permit free of charge access to basic electricity services such a neighborhood phone line with 911 service or web hook-up to those with a govt provided computer. A person going through bankruptcy as a result of income loss as well as medical hardship must contact the electricity to negotiate a repayment plan at a reduced rate. A Hawaii bankruptcy lawyer can offer guidance on local utility help programs in your area.
• If your utilities were powered down and you enter a payment plan, your utilities will usually be restored.
• Those who qualified for utility assistance plans often qualify for postponed payments for exceptional utility bills. This does not take away the utility service credit card debt as would occur if it were dismissed in bankruptcy. And looking deferral of payments might be interpreted as reaffirmation with the debt and a promise to pay. Seek legal guidance from a Hawaii bankruptcy expert prior to asking for deferred obligations of utility financial obligations.
• Those who are going through a bankruptcy proceeding after job reduction or a medical problems can seek non-profit assistance in having to pay their utility bills. When the charity pays a corner utility bills, the individual no more owes the debt. If the nonprofit pays the current energy service bills and also reconnection fees, this may get the lights and h2o back on. Nevertheless, it is still the debtor’s duty to either include the power debt in the individual bankruptcy or enter a new payment plan with the utility company. If the resources are turned back on due to charitable assistance, the individual need to still come up with a strategy to pay for the next month’s utilities and enter any payment plan for the fantastic debt. Failure to do so creates the risk contributing to their growing power services debt and a second shut off of power services.
• What happens in case a family member co-signs on the tools to get them switched back on so you declare bankruptcy? The family member then becomes responsible for the utilities. The actual utilities will typically stay on as long as the household member continues paying your bills.
For more info about bankruptcy contact Abelmann Law at 1330 Ala Moana Boulevard #202, Honolulu, HI 96814 or call (808) 554-0104.

