National Grid Improves Utility Rights-Related Customer Service

 

The National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) has had two meetings with National Grid recently to discuss recurring customer service problems. NGRID's recently-named Massachusetts president, Marcy Reed, attended both meetings. In response, the company agreed to make certain changes to its practices that will make it easier to protect or restore service in cases of financial hardship and serious illness. The following is an edited version of a notice from NGRID to their staff summarizing the agreements.

Low Income Customer Service Process Changes

How we handle claims for medical protections (as of June 24, 2011 training underway, anticipate 30 days to fully implement)

If service is still on:

• If service is shut off:

An automated medical letter in the gas system was out of date, telling customers to renew medical certification in 30 days. This has been corrected and in production: the correction is 90 days for illness and 180 if it’s chronic.

Advocacy Tips

The NCLC is asking advocates to inform them if NGRID is not following these new guidelines.

See also - more information on documenting serious illness.

-Adapted from “IMPORTANT! Recent, favorable improvements to National GRID policies”, e-mail from Charlie Harak, Utility Network Listserv, June 24, 2011.

 

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