Utility Overcharge
Mission Springs Water District Billing Settlement
The Mission Springs Water District, which provides water in Desert Hot Springs, California, is settling a class action alleging that it billed water customers based on estimates of use rather than operational metered use. Read more
Conservice Refusal to Provide Billing Information California Class Action
Conservice, LLC, which calls itself a utility management provider, bills individual tenants at apartment complexes for their share of utility bills for things like water, pest control, and trash. But the complaint for this class action alleges that Conservice does not follow California law for this pro-rata billing, alleging that it may add upcharges and Read more
FirstEnergy, Energy Harbor Ohio Electricity Settlement
This settlement resolves two class actions against FirstEnergy, FirstEnergy Service, Ohio Edison, Toledo Edison, Cleveland Electric, Energy Harbor, and five individuals, alleging that they took part in racketeering in order to influence the passage of HB 6, and causing some Ohio residents to pay too much for electricity. The complaint alleged the defendants violated the Read more
Johnson Utilities Water Rate Increase Settlement
Johnson Utilities, LLC is paying $10.35 million to resolve a class action alleging the company unlawfully raised its water and wastewater rates by bribing a state regulator. Read more
Seattle City Light Billing Settlement
Seattle City Light is settling a class action taking issue with its practice of billing customers based on estimated electricity usage rather than actual electricity usage. According to the complaint, in 2016, Seattle tried to switch to digital meters and a software system that could receive readings directly from the meters, but the system did Read more
Greenville, NC Utilities Commission Capacity Fee Settlement
The Greenville Utilities Commission (GUC) is settling a class action alleging that the capacity fees it was charging violated North Carolina law. The complaint alleged GUC was charging the fees as a condition of receiving water or sewer service. Read more
Greenlight Variable Electricity Rate Settlement
Greenlight Energy, Inc. is settling a class action about Greenlight’s alleged acts and omissions concerning supplying energy at variable rates. The complaint alleged that the company’s misleading representations violated New York’s General Business Law and breached its contracts as well as the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing. Read more
Palo Alto Utility Users Tax Settlement
The City of Palo Alto is settling a class action about a Utility Users Tax (UUT) it collected from telephone users in the city. The complaint alleged that the tax was unlawful on certain tax-exempt telephone services. Read more
Los Angeles Gas Tax Settlement
The City of Los Angeles is paying more than $32 million to settle a class action alleging that it miscalculated a natural gas utility user tax (GUT) on its Southern California Gas Company utility bills. The complaint alleged that a Service Establishment Charge (SEC) and a Customer Charge were improperly included in the calculation. Read more
City of Los Angeles Natural Gas Tax Settlement
This settlement resolves a class action against the City of Los Angeles for improper addtions to its natural gas utility tax. The complaint claims that the city improperly added a Public Purpose Surcharge and a State Regulatory Fee to the tax, when it should have based the tax only on the amount of natural gas Read more