Energy Assistance Programs Help Your Tenants Stay Warm

Many Ohioans may face disconnection of their electric or natural gas service this winter, just when they need it the most to stay warm. There are several programs available to help consumers regardless of their income level.

Winter Reconnect Program - Ohio’s winter reconnect program allows most households that have been disconnected or are threatened with disconnection due to non-payment of a utility bill to have service restored during the winter months by paying a fee. Consumers can use the winter reconnect program until April 14, 2006. To be reconnected, consumers pay either the total amount they owe or $175, whichever is less, plus a reconnection fee of no more than $20. There is no income eligibility requirement for the winter reconnect program. Income-eligible households can use Emergency Home Energy Assistance Program (E-HEAP) funds for the $175 payment. Beginning this year, consumers who use E-HEAP will not be required to enroll in the Percentage of Income Payment Plan. Additionally, those consumers whose household income is at or below 175 percent of the federal poverty guidelines can qualify for HEAP and E-HEAP this winter heating season. Electric and natural gas companies in Ohio are required to reconnect service the same day if a customer makes full payment before 12:30 p.m. Those consumers who pay after 12:30 p.m. will have service reconnected the following business day. Consumers can apply for the winter reconnect program in person at the local Harcatus offices in Dennison and New Philadelphia.

Budget Billing - Budget billing programs allow consumers who are current on their payments to spread the amount they owe over a 12 month period.

Payment Plans - When facing disconnection, consumers can propose to the company a payment plan that works best for them. If the company does not accept the proposed payment plan, it must provide one of two payment plan options to consumers: the 1/3 (where customers pay 1/3 of the total amount due each month, which includes their past due balance and their current bill) or 1/6 (where customers pay 1/6 of the balance amount in addition to paying the full amount of the current bill). The 1/3 plan must be offered during the winter. For more information on the winter reconnect program or additional payment plans, contact the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel toll free at 1-877-742-5622 or online at www.pickocc.org.



Reason Why TMHA Requires Tenants to Annually Verify Their Rental Payment Status

As a landlord participating with the TMHA Housing Choice Voucher program, have you ever wondered why your tenants are asking you for statements that they can provide TMHA regarding their rent payments? If so, here is the reason. At recertification of assistance each year, TMHA asks our tenants to provide us either 12 months of rent receipts (if paying a portion of their own rent) or a statement from their landlord indicating whether they are current with their rent. The reason we ask for this information is to see whether or not the tenant is keeping current with their portion of the rental payment. We have found that non-payment of rent is the most common reason landlords cite for evicting tenants. TMHA wants to know if tenants are behind on their rent in order to counsel them about the importance of keeping their rental payments current. Being evicted while receiving TMHA assistance is an automatic termination from our program, according to HUD Regulation. Knowing where tenants are periodically with their rent payments, enables TMHA to take more of a proactive role with the tenant to help prevent them from being evicted for non-payment of rent.

Additionally, some landlords may be under the false impression that tenants are required to always be in good standing with their rental payments in order to maintain their eligibility to receive rental assistance from us. This is not the case. The reason will be believe landlords may think this is that sometimes we have tenants provide us with signed statements from a landlord saying they are current on their rent payments. Then, a relatively short time later we receive a copy of an eviction notice that a landlord provides a tenant indicating they are being evicted for not paying their portion of the rent payment for several months. This is obviously inconsistent information.

There is never a good reason for a landlord to provide TMHA with false information, especially when it comes to the status of their rental payments. TMHA will not terminate the participation of tenants with us if they find themselves behind on their rent. Providing us with the correct information, if a tenant is behind on their rent, does enable us the opportunity to counsel the tenant about the importance of keeping their rental payments current and preserving their assistance with us.
 

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