Utilities & Other Benefits
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Stop your heat and electricity from getting shut off
If you are low income and cannot pay your heating bills, a winter moratorium prevents your gas and electric company from shutting off your service between November 15 and March 15. You may also be protected from gas and electric shutoffs at...
Understanding utilities as a tenant
This article answers commonly asked questions about getting and keeping your heat and electricity services.
Chapter 6: Utilities
This chapter from the Legal Tactics: Private Housing e-book is about your rights in dealing with electric, gas, and water companies.
Help with utilities for survivors of domestic violence
Information about utility services for survivors of domestic violence.
Water rights: Do landlords or tenants pay for water in Massachusetts?
Usually, landlords in Massachusetts pay for water, not tenants. Massachusetts law does allow landlords to bill tenants directly for water—but only if all the following are true : 1. Your tenancy started on or after March 16, 2005. You can...
Fuel Assistance and LIHEAP
The Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), commonly known as Fuel Assistance, can help you pay your heating bills this winter.
Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)
The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) helps people pay for: Internet service, and A laptop, tablet, or desktop computer. How it works: With ACP, an internet company will give you a monthly discount on your internet bill. The federal...
Common Problems
In some cases, you may not actually owe what a utility company says you owe. Learn about common problems with the amounts on bills.
Get Help to Pay Your Bills
Here are some possible ways to get help paying your utility bills.
Lifeline: Discount for phone and internet
Do you need help to pay for your phone and internet bills? The federal government pays a part of your monthly phone or internet charges to certain companies through: Lifeline and/or The Affordable Connectivity Program . To learn more about...
Lowering Bills Further
Besides applying for the low-income discount, fuel assistance, the Good Neighbor Fund, and/or funds from other private sources , you can take the following steps to reduce your monthly electricity and gas bills.
What to Do to Restore Your Service
Most of the grounds for preventing termination of service are also grounds for getting service restored once it has been shut off.
Your Right to Obtain Service
When you move into an apartment, you have the right to receive gas and electric service upon request, although special rules apply if you owe the utility company money from a prior address. Most companies will allow you to request new...