20VAC5-340-70. Disputes.
A. The parties agree to attempt to resolve all disputes arising out of the shared solar program process according to the provisions of this section.
B. A subscriber organization shall establish an explicit dispute resolution procedure that identifies clearly the process that shall be followed when resolving customer disputes. A copy of such dispute resolution procedure shall be provided to a customer or the commission upon request.
C. If the dispute remains unresolved, either party may petition the commission to handle the dispute as a formal complaint or may exercise whatever rights and remedies it may have in equity or law.
D. A subscriber organization shall furnish to customers an address and 24-hour toll-free telephone number for customer inquiries and complaints regarding services provided by the subscriber organization. The 24-hour toll-free telephone number shall be stated on all customer-billing statements and shall provide customers the opportunity to speak to a customer representative during normal business hours. Outside of normal business hours, a recorded message shall direct customers how to obtain customer assistance.
E. A subscriber organization shall direct a customer to contact the utility immediately if the customer has a service emergency. Such direction may be given either by a customer service representative or by a recorded message on its 24-hour toll-free telephone number.
F. A subscriber organization shall retain customer billing and account records and complaint records for at least three years and provide copies of such records to a customer or the commission upon request.
G. In the event that a customer has been referred to the utility by a subscriber organization, or to a subscriber organization by the utility, for response to an inquiry or a complaint, the party that is contacted second shall (i) resolve the inquiry or complaint in a timely fashion or (ii) contact the other party to determine responsibility for resolving the inquiry or complaint.
H. In the event a subscriber organization and customer cannot resolve a dispute, the subscriber organization shall provide the customer with the toll-free number and address of the commission.
Statutory Authority
§§ 12.1-13 and 56-594.3 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 37, Issue 11, eff. January 1, 2021.