{"id":2853,"date":"2015-02-09T12:49:19","date_gmt":"2015-02-09T18:49:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/electricityexpress.com\/?p=2853"},"modified":"2024-03-29T17:22:57","modified_gmt":"2024-03-29T22:22:57","slug":"switch-hold-electric-meter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/electricityexpress.com\/en\/switch-hold-electric-meter\/","title":{"rendered":"Switch Hold on Electric Meter"},"content":{"rendered":"

I can\u2019t connect my electricity because my meter is locked with a switch hold<\/em><\/strong>.<\/span><\/h1>\n

What is a \u201cSwitch Hold<\/strong>\u201d, and why is it so complicated?<\/span><\/h2>\n

If you’re reading this, it’s because you’re lost in the \u201cland of confusion\u201d. It’s one of the most complicated topics in the retail energy world: the SWITCH HOLD<\/strong>. As confusing and frustrating as it is for you, it’s even more complicated for anyone to explain (even when we consider ourselves experts in the industry).<\/p>\n

\"PUCI will do my best to give you an idea of what it is and what you need to do to remove this unpleasant problem. However, you need to read carefully and be patient because, in order to conquer this \u201cSwitch Hold<\/strong>\u201d situation, you must be prepared to spend time on several phone calls, emails, and faxes. If you have the smallest doubt or think you may encounter a Switch Hold problem, and you are in the process to move into a new home, act quickly! Switch holds may take 72 hours to be removed.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

What is a Switch Hold?<\/span><\/h3>\n

There is no official definition of the term \u201cswitch hold<\/strong>\u201d, but in retail electricity, it means there’s a \u201clock\u201d or block on the electricity meter. This \u201cswitch hold<\/strong>\u201d is placed on the meter of a specific service-able residential address for 2 main reasons:<\/p>\n

a) to ensure the resident responsible for the utilities for that address pays the unpaid utility bill to the REP (Retail Electricity Provider<\/a>), or<\/p>\n

b) to resolve a \u201ctampering\u201d on the address meter placed by the TDSP.<\/p>\n

How to Remove a Switch Hold<\/span><\/h3>\n

Let\u2019s review and see what to do in both scenarios.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. When you move to a new address, you bring in all your utilities including cable, satellite, home phone, internet, electricity services, etc. You don’t know which providers were servicing that specific address and the last resident, who may have forgot to disconnect. With energy service<\/strong>,\u00a0if the last resident didn’t call the electricity provider to move out or cancel<\/strong> the account, the electricity will keep running. \u00a0It cuts off when it reaches a certain amount owed, but the account stays in a \u201cstand by<\/strong>\u201d mode. It’st now a debt to the energy provider for nonpayment<\/strong>, and this REP, through TDSP, issues the SWITCH HOLD<\/em><\/strong>. The energy provider does not know the previous customer moved out.
    \nNow that you need a new electric provider<\/strong>, you call us for a new energy service and we tell you that there is a \u201cswitch hold\u201d. It is not the job of the landlord to get rid of it. However, he has all the tools <\/strong>to help you<\/p>\n
    \"The

    Meters<\/p><\/div>\n

    remove it and\u00a0establish the new energy service<\/strong> of your preference.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n