House & Apartment

Public utilities are electric, natural gas, water, sewer, and phone services regulated by the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC).

Not all homes in Illinois have public utilities. Municipal and cooperative utility companies aren’t public.

Everyone can access public utilities on the same terms. Public utility companies must not discriminate against people who:

• Ask for service,
• Follow the company’s rules, and
• Pay their share of the cost.

The ICC sets rules for public utilities. These rules include when utilities can be shut off or disconnected.

Paying for utilities

If you rent, your lease decides how utilities are paid for your unit.

Programs are available to help low-income people with utilities. Each program has its own requirements. Three main resources are:

• Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP),
• Illinois Home Weatherization Assistance Program (IHWAP), and
• Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP).

Service problems

Call your utility company right away if you have any questions or complaints.

Check with the ICC if you aren’t sure whether:

• Your utility provider is a public utility, or
• Your public utility is following the rules.

Don't wait to contact the ICC with questions or problems. File informal complaints online or call Consumer Services at:

• 1-800-524-0795,
• 1-217-782-2024 outside Illinois, or
• TTY at 1-800-858-9277.

Consumer Services might not be able to solve your problem. You have two years to file a formal complaint from the date the issue happened. An Administrative Law Judge will hold a hearing When the parties in a case present their sides of a case to a judge or other officer on your complaint and issue a final order. The ICC offers a Reference Guide to this process.

If you disagree with the result, you must ask for reconsideration within thirty days of the date the order was sent to you. If your request is denied, you have thirty-five days to appeal. A request to change a court's decision