House & Apartment

A utility tap means someone uses another person's utilities without permission. Utility taps can occur in many forms. 

Notifying a utility of a suspected tap or tampering right away is very important. Public utilities are allowed to deny To refuse or say no service and payment plans to people who:

• Benefit from illegal taps, or
• Tamper with service equipment.

The first sign of a utility tap is often a bill with unusually high usage. Public utility bills list:

• The amount of the service used (usage), and
• The price for that service (rate).

Utility taps and tampering only affect usage. They do not change the rate. Rate increases can make the bill more expensive for the same amount of usage.

Other common signs of utility taps include unexplained:

• Connections placed from wires, pipes, or service lines near the meter that do not go directly to the property receiving service,
• Extension cords running from a common area outlet to someone’s unit,
• Devices punched through shared walls that draw water, gas, or electric from another unit, and
• Changes to a meter (“tampering”).

Note: Do not disconnect or physically change anything. A person making changes to utility service equipment, even unauthorized parts, may be held financially and legally responsible for issues. Wait for the utility company to decide what needs to be done.

Start gathering evidence: Anything used to show that something is true

• Write down the date when the problem became clear,
• Look at the last 6-12 months of bills for spikes or changes in usage that are not part of seasonal patterns,
• Check visible meters, pipes, and service lines in public or common areas, and
• Take photos of any damage, suspicious connections, or extra wiring, pipes, or attachments.

Ask the company to inspect the meter for suspected theft The unlawful taking of property, money, or services from another person, business, or organization and tampering:

• Public gas, electricity, and water utilities must investigate potential taps reported within 30 days of a suspicious bill, and
• If a tap is found, the investigation must include figuring out who benefits.

This rule is in section 8-303 of the Public Utilities Act.

Keep a record of the date, time, and method of the request. If the company does not follow through with an inspection, contact the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC):

• File informal complaints online, or
• Call ICC Consumer Services at (800) 524-0795 (or by TTY at (800) 858-9277).

The Citizens Utility Board (CUB) also provides a Consumer Hotline at (800) 669-5556.

After inspecting the meter, the company issues a report. Save extra copies of this report. Showing the report in the future may be necessary to resolve problems with utility service or payment arrangements.

To require a customer to pay for service from an illegal tap, public utility companies must prove:

• Tampering to wires, pipes, meters, or other service equipment,
• The person being charged benefited from the tampering, and
• The utility’s billing calculation is reasonable.

These rules are in the Illinois Administrative Code section on public utility tampering.

If billed inappropriately due to an illegal utility tap:

• Send a written objection to the utility company, and
• Attach the inspection report (if any).

When a company does not fix the billing, shuts off utilities due to tampering, or refuses a payment arrangement as a result of the tap, contact the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) immediately:

• File informal complaints online, or
• Call ICC Consumer Services at (800) 524-0795 (or by TTY at (800) 858-9277).

The Citizens Utility Board (CUB) also provides a Consumer Hotline at (800) 669-5556.

The public utility inspection may reveal that a landlord An owner of property who rents it out to a tenant has been benefiting from a utility tap without notifying the tenant. A person who rents a space When this happens:

• The landlord is responsible for compensating the tenant, and
• The landlord must work with the utility company to safely remove the tap. 

Before charging tenants for service to common areas or other units, Illinois landlords must provide:

• A written statement explaining which parts of the property receive the service,
• Copies of the utility bills for the unit for the last 12 months (unless the tenant agrees in writing to skip this step), and
• Written details of any proposed rent reduction to make up for the tenant paying for utilities outside their unit.

The landlord also cannot suggest or require that the tenant collect any money from neighbors whose usage may be included in the tenant’s bill. These rules are in section 1.2 of the Residential Property Utility Service Act.

When improper utility billing occurs in a rental property, first try negotiating a resolution. Unless an agreement has been reached, the tenant can file a claim in court for money damages, including:

• Repayment of utility charges,
• Up to three times the amount of the unlawful utility bills if the landlord’s conduct was knowing or intentional, and
• For awards over $3,000, court costs The fees for going to court, including filing, serving, and getting transcripts and attorney’s fees.

These options are in section 1.3 of the Residential Property Utility Service Act.

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