Transferring Service, Changing Mailing Address

When moving from one place to another you must complete a new application for the new address. If only the mailing address needs to be changed, contact our office. If closing your utility account, please contact us with the ending date and forwarding address for the final bill and/or deposit refund.

If you are living in a residence with roommates and the roommate whose name is on the utility account moves out, you or one of those remaining will need to complete an application and pay the required deposit.

Transfer/Connect Fee

Anytime a utility account changes names the new customer will be charged a transfer/connect fee. This fee will be $10.00 for electric service and $10.00 for water service. This charge will be reflected on the first utility bill.

Deposits

Deposit for residential electric is $200.00 and residential water is $50.00. Residential deposits are refunded with interest after two years of paying on time and without penalty. If service is discontinued before being refunded, the deposit pays the final bill and the customer receives the difference. Please contact our office for required deposit amounts and refund policy for small, medium and large general services. Deposit can be waived with receipt of a satisfactory letter of credit from a previous or current utility provider.

Meter Reading and Billing

Your meter is read on a schedule—about every thirty days and the reading is used to calculate your utility bill. The read date may vary slightly because of holidays and weekends. An exception is a first or final bill. You should receive your bill the same time every month. If you do not understand your bill or think  your bill contains an error, please contact our office.

Access to Meters

Customers must ensure that meter readers have access to the meter at all times. The city is now using an AMR (automated meter reading) system. However, the meter reader will need access to the meters for rereads, flow finders, accuracy tests and repairs.

 Your Meter Reader

Your City of Radford employee carries an identification card that shows his name, department and has his photograph. You may ask to see the card if access to your premises is necessary.

Why Bills Vary

Your cost for utility service may vary for many reasons. Usage can vary with season changes. For example, electric usage normally is higher in the warm summer months and the cold winter months. Water usage may be higher in spring and summer when we are washing our cars and watering our lawns and gardens. Also, an additional person in the household or the addition of new appliances can increase your bill.

How to Read Your Bill

Your utility bill has two parts: the top is the stub that you return with your payment and the bottom part to keep for your records. Looking at the stub first, our name, address and telephone number appear in the top left hand corner. Located below our information will be the bill number, your customer number, account number, bill date, due date, balance forward , current charges and the balance due now.  Any information that may affect your account and/or service is listed in the comments section on the back of your utility bill. On the bottom portion our name and address appear on the left side and below is the customer name and service address followed by the bill number, customer number, account number, bill date, actual bill days and the due date for the current charges. In the boxes below will be the service description, previous and current read dates, previous and current meter readings, the read code (A—Actual Read, E– Estimated, M– Manual read, F– Final Read), usage and charges for each service. Utility taxes and any non-metered services will also be listed here. The difference in the current and previous readings is the usage for that billing period. Electric service usage is measured in kilowatt-hours and water is measured in gallons. For example, if usage for electric is 643, that means you used 643 kilowatt-hours of electricity. Water usage is measured in hundreds, so if water usage is 25 then you used 2,500 gallons of water. Sewer “usage” is determined by the number of gallons of water used. Please note that if the amount due is not paid by the due date you will need to add the late charge of 5% to the amount due. Services are subject to disconnection if payment on current charges are not received on or before the tenth day following the due date without further notice.

Your customer service representative will provide a utility rate sheet when you open your account. This will be helpful in calculating the charges on the bill. If you do not receive one, please contact our office.

Cut Off for Non-payment of Bill

If your utility service is scheduled for disconnection for non-payment of the bill, you will need to pay the amount due and a $25.00 delinquent collections fee. If there is no deposit securing your account you will have to pay the required deposit amount before service can be restored. Also, if your deposit was waived because you had a letter of credit from a previous utility company or you have a guarantor, you will be required to pay the full deposit because your credit history is no longer acceptable.

Equal Payment Plan

Any residential or small General service consumer who has had utility service with the city for at least one year will be eligible to enroll in an equal payment plan. Equal payments will apply to all services on the consumer’s account and once enrolled, the consumer must remain on the plan for at least one year, unless the account is closed. The required monthly payment will be calculated using the average charge for each utility service over the past 12 months. At the end of the 12 month cycle the city may recalculate the required equal payment adjusting it up or down. Any overpayment will be applied to the account and any underpayment will become due and payable with the 12th monthly billing under the plan. If an account under the equal payment plan becomes delinquent at any time, the entire balance will immediately become due and payable and must be paid in full before the consumer will be allowed to resume under the equal payment plan.

Complaint Procedure

If you have questions about the charges on your bill, call the Billing and Service office. Your meter can be reread if you feel the charges are incorrect. You will be contacted with those results. If the electric readings are correct and the customer still questions the charges, we can request that the Electric Dept. do an accuracy test on the meter. An accuracy test can only be done once in a twelve month period and there is a $25.00 charge to the customer which is added to the next utility bill. After the test is completed, the customer will receive a letter explaining the results. If the water charges are in question, a flow finder test will be ordered to determine if the customer has a leak that is resulting in high water usage. 

Paying Your Bill

You may pay your bill at the Treasurer’s office in the Municipal Building, you may mail your payment in the self-addressed envelope provided or you can pay over the phone with a credit or debit card. Also there is a drop-box at the side door of the Municipal Building. Make checks payable to Radford City Treasurer. Any questions concerning payments need to be directed to the Treasurer’s office. You may call the Treasurer’s office at 731-3661. 

Ways to Conserve

ELECTRIC SAVINGS TIPS

Find a comfortable temperature and keep your thermostat there to save on heating/cooling bill Make sure doors and windows are closed when heat/AC are on.

Cut off lights when not needed

Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and periodically check your appliances to maintain their efficiency and save energy dollars.

WATER SAVING TIPS

Use an automatic dishwasher if available

(dishwasher uses only 9-12 gallons of water; hand washing uses 20 gallons)

Take shorter showers (average five minute shower uses 25-50 gallons)

Periodically check toilets, sinks, washing machines and other plumbing fixtures for leaks