Writing A Hardship Letter To Utility Company

If you have found yourself in some sort of financial difficulty or hardship, it can become very hard or even impossible to pay your bills on time. One of the bills that may be affected would be for the utility companies. If you are in hardship and you have just received your quarterly adjustment, you may find it even more difficult to make your payments, particularly if you find yourself in debt. Should this happen, it may be tempting to simply not pay your bills, but you will only end up having your utility service disconnected. It is better, therefore, to write a hardship letter to the utility company, explaining what is going on and asking for a reprieve.

When Writing a Hardship Letter to Utility Company

This type of letter must be a formal letter that is properly addressed to the right person, in the right format. It should also be free from spelling and grammatical errors, and you must make sure that it is dated. Make sure to also have it proofread.

Identify Yourself and Explain Why You Are in Hardship

Start your letter by explaining who you are and your address, including your account number with the utility company. Next, tell them that you are aware of the fact that you have been delinquent in your payments and that you have received notice that your service will soon be disconnected. Apologize for the situation that you are in and explain that you are requesting for some leniency because you are currently experiencing severe financial hardship. You must also explain why you are in hardship, and how, if applicable, a utility disconnection will affect you and your family. For instance, you or someone you care about may be extremely ill and having the service disconnected could mean that this will prevent proper storage of medicines.

Attach Any Documentation to Prove Your Claims

You must indicate that the hardship you are experiencing made you unable to pay for your utility bills. Attach any proof that you have in relation to this, including proof of income, receipts, bills, payments you have already made, and more. Do also include, if applicable, doctors’ or specialists’ letters that confirm that you are in the current situation and, specifically, that there is a direct need for a continuation of the utility service in order to maintain proper care.

Describe How You Plan to Remedy the Situation

Finally, propose a solution to the problem. While it is not always known how long a hardship situation will last, it is common to have a reasonable estimate. You may, for instance, be making reasonable adjustments so that you can protect your income or put care in place for an elderly person. Make sure to inform the utility company when you expect to be able to make payments again, and you must be realistic in that. Also tell them how much you are able to pay at present, even if that is only $1 a month, and how you propose to make up for the shortfall once your situation has improved.

Remember that the utility company is not interested in your feelings. Rather, they want to hear the facts and how you aim to resolve your problems. In so doing, you stand a better chance of having your request granted.

Hardship Letter To Utility Company Example

{Your Name}
{Your Address}
{Your Phone #}

{Date}

To Whom It May Concern:

My name is {Name} and I reside at {address}. I am writing because {Utility Company} is planning to suspend the {gas/electricity/water/etc.} at my residence due to lack of payment. I am requesting leniency due to severe financial hardship, and because a member of the household is extremely ill and requires utilities.

I am currently unable to pay the utilities’ fee due to {reason}. I am attaching proof of income, bills, receipts, and other payments to this document. I am also including a doctor’s note from {Doctor} verifying that {Ill Person}, a resident of this house, is extremely ill and requires utilities for proper care.

Please consider our situation. I sincerely appreciate your understanding and assistance in this matter. Thank you.

Sincerely,

{Sender Name}