The following words and phrases when used in this subchapter shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Billing month." A period of time not to exceed 35 days. The bill shall not include any previously billed service furnished during a period other than that covered by the current bill. If previously unbilled utility service is included in the current utility bill, the utility shall use an estimated bill for the 30-day period.

"Discontinuance." Any cancellation of the service contract at the request of the ratepayer and in accordance with section 1523(b) (relating to notices before service to landlord terminated).

"Landlord ratepayer." One or more individuals or an organization listed on a gas, electric, steam, sewage or water utility's records as the party responsible for payment of the gas, electric, steam, sewage or water service provided to one or more residential units of a residential building or mobile home park of which building or mobile home park the party is not the sole occupant. In the event the landlord ratepayer is not the party to a lease between the landlord ratepayer and the tenant, the term also includes the individual or organization to whom the tenant makes rental payments pursuant to a rental arrangement.

"Mobile home." A transportable, single-family dwelling unit intended for permanent occupancy and constructed as a single unit, or as two or more units designed to be joined into one integral unit capable of again being separated for repeated towing, which arrives at a site complete and ready for occupancy except for minor and incidental unpacking and assembly operations and constructed so that it may be used without a permanent foundation.

"Mobile home park." Any site, lot, field or tract of land, privately or publicly owned or operated, upon which three or more mobile homes, occupied for dwelling or sleeping purposes, are or are intended to be located.

"Residential building." A building containing one or more dwelling units occupied by one or more tenants. The term does not include nursing homes, hotels and motels or any dwelling of which the landlord ratepayer is the only resident.

"Tenant." Any person or group of persons who are contractually obligated to make rental payments to the landlord ratepayer pursuant to a rental arrangement, including, but not limited to, an oral or written lease with the landlord ratepayer for a dwelling unit in a residential building or mobile home park which is provided gas, electric, steam, sewer or water as an included service under the rental agreement and who are not the ratepayers of the utility which supplied the gas, electric, steam, sewer or water service.

"Termination." The cessation of service, whether temporary or permanent, without the consent of the ratepayer. For the purposes of this subchapter, this term shall include cessation of service at the request of the landlord ratepayer when a tenant does not agree to the cessation of service.

(July 2, 1993, P.L.379, No.54, eff. 60 days)

1993 Amendment. Act 54 amended the defs. of "landlord ratepayer," "residential building" and "tenant" and added the defs. of "billing month," "discontinuance" and "termination."

Cross References. Section 1521 is referred to in section 1522 of this title.