Illinois Statutes Chapter 220. Utilities § 35/4. Refunds of Small Business Utility Deposits

(a) if the 12 months during which the deposit was held are within the first 24 months that a small business has received utility service, the deposit plus interest shall be refunded only so long as the service has not been interrupted for nonpayment or so long as the small business has not paid late 4 times, or 3 times if billed bi-monthly, or 2 times if billed quarterly or semi-annually or so long as after it has been found that the small business' wires, pipes, meters or other service equipment have not been tampered with during the time the deposit was held and which resulted in the small business enjoying the benefit of the tampering;

(b) if the 12 months during which the deposit was held was subsequent to the first 24 months that a small business has received utility service, the deposit plus interest shall be refunded only so long as the service has not been interrupted for nonpayment or so long as the customer has not paid late 6 times during the past 12 months if billed monthly, or 3 times if billed bi-monthly, or 2 times if billed quarterly or semi-annually or so long as after it has been found that the small business' wires, pipes, meters or other service equipment have not been tampered with during the time the deposit was held and which resulted in the small business enjoying the benefit of the tampering;

(c) deposits plus interest need not be refunded until the customer pays any past due bills for utility service.

Deposits plus interest less the amount of unpaid bills, if any, for actual utility service shall be refunded upon the discontinuance of service for more than 30 days. A transfer of service from one premise to another within the area served by the utility need not be deemed a discontinuance of service by the utility if the character of service remains the same. When a deposit plus interest is applied to the liquidation of unpaid bills, the utility shall provide the small business with a statement or notice commonly known as a “Cancellation Notice” showing the amount of the deposit, the amount of any accrued interest, the amount of the unpaid bill or bills liquidated by the deposit plus interest and the balance remaining due either to the small business or to the utility.

All deposit refunds shall be paid by separate check and not by credit to the small business' account except where discontinuance of service is affected. At the option of the utility, a deposit plus interest may be refunded, in whole or in part, at any time earlier than the times herein prescribed, provided that the utility gives adequate notice to a small business that its utility deposit is being refunded early.