united-states
Can utilities refuse to do business with you?
<p>Can my electric or water company refuse to serve me? I have been doing research and have only found situations in which the bills aren't paid on time or at all and I don't care about that. Assuming the bills are all paid on time, can a utility company refuse me service for arbitrary reasons e.g. my political views?</p>

<p>This is a matter of state law, and so could in theory vary from state to state. But I think that in most, if not all, US states, a public utility like a water or electric company must take any customer unless they have a history of unpaid bills or the like. They don't have to lay new pipes or run new wires to bring service to you if it is at a location not previously served, however.</p>
<p>In the Maryland code, <a href="https://law.justia.com/codes/maryland/2018/public-utilities/division-i/title-7/subtitle-3/section-7-307/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">§ 7-307</a> ( Termination of service to low income customers) provides:</p>
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<p>(1) Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, the Commission shall adopt regulations concerning the prohibition against or limitation of authority of a public service company to terminate service for gas or electricity to a low income residential customer during the heating season for nonpayment.</p>
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<p>(2) In adopting the regulations required under paragraph (1) of this subsection, the Commission shall consider and may include provisions relating to:</p>
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<p>(i) the circumstances under which service may and may not be limited or terminated;</p>
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<p>(ii) the minimum heating levels required to maintain life, health, and safety;</p>
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<p>(iii) the medical, age, disabling, or other individual characteristics that are relevant to a prohibition against or limitation on the termination of service;</p>
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<p>(and other provisions)</p>
<p>That the Public Service Commission is empowered, and indeed obliged, to issue binding regulations on when service may be terminated might imply a duty to provide service in the first place, but that is not as clear as I would like.  I know that in practice a utility runs a credit check and may demand a deposit if the results are not satisfactory, but I do not see a law compelling that behavior. It may be in regulations adopted by the commission.</p>
