199—6.2(476) Informal complaint procedures. Any person may submit a written complaint to the board requesting a determination of the reasonableness of rates, charges, schedules, service, regulations, or anything done or not done by a public utility for those services or rates subject to regulation by the board. “Person” as used in this chapter shall have the same definition as defined in Iowa Code section 4.1(20).
	6.2(1) Information to be filed. The written complaint should include the following information:
	a. 	The name of the utility involved, any utility personnel known or believed to be familiar with the facts stated in the complaint, and the location of the office of the utility where the complaint was originally made and processed.
	b. 	The name of the complainant. If the complaint is being made on behalf of a person other than the complainant, an affidavit from the person upon whose behalf the complaint is being made, attesting to the accuracy of the complaint, should be included. A complaint filed by an organization on behalf of its members shall include an affidavit signed by an attorney for, or an officer of, the organization.
	c. 	The address, or addresses, of the premises where the service, billing problems, or other actions occurred. If the complainant resides at a different address, the complaint shall also state where a response to the complaint is to be mailed. The complainant shall provide a telephone number and, if available, an email address where the complainant can be reached.
	d. 	The nature of the complaint, and efforts made to resolve the matter. Bills, correspondence, or other relevant documents should be included if the documents will aid the board’s understanding of the utility’s action or practice about which the complaint is made. If known, references to statutes or rules believed to govern the outcome of the complaint should be included. Also, a description of the efforts made by the complainant to resolve the complaint with the utility should be included. The complainant should contact the utility to attempt to resolve the complaint prior to submitting a complaint to the board.
	e. 	A proposal for resolving the complaint. The proposal should refer to any known statutes, board orders, or rules that support the resolution proposed by the complainant.
	6.2(2) Request for additional information. If board staff determines that additional information is needed prior to forwarding the complaint to the utility, the complainant will be notified that specified additional information is needed. If the requested additional information is not provided within ten days, the complaint may be dismissed. Dismissal of the complaint on this basis does not prevent the complainant from filing in the future a complaint that includes the requested information.
[ARC 7635C, IAB 2/21/24, effective 3/27/24]