Residential Service

Is a Deposit Required?

Depending on your credit history, you may not have to pay a deposit. Residential Customers who wish to get their deposit waived must provide full and legitimate credit information, including social security number.

Are you interested in getting your deposit waived with no credit check? Sign up for Pay As You Go, our prepaid utility option.

Our standard billing plan requires a credit check and possibly a deposit.

Lakeland Electric will request an Experian credit check with your authorization. Your social security number is used to obtain a credit report, which determines if your security deposit can be waived. The credit check is only available to the person contacting Lakeland Electric with the request by phone. If you are an existing customer and transferring service to a new address, any previous deposit will be automatically transferred to your new account. However, some locations have more services and could require additional deposits. 

Residential utility customers shall be required to pay a minimal deposit to the City of Lakeland as follows for connection of service:

• Electric Service $150.00
• Water Service $30.00
• Wastewater $35.00
• Solid Waste and Recycling $15.00
• Storm Water $10.00
• Polk County Sewer (if applicable) $110.00

1. Special Housing Deposit:
Customers who are applying for services at a public housing unit of the Lakeland Housing Authority and who do not have an existing residential utility deposit account for the requested services, are allowed to pay the required utility deposit with an initial deposit of Twenty Dollars ($20.00) and monthly installments in the amount of Twenty Dollars ($20.00) until the total deposit is paid.

2. Applicants for service that can prove an Acceptable Payment History may have the deposit requirement waived. An Acceptable Payment History is defined as when a customer has not had any of the following incidents within the previous twelve (12) month period:

• Two (2) disconnects of service for non-payment
• Two (2) dishonored checks or returned checks
• Write-off balance that has not been paid
• Balance due on a prior final bill
• Meter tampering
• Electric energy diversion

3. Customers applying for service, who had service within the past twelve (12) months; upon terminating service had an Acceptable Payment History at the time the account was terminated; may have their deposit waived.

4. Deposit requirements may also be modified by delaying the deposit payment if the applicant produces documentation stating that a social service agency will pay their deposit.

5. Applicants who already have electric and/or water service with the City of Lakeland, and who meet the requirements of Acceptable Payment History as defined herein, may activate a second service for up to two (2) weeks without placing an additional deposit.

6. Applicants for service that can prove an excellent credit score may have the deposit requirement waived or modified.

7. Depending on the credit history, the deposit required may be up to two (2) times the average monthly utility cost for that service location.

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Landlords / Real Estate Deposits

Landlords or Real Estate Agents with acceptable payment history or a satisfactory credit score wishing to activate service in multiple residences may post a separate "blanket" deposit of Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00) for up to five (5) sites. If the customer applying for such multiple services already has an office account, the Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00) "blanket" deposit may be added to the office account.

For each additional residential location, a deposit will be required as follows:

• Electric Service $150.00
• Water Service $30.00
• Wastewater $35.00
• Solid Waste and Recycling $15.00
• Stormwater $10.00
• Polk County Sewer (if applicable) $110.00

With either scenario, the deposit will be held until all accounts are finalized. To process a refund, the bills must be paid or transferred to the blanket account, so the deposit can be applied against all final charges.
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Refund of Deposits

Cash deposits made by Residential or Commercial Customers shall be refunded provided that all final charges for electric and/or water service have been paid in full at the time the customer discontinues service. Refunds are mailed 30 days after final payment. Surety bonds or irrevocable letters of credit posted in lieu of such deposits shall be canceled upon payment of the final bill for electric and/or water service after the customer discontinues service. Residential customers who demonstrate a satisfactory utility credit history for two (2) consecutive years may have their deposit credited to their current bill. Any deposits retained at the time of termination of the account will automatically be applied to any outstanding bill, and any remainder shall be refunded.
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Deposit Increases

The Customer Service Division has been granted the authority to increase the amount of the utility deposit required or reinstate the deposit if it has been waived, modified, or refunded when any utility customer fails to maintain an Acceptable Payment History. The customer will receive a written notice of no less than five (5) business days of a required security deposit increase. The customer will be required to have a deposit with the City of Lakeland to equal the minimum amount of twice the average monthly bill and will be billed over a six (6) month period.

Unacceptable Payments History for Residential Customers:

• Disconnected twice within 12 months
• Two (2) dishonored checks within 12 months
• Write Off
• Balance due on prior final bill
• Meter tampering
• Electric energy diversion