509 - Regulation of manufacture, sale or lease of appliances.
§ 509. Regulation of manufacture, sale or lease of appliances. It is unlawful for any public utility engaged in the manufacture, sale, or lease of any appliance or equipment offered by such public utility for sale to the public to: (1) Discontinue service to any consumer for failure of such consumer to pay the whole, or any installment, of the purchase price, or rental, of any appliance or equipment sold to such consumer. (2) Apply to the purchase price or rental, or any part thereof, of any appliance or equipment purchased by, or leased to, a consumer of the service of the public utility, any deposit or other moneys of the consumer in the possession of the public utility. This restriction does not apply to any claims of the public utility against such consumer when such claims arise from damages to meters or other facilities used to measure and ascertain the quantity of service rendered by the public utility. (3) Employ in the manufacture, sale, or lease of any such appliance or equipment, any property used in, or revenue derived from, the rendering of service to the public, unless separate accounts as to the property used and the costs incurred by, and the revenue derived from, the manufacture, lease, or sale of such appliance or equipment are adopted, used, and kept by the public utility. (4) Employ in the manufacture, sale, or lease of any such appliance or equipment, the service of any officer or employee engaged in rendering service to the public, unless separate accounts as to the amount paid to such officer or employee, while engaged in the manufacture, lease or sale of such appliance or equipment, and whether any amount be salary, bonus, commission, or expense are adopted, used, and kept by the public utility.