Found a small clothing boutique that's been on a residential rate for 3 years with ComEd. Usage is about 2,500 kWh/month, no demand meter. Store owner says previous tenant was residential. This has to be wrong, right?
Small retail on residential rate - common error?
Definitely wrong. Commercial use requires commercial rate regardless of previous tenant. ComEd should have caught this during the business license process. You'll need to get them switched to appropriate small commercial schedule, but watch out for back-billing.
I see this all the time with small retail. Sometimes the utility doesn't catch it for years. Illinois has a 24-month limit on back-billing for utility errors, so that should protect your client from owing too much.
Good point about the back-billing limit. I'll research the exact ComEd policy. The rate difference isn't huge but it's the principle - plus she's missing out on any commercial rebate programs.