CALIFORNIA, Md. – On September 27, 2018, the Metropolitan Commission (MetCom) approved an agreement with Utility Services Partners, Inc. (USP) in order to help facilitate the repairs to the private side of service lines where MetCom has no responsibility. MetCom customers will soon be offered a voluntary month-to-month water and sewer service line repair program for the private connections to their homes, which includes thawing and frozen pipe coverage.
According to George Erichsen, MetCom’s Executive Director, “Homeowners are often unaware that such repairs are not covered by basic homeowner’s insurance policies or by the local utility and usually have to take on the burden of repair costs themselves. Many of our customers are dealing with the same aging infrastructure that that we as a utility are in the process of maintaining or replacing“. Service plans available through this partnership with USP will provide homeowners and light commercial properties (served by 1” service lines or less) with an affordable, cost effective way to manage the unexpected expense and inconvenience of emergency in-home plumbing and external water / sewer line repairs, leaks, breaks, and clogs. As a part of the agreement, USP will also be setting aside funds to help pay for repairs and other assistance for low income homeowners through a simple on line application process available for review at https://www.HomeServeCares.com.
USP is a Better Business Bureau Accredited Business with an A+ rating. USP maintains a customer satisfaction rating exceeding 98% and are strategic partners with the Maryland Municipal League. This provider is the administrator for the National League of Cities Service Line Warranty Program, which is the only service line program endorsed by the National League of Cities. The organization is partnered with over 400 municipalities across the North America. As of September 2017, this program was made available to counties and to organizations such as MetCom at no cost.
Residential and light commercial MetCom customers will have: a voluntary opportunity to participate in the program; the advantage of negotiated discounted rates; full time 24 hour a day/7 days a week live operator hotlines; monies set aside for assistance to qualified low income applicants; as well as unique website access to information.
Daniel Guest, the National Director Business Development stated that, “Participants in the program will be eligible to purchase low-cost repair service plans covering up to $8,500 per occurrence and our goal is to use local plumbers / contractors to the fullest extent practical to help keep money in the local economy. Contractors that are dispatched to the homeowner’s residence undergo background, driving, drug and criminal checks before being accepted in to the “network”. USP will be contacting MetCom customers in the near future. In the interim, MetCom customers can learn more about by calling toll free at 1.855.336.2465 or visiting http://www.HomeServeUSA.com.