Cal. Civ. Code § 170-15-3-1

Filing a complaint

In Force
Verified 10/26/2026 · Next check 11/2/2026
effective 10/15/2026IndianaLease Requirements

Operative Text

Cal. Civ. Code § 170-15-3-1
Sec. 1. (a) Regardless of whether a tenant, member, or co-owner is a customer as defined in 170 IAC 16-1-2(3), a tenant,
member, or co-owner may file a complaint against a landlord or an association by following the commission's informal complaint procedures found
in 170 IAC 16.
(b) For purposes of this article, when a complaint is made under 170 IAC 16, "utility", as defined in 170 IAC 16-1-
2(4), refers to a landlord or an association.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Under 170 IAC 15 § 170-15-3-1, any tenant, member, or co-owner has the right to file a complaint against a landlord or housing association through the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission's informal complaint process, regardless of whether they are formally classified as a 'customer' under the commission's definitions. For the purposes of this complaint process, the term 'utility' is interpreted to mean the landlord or association, allowing the existing complaint framework to apply to housing-related disputes. This provision effectively extends the commission's informal complaint procedures to cover landlord-tenant and association-related utility matters.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on October 15, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under 170 IAC 15 § 170-15-3-1, landlords and housing associations are subject to the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission's informal complaint procedures, even when the complaining party is not a traditional 'customer' as defined by commission rules. Operators who manage utility-related services for tenants, members, or co-owners generally maintain clear records of utility billing and service practices to be prepared to respond to any complaint filed through 170 IAC 16. Familiarity with the commission's informal complaint process and the expanded definition of 'utility' under this provision is part of responsible property management in Indiana.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Under 170 IAC 15 § 170-15-3-1, tenants, members, and co-owners have the right to file a complaint against a landlord or association using the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission's informal complaint procedures outlined in 170 IAC 16, even if they do not meet the standard definition of a 'customer.' This provision ensures that the complaint pathway is available regardless of formal customer status, broadening access to the commission's dispute resolution process. Tenants who believe a landlord or association has mishandled utility-related matters may consider consulting a tenant-rights organization or reviewing the commission's informal complaint procedures to understand available options.

General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.

Generated October 15, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.

Effective Timeline

Current
Oct 15, 2026
Click on timeline segments to view historical versions.

References Out

No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.

References In

No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.

Related Rules

§ 244.280
Tenant to be given copy of lease
§ 151.35
SEVERABILITY
§ 165.12
SEVERABILITY

Source Information