Operative Text
196.643 Public utility service to rental dwelling unit. (1) Responsible party. When a customer terminates service to the customer’s rental dwelling unit, a public utility shall make reasonable attempt to identify the party responsible for service to the rental dwelling unit after the customer’s termination. If a responsible party cannot be identified, the public utility may give the owner written notice by regular or other mail of the public utility’s intent to hold the owner responsible for service to the rental dwelling unit. The owner shall not be responsible for service if the public utility does not give the notice under this subsection or if, within 15 days after the date the notice is mailed, the owner notifies the public utility of the name of the party responsible for service to the rental dwelling unit or notifies the public utility that service to the rental dwelling unit should be terminated and affirms that service termination will not endanger human health or life or cause damage to property. (2) Joint metering. If gas, electric or water service is measured jointly for 2 or more rental dwelling units, the owner shall maintain the account for gas, electric or water service in the name of the owner or in the name of the agent responsible for the collection of rent and the management of the rental dwelling units. (3) Notifications; electric service. (a) If requested by the owner of a rental dwelling unit and authorized by the tenant residing in the unit as provided in par. (b), all of the following apply to the public utility that provides electric service to the tenant: 1. The public utility shall notify the owner in the same manner as the tenant of any pending disconnection of service to the unit that is due to nonpayment of past due charges. 2. The public utility may provide information about the status of a disconnection described in subd. 1. to the owner by telephone. (b) A public utility or owner may obtain from a tenant the authorization required under par. (a), except that an owner must obtain the authorization in a separate written document. (4) Resumption of service. No public utility may require the owner of a rental dwelling unit to provide proof of eviction or other evidence that a tenant has vacated the unit as a condition for providing or resuming public utility service to the unit if the service is placed and maintained solely in the owner’s name.
Wisconsin Statute § 196.643 governs how public utilities handle service to rental dwelling units when a customer terminates service, when metering is shared across units, and when disconnection notices are involved. Under this provision, a utility must attempt to identify who is responsible for service after a tenant leaves, and an owner can avoid liability by responding within 15 days of receiving written notice. The law also requires that jointly metered gas, electric, or water accounts be held in the owner's or managing agent's name, and it prohibits utilities from demanding eviction proof before restoring service that is already in the owner's name.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Wis. Stat. § 196.643, property owners who receive written notice from a public utility after a tenant terminates service generally have 15 days to either identify the new responsible party or request termination of service while affirming it won't endanger health or property. Owners of buildings with jointly metered gas, electric, or water service are required to maintain those accounts in their own name or in the name of their managing agent. Compliant operators also typically obtain written tenant authorization — in a separate document — if they wish to receive disconnection notices alongside the tenant, and they should be aware that utilities cannot require eviction documentation before resuming service held solely in the owner's name.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Wis. Stat. § 196.643 gives tenants a role in controlling who receives information about their utility account: a utility or owner may seek a tenant's authorization for the owner to receive disconnection notices, but if the owner requests it, that authorization must be obtained through a separate written document — not buried in a lease. Tenants should be aware that if they terminate service, the utility is required to make a reasonable attempt to identify the next responsible party before shifting liability to the property owner. Tenants who have questions about how these rules apply to their situation may wish to contact the Wisconsin Public Service Commission or a local tenant-rights organization for general guidance on § 196.643.
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.
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