DMS Rate Schedules
If you live in a multi-family dwelling, a duplex, a mobile home park or an RV park you may pay rates on Schedules DMS-1, DMS-2 or DMS-3. These "DMS" schedules indicate that you are served through an SCE "master meter."
In a master-meter situation, each single-family unit has a "submeter" provided by the landlord. A submeter is a non-SCE meter used to separately measure the electricity used for billing the occupants of each single-family accommodation. The landlord owns and reads each submeter and bills the tenant at the same rates SCE would have charged if the tenant had an SCE meter and was directly billed by SCE.
To see a sample SCE bill and how it is calculated.
Here is more information about each of SCE's DMS rate schedules:
- Schedule DMS-1 (PDF) is for multifamily buildings with submeters. (Although this rate schedule is closed to new construction as of 12/7/81, any building constructed for or converted to residential use after 12/7/81 for which the conversion did not require a building permit, shall be eligible to take service on DMS-1 if submeters are installed in the building. Any building constructed for residential use or converted to residential use for which a building permit was required on or after 7/1/82, must be separately metered by SCE and is not eligible for service under DMS-1).
- Schedule DMS-2 (PDF) is for mobile home parks and manufactured housing communities with submeters. (This rate schedule is closed to new construction commenced after January 1, 1997; however, if the account for the park and/or housing community qualified for this rate before January 1, 1997, it can convert back to DMS-2.)
- Schedule DMS-3 (PDF) is for service to RV parks where the RV spaces are:
- Occupied by RV units used as residences;
- Reserved for prepaid month-to-month tenants; and
- Submetered.
To see information about rates and programs to lower your bill that are available to DMS customers.
Your Billing Rights
As a California submetered resident, you have special utility billing rights provided by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), the Department of Weights and Measures (DWM), and Southern California Edison (SCE). If your property owner or manager bills you directly for your electricity usage, and if SCE bills your property owner or manager on a DMS rate schedule, the following rights pertain to you:
- You should receive a bill at the same rate as if you are being billed by SCE.
- You should be provided with an itemized billing of electricity charges including:
- Opening and closing readings for the meter.
- Identification of all rates and quantities attributable to each block in the applicable rate structure.
- Total charge for the billing period.
- Name, address, and telephone number of billing agent or company.
- You should be provided a percentage, based on your usage, of any rebate applied to the park owner’s account during the last billing period.
- The rate schedules for residential electricity shall be posted in a conspicuous place.
- The park owner shall retain records of all pertinent rate schedules and individual customer billings for at least 12 months.
- Such records shall be made available at reasonable times for inspection and copying by the customer and County Sealer.
- Owner is responsible for submeters, including: furnishing, installing, maintaining, repairing, and submitting to DWM for accuracy testing.
Who to call for questions about your electric service or bill
Call your Park Owner/Manager:
- When the power is out
- With questions about your meter
- To ask how the meter is read
- To find out when the meter is read
- If your meter is malfunctioning
- With questions about your bill
- If you feel your bill is incorrect
- With questions about the rate you are on
- To find out how the bill is calculated
- To find out about your baseline allocation
- To find out the rate schedule on which your park is billed
- To apply or re-certify for the CARE or FERA rate
Call Southern California Edison at 1-800 655-4555:
- For a Medical Baseline application
- To verify that you are on a special rate (CARE, FERA, or Medical Baseline)
- To apply or re-certify for the CARE or FERA rate
Call the Department of Weights and Measures (DWM):
- To check accuracy of meter readings
- To check if meter is properly installed
- To test accuracy of meter
- To check accuracy of billing
- To verify correct rate
Telephone numbers for DWM vary by county, please check your local county government listings.
If your issue still is not resolved:
If you are still dissatisfied with the accuracy of your bill after contacting your park owner/manager, you may send a written complaint to the California Public Utilites Commission:
- Online at www.cpuc.ca.gov
- By telephone at 1-800-649-7570
- By writing to:
California Public Utilities Commission
505 Van Ness
San Francisco, CA 94102
Programs to Lower Your Bill
California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE):
Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA):
Medical Baseline:
- Eligibility based on the regular use of electric life-support equipment in your home or qualifying medical condition
- Provides additional baseline allowance at the lowest rate
- Doctor’s certification is required
- Exempt from surcharges that went into effect in June 2001
- For more information and an application form
SCE’s Energy Assistance Fund (EAF):
- Provides assistance in paying electric bill during February and March
- Eligibility based on income
- Edison International shareholders and SCE customers contribute to the fund
- Administered through United Way agencies
- For more information
Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP):
- Programs provide energy-saving products, services, and bill assistance
- Eligibility based on monthly income
- Administered through community service organizations
- For more information
For more information about these programs, call SCE at 1-800-655-4555 or visit www.SCE.com.
