Throughout the State of Florida, Midwest Service Bureau (MSB) provides unmatched industry expertise and professionalism in utility bill recovery, leveraging over five decades of successful account recovery. The agency has an intimate understanding of the unique challenges facing utility providers in the Sunshine State, especially concerning compliance with the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) rules on discontinuance of service including critical restrictions during specific holidays and mandates to maintain power during extreme weather events. This extensive history demonstrates a deep grasp of how utility organizations function alongside the regulatory necessity of maintaining essential services like water, power, and sanitation for a population that includes high seasonal residency.
MSB strengthens utility recovery operations by partnering closely with municipal and private utility clients, utilizing sophisticated analytics, and employing highly experienced recovery specialists.
Every collection strategy deployed is meticulously crafted to align with your operational framework, ensuring strict adherence to both federal standards and the more stringent requirements of the Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act (FCCPA). Whether serving civic utilities or independent service providers, the firm delivers ethical, powerful, and uniform debt collection solutions. Our decades in the field confirm one essential truth: MSB possesses the expertise to navigate the complex consumer and utility regulations of Florida, enabling it to collect utility receivables responsibly, effectively, and with enduring consistency.
MSB strictly complies with the FCCPA, which is more expansive than its federal counterpart as it applies to both third-party collectors and original creditors. This commitment ensures our actions avoid the risk of statutory damages up to $1,000 per violation.
We possess specialized knowledge of the rules enforced by the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC), including the 5 working days’ written notice required before service disconnection and prohibitions against cutting off power during weekends or holidays.
Our protocols strictly adhere to Florida Statute § 180.135, which prohibits refusing or discontinuing water/sewer service to a new tenant due to non-payment by a previous occupant of the rental unit.
We assist municipal and private sanitation departments in collecting unpaid billing for waste removal, recycling services, and environmental fees.
Our services extend to public works divisions and city service departments, including infrastructure, road services, and maintenance fee recovery.
We provide collection support for housing authorities, transit departments, health districts, and other vital government service entities.
Our strategic collection model is engineered to maximize utility and municipal debt recovery across Florida, ensuring full compliance and maintaining positive community relations in the Sunshine State.
This initial stage focuses on prompt, transparent communication, with all written notices explicitly following the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC)‘s requirement for a 5-working-day notice before service discontinuance. This early, compliant engagement is crucial for quick resolution and typically resolves approximately 45% of accounts.
We engage in persistent, respectful communication, offering flexible, industry-aware payment solutions to address more complex delinquencies. By identifying root causes, such as seasonal non-residency or temporary hardship, we achieve an additional 32% in recovery during this intensive resolution period.
We transition to formal collection protocols, utilizing notifications that underscore the potential legal and credit ramifications of continued non-payment. This stage emphasizes our commitment to the stringent requirements of the Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act (FCCPA), successfully securing an additional 10% of collections.
For the final, most difficult segment of accounts, we initiate viable legal enforcement options. Litigation decisions are based on the Florida Statute of Limitations (4 years for open/oral accounts; 5 years for written contracts) to target the final recoverable percentage requiring formal judicial intervention.
Our utility and municipal debt recovery services are executed with the singular goal of maintaining rigorous adherence to the Sunshine State’s unique regulatory environment. We guarantee that every interaction is conducted professionally, ethically, and in full alignment with Florida law.
MSB strictly complies with the FCCPA, which is more expansive than its federal counterpart as it applies to both third-party collectors and original creditors. This commitment ensures our actions avoid the risk of statutory damages up to $1,000 per violation.
We possess specialized knowledge of the rules enforced by the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC), including the 5 working days' written notice required before service disconnection and prohibitions against cutting off power during weekends or holidays.
Our protocols strictly adhere to Florida Statute § 180.135, which prohibits refusing or discontinuing water/sewer service to a new tenant due to non-payment by a previous occupant of the rental unit.
Protecting the sensitive financial and account data of Florida residents is non-negotiable. All customer information is secured by advanced systems, preventing unauthorized access and demonstrating compliance with data security requirements.
Discover the experiences of our satisfied clients. Hear firsthand Midwest Service Bureau Reviews on how MSB has delivered reliable, results-driven solutions that make a real difference.
The legal timeframe for a creditor (or a collector like MSB) to file a lawsuit to collect a debt is dictated by Florida’s Statute of Limitations. This limit depends on the nature of the debt: four years for open accounts (like many utility balances) or oral contracts, and five years for debts founded on written contracts. MSB ensures that any decision to pursue litigation is based on the current, valid status of this limitation period.
Yes. Unpaid municipal fees, fines, and utility bills that are turned over to a specialized agency like MSB are treated as delinquent consumer debts. If the collection agency reports this activity to the major credit bureaus, the account can negatively affect the customer’s credit score for up to seven years from the date of the first delinquency.
Yes, customers have the right to dispute charges. For utilities regulated by the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) (including investor-owned electric, gas, water, and sewer companies), the customer should first contact the utility to resolve the issue. If the dispute remains unresolved, the customer can file a complaint with the Florida PSC Consumer Assistance office, which will investigate the complaint and suspend collection action on the disputed amount while the utility responds.
Absolutely. Upon receiving an initial communication from MSB, you have the right under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and the Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act (FCCPA) to notify the agency of your dispute. The agency must then cease all collection efforts until it provides you with verification that the debt is accurate and belongs to you
Ready to improve your commercial organization’s revenue cycle? Contact our specialists today.
Email: client@msbureau.com
Phone: 316-263-1051
Address: 625 W. Maple St., Wichita, KS 67213