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Tennessee Housing Development Agency 2025 LIHEAP Policy Manual for Regular and Crisis Assistance 31

$89.24 ÷ $1,015.45 = 0.0878822197 which is 8.79%

• Example 2: A household has a combined countable income of $1,015.45 per month and a monthly energy expense of $85.24. $85.24 ÷ $1,015.45 = 0.0839430794 which is 8.39% Energy burden for metered utilities will be calculated using the current cost of energy. Only the energy costs from the past 12 months will be considered in the energy burden. Client energy bill data includes all required customer payments, such as monthly service charge, usage charge, delivery charge, and taxes, and any other costs associated with energy that the client cannot opt out of. In addition, to get the best estimate of the client's total energy burden, it is appropriate to include any late payment charges and reconnection fees charged by the vendor. • Deposits for service should not be included in the energy bill data since those funds still belong to the client. • Expenditures should exclude optional charges such as appliance repair contracts, equipment purchases, and other special services. • Non-energy services, such as water, cable, or trash collection, are not to be included in the energy burden calculation. Mass-Metered Utilities If an applicant’s energy cost is included in their rent, they are still eligible to receive assistance. In this case, both the landlord and tenant must complete the LIHEAP landlord/tenant energy assistance agreement, found in the Appendix, which outlines specific stipulations. • The benefit amount can be applied to a different energy vendor upon the applicant’s request, even if the applicant provided energy usage data for a different utility. For example, if an applicant provides a 12-month printout for their electricity but prefers the benefit applied to propane, this is allowed, provided the account is active. 2.18 Public Housing and Section 8 Applicants: if an applicant receives public subsidies for a specific utility allowance or reimbursement. The applicant who exceeds their allotted utility allowance or reimbursement are required to pay any “overages” or excess consumption charges. Energy bills directly from public housing agencies must be accompanied by documentation from the housing program indicating any “overages” or “excess. Tenants with a bill in their name are fully responsible for energy costs and are not subject to the