Any utility to which the consumers’ counsel makes an inquiry on behalf of a residential customer concerning that customer’s billing, or the availability, unavailability, or quality of that customer’s service shall respond to the consumers’ counsel on the merits of that inquiry within a reasonable time. If a definitive response cannot be made within three weeks of the making of the inquiry, the utility initially shall send an acknowledgement of receipt of the inquiry to the consumers’ counsel and indicate the position of the utility concerning the nature of any investigation of the facts that it considers necessary to an ultimate response, and then, when it becomes possible to make a definitive response, shall respond to the consumers’ counsel on the merits of the inquiry.

The failure of a utility to comply with this section is admissible evidence in a complaint proceeding under section 4905.26 of the Revised Code, upon the motion of the consumers’ counsel, regardless of whether further evidence concerning the subject of the inquiry is offered.