The North Dakota Public Service Commission on July 2 adopted an order requesting information from regulated utilities about business arrangements with HomeServe USA and similar third-party warranty or home-protection vendors.

The action stems from an informal complaint the commission received July 31, 2024, alleging that a HomeServe partnership with a local utility had used the utility’s name in a way that could create the perception the utility was directly involved in solicitation. The commission said it seeks facts about whether utility branding is used in solicitations and other details about those business arrangements.

Commissioner Jill Grinstead moved the order requesting comment and emphasized the narrow scope of the inquiry: “So just to be clear on this, this is not an investigation into HomeServe as a company or the service that they provide. None of that is within our jurisdiction. All that this is is focusing on is it's just the first step in the process, where we can get some additional information just to evaluate, you know, the relationship with the utility companies.”

The commission requested written comments from each public utility explaining the business arrangement with HomeServe or similar organizations, how utility branding is used in solicitations, and any other information the commission should consider. Initial comments are requested by Sept. 2, 2025. Commissioners clarified the request targets regulated utilities under the commission’s jurisdiction, not nonregulated cooperatives, though staff said it was not certain whether any cooperatives have similar arrangements.

The order begins an information-gathering phase; it does not direct enforcement against HomeServe or adjudicate the merits of HomeServe’s services.