(Philadelphia, PA – September 17, 2004) – The Philadelphia Gas Works’ (PGW) has asked a judge in the Court of Common Pleas to appoint a receiver to collect rents in a lawsuit filed in April of this year to collect more than $1,257,000 in unpaid gas bills owed by Philly Gardens Realty Corporation. PGW contends that Philly Gardens owes for natural gas used at 13 apartment buildings with 750 apartments owned by the corporation. A hearing on the request for the appointment of a receiver is scheduled for 10 a.m., September 21, 2004, before Common Pleas Court Judge Darnell Jones in City Hall Courtroom 676.

Because PGW does not want to continue to give away gas without any assurance of payment, but also seeks to avoid termination of gas service that would hurt the tenants who live in the apartment buildings, PGW petitioned the court to appoint a receiver for the properties to assure that payments are received for the gas service PGW is continuing to provide.

PGW worked in collaboration with Tenants Action Group (TAG) to ensure that the tenants in the property did not suffer unduly because of Philly Gardens' unwillingness to pay its gas bills. Phil Lord, Executive Director of TAG commented, "TAG is pleased that PGW is taking such a forward thinking stance on collections issues with regard to its commercial customers while remaining sensitive to the needs of the tenants that are adversely affected by the abuses of the landlord."

PGW is continuing its aggressive collection campaign to make sure that its commercial customers, all of whom have the ability to pay, are not avoiding their responsibilities at the expense of PGW's paying customers.

Founded in 1836, PGW is the nation's largest municipally owned natural gas utility, serving a half million residential, commercial, and industrial customers, and Philadelphia's choice for quality energy solutions.