Utilities generally consider your account to be in good standing so long as you don't fall more than two or three payments behind. They may use a late fee and/o

Utilities generally consider your account to be in good standing so long as you don't fall more than two or three payments behind. They may use a late fee and/or a deposit return agreement to incentivize on-time payments, but they're not going to go after you (such as disconnecting service) until usually the 3rd month that you fail to pay, sometimes (especially for municipal utilities) much longer. Essentially, accounts paid late just aren't a big deal for them. They almost always get the money anyway.