§ 67-a. Charges for past services. 1. A gas or electric corporation shall inspect and assure the accuracy of a metering device upon the request of any new commercial customer.

2. No gas corporation or electric corporation shall charge its new commercial customer for past services received if the failure to charge for such services resulted from the faulty operation or inoperation of a metering device which the gas or electric corporation failed to inspect as provided in subdivision one of this section.

3. The provisions of this section shall not apply in the case of a meter which is faulty or inoperable due to the culpable conduct of the customer or one of his agents.