View Gas - Customer Rights and Responsibilities

The following information is intended to provide a basic understanding of the policies and procedures that affect your electric service. If you should have additional questions, you may contact our Customer Service Department at 940-321-7800 or 1-800-274-4014 during normal business hours. You may also contact us by e-mail at contact@coserv.com. Information concerning CoServ's rates and service rules are available on request. The following information is subject to change without notice.

Español: Esta informacion esta disponible en español por correspondencia o en nuestra officina.

• Office Address and Business Hours
• Reporting Emergencies and Outages
• Membership in the Cooperative
• Your Electric Bill
• The Electric Meter
• Residential Deposit Policy
• Commercial Deposit Policy
• Service Termination
• Billing Disputes
• Payment Options
• Financial Assistance
• Critical Care/Critical Load
• Privacy Statement

Office Address and Business Hours:

Denton County Electric Cooperative, Inc., d/b/a CoServ Electric ("CoServ") is located at:

• 7701 South Stemmons
  Corinth, Texas 76210

Our business hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

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Reporting Emergencies and Outages:

For emergencies such as power interruptions and downed power lines, we are available 24 hours a day by calling 940-321-7800 or 1-800-274-4014. To use our automated outage system, please have your account number, home phone number, social security number, or drivers license number available.

If you are one of our hearing impaired members, you may call RELAY TEXAS at 711 to receive teletypewriter assistance.

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Membership in the Cooperative:

CoServ Electric is a member-owned electric cooperative. Becoming a member in the cooperative is required in order to receive electric service. Your first statement will include a $15.00 membership fee, which is refundable (applied to your final bill) upon closing all active accounts with CoServ.

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Your Electric Bill:

Your itemized bill, mailed approximately every 30 days, includes three basic rate components: a fixed charge, a variable charge and the Power Cost Recovery Factor (PCRF).

• The Customer Charge is a fixed charge that does not vary with the quantity of electricity used.
• The variable charge, called Usage Charge on your statement, is the charge per kWh and varies according to the quantity of electricity used.
• The PCRF is a correction or modification of a member's monthly electric bill, caused by an increase or decrease in the cost of the cooperative's fuel supply (wholesale power). This adjustment eliminates the need for a new rate approval each time fuel costs change.

Your statement is due and payable when rendered and should be paid on or before the due date, which is a minimum of 16 days from mailing. Any payment received after the due date is considered late and is subject to a late fee (5 percent of the most recent electric energy charge, customer charge and PCRF). Failure to receive a bill does not exempt a consumer from the responsibility to make payment. Please contact Customer Service if you fail to receive a statement within 30 days of initiating your electric service or subsequently, if you ever have difficulty receiving your statements.

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The Electric Meter:

An electric meter measures and records the amount of electricity used in kilowatt-hours (kWh). Your meter is read on approximately the same date each month. The meter readings for the previous month and the present month appear on each bill to allow you to monitor your monthly consumption of electricity.

If you have a question regarding meter accuracy, a meter test will be made at your request. A charge ($40) will be billed if your meter has been tested at your request within the past four years. However, CoServ will not charge for a test if a meter is found to be inaccurate.

If you dispute the accuracy of this reading you may request a second reading.  A charge ($15) will be applied to your account if the original reading proves to be accurate. Information regarding how to read your meter is available upon request.

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Residential Deposit Policy:

• Letter of credit:

  The letter of credit must show 12 consecutive months of payment history with no more than two late payments to CoServ or another electric company within the previous 24-month period. CoServ will give equal consideration on a letter of credit to both husband and wife.

• Guarantee agreement:

  The person applying for electric service may bring in a second party to sign a guarantee agreement. The second party must be a member of CoServ with at least 12 months of service and no late payments in the last 12 months. The guarantor may be held responsible for payments on the new account should the new member fail to make payments.

On residential accounts, the deposit will not exceed one-sixth of your annual electric bill. When you have paid your electric bills for 12 consecutive months without having service disconnected for nonpayment and without having more than 2 occasions in which payment was late, CoServ shall promptly refund the deposit plus accrued interest in the form of a credit to your bill, provided your current bill has been paid. Interest is earned from the date of deposit until the date before the deposit is returned. If the deposit is refunded within 30 days of the date the deposit is made, no interest is accrued.

When an account is closed, the deposit and accrued interest will be applied to the final amount due and any excess amount will be refunded.

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Commercial Deposit Policy:

A deposit is required on all Commercial and Industrial accounts. When you have paid your electric bills for 24 consecutive months without having service disconnected for nonpayment and without having more than 2 occasions in which payment was late, CoServ shall promptly refund the deposit plus accrued interest in the form of a credit to your bill, provided your current bill has been paid. Interest is earned from the date of deposit until the date before the deposit is returned. If the deposit is refunded within 30 days of the date the deposit is made, no interest is accrued.

When an account is closed, the deposit and accrued interest will be applied to the final amount due and any excess amount will be refunded.

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Service Termination:

CoServ has an obligation to see that each member pays for the electricity used. When payment becomes past due, a written disconnect notice will be mailed at least 10 days prior to the date of disconnection.

Serious illness/physical disabilities

CoServ will consider delaying termination of electric service when there is a serious illness or physical disability at your residence. The following steps must be taken:

1. The physician or doctor's office must call our collection manager within 16 days of the date the bill was issued.
2. The physician or doctor's office must send written documentation of the medical necessity to our Collection Manager within 26 days of the issuance of the bill.
3. After the first two steps have been fulfilled, our collection manager will make a mutually agreeable arrangement with the customer.

A new statement must be provided for each instance a delay is requested.

Service may be terminated after notice for the following reasons:

1. Failure to pay your bill or to make payment arrangements prior to date of disconnection.
2. Failure to comply with the terms of a payment agreement.
3. Violation of the rules on using service in a manner that interferes with the service of others, if reasonable attempt has been made to notify the member and the member is provided with reasonable opportunity to remedy the situation.
4. Violation of the rules on using service by the operation of non-standard equipment, if reasonable attempt has been made to notify the member and the member is provided with reasonable opportunity to remedy the situation.
5. Failure to comply with deposit and guarantee requirements.
6. Failure to make proper application for service in the true name of the member.
7. Failure to comply with permit or restriction requirements set forth by the applicable governmental authority.

Service may be terminated without notice for the following reasons:

1. Tampering with or bypassing the company's meter or equipment or other instances of diversion or theft of service. This is both illegal and extremely dangerous.
2. Existence of a known dangerous condition. Service will not be reconnected so long as the condition exists.
3. Where service is connected without authority by a person who has not made application for service or where service is reconnected without authority after termination for nonpayment.
4. Payments made for restoration of service are returned to CoServ unpaid by your financial institution.

Service may be refused to you for the following reasons:

1. The existence of facilities that are hazardous, interfere with the service of others, or are otherwise inadequate.
2. The use of prohibited equipment or attachments.
3. Change of member identity to avoid or evade payment of utility bill; intent to deceive
4. Existing indebtedness to CoServ.
5. Refusal to comply with deposit and guarantee requirements.

If termination occurs, a payment of all charges on your account (electric and gas if applicable) and a deposit equal to one-sixth of your annual bill will be required in order to have the service restored. Your account will also be assessed a $70.00 reconnection fee. We require the 70.00 reconnect fee to be paid at the time of requesting service restoration.

If CoServ receives payment for reconnection of service prior to 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, your service will be reconnected that same day. If CoServ receives payment for reconnection of service after 3:00 p.m., service will be reconnected the following business day.

Tampering, bypassing or connection of service by an unauthorized person will involve additional charges including a deposit equal to one-sixth your annual bill.

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Billing Disputes:

In the event of a billing dispute, you may request a supervisory review by contacting our Customer Service Department. CoServ will investigate the dispute and report its findings to the member. To avoid service interruption, you will be required to pay an average bill amount in lieu of the disputed portion and to pay all subsequent billings. If you are dissatisfied with the review, you may appeal to CoServ's Board of Directors by sending a letter to the attention of the CoServ Board of Directors at 7701 South Stemmons, Corinth, Texas 76210.

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Payment Options:

• Arrangement

  If you are unable to pay your bill by the due date on the disconnect notice, you may qualify for an arrangement provided you contact the Customer Service Department on or before the due date listed on your disconnect notice.

• Deferred payment

  If you have been billed for a period of time longer than 30 days as a result of a meter malfunction or billing error, you can qualify for a deferred payment plan. Such plan requires that you keep all subsequent bills current and pay monthly an amount agreed upon by CoServ. If you do not fulfill the terms of the deferred payment plan agreement, your service will be terminated. Such breach of the agreement voids your right to a deferred payment plan or renegotiation to avoid termination. Under the deferred payment plan, no more than one-third of the total deferred amount can be required for the initial payment, with the balance in reasonable installments. A deferred payment plan may include a 5% penalty for late payment. You may enter into a deferred payment plan by visiting a customer service representative at CoServ's office or by contacting CoServ's Customer Service Department by phone. CoServ is not required to offer this arrangement if you have had service for less than three months.

• Automatic Bank Draft

  The bank draft allows for payment of your bill to be automatically drafted from your checking account. Each month we will send you a bill that will show the date and the amount that will be drafted from your account. Your bank statement will reference Denton County Electric Cooperative as the payee.

• Bill Matrix

  You may pay your bill by telephone at 1-800-807-3891 or online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We accept Visa or MasterCard credit or debit card and electronic check. If payment is made for service reconnection, it is your responsibility to contact our Customer Service Department with payment confirmation. Your bank or credit card statement will reference Denton County Electric Cooperative as the payee.

• Night Drop

  Our night drop is located in the front parking lot of our office, located at 7701 S Stemmons, Corinth, Texas. Payments dropped after 8 a.m. will be posted by noon the following business day. For immediate credit, payment can be made to our cashiers during business hours.

We recommend you call CoServ if you plan to be gone for an extended period of time and will miss one or more billing dates. Arrangements can be made to pay an average bill amount for each month that you are away. This will help avoid unnecessary termination of your service. Your current bill must be paid in order to be eligible for this option.

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Financial Assistance:

Financial assistance may be available for persons in need of assistance with their electric payments. Please follow this link for a list of agencies providing financial assistance.

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Critical Care/Critical Load:

Contact the Customer Service Department if a resident on the premises requires electric service to maintain life. Your account will be coded as "critical", making our service technicians aware of the medical need in outage situations. Documentation from your physician will be required to support the medical need.

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Privacy Statement:

All information required by CoServ to establish your account is kept completely confidential and is never given or sold for any reason (exceptions made as required by regulatory authorities or by valid subpoena). CoServ has the right to request personal information in order to verify the identity of the caller requesting account information.