What are slamming and cramming? Slamming is the unauthorized switch of your electric service. Cramming is an unauthorized charge on your electric bill. What should I do if my service has been switched without my permission? If this occurs, you should call the unauthorized Retail Electric Provider (REP) immediately to discuss the situation. If the provider insists they were chosen, ask them to send you a copy of the authorization. If the provider cannot provide it and you think you have been slammed, you should contact the Public Utility Commission's (PUCT) Customer Protection Division toll-free at 1-888-PUC-TIPS (1-888-782-8477) or visit www.puc.texas.gov/consumer/ What if my contract is about to expire? Retail electric providers are required to notify residential customers at least 30 days before a contract expires. The residential customer can switch without incurring an early termination charge if the switch is no earlier than 14 days before the contract expiration date provided in the notice. If the customer takes no action in response to the notice, the REP will serve the customer on a month-to-month product. Can a company back bill or re-bill me? If there has been an error with your bill or you did not receive a bill, the company can re-bill your account up to 180 days from the original bill issuance date for charges from the time the error occurred. If the correction increases your charges by more than $50.00, you may request a deferred payment plan for the balance. The company can re-bill more than 180 days in cases of meter tampering. Can my bill be estimated? A company may estimate your bills if actual meter readings cannot be obtained or if your REP does not receive meter readings from the Transmission and Distribution Utility (TDU). Generally, estimated meter readings cannot happen more than three consecutive billing cycles. Can I be charged a deposit? A REP may require a residential customer or applicant to establish and maintain satisfactory credit as a condition of providing service. The amount of the deposit may be up to 1/5th of the estimated annual billing or the sum of the estimated billings for the next two months. What is the AMS meter charge, and who authorized it? In 2005, the Texas Legislature directed the PUCT to authorize electric delivery companies to assess a surcharge to recover the costs of Smart Meters. This surcharge will be shared among all electricity users in each electric delivery company's service area. The surcharge not only covers the installation of the meter but also the back office systems and infrastructure needed to read the new meter. When can the utility disconnect my service? A REP may authorize the disconnection of a customer's electric service after proper notice is given and not before the first day after the disconnection date provided in the notice. Service may be disconnected for non-payment of a bill, deferred payment arrangement, or deposit. A TDU may disconnect service in cases of emergencies, meter tampering, or unsafe conditions. What if I can't pay my bill? You should try to make payment arrangements before your bill is due or your service is disconnected. Call your REP to make payment arrangements or request to enter into a deferred payment plan. You are eligible for a deferred payment plan if you have not received more than two termination notices in the past year. It is important to keep up with the terms of the payment plan, or you could be disconnected. To make budgeting easier, ask about level billing programs or average payment plans that offer bills that are about the same amount each month. All customers who are not currently delinquent with their electric bills are eligible for these programs. What if I have a pending disconnection and I have a medical condition that requires me to have electricity?
Customers that have medical conditions and are at risk of being disconnected may request a deferred payment plan for the balance due. Each time a customer seeks to avoid disconnection of service under this subsection, the customer must accomplish all of the following by the stated date of disconnection:
A REP may release your information to a third party to perform services or functions such as meter reading or billing on the REP's behalf if the services or functions are related to the provision of your electric service. The third party must sign a confidentiality agreement with the REP to ensure the protection of your information. The REP may also share your information with: