Information Concerning Rates And Services
Company’s service rules and applicable tariffs are available for inspection at each Company’s office during working hours, Monday through Friday, except on holidays observed by the Company. Copies of the service rules and applicable tarriffs are available at each Company’s office at nominal cost.
Time Allowed To Pay Outstanding Bills
The date your gas bill is due and payable is clearly indicated on the bill. The minimum time between the date the bill is prepared and sent to you and the due date is fifteen (15) days. However, if your gas bill shows that payment has not been made on the previous month’s bill, that unpaid balance is due within five (5) working days from the date the bill is prepared and sent to you.
Grounds For Termination Of Service
Your gas service may be terminated for any of the following
reasons.
- Failure to pay bill rendered as a disconnect notice.
- Failure to comply with deposit or guaranty arrangements.
- Failure to comply with terms of a written agreement for installment payment of a deliquent account
- Tampering with or damaging Company’s meter equipment or by-passing same.
- For use of gas in violation of Company’s service rules
- For use of gas in violation of any law, ordinance or regulation.
- In the event Company’s representatives are refused access to your premises to read meters, service, repair line or other equipment.
- In the event you vacate the premises served by Company.
- Violation of Company’s rules pertaining to the use in a way which interferes with the service of others or the operation of non-standard equipment, if a reasonable attempt has been made to notify you and you are provided with resonable opportunity to remedy the situation.
- For fraudulent misrepresentation in relation to the consumtion of gas or any other fraud practiced, with reguard to the matters referred to in Company’s service rules or in a contract with the Company.
- Without notice where a known dangerous condition exists for as long as the condition exists.
Steps Company Must Take Before Terminating Gas Service For Non-Payment Of A Bill
Before gas service is terminated for non-payment of a bill, you will be given 5 working days written notice of termination and the earliest date that disconnection will be made.
Steps You May Take To Prevent Termination Of Service
You may prevent termination of service if:
- You pay all outstanding balances due to Company; or
- You are unable to pay the full amount of the bill, you sign a deferred payment agreement to pay the outstanding balance in installments as well as all future bills; or
- except in cases involving theft or fraud, the reason for termination bas been corrected.
Services You May Take To Have Service Reconnected After Termination
You may have service reconnected after termination if:
- you pay all outstanding balances due to Company; or
- except in cases unvolving theft or fraud, the reason for termination has been corrected.
How Health Emergencies Affect Termination Of Residental Service
If discontinuance of gas service would cause someone at your home to become seriously ill or more seriously ill, you may avoid termination of service for a period of twenty (20) days if:
- Prior to the date of termination, Company receives a written request from you supported by a written statement from a licensed physician; and
- you sign a deferred payment agreement.
How To Resolve Billing Disputes And How These Disputes Affect Termination Of Service
If you believe a bill is incorrect, you must give Company written notice prior to the date the bill becomes due and payable. Please incude the reasons you question the amount. Gas service will not be discontinued while the bill is in dispute or for sixty (60) days after the bill is issued, whichever is less. However, until the dispute is resolved, you may be required to pay amount based on prior gas usage. The portion of the bill which remains unpaid and is determined to be correct will become due three (3) working days after Company reports the results of its investigation to you.
How To Read Your Gas Meter
Normally a gas meter index has four (4) reading dials in a horizontal line with the dials labeled from left to right as 1 million, 100 thousand, 10 thousand and 1 thousand. Also, there may be one or more additional dials labeled “halffoot, two foot, etc.” used for meter tests are to be ignored in reading the meter. Meter dials are read right to left from the dial labeled 1 thousand to the dial labeled 1 million. Read each dial as he last number the pointer has passed paying particular attention to the curved arrow on the face of the dial. This arrow reflects the direction in which the pointer moves. Some pointers move clockwise and some move counter clockwise. When the pointer of the dial is on or near a number, it is often difficult to tell whether the pointer has actually passed the number or not. Apply the following rule in this situation for every dial where the pointer is on or near a number.
“The same or Lower Number Rule”
When the pointer appears to be on or near a number: Read it exactly as that number is the pointer of the dial on the immediate right is near 1 or 2. Read ot as the lower number if the pointer of the dial on the immediate right is near 8 or 9. The following ia an example of how to read a typical meter index:
Look at the following dials with their curved arrows. Read right to left. As follows:
- Read the “thousand foot” dial as 7, the last number that the pointer passed. Note that the curved arrown on the dial shows a clockwise movement of the pointer.
- Read the next dia, the “0 thousand” dial. The curved arrow on the dial above shows a counter clockwise direction. The pointer is near the 9 but to be sure wheather to read it as that number or the lower number 8, the previously mentioned “Same or Lower Number rule” must be applied. Since the pointer in the “thousand-foot” dial to the right is nearer the 8 amd the pinter has not reached the 0, the “10 thousand” dial should be read as 8.
- Read the “100 thousand” dial, it seems to point to 2. Double check by using the ruel above. Since the pointer of the :”10 thousand” dial is between the 8 and 9, take the lower number 1, for the “100 thousand” dial.
- Read the leftmost dial, the “million foot” dial. The pointer is near the 6. Using the “Same or Lower Number Rule,” we find the pointer on the dial to the right between 1 and 2, so we read the “million foot” dial exactly as the number it is on ore near, 6. The entire reading is 6187
Alternate Payment Plans Available
The Company makes available to you an agreement which provides for payment of delinquent bills along with timely payment for the subsequent monthly billings. Please contact your nearest Company office for more information regarding your plan.
Customer Request To Meter Test
Upon your request, Company will test the accuracy of your gas meter. You will be informed of the time and place of the test so that you or your authorized represenative may be present if you so desire. If no such test has been performed within the previous four years for you at the same location, the test will be performed without charge. If such a test has been performed for you at the same location within the previous four years, a fee will be charged to you. (In the event the meter test indicate that the meter is more than nominally defective, the fee will be refunded. More than nominally defective means a deviation of more than 2.0% from accurate registration.) An adjustment may be made to your account reflecting a charge or credit dependent
How To Register A Complaint With The Appropriate Regulatory Authority
In event you register a complaint with Company which is not handled to your satisfaction:
- Customers inside city limits may contact local city officials at City Hall.
- Customers in unicorporated areas may contact
Director
Gas Utilities Division
Railroad Commission of Texas
P.O. Box Drawer 12967, Austin TX 78711
Compaints to these parties may be submitted in writing or by telephone.