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Deposits, Disconnects, and Fees

 
Tipmont REMC policies are established by your board of directors to protect the financial stability of the cooperative. This allows us to provide the best and most efficient electrical service to our members.
Service Installation
Service Deposits
What happens to deposit money?
Can Tipmont REMC disconnect my service without notice?
Will my service be disconnected if I don't pay my bill?
How do I get my service reconnected?
Fees
What if I have a financial hardship and cannot pay my bill?
Prohibited Disconnections
 
Service Installation
 
There is no charge for your initial residential hookup at an existing home. However, there may be an installation charge in the following cases:

  • When temporary service is requested or required
  • When electrical service is being connected for the first time in areas without existing service.
  • When the cost to install the service is more than our estimated revenue from the first 30 months of electrical usage

 
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Service Deposits
 
Service deposits are money collected "up front" to protect the cooperative from uncollectible accounts. New residential members or residential members who have not had an active electric account with Tipmont REMC in the last twelve months must meet established credit requirements to avoid paying a service deposit. In certain circumstances, a credit report may be obtained from a third-party credit reporting agency.

  • If you are a new member with Tipmont REMC: a service deposit is required if your credit report does not meet Tipmont REMC's credit criteria.
  • If you have had an active electric account with Tipmont REMC in the last twelve months: a service deposit is required if you have ever owed an outstanding bill to Tipmont REMC or you were ever disconnected for non-payment to Tipmont REMC.
  • If you have been a member of Tipmont REMC, but have not had an active electric account with Tipmont in the last twelve months: a service deposit is required if your credit report does not meet Tipmont's credit criteria, or you have ever owed an outstanding bill to Tipmont REMC, or you were ever disconnected for non-payment to Tipmont REMC.
  • If you are an existing member: a new or additional deposit will be required if your service has been disconnected for non-payment, or if you were involved in the theft of electric service or meter tampering.
     

A service deposit is required for commercial accounts. In lieu of a deposit, the commercial member may supply an irrevocable letter of credit or surety bond from a licensed institution or provider.
 
If a deposit is required, it must be paid before service can be transferred or connected. The amount of the deposit will be based on 1/6 of the estimated annual billings. In order to sign a payment arrangement for a deposit, a member must pay $100 or 1/2, whichever is greater, and pay the balance within 30 days.
 
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What happens to deposit money?
 
Deposits required for residential rate classes will be held for an initial period of twelve months. After the first twelve months, deposits will be refunded if the account meets established payments requirements and has not been disconnected for non-payment. No interest will be paid on residential deposits.

  • You have paid your bill on time for ten out of twelve consecutive months AND
  • You have had no late payment for two consecutive months from the date of deposit.
     

Deposits required for commercial rate classes will be held for the life of the the account. Commercial deposits will receive interest at the rate of 4% annually. The interest will be paid after the initial 12 months of service. Interest payments will be distributed once a year in the month of January.
 
If you have paid a service deposit and then discontinue service, the deposit will be applied to your final bill and any remaining amount will be refunded. If you move from one location to another within our service territory, the deposit will be transferred.
 
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Disconnection: How do I request that my service be disconnected?
 
If you are moving or want your electric service to be shut off for another reason, please call Tipmont at least three working days before the day you want your service to be disconnected. For example, if you want service to stop on Monday, you will need to call us by the previous Wednesday.
 
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Can Tipmont REMC disconnect my service without notice?
 
Tipmont REMC will disconnect your service without advance notice only...

  • If you have broken a payment agreement.
  • If you have paid a past due bill with a non-negotiable check.
  • If a condition exists which is hazardous to life, physical safety, or property.
  • Upon order of any court, commission, or other authorized public authority.
  • If fraudulent or unauthorized use of electricity is detected.
  • If our regulating or measuring equipment has been tampered with.
  • If emergency repairs to our equipment are necessary.

 
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Will my service be disconnected if I don't pay my bill?
 
Tipmont REMC is allowed by law to disconnect your electric service due to non-payment of bills when we provide at least 14 days written notice. Before service is disconnected, you will receive a written notice that will give the date of the proposed disconnection. If we do not hear from you by the stated time, your service will be disconnected on or soon after the date specified in the notice.
 
To provide every opportunity for you to bring your payment up to date and have service reconnected, we only disconnect services at times when you can come in that afternoon or the next day to make payments. Therefore, disconnects due to non-payment are made only between 8 AM and 3 PM, local time, Monday through Thursday, and only between 8 AM and 12 noon on Friday. We also will disconnect only until noon when our offices will be closed the following day.
 
When our employee arrives at your premises for disconnection, a notice will be given to you or left at the premises if you are not there. However, the Tipmont REMC employee who comes to make the disconnection is not permitted to collect payment. This means that your payment must be received in our office in order to have your service reinstated.
 
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How do I get my service reconnected?
 
If your service has been disconnected due to non-payment, you will need to make satisfactory payment arrangements before it can be reconnected. If a Tipmont REMC employee makes a trip to your service location on the disconnect date, a Trip fee may be charged. If the service is disconnected, past due bills, a reconnect fee, and a deposit must be paid in the office before service can be restored.
 
Trip Fee $25.00
Reconnect Fee $55.00
Returned Check Fee $20.00
 
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What if I have a financial hardship and cannot pay my bill?
 
Occasionally, you may have temporary circumstances such that you cannot pay the full amount of your bill. In these cases, we can arrange for continued service as long as you have not broken a payment agreement with us in the last year and you agree in writing to pay the total amount due in your account before the next scheduled disconnect day.
 
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Prohibited Disconnections
 
We will not disconnect your electric service when one of the following situations occur:

  • You fail to pay for merchandise or appliances that were purchased from us.
  • You fail to pay for electric service provided at a different location, unless the bill remains unpaid for 45 days.
  • The previous occupant has left an unpaid bill at your residence.
  • You fail to pay for electric service provided under a different class of service.
  • It is between December 1 and March 15 and you are receiving or have applied for Home Energy Assistance.
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