We realize that gas and electrical service are important to you. We want to help you avoid going without electricity or gas service -- even for a short period of time.
Your gas and/or electrical service may be shut off for any of the following reasons:
- Nonpayment of past due DTE Energy bills.
- Failure to pay a past due bill (not in dispute) that is owed by a member of the household, if both parties lived at the address at the time all or part of the bill was incurred
- Failure to pay a security deposit or provide a guarantor, if required.
- Tampering with our equipment, such as the meter. At DTE Energy, we offer many options to our customers, energy theft is not one of them. Energy theft occurs when electricity or gas is used without the customer having an account with DTE Energy, or the meter has been bypassed or tampered with to prevent proper registration.
- Failure to pay as agreed in a settlement agreement.
- Refusal to allow our employees access to equipment installed on your property at reasonable times.
- Using a false name to apply for service.
- Violation of any other rules or regulations that endanger anyone's personal safety or the operation of our energy delivery systems.
Your service will not be shut off under the following conditions:
- Failure to pay for other non-regulated services or goods purchased from us.
- Failure to pay for gas or electrical service at a different location, if that service is on a different account.
- Failure of a landlord to pay for service used by a tenant, when the account is in the tenant's name.
- Failure of a landlord or tenant to pay for service when that service was the responsibility of the other party.
- When you properly notify us of a medical emergency in your home, service shut off can be delayed, or if previously shut off, can be restored for up to 21 days if you present a written statement from a doctor, public health or social service official certifying the emergency illness of anyone living permanently in the home. The written statement must clearly state that shut off of service will aggravate the medical emergency.
- If you are enrolled in the Winter Protection Plan or any other payment plan offered by the company and are current with the plan's payments.
- If you are enrolled in the Military Protection Plan.
- When any billing amount for which you have properly advised us is in dispute. While we do not send a shutoff notice for any amount in dispute, service is subject to shutoff for any unpaid amount not in dispute.
Shutoff Notice
If your service is subject to be shut off, we will notify you in two ways:
- We send a shutoff notice at least 10 days before your service is shut off. This shutoff notice is mailed to the account mailing address and to the address where the service is used (if different from the mailing address). The notice includes the approximate date of the shut off and how to contact us to prevent it.
- If you do not respond to the notice, we also try to contact you by telephone at least one day before shut off.
If you live in a multiple-unit building with three or more units but only one electric and/or gas meter, a notice is delivered to each tenant at least 30 days before the service is shut off.
When Service is Scheduled for Shut Off
Service shut offs are conducted between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Our representative has a record of your account and will explain the reason for the shut off. If the representative is to shut off service because you did not pay your bill, you can show proof of payment or proof that the amount in question is in dispute to avoid shut off. Our representative will verify that your bill was paid or is in dispute.
After Service is Shut Off
Our representative leaves a notice at your home stating that the service has been shut off. The notice includes our Company address and the telephone number to call to have your service restored.
When the past due amount and other applicable fees are paid or satisfactory payment arrangements are made with the Company, service is restored as soon as possible. Service will be restored the next business day, provided no extenuating circumstances exist.
