BENCO Electric Cooperative

We received two checks for account [redacted] along with the payment stub stating the amount due was $ One check was written out for $from her roommate in both the written portion and the number portion The second check received from [redacted] was very difficult to read and was interpreted as $(the handwritten portion) the number portion was written as $ We interpreted the written portion to be the correct amount as that was the remaining portion of the amount due on her account

Consumer1 received electric service from Coop from October 12 2011 through February 19 2012 at a residence in Wells, MN.  Consumer’s account was in his name and also girlfriend at that time.  During this time period, Consumer1 and his girlfriend never made a payment towards their electric...

service bills.  After several attempts to collect the past due balance, Consumer1 account was sent to the Coops collection agency on June 5, 2012.  The collection agency was never able to collect on any of the balance owed.  11/21/17 Consumer1 called and Employee1 took moving information on sheet stating he moved in 11/15/17.11/28/17 Employee2 called Consumer1 because he still owes on past billing let him know we can not service at new address until this is paid. Gave him until 12/4/17 to pay and talk to owner/landlord or we would have to contact owner/landlord to see if she wants disconnect or left in her name.11/28/17 Just after hanging up, Consumer1 reference called to put same address in his name, explained that can’t switch/serve as long as Consumer1 is also living there no matter what name the service is in until past debt is cleared up. Upset stated Consumer1 ex girlfriend put in his name with out his knowledge etc let him know that Consumer1 would need to contact us to clear this up could not discuss his account with Reference.11/28/17 Employee3 talked to Consume1 and Consumer1 stated he and his girlfriend broke up and he moved out about 5 years ago, right around the time Consumer1 son was born.  That would have been about November 2012.  Consumer1 states that the did not give authorization to have his name on the account.  However when looking at the account we have his ssn, dob, employer, and a reference/relative listed.  This information would have had to been given to Coop by him.  While Employee3 was speaking with Consumer1, Consumer1 said he would pay a portion of the bill and the remaining portion at a later time.  Consumer1 was told that it is the policy of the Coop that all past due debts must be paid in full before a new service will be started for them again.  It was also explained to Consumer1 that he confirmed that he lived in the residence in question and therefore he received “benefit of electric use” and he was just as responsible for the bill as was his girlfriend.  12/1/17 Employee3 took a phone call from Consumer2 and that he wanted to put the account in his name for the same address that Consumer1 wanted to.  Again it was explained to Consumer2 that as long as Consumer1 lived at this service address then service would not be put in his name either due to the fact that Consumer1 would again be receiving service and still owed for a past due account.  Consumer2 stated that there would be 5 people living in the home.  Employee3 then contact the owner/landlord to clarify who and how many people were on the lease.  The owner/landlord stated the 3 names of the leasee’s listed on the lease, not 5.  Owner/landlord stated to leave in owner/landlord name until further notice, however they did not plan on it being forever, and that Consumer1 needed to get his issue resolved.12/4/17 Employee2 called owner/landlord and she stated to leave in her name and would let us know if we needed to do anything further.

We received two checks for account [redacted] along with the payment stub stating the amount due was $91.19.  One check was written out for $45.10 from her roommate in both the written portion and the number portion.  The second check received from [redacted] was very difficult to read and was...

interpreted as $46.09 (the handwritten portion) the number portion was written as $45.59.  We interpreted the written portion to be the correct amount as that was the remaining portion of the amount due on her account