fighting with a propane company for 1 year 4 months please HELP!

[HERA]

Please help I'm ready to give up! Feb.5 2002 I moved to a new house we had propane from a company called AMERIGAS I called to let them know we were moving they said they'd do a last reading and lock the tank off so I could get my money back for the gas that was in the tank that I already paid for. Well they didn't do a last reading and didn't lock the tank off and my has was used by an empty house. Everytime I call I'd get the run around from the same girl The boss isn't in I'll call you back just one thing after the other. So I called another branch to see if they could help and its the same with them we'll call you back. I emailed the mail office they just sent the email to office I was complaining about. I'm sick and tired of getting the run around but I don't know what else I can do. I know I had 150-200 lbs or gals. in the tank and I want my money. Oh and they did pick up they're tank last month 1 year and 3 months and guess what it was empty. PLEASE HELP!

[teenap]

good lord, I hate amerigas...i Just cancelled with them, I dont have any other advice other than hope you get it resolved though!

[sivohdarba]

We use amerigas also. I am not clear from your post if you had rented or sold the house? When we purchased our house, the previous homeowners had paid off the amount due on the remaing propane and we then had the account switched to our name. If you were renting the house than I would think the land lord would pay you for the remaining propane and then go and charge the new tenants for it. You mentioned that they said they would do a final reading, and lock the tank. All locking the tank does is keep it from being re-filled. In order to shut the gas off to the house you would have to do that yourself using the gas shut off valve located outside the wall the line ran into the house on. I feel so bad for you! And I am sorry they are giving you the run around. It sounds like they don't know who is liable for the gas payment either ( you or them) If you would like, I can give you the number to our local amerigas company. They have always been wonderful, and worked with me on everything until I was satisfied. You can email me here email ([email protected])

[sivohdarba]

You could also file a complaint with the BBB or take them to small claims court. I am not sure how long the statue of limitations is for filing complaints against a utility company is though. You can do the BBB complaint online even! I used it once for a non paying survey site, and got great results.

[a12100]

I worked for a propane company for many years... not amerigas thank god!! But all I can say is that sivohdarba is right about locking the tank and shutting the gas off yourself. If you sold the house, then the only thing I know of is that usually there is a provision to reimburse you for the current amount of gas in your tank when the closing is made. That way the new owners end up paying for the gas in the tank.... If you were a renter then you should be getting up your landlords butt. Most companies charge a restocking fee also where they charge a small percent for picking up a tank w/ gas in it. If they are anything like the company I worked for they know how much gas was in the tank, or at least around how much. My company was all computerized down to a daily percentage... wasnt always acurate, but if you were a long time customer it got better with age. Another thing is Go to the office... it might be a drive but at least you will know if the boss is in. Also don't leave till you get your money back... they'll get sick of you standing around after a while. As a final resort, contact the bosses boss. When we had a customer go over my managers head to the main owners... they really got pi$$ed at the manager for not handling it. I hope you can get your money back from who ever -

[FireFox1973]

Call the BBB and a local tv or newspaper. Write letters to the editor, and send a copy to that office and the main branch. Out in NJ, we have a NY based news show that has a segment called the problem solvers that does expos on companies like this. Too bad you do not have this by you. I would go to planet feedback as well. Make a lot of noise and try to embarrass them in a public forum. Attracting this kind of negative attention for the company is likely to get them to act quicker to shut you up! Good Luck!

[HERA]

Thanks for all the help and support. Im going to keep fighting with them till they give me my money. I'm sure they'd never let me rest if I owed them the money. Where can I file a complaint online? And can anyone else find out if Amerigas has a corp. # I've looked and can't find anything. Thanks again.

[sivohdarba]

Keep fighting! I just sent you a reply to ur email, and here is the better business bureau web page. http://www.bbb.org/ Good luck!

[sivohdarba]

Wow! I just did a search for them at the bbb site and it came up with over 150 pages!! Here is the link: http://search.bbb.org/results.html Guess the link won't show the results.Hera, type Amerigas into the search and it will bring up tons of offices, including the office manager and PHONE NUMBER. Maybe you can climb up the management ladder quicker that way? Anyways...good luck hon :)

[HERA]

OMG Well lets just add one more to that list.

[MrsSpeed]

Does your state have a utilities board? I can't remember the official name of it but it's a board that protects residents from utilities fraud. I had a similar situation with our gas company. Not propane but natural gas. When we sold our old house I called ALL of the utility companies the same day to notify them of the day to end our service at the old house and switch it to the new house. WELL almost a year later I get a $300+ bill from MGE. :eek: I called to find out why it was so high. They told me it was for gas at the old house. I told them that I switched services when the house was sold "We don't have any record of that" :rolleyes: Seems that the new owners of the house realized it was still in our name and ran the bill up without paying until it got disconnected. THEN put it in their name. :mad: I fought them for quite awhile until I found out about the state utilities board. I faxed them all the papers proving that we didn't own the property etc. It was finally removed from our bill. Hopefully the people we sold the house to got stuck with it for running it up and not paying. :rolleyes: I WAS NOT going to pay for MGE's mistake. :mad: Call your Attorney General's office and see if your state has a Utilities Division to protect residents from fraud.

Good Luck!!!

[HERA]

Thanks everyone. Today I talked to the manager and my file was deleted because I'm no longer a customer and it has been over a year well in the end he said he knew I was a long time customer and he'd send me a check for $100.00 and he hoped I'd rethink changing gas services. I told him I think about it after I got my check.Thanks to sivohdarba for all the help and phone #.

[sivohdarba]

Way to go kiddo!! I am happy that I helped ya, even though the numbers I gave you wouldn't go through..lol!!!
I sure hope you get that check...too bad it's not for more $$ though.