Pilot
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2004
- Messages
- 1,208
- Location
- Oregon
- Tractor
- JD 770, Yanmar 180D, JD 420 (not running), had a Kubota B6200
Sorry this is long, but it's a long story.
Our little country church switched from oil to propane when the furnace died. A guy signed a contract with the supplier on behalf of the church. He didn't check things out very well, didn't read the contract--he's dyslexic.
He bit because the supplier, let's call them "Joe's Propane and Used Cars" offered a low come on rate the first year, then "market" rates in years 2 & 3 of a 3 year contract. There is a $300 "early termination" fee in the contract if you want to get out of it in less than 3 years. And, not in the contract, was an automatic keep full service.
In year 2, we found that their "market" rate was 84 cents per gallon higher than another supplier, 96 cents higher than another. The church made the decision that it was cheaper to change suppliers, switching to one of the other suppliers with no 3 year contract, and pay the early termination fee than to continue at the exorbitant rates Joe's Propane and Used Cars was charging.
So I called Joe's Propane and Used Cars and canceled the refill service so we could work thru the propane in the tank before we made the switch. But Joe's Propane and Used Cars rushed out and filled the tank a few days after I called. They said they couldn't change the delivery schedule in just a few days. Now I can walk into the Post Office, fill out a card and next day I won't get mail. That's the Post Office! I can call the newspaper and next day, no paper. But they say they can't change the route with just a few day's notice. Right.
So we switched to "Ethical Propane", their guy comes out, disconnects Joe' tank, transfers most of the propane to the new tank, leaving in Joe's tank an amount equal to their last delivery. So they would get back the propane they weren't supposed to deliver.
2 weeks later, Joe's Propane and Used Cars finally picks up their tank and claims it was empty and they want not only the early termination fee but also almost $400 for the propane they weren't supposed to deliver.
Talking to the guy at Ethical, it turns out it is illegal to haul a tank down the road with propane in it. So Joe's Propane and Used Cars had to send a DOT certified tanker truck out and emptied the tank, then picked up the tank with another truck, the driver of which rightly recorded that the tank was empty. But Joe's Propane and Used Cars still wants payment for the propane which they got back plus the termination fee.
We are refusing to pay for the propane, but willing to pay the termination fee.
Another company supplied our home. They got bought out and practices changed. When we got a delivery, the invoice price seemed awfully high. Called the office and they quickly backed down, knocking about $1 per gallon off the price. So after every delivery, we called and got a discount. Saved over $1,000 over a 2 year period before we switched to another supplier.
Lessons: 1. As always, be sure you know what you are getting into, short term and long term. 2. Shop around, ask questions. 3. Google search prospective companies, looking for complaints. Joe's Propane and Used Cars has a lot of complaints as well as a class action lawsuit in the works. But remember, nationwide outfits will always have some complaints because no on is perfect, so account for that. Ethical is local and I found no complaints online. 4. If you think the invoice price is too high, call the office. We found that high prices on invoices is a common practice in the industry and those who pay the invoice price get ripped off.
Note again, the company names here are made up--we have some folks on our end that are afraid of lawsuits.
Our little country church switched from oil to propane when the furnace died. A guy signed a contract with the supplier on behalf of the church. He didn't check things out very well, didn't read the contract--he's dyslexic.
He bit because the supplier, let's call them "Joe's Propane and Used Cars" offered a low come on rate the first year, then "market" rates in years 2 & 3 of a 3 year contract. There is a $300 "early termination" fee in the contract if you want to get out of it in less than 3 years. And, not in the contract, was an automatic keep full service.
In year 2, we found that their "market" rate was 84 cents per gallon higher than another supplier, 96 cents higher than another. The church made the decision that it was cheaper to change suppliers, switching to one of the other suppliers with no 3 year contract, and pay the early termination fee than to continue at the exorbitant rates Joe's Propane and Used Cars was charging.
So I called Joe's Propane and Used Cars and canceled the refill service so we could work thru the propane in the tank before we made the switch. But Joe's Propane and Used Cars rushed out and filled the tank a few days after I called. They said they couldn't change the delivery schedule in just a few days. Now I can walk into the Post Office, fill out a card and next day I won't get mail. That's the Post Office! I can call the newspaper and next day, no paper. But they say they can't change the route with just a few day's notice. Right.
So we switched to "Ethical Propane", their guy comes out, disconnects Joe' tank, transfers most of the propane to the new tank, leaving in Joe's tank an amount equal to their last delivery. So they would get back the propane they weren't supposed to deliver.
2 weeks later, Joe's Propane and Used Cars finally picks up their tank and claims it was empty and they want not only the early termination fee but also almost $400 for the propane they weren't supposed to deliver.
Talking to the guy at Ethical, it turns out it is illegal to haul a tank down the road with propane in it. So Joe's Propane and Used Cars had to send a DOT certified tanker truck out and emptied the tank, then picked up the tank with another truck, the driver of which rightly recorded that the tank was empty. But Joe's Propane and Used Cars still wants payment for the propane which they got back plus the termination fee.
We are refusing to pay for the propane, but willing to pay the termination fee.
Another company supplied our home. They got bought out and practices changed. When we got a delivery, the invoice price seemed awfully high. Called the office and they quickly backed down, knocking about $1 per gallon off the price. So after every delivery, we called and got a discount. Saved over $1,000 over a 2 year period before we switched to another supplier.
Lessons: 1. As always, be sure you know what you are getting into, short term and long term. 2. Shop around, ask questions. 3. Google search prospective companies, looking for complaints. Joe's Propane and Used Cars has a lot of complaints as well as a class action lawsuit in the works. But remember, nationwide outfits will always have some complaints because no on is perfect, so account for that. Ethical is local and I found no complaints online. 4. If you think the invoice price is too high, call the office. We found that high prices on invoices is a common practice in the industry and those who pay the invoice price get ripped off.
Note again, the company names here are made up--we have some folks on our end that are afraid of lawsuits.
Ken Sweet
