Propane-shoddy business practices

[Pilot]

Dougster,

The propane had NOT been paid for. We refused to pay because we hadn't authorized the delivery, in fact we said no more deliveries unless we call for them. Then they wanted to charge an outrageous price--it worked out to about $3.90 per gallon for that last delivery that we didn't ask for.

The ethical thing do to was to give back to them the propane we didn't ask for and hadn't paid for and that's what we did.

In every activity there are some bad eggs and we just happened to tie in with one of them. I did not intend to imply that the entire industry was run by scammers.

 

[coobie]

Did I ever tell you how GLAD I AM that I bought a wood pellet/corn stove 7 years ago to heat our whole house.We own our 500 gal. propane and shop price,this year $1.35 gal.We use about 400 gal. per year.coobie

 

[TWD]

2.29/g we just paid in California for propane

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I never used propane, but some heating oil companies are almost as bad. Most won't even sell you oil unless you have a maintenance agreement with them. They do this so you can't price shop, and make it difficult to change companies.

As far a different prices for different folks, every supply house does this. Best customers (usually) get the best prices. Even lumber companies sells lumber this way. When I built my house I had a builder friend order my lumber for me, and he would negotiate a lot better price than i could buy it.
I also like my pellet stove.

 

[clemsonfor]

I'm not certain that I understand why you'd leave any gas in the tank.. it's been delivered and paid for. Why not have the new company empty the tank and get on with life. There's something about this story that doesn't add up.
I have a very close friend that owns a propane company and I'd trust him with my life and everything I own. Extremely honest... yet, he is constantly getting complaints from customers. Almost always, it's a problem with a lack of communication. On the other hand, some folks aren't happy regardless.
This company is the man's life bood. It's in his best interest to be honest and up front. Repeat business is essential.

Cause they never paid the invoice for the deliverd propane im sure. By not paying the invoice weather it came or not and then returning the tank with X delivered gallons of it they were saying that they never accepted delivery of it.

 

[clemsonfor]

Dougster,

The propane had NOT been paid for. We refused to pay because we hadn't authorized the delivery, in fact we said no more deliveries unless we call for them. Then they wanted to charge an outrageous price--it worked out to about $3.90 per gallon for that last delivery that we didn't ask for.

The ethical thing do to was to give back to them the propane we didn't ask for and hadn't paid for and that's what we did.

In every activity there are some bad eggs and we just happened to tie in with one of them. I did not intend to imply that the entire industry was run by scammers.

Sorry i wrote my response after i read his and did not click the 3rd page and read that you basically said , already what i did.

 

[user.69169]

Sure seems to me like propane ain't a whole lot different than any other business transaction. You either do your homework and learn what you're doing from your side of the negotiating table or you hope some sharpie salesman sin't gonna skin you out of the goodness of his heart. Sort of about buying a car from one of then big fancy delaerships where you believe cause they got all kinds of church brochures and magazines laying on the tables and a Bible on every salesman's desk you're going to get an honest deal.

Odd thing is we had one of them dealerships over to Batavia for a few years, fellow was all over the TV every night sayin how good he was. Seems a year or so back the Ford Company sort of figured out how honest he really was, and shut the doors on the boy. Then the State figured out how honest he was, and well, he really weren't very honest after all.

Really, how can anyone believe a propane company is going to set a tank at your house so they can sell you product and not charge you for the tank? Them tanks don't cost much more than a few hundred dollars but they sure are a moneymaker for the owner. I bought myself a 500 gallon tank for $700- all set up with the regulator and pipe, and made a few phone calls offering to buy propane and asking price. Thought I'd run into the FlimFlam man about half the places I called, and a couple had them college educated computer reader people who could only do what the computer said they could.

Good thing was I got into the propane buying here right about the time the Level Propane War ended, and there was a lot of dealers looking to add customers. Had myself a good deal for a few years, then that company got caught selling gas to the Sheriff Department at the wrong price when one driver fessed up, and the company went all bad. Didn't take more than 3 phone calls to find another propane suplier though, and at a decent price to boot. Funny thing is the company that filled the tank has them computer reader people who couldn't give me a decent price, and I bought the propane from another company that don't even have a bobtail truck. I figure there's some wheelin and dealin goin on but it really don't bother me cause I paid 24 cents a gallon less from the company who don't have computer readers.

 

[Pilot]

Well, we won.

Got a note from Joe's Propane and Used Cars saying they would write off the propane charge and only want the $300 termination fee.

I told our treasurer not to send the money until we get the final $300 statement--I don't want some clerk treating it as a partial payment.

BTW, the tanks are rented, $55 a year. Best purchase price I could find around here was close to $900 for a tank and used ones are hard to find. The cheapest supplier doesn't give a break for customer owned tanks and the next cheapest gives about $.20. That would work out to about a 4 year payback for the church, but they didn't have the money to purchase a tank. For our home, we put in a heat pump and don't use much propane any more--just heating water and once in awhile the heating system switches to propane in cold weather. When I come across a good deal on a tank, I'll buy it, but not at $900 when we use only about 250 gallons a year.