Royally screwed by propane company - What can I do?

[two_bit_score]

It seems plenty of lawyers elsewhere jump at the chance, some without cost, to sue for unlawful repossession (which apparently this became when I confronted them), but not here in podunctsville KY. The lawyers here seem more Mayberry than Manhattan. Makes me wonder if that is why the companies get away with it, even the lawyers can't fight them properly.

I'm not even sure which angle to go about this.. do I sue for my propane to be returned? Fraudulent billing practices? Illegal repossession? In small claims for pennies or add damages from this all in real court with a real lawyer (if I can find one)?

This all comes down to one universal rule... mean people suck.

Maybe you've heard the old saying about lawyers. Two lawyers are like a pair of scissors. They cut up everything between them.

Keep kicking the tar baby.

 

[chopped]

Sounds, a horror
I have a slightly less tragic story but does seem to show a complete dis_regard for customers.
My dad had a gas stove for years. And the same propane company for probably close to 22 years. Then it was bought out by a larger company.There were some small problems at first with billing. But he went ahead and bought a Gas stove from this company and had it installed.This was mid summer. Com the October the oven stopped working and he called for service. They came out and said it was the control and there wasn't one in the truck or in stock. So it was ordered and they would 'call'.
Mid November he called and they had the part in and would send a guy out to 'fix' it.He arrived and put int he new part and it still didn't work. He said he was stumped but would look into it.
A couple weekdays went by and my dad was billed $290.00..
And still had a stove that didn't work.
He went through Thanksgiving with notjhing to cook the turkey.December arrived and they admitted they couldn't fix it..But he still owed the 290.
I went to Lowe's and got an electric one couple hundred bucks and some wire and a breaker. problem solved .
The gas company came and too the tanks (which were full) and also otore the copper line from the house, pulling tooled off the wall in the basement.:thumbsup:
Also stole the cuatom hood I had made..
At any rate he ended up paying for the '''repairs''.
we tookt he old stove to the company and left it out front with a good note for passerby to see.:thumbsup:
They do seem to be above the laws.

 

[LD1]

Sounds, a horror
I have a slightly less tragic story but does seem to show a complete dis_regard for customers.
My dad had a gas stove for years. And the same propane company for probably close to 22 years. Then it was bought out by a larger company.There were some small problems at first with billing. But he went ahead and bought a Gas stove from this company and had it installed.This was mid summer. Com the October the oven stopped working and he called for service. They came out and said it was the control and there wasn't one in the truck or in stock. So it was ordered and they would 'call'.
Mid November he called and they had the part in and would send a guy out to 'fix' it.He arrived and put int he new part and it still didn't work. He said he was stumped but would look into it.
A couple weekdays went by and my dad was billed $290.00..
And still had a stove that didn't work.
He went through Thanksgiving with notjhing to cook the turkey.December arrived and they admitted they couldn't fix it..But he still owed the 290.
I went to Lowe's and got an electric one couple hundred bucks and some wire and a breaker. problem solved .
The gas company came and too the tanks (which were full) and also otore the copper line from the house, pulling tooled off the wall in the basement.:thumbsup:
Also stole the cuatom hood I had made..
At any rate he ended up paying for the '''repairs''.
we tookt he old stove to the company and left it out front with a good note for passerby to see.:thumbsup:
They do seem to be above the laws.

Wow, how long ago was that? And did you pursue it farther???

It seems they charged you $290 to 'not' fix the stove....
........and then they stole your propane, personal property(hood), and cause damage to your personal property....

....AND YOU STILL PAID THE $290

Just doesnt make sense to me. In my eyes, this is MORE tragic than the OP.

 

[chopped]

It was about two years ago ..well yes sadly My dad is 86, and he is the type of person to let it slip by..He is easily taken advantage of...
Overall I dont get how some companies can survive this way. They advertise all the time yet become a customer and BANG they screw ya..
Oh yes the stove cost close to 600 dollars but he also bought one for my sister, hers was a good one .. no problems with it.Her tank we owned and I would truck to get it filled..
Thats the best way OWN all your stuff and have it filled...

 

[Lloyd_E]

I would make a large sign and place at the head of your driveway explaining everything in bullet form - also post name of company and phone number in large print. I would do the same on a smaller scale and place in the window of your vehicle when shopping in town or at the larger centres... words spread quickly...

We don't have lemons laws up here regarding cars but I have seen over the years people posting in their vehicles messages about how poor the car functions etc...

 

[LD1]

They advertise all the time yet become a customer and BANG they screw ya..

That is exactally why they have to advertize all of the time.

My propane company is excellent. Always within pennies of the lowest price around, no lease fee, no price mark up for leased tanks, no minimum amounts, etc.

I have NEVER seen one of their ads. The best ones are the ones that dont advertize:thumbsup: Places like Farmer Coop (who I have), or places that are partners with you local electric company (consolidated gas) in my area.

The places that advertize all the time worry me. Not saying anything bad, because I have never dealt with them, but I see ads for Amerigas, Ferrel, Wise Choice, all the time in my area. Makes me wonder if they cannot keep customers happy????

 

[chopped]

Right take Wally World. Millions plus in advertising yet you try to get someone on the phone to buy a tire and its days before you get through, Or you go in the store and no one working there. let alone have knowledge..Its not the workers fault. But the customer gets stuck..
If they were good they wouldn't have to advertise. I think everyone in the world knows wal mart..Put the money toward customer service and employ some people..

 

[Taylortractornut]

Ive posted my story a few times on here about my dealings with Dowdle gas company. mom and dad used them for many years. It was a small local company. When mom and dad divorced dad kept the house. About the time he mat his current wife I was living here. He and I went together and scrapped an old aluminum building netting 850 dollars. We went to the propane company and paid for a top off of 100 dollars and prebought 750 dollars worth at 1.29 a gallon. I bought the house the next week from dad. Ithen get a bill from Dowdle for another 100 gallon fill up at 1.49 a gallon.


All this after buying 750 dollars worth at 1.29 per gallon. I take in my receipt and then notice it hasnt gotten an ammount on it. Just had prebooked 750 dollars @..........

Well this was at the same time fuel went out of sight crazy. Dowdle had been hought out by a large company around the same time we bought the gas. The lady and manager at the time remebered us comming in and buying the large amount of gas but the new company had removed all the old files and computers when they tooks over. I knew of several others that the same thing happened to.

I was too busy at the time to really pursue this and my lawyer at the time said that she couldnt really prove anything with the bill.

I did every thing I could to hurt the y company even though I had friends that worked for them. I got several of the o theres that had been hooked all pre buyers of large ammounts and we told everyone we could about them. I went completly to wood heat with only propane for Gas.
Dowdle also supplyed the gas for the office at the landfill. Not any more when we emptied the tank I called them to pick it up. We burrnt about 400 gallons a year there.

Also the gas for the forklift there we had them on the bottle filling route, and a friends factory got them to drop them, and a friends mobile catering busness. A new company came to town Midsouth and bent over backwards to get their foot in the door. They ran delivery trucks over a 100 miles from their home base to get customers at a 1.50 per gallon cheaper than Dowdle and other local companies.

About that time Dowdles tank yard and satellite station started filling up with their tanks comming in from customers.

THey had no trouble leasing a spot for a new refilling satellits station. I buy all my water heater gas from them.
Recently Dowdle has sent out letters wanting our business back. I stopped by their office and asked about getting taken off the mailing list. They asked how could they get my business back. I told them that for starters refund my 750 dollars or give me 750 worth of gas at 1.29. They said we cant do that then I said remove me off the list then. It looks pretty bad for them.

 

[Mace Canute]

It was about two years ago ..well yes sadly My dad is 86, and he is the type of person to let it slip by..He is easily taken advantage of...
Overall I dont get how some companies can survive this way. They advertise all the time yet become a customer and BANG they screw ya..
Oh yes the stove cost close to 600 dollars but he also bought one for my sister, hers was a good one .. no problems with it.Her tank we owned and I would truck to get it filled..
Thats the best way OWN all your stuff and have it filled...

If it was bought new in mid summer and it failed in October, it sounds like it should have been a full warranty claim and not a repair to be billed to your dad. What was Law Enforcement's response to the matter when you reported them for stealing and damaging your property when they reposed their equipment?

 

[Lineman North Florida]

I got broke from the habit of being at the mercy of a propane company years ago, reading all this reminds me of my battles with Tru-Gas and how good it made me feel to un-hook their tank and put it down at the end of my driveway and tell them to come get it, built me a new house and went all electric and have never regretted it.