So we all know heating fuel prices are at an all-time high, but does this give the companies a right to screw us?! I've had a 500 gallon propane tank to heat my home, my water and to cook with for years now. I have always been on automatic delivery, never letting them put more than 200 gallons in at a time.
It was usually 100- 150 gallons a month during the winter and I never needed deliveries from April to September. Well I had a bill that was around $250 ($1.60/gallon) and paid this in Jan. I called to make sure they were going to deliver fuel the first week of February and too make sure they only put in 150 gallons, because it was so expensive to fill the tank. Well, sure enough they show up and deliver fuel, but I happened to be at work that day.
They delivered 400 gallons at $2.46/gallon. That was an immediate bill of $990 without adding in the delivery charge and other surcharges they add on. So I called and told them not to deliver anymore gas until I called (mind you I have no way of knowing how low my tank is because the gauge is broke and they promised to fix it 4 years ago and never have) I tried put as much money as I could on the bill, but having 3 kids I don't have $1000 kicking around. So I paid $250.
Well, the first week of March comes and while I was at work they delivered another 200 gallons at $1.82/gallon. So now I have a bill of $1105. I called again, furious and told them no more deliveries! And they shouldn't have delivered anyway because of their own company policies about back balances. They showed up again in April and delivered another 100 gallons now finally down to $1.65/gallon. But adding another $165 to my already overdue bill. So I have a total bill of $1270. And another delivery on its way!
Then the workers go on strike and I have no service, an overdue high bill and a tank that doesn't work properly. What do they do, they hand my account over to a completely different gas company without my permission, and now that company feels I owe them the $1300. I have been working on paying this off and have it down to about $600, but it's getting cold and I don't know how much gas I have and I haven't got any extra money to to prepay. And they are estimating gas prices to go up over $3/gallon?!!! What the hell are we supposed to do? Don't consumers have any rights anymore?! They delivered as much gas as they could at the highest possible rate and screwed me and my family.
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