Amerigas Rant....

[bakerjw]

I would ask them to provide proof of ownership and the document that you signed stating that you understood that the underground tank was theirs. Chances are they can't locate any documentation.

I am not sure how it works out with the purchase of a house but I would suspect that there has to be some documentation as to property that is on the property that is not part of the land and house purchase.

 

[greeneggsandham]

I spoke with my husband and his son who is a boiler man and both of them said it doesn't matter what state your in if a propane company put a tank in the ground it is their responsibilty to take it out not the home owners.

And for the record Amerigas does have a payment plan as I had to go one it at the beginning of this year when we were hit with an $800 bill that we were not expecting. I dropped the auto delivery and told them I will call when my gas is at 40%. Of course I keep getting a bill and have called them numerous times about the payment plan being for only 3 months and not the entire year. Your right about not being able to get ahold of the local sites. I left a pretty nasty message two weeks ago and funny I got a call back in less than 5 minutes.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Don't get me started. We get nickled and dimed to death and robbery, even by a utility type company, should be illegal.
I only have 2 gas furnaces, I use no gas other than in winter, Laclede Gas in Missouri, charges an access fee when you don't use gas. It's 20 a month just because the pipe is connected to your house. If you have the gas cut off at the end of winter, the reconnect fee in late autumn is about the same as paying the 20 a month for nothing through the summer.
In most areas of life, average people would be in trouble for taking money for nothing.

I started getting a sewer bill, I have a septic tank - no sewer connection. I refused to pay. They threatened to shut my water off if I didn't pay (sewer dept and water co. in bed together). I wanted to know how they had the right to charge for nothing and they said they were treating my runoff. They sent me a map of my property and all the impermeable surfaces and had calculated the amount of rain that left my property.
I told them they were wrong. My driveway, patio and parking areas were either gravel or brick so were permeable. My house and other buildings drain into raingardens and catchment systems and the back of my property is bermed preventing runoff.
I further informed them that IF water escaped my property it would enter the storm creek BELOW their treatment plant. They finally sent me a letter saying they agreed they don't treat my runoff but said I still had a $200 bill I needed to pay. I said, "If you don't treat my runoff, then I don't have a $200 bill."
I haven't heard from them since.

The score right now is:
Me: 1
Utilities: 2409

 

[canesisters]

YEAH for you! Get 'UM!

 

[SillyChicken]

yep, first if it's yours (amerigas) prove it.. if it IS yours, you have 1 week from NOW, to get it dug up, get my yard restored, and the tank off my property! You are in NO way responsible for diging up that tank or paying for it if they refuse to get it.

Don't let these SOB's bully you!

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
First determine whether there is anything in your paperwork from the company, or in your paperwork from bulding your home that lists the propane tank. If it is yours, make a copy of the documentation and send it in, along with a demand letter for the return of all fees you have been charges for this rental.

Consider telling them that you will no longer need their services, and that you will be charging THEM storage fees of $400 per month (yes, I deliberately set it higher to try to recoup some of the fees you've been charged) to store their tank beginning on thus date. Should they choose to remove thier tank, it will have to be on thus and so days and between thus and so times, any you will require a 48 hour advance notice. Use call screening and avoid answering the phone during "business hours," and if they call at other times say that you cannot take their call as you are not open for business

ANyways, fill n the "thus and thus" with dates and times that would be convenient to you and UNconvenient to the company.

Turn their uncooperativeness back in their faces, and make sure to charge the maximum of late fees and interest that your state laws allow. Be sure to send very business-like invoices to their business office.

Also, in many places the rates utitilies can charge are controlled by an elected or appointed commission or board, or even by a county board. Check what is allowed, and report the company to that board/commission..

 

[LegginMF12]

Before I bought the house that I lived in I had Amerigas as my propane company. When we moved in to the old house it had a 179 gallon tank that was at 60%. The tank was not locked and the propane was not disconnected. I called them and they said it had been purchased by the owner of the house and was available for use by us. Well a year later when I ordered propane they tried to go back and charge me for it! After a lot of fighting and a receipt from the Landlord it finally got resolved. When I moved out of that place in 2009 they refused to refund me the balance of the propane in the tank. They told me the balance would be transferred to my new residence. I told them it had a tank from a different company. They told me to let them know when I had that tank removed so they could bring one of theirs!. I told them what they could do with that idea and demanded my refund or they could go to small claims court. It took 6 weeks to get my money back.
I found a complaints site for them. There was this poor little old lady looking for help. Her family had built her a little 600 ft in law house near them. They had contacted Amerigas for a 100 gallon tank. This little lady was only using propane for the water heater and cooking. Amerigas came by when no one was home and installed and filled a 500 gallon tank. Then when the family complained, Amerigas wanted to charge them for breach of contract and a hazardous waste removal fee to take the tank and propane out! It was something like $6000.00 total. I am so glad I now use G&K. We have also just started using a Bear radiant heater. It is working great! We run the house heater for maybe 10 to 20 minutes in the morning and then use the radiant heater . We don't use a heater at night even though it can get down into the teens here. I am currently using propane for cooking, house heater, and water heater. Propane is $3.89 a gallon right now and the minimum delivery is 75 gallons. We are going to get rid of the water heater and go to an electric one and are installing a wood burning stove. Wood will only cost us $25.00 a cord and we can get 2 cords a year with a wood permit. I enjoy spending the day in the mountains looking for dead fall to cut.

 

[LegginMF12]

Quote:
First determine whether there is anything in your paperwork from the company, or in your paperwork from bulding your home that lists the propane tank. If it is yours, make a copy of the documentation and send it in, along with a demand letter for the return of all fees you have been charges for this rental.

Consider telling them that you will no longer need their services, and that you will be charging THEM storage fees of $400 per month (yes, I deliberately set it higher to try to recoup some of the fees you've been charged) to store their tank beginning on thus date. Should they choose to remove thier tank, it will have to be on thus and so days and between thus and so times, any you will require a 48 hour advance notice. Use call screening and avoid answering the phone during "business hours," and if they call at other times say that you cannot take their call as you are not open for business

ANyways, fill n the "thus and thus" with dates and times that would be convenient to you and UNconvenient to the company.

Turn their uncooperativeness back in their faces, and make sure to charge the maximum of late fees and interest that your state laws allow. Be sure to send very business-like invoices to their business office.

Also, in many places the rates utitilies can charge are controlled by an elected or appointed commission or board, or even by a county board. Check what is allowed, and report the company to that board/commission..

X2

 

[chickened]

To the OP; a little more leverage to use is tell them it was leaking if it is theirs and that you want the soil tested and dealt with.

 

[twentynine]

Quote:
No way no how would I play the "environment" card!

That's a real good way to find your yard entirely dug up one afternoon.
Once a situation passed into the environmental regulations process, you lose all control of what can or can not happen on your own property.