I have a 100lb tank sitting in the barn that you could have. It was used to heat a trailer that had to be removed. Not sure on shipping regs and freight cost though from 50501.
Brian
Brian
Propane Downsizing, escaping from the dealer
- Thread starter LadyToysDream
- Start date
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The propane company I use was much more consumer friendly than yours is being towards you. They told me they would be switching me to a smaller tank by a certain date, I simply ignored the warning. The following year they notified me once again. I called them up for details since my 500 gallon tank was nearly empty. They said they would simply bring a 100 gallon tank out and pump the propane from the larger tank into the smaller one.
I wouldnt budge on letting them take your tank either. They could have swapped out tanks before the last filling. If you have 400 gallons in your tank now, it is FULL. Which means they would have had to fill it within the last year. Remember tanks are only filled 80%, and 400 is exactly 80% of 500. I'd be sure and let the propane company know the news channel is anxious about your story. No business likes "free" bad publicity.
Your husband will climb aboard and will side with you shortly. If he is persistent on not letting you have your way with the whole news story thing. You may want to give my wife a call and ask her advise on how to handle your husband when your not getting your way.
I wouldnt budge on letting them take your tank either. They could have swapped out tanks before the last filling. If you have 400 gallons in your tank now, it is FULL. Which means they would have had to fill it within the last year. Remember tanks are only filled 80%, and 400 is exactly 80% of 500. I'd be sure and let the propane company know the news channel is anxious about your story. No business likes "free" bad publicity.
Your husband will climb aboard and will side with you shortly. If he is persistent on not letting you have your way with the whole news story thing. You may want to give my wife a call and ask her advise on how to handle your husband when your not getting your way.
LadyToysDream
ArboristSite Operative
reaperman,
quote -The propane company I use was much more consumer friendly than yours is being towards you. They told me they would be switching me to a smaller tank by a certain date, I simply ignored the warning. The following year they notified me once again. I called them up for details since my 500 gallon tank was nearly empty. They said they would simply bring a 100 gallon tank out and pump the propane from the larger tank into the smaller one.
I wouldnt budge on letting them take your tank either. They could have swapped out tanks before the last filling. If you have 400 gallons in your tank now, it is FULL. Which means they would have had to fill it within the last year. Remember tanks are only filled 80%, and 400 is exactly 80% of 500. I'd be sure and let the propane company know the news channel is anxious about your story. No business likes "free" bad publicity.
Your husband will climb aboard and will side with you shortly. If he is persistent on not letting you have your way with the whole news story thing. You may want to give my wife a call and ask her advise on how to handle your husband when your not getting your way. ..........end/ quote.
__________________________________________________
We are dealing with Suburban Propane here. They are friendly enough but seem to want to try to pull the wool over thier customer's eyes.
They charge more for their propane per gallon, than their competition because their slogan is they offer such excellent service. Which is quite debatable now to a lot of their customers including us.
They refuse to pump over to smaller tank/s for us. I asked several times.
They want to charge higher money for any new gas that might be coming here.
We can't keep their 500 gallon tank here because I refuse to pay a big tank rental fee which is over $ 100 a year for that size tank. Our last delivery was March of 2008. I need to double check myself but hubby looked the other day and told me he saw 65 % which very well could be correct.
We are only going to be using about 20 gallons a year now for our cookstove.
I don't think they are going to be willing to leave that size tank here for many years to come.
I told my hubby if it comes down to it, I am willing to do the news story with or without him. His concern is his job. And being he is the breadwinner in this family, we can't upset the applecart here. I am on unemployment and near the end of it, and too many people laid off in the local area to even hope for another job anytime soon for me. Hence our decision to do this thing right the first time.
quote -The propane company I use was much more consumer friendly than yours is being towards you. They told me they would be switching me to a smaller tank by a certain date, I simply ignored the warning. The following year they notified me once again. I called them up for details since my 500 gallon tank was nearly empty. They said they would simply bring a 100 gallon tank out and pump the propane from the larger tank into the smaller one.
I wouldnt budge on letting them take your tank either. They could have swapped out tanks before the last filling. If you have 400 gallons in your tank now, it is FULL. Which means they would have had to fill it within the last year. Remember tanks are only filled 80%, and 400 is exactly 80% of 500. I'd be sure and let the propane company know the news channel is anxious about your story. No business likes "free" bad publicity.
Your husband will climb aboard and will side with you shortly. If he is persistent on not letting you have your way with the whole news story thing. You may want to give my wife a call and ask her advise on how to handle your husband when your not getting your way. ..........end/ quote.
__________________________________________________
We are dealing with Suburban Propane here. They are friendly enough but seem to want to try to pull the wool over thier customer's eyes.
They charge more for their propane per gallon, than their competition because their slogan is they offer such excellent service. Which is quite debatable now to a lot of their customers including us.
They refuse to pump over to smaller tank/s for us. I asked several times.
They want to charge higher money for any new gas that might be coming here.
We can't keep their 500 gallon tank here because I refuse to pay a big tank rental fee which is over $ 100 a year for that size tank. Our last delivery was March of 2008. I need to double check myself but hubby looked the other day and told me he saw 65 % which very well could be correct.
We are only going to be using about 20 gallons a year now for our cookstove.
I don't think they are going to be willing to leave that size tank here for many years to come.
I told my hubby if it comes down to it, I am willing to do the news story with or without him. His concern is his job. And being he is the breadwinner in this family, we can't upset the applecart here. I am on unemployment and near the end of it, and too many people laid off in the local area to even hope for another job anytime soon for me. Hence our decision to do this thing right the first time.
LadyToysDream
ArboristSite Operative
Thanks for the offer
I think it would be too costly to ship it.
Hopefully someone close to you might take you up on your offer.
LadyToysDream
ArboristSite Operative
Good idea....thanks
Oh they will come and get the tank promptly when we want it gone.
Hubby will get cranky because he wants to do something different with that space it takes up. He told me that last fall.
I then, will get to be, the person who makes the phone call/s to get something done. :greenchainsaw:
LadyToysDream
ArboristSite Operative
I wish we could keep it till it's empty, but we are only going to be using about 20 gallons per yr for our cookstove. Their 500 gallon tank sitting here would really get them upset with me for such small usage.
Yes, one of my cards up my sleeve is to contact the attorney general if it comes down to it.
I already contacted the senator's local office last fall and the lady told me to call back in the spring and update them with how we make out.
LadyToysDream
ArboristSite Operative
Thanks for the tip about Central Square. That will be worth a phone call and maybe a road trip
I stay up to date on channel 9 out of Syracuse yes.
We deal with Suburban propane here. I was not going to mention the name but it did come up in my thread. A search would find this thread now very easy.
We had something very similiar a few years ago happen. We had took our 500 gallons delivery for the heating season, per our contract. Come the beginning of the summer, the driver shows up, and pumps some extra in. I forget how much now. I call the office and complain. Well we ended up paying the extra money at our contract price. I was just plain mad at them. I wanted them to come and pump out the extra they put in. I tried to explain to them that some people are on a fixed income, and don't have that extra money. Well they argreed with me. But.
If it would happen now, I would just go ballistic on them.
LadyToysDream
ArboristSite Operative
If I was you, I would have my own lock on that tank.
Let sleeping dogs lie......
don't call them
LadyToysDream
ArboristSite Operative
I have shopped around. Not good choices out there. The one company I would have gone with, now won't take on any new customers unless they are going to be using 500 gallons or more a year.
The other company I made inquires to, decided to put our contact info, in their system. No paperwork done, no signing anything - they just added our info to their system. Next thing I know we get a bill that wants their $ 39.95 lock in fee money. I call up their office and lady tells me we can't take you back out of our system now. I tell her we have not signed anything, only asked a few questions, and we don't want your service.
Next thing I know, we get another paperwork from them in the mail. Hubby hits the ceiling so I get to make another phone call to these people. She tells me the same thing, no can take you out of our system........so I tell her, they have to take our info out OR the next thing we get in the mail, I go to the attorney general....... nothing new has come in the mail, dang ......
:greenchainsaw:
Mister Twister
ArboristSite Operative
I am in kind of the same situation except my propane company is easier to deal with. I am with Amerigas and I told them what was up and they told me leave it there until it is empty if I like. They informed me that worst case scenario after a year of innactivity they may tag me with a tank rental fee of about $75. I am down to 30% now and started with 50% in fall of 08 when I installed the OWB. I am going to use a 100# tank after I make a little pad for one behind the garage in spring. I have one now I will buy a second one and rotate the two tanks. I can get them filled 3 miles from my house for under $50 at the Indian Reservation store.
retired redneck
ArboristSite Guru
In INDIANA it is illegal for you to transport 100 lb propane tanks in your car or truck, alot of dealers here wont even fill them if you are hauling them.i think it is a fed law in most states. i know about 9 yrs ago i payed a $150.00 fine and they were chained standing up to my stock racks on my pickup.....
LadyToysDream
ArboristSite Operative
UPDATE ,
okay, it is March and time for us to deal with this propane company.
We did get a 100 # tank and got it filled ready to go. I still have to
find a regulator for it. Two stores locally don't have it. Not sure where
we are going to find one yet.
So yesterday our 2 dogs started barking and I go to check why.
There sits a suburban propane truck in our driveway. So I go out and
ask him.......*why are you here ? " He tells me to do a once a year fill up.
"nooooooooooooooo".......I tell him. I tell him our account is supposed to be flagged as we are considering doing a downsize on our tank this month.
So he double checks the tank and agrees with me, it is at 65 % full.
And we chat some more, and he tells me I need to call the office and let
them know what we have decided. So that is what I did after he left.
I tell them we have decided to no longer do business with them after 18 yrs, and to come and get the tank out of our yard.
Everything was done politely and calmly said.
Man at office tells me NO CHARGE to pick up our tank. And I will get a refund check back for the remaining gas in the tank at the price we paid.
Sounds too good to be true. I wrote everything now, and who I spoke to, etc.
I am just SOOOOOOOO glad I was at home, when that truck pulled into our driveway, or I would have had a full tank of gas now sitting out there.
The driver even questioned the office he told me when he got his list for the day to do. I felt bad for the driver....he is a super nice guy and been doing this route for quite some time now.
okay, it is March and time for us to deal with this propane company.
We did get a 100 # tank and got it filled ready to go. I still have to
find a regulator for it. Two stores locally don't have it. Not sure where
we are going to find one yet.
So yesterday our 2 dogs started barking and I go to check why.
There sits a suburban propane truck in our driveway. So I go out and
ask him.......*why are you here ? " He tells me to do a once a year fill up.
"nooooooooooooooo".......I tell him. I tell him our account is supposed to be flagged as we are considering doing a downsize on our tank this month.
So he double checks the tank and agrees with me, it is at 65 % full.
And we chat some more, and he tells me I need to call the office and let
them know what we have decided. So that is what I did after he left.
I tell them we have decided to no longer do business with them after 18 yrs, and to come and get the tank out of our yard.
Everything was done politely and calmly said.
Man at office tells me NO CHARGE to pick up our tank. And I will get a refund check back for the remaining gas in the tank at the price we paid.
Sounds too good to be true. I wrote everything now, and who I spoke to, etc.
I am just SOOOOOOOO glad I was at home, when that truck pulled into our driveway, or I would have had a full tank of gas now sitting out there.
The driver even questioned the office he told me when he got his list for the day to do. I felt bad for the driver....he is a super nice guy and been doing this route for quite some time now.
ulyssesjones
ArboristSite Lurker
I am glad everything ended up working out for you. It sucks that they put you through hell.
If it were me I think I would have called them and told them "we decided to get rid of the OWB so never mind, thanks anyway." Then I would have locked my tank and paid the minimum usage rental fee for the next couple of years until it was empty. Then when the tank was empty I would have loaded the tank on my truck and dropped it on their front door.
-Jones
If it were me I think I would have called them and told them "we decided to get rid of the OWB so never mind, thanks anyway." Then I would have locked my tank and paid the minimum usage rental fee for the next couple of years until it was empty. Then when the tank was empty I would have loaded the tank on my truck and dropped it on their front door.
-Jones
LadyToysDream
ArboristSite Operative
Problem with keeping that big tank here is the yearly rental fee.
And then you are supposed to buy gas once a year from them.
So if we keep the 500 gallon tank here, they would want us to buy 500 gallons a year. We can't do that now. Does not fit our long range plans.
I hope it does all go peacefully. I do have paperwork that came in the mail, from the attorney general's office in Syracuse if something does goes wrong. I could file a complaint, but I hope I don't have to. Keeping my fingers crossed
And then you are supposed to buy gas once a year from them.
So if we keep the 500 gallon tank here, they would want us to buy 500 gallons a year. We can't do that now. Does not fit our long range plans.
I hope it does all go peacefully. I do have paperwork that came in the mail, from the attorney general's office in Syracuse if something does goes wrong. I could file a complaint, but I hope I don't have to. Keeping my fingers crossed
Seemed to all work out for the best in the end. Getting in this late in the game but I just hope that we don't go throught he same thing with our propane dealer. I know when we finally got our boiler online late fall and we got the satisfaction of telling the propane company that we wanted to be placed on will call it felt great!!!
I think they only other angle I might have used with them was that if they continued to treat youthe way they were that they would lose even the little bit that you were going to buy..... Kinda ended that way but if I were a buisiness man and I had the opertunity to make $5 on $0 I would choose the $5. Let's face it money is money no matter who you are! They think they can force people into things and most times it probably works but not this time!! Good Job Lady!
I think they only other angle I might have used with them was that if they continued to treat youthe way they were that they would lose even the little bit that you were going to buy..... Kinda ended that way but if I were a buisiness man and I had the opertunity to make $5 on $0 I would choose the $5. Let's face it money is money no matter who you are! They think they can force people into things and most times it probably works but not this time!! Good Job Lady!
Haywire Haywood
Fiscal Conservative Social Retard
Wow.. makes me glad our dealer is Southern States farm coop. I just went there a couple days ago to check on just this issue. They told me that there isn't a rental fee on the 500gal tanks and no minimum per year purchase. If I had a smaller tank, they would want 2 fills a year before the rental fee starts but it doesn't apply to the big tanks..... for now.
Ian
Ian
LadyToysDream
ArboristSite Operative
UPDATE........
On April 6 th, the propane company came and got their tank. Lifted the 500 gallon tank on their truck as is, with the guage showing 65 % full. I was told about 2 weeks and we should get our refund check in the mail.
So it worked out to 325 gallons times what we paid for it $ 2.45 a gallon.
I was told they would not be a charge to pick up the tank.
Today we got the check in the mail. And they did not charge to remove it.
We got all our money back
Our small tank is working well for our cookstove.
But the best part of this story is a phone call we got 2 nights ago, from a 3rd party company doing a survey for Suburban propane. I guess it's safe to say they did not get high marks from me.
I did say their drivers and service techs always treated us good. Their office people did not. I was asked if we would recomend this company to others and or ever go back to them. I said NO way. Could the company call us...I said NO. Not interested.
Seems so if they want to find out things, they should contact their current customers and do what they can to keep them. After 18 years, we had our fill of them.
We are free
On April 6 th, the propane company came and got their tank. Lifted the 500 gallon tank on their truck as is, with the guage showing 65 % full. I was told about 2 weeks and we should get our refund check in the mail.
So it worked out to 325 gallons times what we paid for it $ 2.45 a gallon.
I was told they would not be a charge to pick up the tank.
Today we got the check in the mail. And they did not charge to remove it.
We got all our money back
Our small tank is working well for our cookstove.
But the best part of this story is a phone call we got 2 nights ago, from a 3rd party company doing a survey for Suburban propane. I guess it's safe to say they did not get high marks from me.
I did say their drivers and service techs always treated us good. Their office people did not. I was asked if we would recomend this company to others and or ever go back to them. I said NO way. Could the company call us...I said NO. Not interested.
Seems so if they want to find out things, they should contact their current customers and do what they can to keep them. After 18 years, we had our fill of them.
We are free
mtfallsmikey
Addicted to ArboristSite
ladys--you got back 2.45 a gallon--what is the prevailing price in your area now???
LadyToysDream
ArboristSite Operative
Hi
We got back $ 2.45 a gallon because that is what we paid for it, under contract from Sept 2007 to June of 2008 for the heating season.
Heating season of Sept 2008 to March of 2009, under NO contract.
Supposed to have been a fill up in March but we decided to end doing
business with them. At that point we were still 65 % full. Hence our refund when they picked up our tank and contents.
These are the current prices listed on our local TV channel website.
*These are prices for homeowners who use propane for Heating in the Syracuse NY area. Prices may be higher if you're outside of Syracuse or use propane only for cooking. Some suppliers require automatic fill. Prices may be less if it's the "first fill" of the season.
Suburban Propane
4/20: $2.81/gallon
4/13: $2.23/gallon
3/30: $2.30/gallon
3/23: $2.91/gallon
We got back $ 2.45 a gallon because that is what we paid for it, under contract from Sept 2007 to June of 2008 for the heating season.
Heating season of Sept 2008 to March of 2009, under NO contract.
Supposed to have been a fill up in March but we decided to end doing
business with them. At that point we were still 65 % full. Hence our refund when they picked up our tank and contents.
These are the current prices listed on our local TV channel website.
*These are prices for homeowners who use propane for Heating in the Syracuse NY area. Prices may be higher if you're outside of Syracuse or use propane only for cooking. Some suppliers require automatic fill. Prices may be less if it's the "first fill" of the season.
Suburban Propane
4/20: $2.81/gallon
4/13: $2.23/gallon
3/30: $2.30/gallon
3/23: $2.91/gallon
