Utility company issyes

[tlprince22]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Pennsylvania
My husband and I just bought a house that had gas service. When the sellers called to stop their service the gas company came and took the meter. When I called to have our service turned on the gas company has said they have adandoned the line and refuse to turn on our gas. Now we are stuck with no furnace, no stove and no clothes dryer. Can the utility company legally do that without notifying us?

 

[Zigner]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Pennsylvania
My husband and I just bought a house that had gas service. When the sellers called to stop their service the gas company came and took the meter. When I called to have our service turned on the gas company has said they have adandoned the line and refuse to turn on our gas. Now we are stuck with no furnace, no stove and no clothes dryer. Can the utility company legally do that without notifying us?

How much did the gas company want in order to turn things back on?

Alternatively, you may need to seek out another solution (propane comes to mind.)

 

[justalayman]

How much did the gas company want in order to turn things back on?

Alternatively, you may need to seek out another solution (propane comes to mind.)

It appears the gas company is not planning on providing service to that house ever for some reason. They abandoned the line. Can't say I have ever heard of such a thing.



tlprince: I haven't checked if your state has one but most, if not all do;

contact your state public service commission or public utility commission (or whatever it is called). I would suspect abandoning a line would have to be justified, especially if it was in service immediately prior to the abandonment.

 

[Mass_Shyster]

Contact The Pennsylvania Office of Consumer Advocate.

http://www.oca.state.pa.us/contact.htm

 

[tlprince22]

thank you all for the quick feed back, we want to know if they are allowed to abandon the line without notice, we do not want alternative services

 

[justalayman]

thank you all for the quick feed back, we want to know if they are allowed to abandon the line without notice, we do not want alternative services

well, it would appear that they can as proven by the fact they did. Now you need to figure out if they can make it permanent.

 

[Zigner]

thank you all for the quick feed back, we want to know if they are allowed to abandon the line without notice, we do not want alternative services

The purported owner of the house canceled the service.

 

[Zigner]

Have you offered to pay to have service reinstated?

 

[justalayman]

Have you offered to pay to have service reinstated?

Zig, re-read the original post:

My husband and I just bought a house that had gas service. When the sellers called to stop their service the gas company came and took the meter. When I called to have our service turned on the gas company has said they have adandoned the line and refuse to turn on our gas. Now we are stuck with no furnace, no stove and no clothes dryer. Can the utility company legally do that without notifying us?

If the OP is accurately reporting what they were told, abandoning a line means they are no longer intending to use that line, ever.

I agree it does sound odd but I can imagine a few places it might happen, if they were legally allowed to.

 

[Zigner]

Zig, re-read the original post:




If the OP is accurately reporting what they were told, abandoning a line means they are no longer intending to use that line, ever.

I agree it does sound odd but I can imagine a few places it might happen, if they were legally allowed to.

Realistically, it's all about the money. Given enough financial incentive, the gas company would surely "un-abandon" the line

From a different angle: OP says "Turn my gas on." Then the gas company says "We've abandoned that line and won't be able to reactivate it unless you pay $2,500.00." Then the OP says "Heck no, I'm not going to pay $2,500.00 just to have you turn on the gas!" Then the gas company says "Ok, suit yourself."

 

[justalayman]

From a different angle: OP says "Turn my gas on." Then the gas company says "We've abandoned that line and won't be able to reactivate it unless you pay $2,500.00." Then the OP says "Heck no, I'm not going to pay $2,500.00 just to have you turn on the gas!" Then the gas company says "Ok, suit yourself."

possibly but utility companies use the term "abandon" only with a specific meaning. That is why I said what I did about the OP reporting their statements accurately.


what you describe above would not be an abandonment. An abandonment is where they are discontinuing the use of the existing line, not merely disconnecting the individual service.

 

[Zigner]

An abandonment is where they are discontinuing the use of the existing line, not merely disconnecting the individual service.

Perhaps the OP's house is the only one on this particular line.


I am playing Devil's Advocate here - I think the OP needs to work his way up the chain at the gas company.

 

[LdiJ]

Perhaps the OP's house is the only one on this particular line.


I am playing Devil's Advocate here - I think the OP needs to work his way up the chain at the gas company.

I think that there is a very real probability that the former owners of the home knew this was going to happen, and therefore there could be a major disclosure issue.

 

[Zigner]

I think that there is a very real probability that the former owners of the home knew this was going to happen, and therefore there could be a major disclosure issue.

Excellent point.

 

[FarmerJ]

TL once you find out more as to why the gas co will not provide gas to this home please post about it, In the time being though seriously Propane is a reasonable alternative , a on site tank 500 gallon filled would be 400 gallons and unlike natural gas with propane once you pay for it , thats it the price cannot go up the way it can for gas metered houses the next month. ( you should be able to locate in yellow pages a contractor who can safely convert your appliances to propane and that inc local propane firms who have repair services) try the places the others suggested and if your not able to get answers then by all means perhaps a local tv consumer affairs desk can assist you.