What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? NJ
We recently purchased an 8 year old home in a rural area of NJ, where everyone has septic tanks, wells, and underground propane tanks. It was a foreclosure purchased from Fannie Mae in July of this year. In order to get our occupancy permit we were required to have the propane turned connected. I contacted the propane company listed on the tank (sticker) but they had gone out of business, however their number routed to another company who stated that they bought out the other company. They told me that in order to hook the tank up I would have to pay for the gas currently in the tank. They reported that the previous owner had "cashed out" the propane left in the tank. They charged me 6$ a gallon. Having no other choice, and no time to ask for proof, etc we paid the $$ and it was hooked up. I later found out that my neighbor directly next door uses the same company on a "will call" basis and a week later got a delivery of propane for less than 4$ a gallon.
Since that time I've asked them for proof of tank ownership. They provided me with nothing except an invoice for propane tank installation from the builder, that appears to be purposefully copied badly and is difficult to read. I asked them to sell me the tank. They refuse. They state that if we want the tank removed we'll have to pay a minimum of 500 but "probably more." They won't provide anything in writing. I know for a fact that they're charging me at least 2$ more per gallon than any other company, and still want to charge me 6$ a gallon.
Meanwhile the company was recently sold to yet another propane company.
They claim that the burden of proof of ownership is on us, and that they own it unless we can "prove otherwise." I never entered into an agreement with any company, my bill of sale says absoltuely nothing about the presence of an underground tank/ownership of it...absolutely nothing is addressed.
I cant find anything regarding consumer protections for NJ propane customers.
Is it true that these people can charge me whatever they want for propane, and/or charge me astronomical fees to remove a tank without proving that they even own it?
We recently purchased an 8 year old home in a rural area of NJ, where everyone has septic tanks, wells, and underground propane tanks. It was a foreclosure purchased from Fannie Mae in July of this year. In order to get our occupancy permit we were required to have the propane turned connected. I contacted the propane company listed on the tank (sticker) but they had gone out of business, however their number routed to another company who stated that they bought out the other company. They told me that in order to hook the tank up I would have to pay for the gas currently in the tank. They reported that the previous owner had "cashed out" the propane left in the tank. They charged me 6$ a gallon. Having no other choice, and no time to ask for proof, etc we paid the $$ and it was hooked up. I later found out that my neighbor directly next door uses the same company on a "will call" basis and a week later got a delivery of propane for less than 4$ a gallon.
Since that time I've asked them for proof of tank ownership. They provided me with nothing except an invoice for propane tank installation from the builder, that appears to be purposefully copied badly and is difficult to read. I asked them to sell me the tank. They refuse. They state that if we want the tank removed we'll have to pay a minimum of 500 but "probably more." They won't provide anything in writing. I know for a fact that they're charging me at least 2$ more per gallon than any other company, and still want to charge me 6$ a gallon.
Meanwhile the company was recently sold to yet another propane company.
They claim that the burden of proof of ownership is on us, and that they own it unless we can "prove otherwise." I never entered into an agreement with any company, my bill of sale says absoltuely nothing about the presence of an underground tank/ownership of it...absolutely nothing is addressed.
I cant find anything regarding consumer protections for NJ propane customers.
Is it true that these people can charge me whatever they want for propane, and/or charge me astronomical fees to remove a tank without proving that they even own it?
