Thompson Gas and Electric Service — No refund for unused propane gas!
I obtained propane gas service with Thompson Gas in Boonsboro, MD on [protected] and in doing so I had to sign a "customer agreement" w/ Thompson Gas. However, I was not made aware of numerous stipulations in this agreement which were located on the back of the agreement in "shadow print". After examining the back of my copy I did notice the stipulations. One stipulation required me to abide by the agreement for a period of five years. For the last five years Thompson Gas has had the highest price per gallon propane gas prices in my area. I know this because I have had to do price comparisons for each bill that I have received in order to get a lower price comparable with other companies in my area (over the last five years). Thompson gas has consistently been 30-50% higher on their propane gas prices than others in my area.
With that said my contract is due to expire on October 24, 2006. Today (October 2, 2006), I called to advised them that I would be cancelling their service effective 10-24-2006. I was told that they will charge 99.00 to remove their propane tanks, which I have no problem paying. However, I then told them that my tanks are at 75% capacity and asked how they will refund me for approximately 150 gallons of propane @ $2.26 per gallon. They stated that they do not give refunds, so I will be giving them $336.00 worth of propane that they will be re-selling. I then asked "Jason" (customer service rep) what I could do. He told me that I would have to use the gas in the tanks then call them. My "customer agreement" states that if I let my contract extend past October 24, 2006 then it will be extended for an additional year. "Jason" confirmed this as well. In fact, this now creates a cycle that I cannot get out of. There is nothing in this agreement that states that they will not refund me for unused propane gas. I have abided by their "customer agreement" for five years and would like to move on, however, I feel it is unfair that I will not be refunded for propane gas that I have not used.
Company details:
Thompson Gas and Electric Service
Boonsboro, Maryland 21713
a verified customer
Read your tank rental agreement and see if they have a restocking fee. I am pretty sure it does. They HAVE to refund you but you will lose a % for restocking. Do not take the servicemans word. I am almost positive that it has a restocking fee.
I recently stopped service with Thompsons Gas due to switching to electric heat. I'm being charged $75 for them to pick up "their" tank with is still 68% full. They say that because they can't empty the tanks because it's too dangerous and that is the reason I can not be reimbursed. I think it's ridiculous any way you look at it. And yes they come without notice and top off the tank whenever they wanted. I am the new home owner so I never had any type of contract with them. Also the furnace that they had installed in the home was not put in properly and had numerous problems with it that were never fixed. I would not recommend dealing with them.
a verified customer
I contracted with a local heating company on 12/29/16 to remove my existing electric furnace and replace it with a propane furnace. The work was to be done on 2/12/16-2/13/16. The piping and venting was to be completed 2/12/16 and the electric furnace removed and replaced 2/13/16. The heating company had an agreement with Thompson gas to furnish and install a 500 gallon tank, 400 gallons of propane, and all necessary trenching, regulators, gauges and piping to connect the tank to the house. On the day of the installation, I was informed that Thompson was going to install a temporary tank because they were afraid they couldn't get their truck to the installation site. This didn't make sense to me because the temporary tank had to be placed at the same location as the permanent tank. I contacted Thompson Gas and assured them that they could access the site and if they did have problems that I had a machine to pull the truck out. They agreed to set the permanent tank but then showed up with a 320 gallon tank instead of the 500 gallon tank. The installer said that they didn't have a 500 gallon tank in stock and that the 320 gallon tank would be sufficient. I disagreed, and told him that the heating company had charged me $1064.77 for the 500 gallon tank, 400 gallons of propane, etc., so he agreed to replace the tank with a 500 gallon tank at a later date. Thompson was to bill the heating company for all this, but instead, they sent me a bill for $461.06 for 238.9 gallons of propane. I was told to disregard the bill and that they would bill the heating company. A month later they still hadn't billed the heating company so I went to the office to try to straighten out the mess. The office manager told me that they had billed the heating company that very day and assured me that they would change out my tank the week of Feb. 15-19, and transfer the gas from the 320 gallon tank to the 500 gallon tank at no charge, and fill the tank. They didn't show up. I am now very low on propane with the possibility of a snowstorm next week. I contacted the manager again and she said she thought it had been done and said she would try to take care of it next week. If this is not the most disorganized, mismanaged company I have ever dealt with, it certainly comes in as a close second. I will change suppliers.
a verified customer
Please resident of Huntfield in Charles Town, WV, look at this site and compare your price per gallon:
https://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/PET_PRI_WFR_A_EPLLPA_PRS_DPGAL_M.htm
They are charging me since last year (1/2015) 2.80 per gallon and I just called and the representative of Thompson gas is telling me this is the best price they are offering to our community.
Current average price per propane in US is 2.064
a verified customer
I am going to go to Department of Energy tomorrow and complain regarding Thompson GAS is a big MONOPOLY and is overcharging community and they better be ready for Auditors from DC.
a verified customer
Please resident of Huntfield community WV look at this site:
https://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/PET_PRI_WFR_A_EPLLPA_PRS_DPGAL_M.htm
Thompson Gas is charging me 2.84 per Gallon since last year 01/2015
The average US price for Propane (12/21/2015- 01/25/2016)
2.210 2.175 2.182 2.164 2.114 2.064
should I seek a lawyer???? and sue the company for overcharging me for almost a year.
People like you are trip. You blame everything and everyone else but yourselves for making poor decisions. "Small print", "fine print",
"shadow print", etc. -- it's the "print fault" now, is it? That print was all there when you signed it, wasn't it (or are you going to allege that it mysteriously appeared through an ink that has a time delay)?
And your issue with not being able to return the propane you ordered and purchased: That again is YOUR responsibility, to determine how much supply you will need, then order accordingly. Besides, isn't October the beginning of the heating season in Maryland? What's your excuse for not wanting Thompson's products any more? Moving? Lost the home through foreclosure or default?
Boy, I'll bet you've tried to return ice cream back to the grocer too.
a verified customer
@rockinroller Listen to me you pious arrogant jerk ... Thomspon tried the same thing with me but I OWN MY TANKS so they had no hold on me, I could get gas anywhere from anyone ... you guys are all the same, all crooks!
To anyone reading this ... go purchase your own tanks and buy from whoever has the best price ... be done with these cretins...
And BTW you don't 'RETURN BACK' you cretin ... that's the department of redundancy department ... you just return it ... got it brainiac...
We just moved to a development in Charles Town, WV. I went to the local Thompson Gas office to have our utility turned on and they requested a $250.00 deposit (which I gave) and asked me to sign a contract. Now Thompson Gas is sending me invoices and calling me asking me for an additional $330.00 and then subsequently tacked on .50 fee for not paying the additional monies for a security deposit. This request is excessive and upsetting. Who has $600 (in this economy) to give to a utility company just as a security deposit! The water and electric companies asked for less than $100 for a security deposit. I have asked Thompson Gas to waive the additional security deposit and they are firm about collecting the additional monies. I refuse to pay an excessive security deposit. So far, my experience with Thompson Gas has been not pleasant and I have to do business with this Company for the next two years! I, too, am filing a complaint with the Attorney General's Office of West Virginia. Anyone else with this experience?
These complaints absolutely mirror the experience I am having with Thompson today. The only difference is that now they are trying to charge $600 for their tank removal AND want me to sign a contract that I will STILL buy gas only from them for three years. Thompson Gas is the definition of fradulent practices, price gouging and customer abuse. I highly recommend that each of you contact the consumer fraud division of of the WV Attorney General's office at [protected] or the equivalent in your state and state your case.
a verified customer
I am in my 60s and so have dealt with innumerable service providers in all sorts of industries over the years. Thompson gas is the most dishonest firm with which I have ever dealt, the most incompetent firm with which I have ever dealt, and its product is wildly over priced in comparison to other propane providers in the North Central Maryland area.
I too was victimized by their shadow print designed to tie you into a long term agreement. The only difference between my experience and that of the gentleman who wrote this complaint is that their salesman told me in response to a specific inquiry I made as to whether I would be able to change providers if I signed their contract that I could "switch anytime for any reason." That is an exact quote.
In addition to the complaints described above I can add that Thompson regularly refills my tank without my permission and has flatly refused to stop this practice. This fall, with propane prices dropping, they refilled my already 65% full tank in an obvious effort to charge me top dollar before prices fell further.
I am counting the days until my 5 year agreement is up and I can switch providers.
a verified customer
I have a 500 gallon tank and they want to charge me $150 to remove. They have the most expensive gas prices, and thier contracts are a rip off, they are set up to trap you into staying on as thier customer. When I move in our house I found 3 leaks on the tank and 1 inside the house, that I had to fix myself. I no longer deal with thompson gas, or any of thier services.
a verified customer
I'm having the same trouble trying to get my father his refund for his tank which was nearly full (as he never used the fireplace). I did see a problem with paying for them to come pick up their tank. My father's price was $93.48. Really disappointment in Thompson Gas. I know them and they must do business differently than they do their personal lives.
a verified customer
Thompson shut our gas off two weeks after we moved without notice. They have you over a barrel and they know it. We need to contact our elected officals and have them put under the same laws that govern the other utilites.
a verified customer
Thats Crap, I would take some legal action to prove a point.