Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  05/03/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  Oil company has been not been delivering oil to my house since February. In February I had an emergency, and called them after hours. At that time , they stated they couldn't do any work until I paid balance, I did $440. ($100) was the emergency fee. I asked if I was paid up and they said yes. I called them yesterday to ask about a part their service man stated I had an issue with yesterday. They then stated I owe $755.64. I asked for what and was told at 3 different times from 3 different sales persons a different story. They are stating they gave me $800 worth of oil during the emergency, which they didn't. I was on the budget plan and I am charged $170 a month, I paid that night for January and February. They have not delivered oil to me since then. Now they are saying I woe them a balance they found in December, and the balance of $800 of oil from February 26, and now the new story is I am responsible for the months they didn't give me oil. When in their contract it states i am only responsible for oil delivered. And was confirmed today by one of the many salespeople I spoke to. Now they changed their story againThey have a history of doing this to many other customers too.

  Business response

  05/03/2022

  I have copied my reply's to this customer.

  Reply 1 You are responsible for the balance.  The program you were on was set for you to make monthly payments September to June.  You only made payments through February.  Therefore, the oil balance would have been covered by those remaining 4 monthly payments.  
  If you would like to discuss this feel free to call our office.  

  Reply 2 Correct, we did not deliver oil in February or March.  However, that does not mean you are not responsible for paying for oil used in previous months.  As it stands for oil only, you've paid $1,120.00 for your oil to date.  Andersen delivered to you $1,737.38 worth of oil.  
  

  $1,737.39 - $1,120.00 = $617.38 remaining balance.
  The program you were on was automatic delivery with a 10-month budget.  The payments are designed to spread the cost out equally over the 10 months.  Ultimately, you are responsible for paying for the oil you used.  
  

  As a side note, we did not deliver oil to you in October or November, but you made your monthly payments.  So, just because Andersen didn't make a delivery every month does not mean the customer is excused from making the monthly payment.

  Reply 3 This account has been on the same monthly budget plan since it was opened back in 2017.  So, for the 2017-2018, 2018-2019, 2019-2020, 2020-2021, and this 2021-2022 heating season you have been set up to make monthly payments towards your oil.  The payments run from September to June.

  2017-2018 season: you had a credit of $38.89 at the end of the season that rolled into the follow year. 
  2018-2019 season: you owed $94.30 at the end of the season that you paid prior to the start of the following year.  
  2019-2020 season: you owed $124.13 at the end of the season that you paid prior to the start of the following year. 
  2020-2021 season: you owed $499.84 at the end of the season that you paid prior to the start of this season.  **This season the payments were sporadic which led to the large balance at the end of the season.  
  2021-2022 season: you owe, $617.38 (for oil) because you haven't paid the last 4 months.
  As the contract reads "The Customer can select below to be on a Monthly Payment Plan.  Budget payments are set by Andersen Oil Company. Budget payments are due the 1st of every month; September through June.  Accounts are considered delinquent if the full budget payment is not received by the 15th of the month that payment is due. Deliveries will be held if budget payments become delinquent.  If an account has two or more budget payments due, the account will be removed from Automatic Delivery.  Your budget amount is an estimated projection of your heating oil costs.  Andersen Oil Company will review your account during the heating season to make sure your consumption and payments are equally comparable.  If your usage is out of line with our projections we reserve the right to adjust your monthly payments.  Customers are responsible for any balance remaining on their account after the budget period has ended."
  As an example of your account, you get a delivery on 9/21/22 of 192.6 gallons at $2.50 per gallon totaling $481.50.  Your September monthly payment of $170 obliviously is not enough to cover that delivery, so that remaining balance ($481.50 delivery - $170 payment = $311.50 still due) goes against the October monthly payment ($311.50 balance - $170 payment = $141.50 still due) and so on.  This process continues for the entirety of the season.  
  As another example of your account, you got an afterhours delivery on 2/5/22 of 229 gallons at $3.50 per gallon totaling $801.50 so a payment of $440 does not cover the amount that was delivered.  Your payment of $440 was to make the account current through the February monthly payment.  The $440 payment did not zero your account balance.  
  I have attached your entire account history from when the account was created in 2017.  Feel free to contact me at *************
  Thank you,
  Dan 
  Andersen Oil 

  Customer response

  05/03/2022

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: This not the contract I signed and  Iwas not notified of any of this. Also, the many times I have called they never notified me of this.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** **********

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