Consolidated Gas Cooperative, Inc.

Dear Revdex.com.To supplement the above listed complaint, I have attached the letter I received from Consolidated Gas Cooperative wherein they describe intent to remove the propane tank I rent if I do not pay a $250 service fee for usage under 100 gallons annually or buy at least 200 gallons of propane...

now. I have also attached a copy of my contract with Consolidated Gas. There are no minimum purchase requirements in the contract that would trigger removal of the tank or charges of service fees for low usage.Thank you for your attention to this matter.

My name is [redacted] and I am writing in response
to the complaint filed by [redacted]. We did send out a notice that we
needed to do 1 of 3 options for her since she is using very little gas. As the
letter states she needs to take a minimum delivery of 200 gallons, pay a fee of
$250.00 or allow us to pick up the tank.  I understand that she has had some
damage to her furnace and cannot use it and that is the reason she is not using
much gas. With that being said when we set up the account is was a heating
account. We can’t let an asset (Tank) that cost this much money just set out
there with no return. We are a not for profit company and the tank is an asset
that I can put at another member’s home. I can’t ask our members to subsidies
another member. At $1500 to buy another tank when I have 1 not being used I
have to make sure that I am protecting the other members. We are member owned
and I can’t ask them to bare that burden. My suggestion would be if she is only
using the tank for cooking to purchase a 100 pound tank and let us remove the
500 gallon tank. 100 pound tanks can be purchased at just about any home
improvement store.

Consolidated Gas has a contractual obligation to maintain the tank at my residence. Again, there is no minimum purchase requirement in the contract. If they remove the tank they are breaking the law by violating a legal contract. As well, it is not legal to attempt to extort money from customers. And the truth is that many businesses make little or no money and sometimes lose money on a few customers. I don't use much water but my water company has to continue providing it. The option of me purchasing my own 100 gallon tank, as suggested by Consolidated Gas, is also not acceptable for several reasons. First, it is money I will have to spend only because Consolidated Gas is attempting to unlawfully terminate the contract. And the cost of the tank is not the only expense I will incur. I will have to pay an installer (it is not legal for an unlicensed person to install a tank) and buy a regulator and probably more. The gas line to the house is actually mine (same line that was there when I moved in in 1992) but the contract says it belongs to Consolidated Gas. So if they rip that out, I will also have to pay for a gas line. We are now talking expenditure of many HUNDREDS of dollars. Second, with a 100 gallon tank, I will be unable to use my furnace even if I am able to get it repaired this year - which I would like to do but I can't guarantee it. A 100 gallon tank will also probably not have sufficient surface area so that enough propane vaporizes to supply the furnace. The vaporization rate will be even lower in cold weather.Consolidated Gas also claims this was a heating account. I don't see that in the contract either. I can tell you that they originally wanted to deliver a 1000 gallon tank and I had to argue pretty strenuously to get them to install the 500 gallon tank since even when I used my furnace that is about the most I ever used in a year.I am on firm footing in this dispute. If Consolidated Gas persists in attempting to violate the contract, remove the tank and/or extort money from me, I will have to terminate negotiations through the Revdex.com and instead file a consumer complaint with the Ohio Attorney General's Office.