Depew Oil

I just got off the phone with these folks at De Pew oil. Another month, another billing dispute. I caught them a few times double billing me for fuel oil deliveries last season.
I had to call them or send e-mails proving that they had over billed. This time, it had to do with the propane service. They insist I owed the 2 months when I had proof I paid them.
When I first signed up with Depew in 2013, they were a very good company. Never had a problem with them. In fact, I had praised them several times with regard to their service. I had a service contract and bought both heating oil and propane from them. I even used their seal coating services for my driveway.
But I began to realize something was very wrong with De Pew last heating season. I found out that a Texas Based Company had taken over from the previous owners.
De Pew is no longer the local company it was.

During the COVID-19 outbreak, fuel prices began to go down. De Pew was STILL charging $2.799 for it's heating oil when every other local company in the area was charging as low as $1.359. I called them and asked what the price was. They said $2.799. I called them thieves over the phone. And thieves they were.

AFTER my phone call as subsequent e-mails complaining of their thievery. As well as my contacting the Better Business Bureau and New York State Department of Consumer Affairs, they lowered their price to $1.999.

The response from the office manager was to accuse me of using "foul language" when speaking over the phone to their office worker.

I was also advised that my phone call was recorded. Which they make no mention of when you call there. Which they must do under the law.

All in all, during this final call today, I was "asked" to "Part Ways" with De Pew by the woman on the phone and her supervisor, who was very irate and was telling her what to say to me as he was standing in the back ground. I'm way ahead of them as my last fuel oil purchase was from another company and I've been looking to get the their propane service removed as well.

These people would like us to think they are a "community based" organization. They collect money for local charities and causes. But in my opinion? It's all a front.

Truly a shame. As De Pew was once a fine local company that truly cared for it's customers. Now, it's just another "out of state" owned corporation.

Ok, well we have given more than credit on this account than normalWe consider this case closedThank you

*** *** received a delivery of Propane on September **,she did not pay for her delivery according to our terms of days we had to call her several times to collect the money 10/**,11/*, she called back and said she would pay on the *** , she never didWe called again
11/**,11/**,11/**,12/*,12/* and on 12/** Jamie called and said she is not paying her bill we then told her we were going to pick up the propane tank owned by D*** Oil12/** She(Jamie) called and finally paid her bill, she was told any future deliveries would have to be paid in advance due to the length it took for her to pay the other billShe stated her father would call back and pay for her next delivery before we would go againHe never did callThe cost of the propane is the cost to fill her tank it would have been approximately $.She never paid that much before because we never delivered a full tankThat same day her (Jamie's)husband called and started scre aming on the phone to the owner(David D***) calling him all kinds of belligerent and nasty names totally uncalled forHe also stated he was going to come to our office and kick his a**He continually insulted him and would not let him say anythingWe understand hard times and always work with our customers with payments and such ,however they did not communicate with us at all in regards to the outstanding balanceWe tried constantly to get in touch with them We are sorry they feel we are rude and unprofessional, We are just trying to make a living and pay our valued employees, but it is very difficult to do when customers do not pay for the services we have supplied for them always in a timely and courteously manor.I do have all of the phone calls recorded and can send them to you if needed to prove we did nothing wrong and were not disrespectful or rude.Thank you ,David D***

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# [redacted], and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

The business wants to credit $48.00. The business was to pick up the tank on 9/*/16, the day after labor day. Not only did they not do that, they proceded to make yet another delivery , filling the tank, and billing is close to $150 at a home we no longer live at. Carol at DEPEW stopped that payment, but that does not account for the two plus weeks it was at a home we no longer live in or the fuel that was in the tank. A delivery was made about a week and a half prior to our moving out and far exceeded $48, not to mention the fuel that was in the tank. We are expecting full reimbursement for what was in the tank when we left the home on 9/*. $48 is a slap in the face to a consumer who has faithfully stayed with the company over seven years for both propane and oil. We do not accept this resolution. 
 
 
 
In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# [redacted], and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

Maybe it should have been explained, instead of being put in tiny print. This is the poor customer service that is partially why we left. Money hungry, double charging. Charge $400 on install, come when refill not needed, and then when we move to a home without propane (not choice as you stated, we chose to,leave the house), told we won't get credited, then do not only fail to remove the tank as agreed, but have it delivered to when we weren't occupying the residence. That is absurd. 
 
 
 
 
In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Hello, We are responding to a complaint against our company. ID# [redacted] Depew Oil Co. Inc. Customer [redacted] We have picked up the propane tank that was in question on 9/**/16. We did issue you them a credit on his credit card on 9/**/16.   Thank you...

  David D[redacted]     DEPEW ENERGY [redacted]

Review: I refuse to pay Invoice #[redacted] as I had paid $389.24 for oil burner contract 9/2013. No where in this contract does it state, service contract will not cover service calls if homeowner installs new boiler. She said, #5 of contract, "If buyer permits any persons other than our employees to render service to the equipment except as instructed by us, the Plan is void, so I would not be covered by my plan. To make matters worse, the servicemen did absolutely nothing but run the boiler for a consider length of time and then had me run the hot water for a long length of time. He then got call from service manager and came in house and told me the plumber had wired unit wrong, told him not possible as unit ran fine for 3 mos., then he said I needed a new control (that was 3 mos. old)and that would be $400. Neither one was true. Invoice states, "plumber is going to change hydrostate" which is not true. Then I found out oil co. were charging $90. for service call during regular hrs., which it was. Today received a call from Depew after writing [redacted] letter explaining why I wasn't paying invoice and she said, "the invoice stands", did I still want to be on automatic delivery? Answer, No. This could be a case of take advantage of the elderly, telling them anything, hoping they fall for it and charge them over and above what other companies are charging.Desired Settlement: Acknowledge this invoice is null and void.

Business

Response:

The business has responded. Please read below.

We received a complaint from [redacted] stating that work that she needed done on her boiler was not covered by her service contract provided by Depew Oil. She was told by the plumber who installed the boiler that he was on vacation and could not get there for over a week.She was told before our service tech arrived at her house that the call was a billable call.The reason the work was not covered is because she had a new boiler installed by a plumber not Depew Oil. It clearly states in the contract #2 that any equipment that is covered under the service contract must be inspected by Depew Oil. This boiler was never inspected by anyone at Depew Oil. The contract also states if the boiler is worked on by anyone besides Depew Oil the contract is void. As far as what parts were needed it was our service tech and service managers honest opinion that that was what was wrong with the boiler. We did charge her our regular service hourly charge $125.00 per hour that is the going rate for going and evaulating the call. We are sorry she feels that we are taking advatage of the eldery. We do not discriminate age,race etc.... That is not the case. We charge very competive prices in our field. We are a full service oil company. We are just trying to make an honest living. We have decided that the bill stands, no credit will be given. We are sorry she had a bad experience and has left our company

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# [redacted], and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

[Your Answer Here]#2 states, "Equipment is subject to our inspection and approval before acceptance of Agreement. Any repairs required to place equipment in acceptable condition are excluded and will be charged separately". Everything was acceptable and they accepted my $389.24.

No one worked on the boiler, it was merely replaced and because I didn't purchase boiler from Depew, is why they are trying to bilk me out of $135.16 I considered their boiler but after contacting 2 supply houses and doing extensive research on the Internet found out the general opinion was that their boiler was a piece of junk" and broke down almost immediately.

Their service tech and [redacted]s honest opinions were wrong!! They told me I needed a new control, that was $400. plus the first service call of $135.16, plus another service charge to install it for a total cost exceeding $670.16. They told me this, because I was a woman and elderly, thinking I would fall for it. They knew there was nothing wrong with the control. This is outrageous and charges should be filed by the NYS Attorney's Office. And they say they are "just trying to make an honest living". That is not honest and they know it.

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

The business has responded, please read below:

We have reviewed the response from [redacted] and again state:

We accepted paymen ton 9/**/13 for a service contract on the original boiler after we inspected it and it passed inspection. The service contract was only valid for the boiler we originaly inspected upon purchase of the service contract. New installed equipment especially installed by someone else would not be covered under a pre existing service contract. She was told that on the phone before we went there.

Again we charged her our going rate to come to her house and see what was wrong with her boiler and she was told in advance prior to our service tech arriving at her house that it was a billable call.

We did not nor have we ever take advantage of an eldery person or woman or anyone !!!

Again we are sorry she feels this way. To be relieved of any further issues with [redacted] we are removing the $135.16 charge on her account and have closed her account and will consider this matter closed...

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved.

Sincerely,