Standard Oil of Connecticut, Inc.

Review: We have been customers of Standard Security for 7 years. We recently had a service call, on or about Apr 14, to service our system. We would be away for 3 weeks and wanted to make sure all worked correctly, and we set the alarm before we left for vacation. When we returned from our vacation on May 16, I punched in our code, but the alarm went off anyway. I tried once again to shut off the alarm without success, and then Standard Security called to ask if everything was OK. I told him that yes, all was OK and gave him the password, which stopped a call to the police. But he was unable to stop the alarm from sounding, and told me to call the on-call technician. We called the Standard Security 800 number, and I chose option 3 as instructed. But no technician every called me back or answered the phone, and at some point I left a message with the Standard answering service and told them that this was an emergency as 30 minutes had passed and the alarm was still sounding. All I would ever hear from Standard was a commercial for oil while on hold- no one ever called me on that day when my alarm was broken. Eventually, I pulled out the plug for the alarm box at the outlet, after unscrewing the screw bolting it to the outlet, but the alarm still sounded. I assumed it was now being powered by the backup battery, so I unlocked the alarm box and carefully disconnected the black and red wires at the backup battery. This eventually stopped the alarm from sounding. Essentially, from May 16 until Aug 18 (I believe that's the correct date) we were unable to use the alarm as each time I plugged it back into the AC power, it would start sounding. On or about Aug 18 Standard sent a technician to reset the alarm and check everything. From that date on, the alarm worked normally.

My wife and I have been trying to resolve a billing issue with Standard because we had a NON-WORKING alarm for four months, but were continued to receive bills for. Also, we are very, very unhappy that we were NEVER able to reach technical support on the day the alarm would not shut off. Also, I had to figure a way to stop the alarm from sounding on my own, without the around the clock support we were paying for. We are very unhappy with the service and response we received from Standard (not from the on-site technicians, who were very professional) and wondered what the monthly fee paid for, as we certainly received none on May 16 when the alarm failed.

While Standard offered a minor discount from our bill, my wife just got off the phone with Steve from the technical department who said that Standard could not and would not do anything further to resolve this. My wife told them while we would like to remain their customers, we were very unhappy with the poor service we received from them, especially at the time we really needed it. Standard said that if we would like to switch to another security service, we are free to do so. That's not the kind of answer I was expecting, especially since their service was extraordinarily poor.Desired Settlement: A satisfactory adjustment to our bill

Business

Response:

To: Revdex.com

Review: I had purchased a home alarm system from Standard Oil in February 2013. Now the company is demanding $600+ dollars to cancel ( we had to sell our house). Initially, in January of 2013, we decided to change alarm companies because Standard Oil's systems was getting very outdated and was not competitively priced. We informed Standard Oil of our intent to change and they sent us a sales person (Bill Knowles )to our house. Bill told us that we could get a better rate with SD Oil and provide us with a new panel and key fobs to meet current technology. We agreed and cancelled the over vendor. However, we didn't discover how they lowered the prices until we went to cancel. They marked up the equipment 700%, in some cases, and are now charging us for the balance when we informed them that we had to cancel. We completely understand that we should to pay something to cancel their contract even though it is our fault (the house had to be sold). However, $600 is pure opportunism on SD Oil's behalf. We called several people at STD OIL in an effort to meet somewhere in the middle but everyone kept telling us that "there was nothing they could do", even from the so-called manager (Eric something) of the company.

Product_Or_Service: see attached invoice

Desired Settlement: DesiredSettlementID: Other (requires explanation)

We would like a settlement of $300 dollars here to cancel the contract. We will also return all their equipment. I really believe that this is the fairest and most reasonable outcome.

Business

Response:

Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2013/08/20) */

To: Revdex.com

From: J. Mahony, VP

Subject: Revdex.com Complaint No. 84122183 [redacted]

Date: August 20, 2013

We have carefully reviewed the above captioned complaint and find it to be essentially without merit.

Mr. [redacted], in exchange for his agreement to purchase alarm monitoring for a period of 36 months, was provided $1205.00 worth of new equipment at no cost.

Mr. [redacted] was has a current balance of $602.36 which consists of the remaining months of the 36 month monitoring agreement.

We believe that there was substantial value both in the in the equipment installed at his prior residence in Danbury together with the 3.2 hours of labor performed by a licensed electrician required to install that equipment. We dispute Mr. [redacted]'s valuation of that equipment (which is clearly erroneous) and we also point out that any valuation of the house would be increased by the existence of the alarm system, all of which presumably accrued to Mr. [redacted]'s benefit when the house was sold.

We believe that Standard has fully honored its part of the agreement. Certainly, if Mr. [redacted] had remained at those premises for the entire remaining term of our contract he would have paid for nothing more than the monitoring itself.

Nevertheless, we cannot dispute that Mr. [redacted] was, at all times, an excellent customer. In view of that, Standard will credit Mr. [redacted]'s account with a further $100.00, bringing the amount due Standard to $502.36 an amount equivalent to only 46% of the $1085.52 retail value of the equipment installed and credited to his account after factoring in his down payment.

We hope you find this responsive to your inquiry and that Mr. [redacted] finds this to be a satisfactory resolution of his complaint.

Consumer Response /* (2110, 7, 2013/08/24) */

(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the partial settlement response from the business.)

We awoke to.a 53 degree bedroom. It's 20 outside. For the past hour, I have been trying to reach Standard Oil, we have a service agreement with them. I will be canceling that and our delivery Monday. Additionally, when they were called on my behalf last fall, they estimated the work that needed to be done at $1500. The part got $125 and was covered under warranty.

Review: Good afternoon,

I have been a customer for a few years now since moving to CT. We have a service contract with Standard Oil to maintain our heating system on the property.

On December *5th, 20*5, Standard Oil had a service cancellation at a difference property and I happened to be home from work that particular day. They asked if I would like to take care of my unit that afternoon. I agreed that it would be fine to come out same day. This was the third service visit by Standard Oil, which comes to the property annually.

Glenn was the service technician on *2/*5/20*5. Upon entering the boiler room, he immediately mentioned that my HydroAir plumbing was corroded and would need to be replaced. He said it was a big job and would take two men the best part of a day to fix, at the cost of a few thousand days, but would need to get customer service involved to get a quote out (he specifically mentioned Kelly F[redacted] would reach out to me).

Approximately 24 hours passed, and I had not hear from Kelly. I emailed Standard Oil to get the lines of communication open.

________________________________________________________________________

This is the response from Kelly [redacted]:

From: Kelly [redacted]

Date: Wednesday, December *6, 20*5 at **:*8 AM

To: [redacted]

Subject: estimate

I just spoke with Glenn in regards to your account. It will take time to price it out. We have not done antifreeze replacement at this home before but I can tell you that you are looking in the $2,000.00 -$2,250.00 dollar range

Kelly [redacted]

Dispatch Supervisor

###-###-#### Ext. 3023

________________________________________________________________________

My response:

From: [redacted]com

Date: Wednesday, December *6, 20*5 at **:2* AM

To: Kelly [redacted]

Subject: Re: estimate

I will need a complete break down of all the costs. Then we will need a high level discussion about how Standard Oil allowed it to get to this point after two prior services.

JG

________________________________________________________________________

Her response:

From: Kelly [redacted]

Date: Wednesday, December *6, 20*5 at **:23 AM

To: [redacted]com

Subject: RE: estimate

You will have to have that discussion with Marty B[redacted] the service manager.

[email protected]

###-###-####

Best,

Kelly

________________________________________________________________________

I then emailed Marty the following email with my proposal. I have still not received a response from him.

From: [redacted]com

Date: Wednesday, December *6, 20*5 at **:34 AM

To: [email protected]

Subject: Corrosion

Good afternoon,

My name is [redacted]. I have been a standard oil customer for a few years now.

I just had my 3rd annual maintence on the service plan yesterday with Glenn. He mentioned some of my hydroair lines are corroded now and need replacing. It will be a few thousand dollars to repair. I don’t feel this is my responsibility, because if Standard Oil was properly maintaining and advising me of necessary Preventative Maintenance, we would not be in the position.

At this time, I am asking Standard oil to bring the system back up to standards at NO COST to my family.

Please let me know.

Regards,

[redacted] CT 06488

________________________________________________________________________

Having not had a response back from Kelly or Marty I emailed a friendly reminder to Kelly. This was the last email

From: [redacted]com

Date: Wednesday, December 23, 20*5 at 3:*8 PM

To: Kelly [redacted]

Subject: Re: estimate

Kelly,

Do you have this quote?

I still have not heard back from Marty yet.

Thanks,

JonathanDesired Settlement: At this time, the first thing I am looking for is a response from Standard Oil. Second, is for Standard Oil to correct their negligence in not maintaining and not advising me of necessary maintence before the damage to the system occurred, as this was the third year of Standard Oil maintaining the system.

Grateful for a rapid response, as I have a newly finished basement, and I do not want further damage to my home, should a leak occur in the system.

Thank you,

Business

Response:

To: Revdex.com

From: John M[redacted] V.P.

Subject: Revdex.com Complaint #[redacted]

Date: January 5, 20*6

This will acknowledge receipt of the above captioned complaint which was forwarded to our Service Department for review and it is my understanding that an email was sent to the Complainant in which we offered to replace, without charge any operating part of the boiler affected by the anti-freeze in his heating system. As of the above date, we have had no acknowledgment or response to our email from Mr. [redacted].

Regretfully, the cost of removal, disposal and replacement of the anti-freeze itself is not covered by any of Standard Oil’s Service Plans.

The labor involved in the anti-freeze removal is expected to be, at minimum, five hours and quite likely more. The environmentally toxic anti-freeze requires handling by hazardous waste specialists and is extremely costly to dispose of. The amount of replacement anti-freeze can exceed 20 gallons or more but is probably the least expensive item in the entire process.

As stated above, Standard will remove, replace and dispose of the existing anti-freeze for the sum of $*,04*.00 and replace, at no cost to Mr. [redacted], any mechanical part or electronic control of the boiler affected by corrosion caused by his existing anti-freeze.

If Mr. [redacted] has any questions regarding the work or wishes to make an appointment to have it done, please advise him to contact Martin B[redacted] at ###-###-####.

We hope you find this a satisfactory response to your inquiry.

Consumer

Response:

Review: [redacted]

I am rejecting this response because:

Review: My complaint is very simple. I was billed for oil that was never delivered (no truck ticket left and no changes in my fill gauge observed during the timeframe of said delivery). I immediately upon receipt of a mysterious 75gallon bill hired a second company to come out examine and fill my tank (140gallons went into the tank on that delivery). Standard Oil instead of realizing they may have made a mistake and delivered to a different house tried to come up with excuses to pin me with the bill. They blamed my tank whistle for not working. They also told me their driver is an honest guy and he remembers delivering to my house. I have proof my tank whistle works fine as I video taped the 140gallon fill. Standard Oils credit department heard my complaint and was supposedly going to investigate further and get back to me. I have yet to hear anything from Standard Oil as a follow up and now I received a new bill with finance charges. I strongly recommend local homeowners to take note.Desired Settlement: To be cleared of the bill. I will not pay for services not received.

Business

Response:

In response to the above captioned complaint:

Attached you will find an analysis of [redacted] complaint which I believe was forwarded to him by our Credit Department. As stated therein, we do not believe it to be likely that our driver mistook [redacted]

house for another on the street given fact that it is a closed-end street, the prominence of the house number, the location of the oil fill and the considerable distance between his premises and others on the street.

Further, and more convincing is the size of both our oil delivery and a delivery made by his new oil company. Given the oil usage history of the complainant’s premises; each delivery taken on its own, both by Standard Oil and [redacted] is in a lesser amount than either one should have been given the time and weather conditions that had elapsed from the prior delivery in February, 2014. However, taken together they are approximately the amount [redacted] should have received from either one of the two oil companies if only one of the companies had made a delivery. Taken separately, each is too small.

We believe, based on this, that [redacted] complaint is without merit.

We hope you find this responsive to your inquiry.

[redacted], VP

Consumer

Response:

Review: [redacted]

I am rejecting this response because:

Standard Security is a bunch of shysters. They sell you a package which they claim is free until you read the fine print, then you find out all the fee's. They had shotty installation "professionals" and left the house a mess when they left. We eventually went to sell our house and had the new owners set up to take over our service plan and Standard didn't follow through and charged us the full price of the 11 months left even though we had a commitment from the new owners. Use any other company but them. Horrible experience.