Last house I had was a uninsulated shack. 1st winter was $450 a month for electric heat. Next spring put in a wood stove. Had to laugh following December power company changed my meter. February they came to change it again. In April they came and knocked. Asked if I was taking the meter off and plugging it in upside down and running it backwards to cheat the meter. I smirked and said are your locks broke on the meter? Guess they didn't like my monthly bill only being $40. I then asked them if they noticed the wood pile they walked by when they came to my door. Only response was a disgruntled yes.
Been dealing with this for years now- All the add on charges exceed the actual gas used charge, and they are going to double the add on rates, might just tell them to come and get their meter. Only game in town and electric from the same source. It is a real raw deal.
Had the grandkid and ma n pa inlaws over for supper and got to ring in the newyear with a 2 year old wired with new toys and Mickey mouse movies. Healin up perty good. Go for my follow up visit in the am tomorrow. Wife said they didn't remove enough stubborn/defiant with the surgery.
I love these stories guys!!!! We only have a wood fireplace with a blower fan on it. But we use ng for the forced air furnace. I told the wife about nearly all of these stories. She then asked how we could get our bill cut like this. I know an epa insert would help a lot, but these $300-400 a month energy bills are ridiculous. I know a nice stove will be 2500 or so. But if we could cut or bill even in half, that would definitely help. I'll have to start a thread in the stove area.
Same here in NE Illinois.....................cost me more per month IN TAXES AND FOR THE PRIVILEGE of being connected to them than it costs me in the natural gas I consume. Same for my electric usage!!
Local co/op did the same thing to us last winter. About the third time I cut their lock off they finally took the hint. This spring they claimed I did not meet the minimium useage and they were going to charge me a $500 minimium useage fee. I told them to stuff it, they said they'd pull the tank. They came just after break up and buried their truck on the access road, cost them a thousand to have a dozer come pull them out. I sent them a bill for the damage to the road with a notice that I would file with the BBB if they did not pay within 30 days. They paid. Said they'd come get the tank when the road dried out. They still hadn't come as of this fall. Now the story gets interesting. This fall I was out chasing grouse and ran across one of the co/op delivery trucks buried to the axles in a mud hole on a forest road. Seems the driver was making a delivery to a deer camp and went down the wrong road. I told the driver I'd get my truck with a winch, some cable and come get him out. By the time I got back the owner had showed up, the one I had been going round and round with on the locks, the fees, the tank removal. Turns out his 'buddy' with the dozer was unavailable for several weeks and even then the fee would be enourmous. I told him I would get him out, but I keep the tank and he doesn't charge me goofy fees ever again. He laughed be cause he didn't think an F150 with an 8,000lb winch would do it, but agreed anyway. I started spooling off cable, reeving snatch blocks, chained my truck to a tree and rigged the fixed blocks to other trees. Had a pretty good spider web by the time I was ready to pull. Went 6:1 on the first pull which got the truck about halfway out. Went 4:1 on the second pull and got it the rest of the way. Took a while but got it done. I got a Christmas card from them this winter, I guess we are on good terms again...
These stories never seem to get old. Many many years ago my dad put a wood boiler in the house and turned the gas off to the gas boiler. Before too long the gas company showed up to see what was going on . Mom told them we had installed a wood boiler. Gas guy said he had to come in and see it. Mom told him whatever he could see from outside the window was all he was going to see. A good friend of mine delivers our heating oil. I told him i hope to never see him again.
I have had my gas meter replaced a few times now.... Too bad that it is on the inside and we have to be home for them to do it. I generally get charged more for the fees and customer charges than I do for the actual gas.
I agree that's awesome ! I wish I could catch a break like that. I also just got a min usage bill for 185.00 bucks. Haven't paid it but will need propane before winter is over and more than likely will have to pay it..bastages.
Bill them back for rental of the property occupied by the tank particularly if it is visible and has the Co. name on it boldly as that is advertising. ( not that it would fly but they might get the sentiment behind it)
