Karen Gillespie Korrow, president and CEO of Gillespie Fuels in
Northfield, said that propane customers can engage a new propane
provider by signing a form with their new dealer whereby the new dealer
agrees to supply the former dealer with a similarly sized tank. Such
tank swapping is common in the industry, she said, and she explained
that propane providers in Vermont are required by the Vermont attorney
general's office to "work together on replacement tanks."
She said that the Vermont Fuel Dealer's Association was working on
improving public awareness of how consumers can move from one propane
supplier to another.
"First we need a customer information form to determine who owns the
tank. Tanks can be switched or a customer can purchase their in-ground
tanks and then show proof of ownership. The current propane supplier
should have documentation on file as to who owns the tank," she
explained.
Tom Fountain-Provost, service manager at Blue Flame in Waterbury, said
that would-be customers need to call to set up an account and then
"generally we swap a tank with their old provider."
Setting up an account involves a credit check and Blue Flame
representatives will come out and inspect the heating system, gas lines
and tanks. That inspection is free of charge, Fountain-Provost said.
He said tanks are considered the property of the propane company serving
the residence or business. Customers who assert ownership of their tank
should be able to show documentation that they own the tank.
In the past 10 to 15 years, he said, propane companies have greatly improved documentation of tank ownership.
"Years ago, it was done on a handshake, a gentleman's agreement. Since
then we've been finding out as we went along that documentation was
needed," Fountain-Provost said.
"We have had people say they are switching providers, and we say we're
coming to get our tank and they claim it is theirs. Legally, if we don't
have documentation that we own the tank, we can't assert ownership -
it's on their property," he explained.
"But we've learned to improve that system and we make sure that we
complete the forms now as to who owns the tank. If we are to be your
provider, we send you an underground tank agreement that is filed with
the secretary of state's office and that agreement is also sent to the
local towns. We ask that they keep it on file with the land records," he
continued.
For consumers who want to have a propane company remove a tank, they
need to call the company that owns it and ask to have it taken away. If
the tank is more than 5 percent full, it needs to be disconnected and
pumped before transport.
"If a customer asks you to remove the tank, you do have to get it off
their property. Legally we have 14 days to remove it, if asked. After
that, a consumer can pursue legal action," Fountain-Provost said.
Propane rates vary based on when customers purchase and how much they
purchase. Fountain-Provost said that owning the fuel tank does not give
consumers a significant advantage at Blue Flame. He said with ownership
of the tank comes responsibility to maintaining and repairing it.
"Owning the tank gives you more leverage in being able to call a propane competitor anytime," he said.
<MI>Editor's Note: Given the intense local interest in propane
company pricing practices, following an article about minimum usage
fees,<D> The Valley Reporter <MI>follows up with this
information on how readers may choose or switch propane
companies.<D>
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