Ferrell Gas "Contract" Bay City Michigan

My husband and I bought a house a couple years ago, and the bank filled the tank with propane from FerrellGas. We realized they were charging us close to twice the amount pet gallon, so we decided in March we would switch companies as soon as all the propane was gone. I called our local FerrellGas company and told them we would be changing companies soon.
In May be got a bill for $80.00. They said that because we had not called within 30 days of some letter they sent out in the mail in April we would have to pay an $80.00 fee, because they had purchased all the propane for us we would need for the winter.
I called and called the local office and spoke to the manager who I had heard Horrible stories about. She refused to remove the fee.
I tried to sue them, but wasn't sure if it would be cost effective.
Luckily today the HQ for FerrellGas called me, and said why haven't you paid this fee. I explained, and they said they would send an email to the local office telling them to drop the charge!
I have been looking everywhere for their main office number, and my local office REFUSED to give me any other number than their local office number. HERE IS THE MAIN OFFICE NUMBER! 888-700-7279. If this happens to anyone else, do not pay the money, just call the main office.

Just today I spoke to someone at their main office again as my local office is once again refusing to drop this fee. When we began dealing with them we never signed any papers, made sure we were not in any contract, and used down the propane in the tank below 5% so there would be no pick up fee.

The fee they are now adding to with "late fee's" is because they are saying that in April they sent all of their customers a letter saying "if you do not call us with in 30 days we will purchase the gas we assume you will need for the winter. If you decide to switch companies without calling us within 30 days we will charge you 5% of all the propane we purchased for you". WELL! They SAY they sent me this letter in the mail.

1. I never got the letter.

2. the local office refused over and over to give me the corporate number.

3. The people esp. the female manager I spoke with were EXTREMELY rude and aggressive.

4. I have been hearing horrible stories from many friends and family members about this company. Too bad I hadn't heard these before I began dealing with them!!

5. The woman manager of the branch kept saying she checked with her lawyer, and she says she can legally make people have to pay this 5% fee if they do not call within 30 days of the letter she "says" she sent out. I am somehow now in a contract??? I NEVER signed anything, and spoke to this office last year to make sure that I would never have any canceling fees, or anything like that.

We really never signed up with this company to begin with, because the bank we bought our house from delt with them.

Lisa
Saginaw, Michigan
U.S.A.