Suburban Propane Unethical Business Practices Jacksonville North Carolina

For more than a decade I was a satisfied customer of Jenkins Propone in Cedar Point, N.C. Then, Suburban Propone bought out Jenkins. Surburban was quick to notify me about my expiring rental of the large propone tank in my backyard that I use to fuel gas logs, but never came by the house to check if the tank needed refilling. It went dry last week. I called Suburban's office in Jacksonville, NC. The nice young lady on the phone told me it would cost almost $500 to fill the tank, plus another $45 to "check the lines." I told her I would shop around.

It turns out Surburban wanted about $1/gallon more than what the service I enventually chose charges. They came out yesterday, disconnected the line from the Suburban tank, installed a smaller tanks that better suits my needs, checked the lines and cleaned the logs. All for less than half of what Suburban wanted.

Now things get interested. I called Suburan today to cancel my service and arrange for removal of their tank. They're charging me $45 to come and pick up their tank and will not credit me for the nine months left on my rental contract. They told me those are standard practices in the industry. I check with my new propane provider, who said he will prorate my rental contract if I cancel and will come get his tank. "Why would I charge you to come get something I own?" he asked.

Why indeed. Surburba does because it can.