Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  02/27/2025

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Upon return from a vacation, we discovered that I misjudged the amount of fuel oil and we ran out. With 2 children, I immediately called Buell Fuels for even a small fill to tide us over as it's cold and will get colder. I was turned away. They informed me they don't do emergency services anymore and despite the fact I told them I have 2 young children, they said there is nothing they can do. I have an account with them with a credit and don't have the money to go anywhere else...I feel this is inhumane to leave 2 young children without heat.

  Business response

  03/02/2025

  Customer was behind two budget payments and was on hold in the system. I released the account for a 186 gallon delivery on Monday and will have to call and discuss her budget on Monday as well.

  Customer response

  03/02/2025

  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.   Despite being behind, I know I have credit built up for at least an emergency fill. I have always worked with you guys and make sure I get up to date on payment anytime I am behind. This forced me to go to another company for an emergency fill and had to get money from another source to pay the 500 for that fill. Just the fact you are more worried about late payments than whether children are warm is disgusting. Also, my late payments were never mentioned to me upon my calling for an emergency fill. The statement was I couldn't get anything for 1 whole week! They also stated they do not do emergency runs anymore. My payment status never came up. I couldn't even finish the phone call before I burst into tears.   Regards,  ****** *****

• Initial Complaint

  03/18/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  The beginning of this year I signed up with Buell Fuels for fuel oil delivery. They told me the lock in price was $3.529 per gallon if you signed up for automatic delivery and automatic credit card charge. January 10, 2024 I received a fill up of 152 gallons at $3.629 not $3.529 total charge was $538.50. February 26, 2024 received 93.3 gallons at $3.799 total price was $ 354.45. I called and complained today 3/18/24 and they told me price per gallon was daily market price and a .09 a gallon discount if paid in 10 days. I explained they told me $3.529 locked in price when I signed up. They claimed it wasn’t true and that I got .09 a gallon off. No place on the invoice does it show a flexible rate per gallon or a .09 cent discount for immediate payment upon fill up. This is consumer fraud once they get your information and credit card they charge what ever they want. Not good business practice. I called ***** credit card fraud they said they could only offer me $10 credit because fuel oil couldn’t be returned which I accepted. I also explained to Buell since I’m not at that address for 6 months during the winter a fill twice a year is plenty. Between the two fill ups I believe they overcharged me $40.20

  Business response

  03/19/2024

  Thank you for reaching out regarding Mr. *****’s complaint. The customer opened an account with Buell Fuel LLC on January 8th, 2024. When the customer spoke with our customer service representative, Chloe, it was explained to him that our market price for the day was $3.629 per gallon, but if he agreed to auto-delivery, auto-pay going forward, that we would offer him a $0.10 discount on all future deliveries. We made the first delivery on January 9th, 2024, at that day’s market price of $3.599 minus the customer’s $0.10 discount for a net price of $3.499 per gallon. Customer’s second delivery was made February 27th, 2024, at that day’s market price of $3.899 minus the customer’s $0.10 discount for a net price of $3.799. The customer was not, at any time, offered a “lock-in” price, and was never offered a $0.09 cent discount to pay his balance within 10 days. This is not even something our company offers.
  
  Please see accompanying account history and Customer Responsibility Sheet required to open a new account at Buell Fuel. We look forward to resolving this situation. 

• Initial Complaint

  05/15/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I contacted Buell Fuels on 2/17/23 to turn off auto-delivery. I had a HEAP Credit on my account, but was concerned that I would be moving in summer & not be able to use the subsequent delivery made to the property in April. I was supposed to be put on will-call at that time. The employee said as a renter, I should not even be on auto-delivery. On 4/5/23 the company auto-delivered 3/4 of a tank of heating oil to my residence. I called them that morning to report the error & request they pump out the fuel delivered in error. They told me I was removed from auto-pay & not auto-delivery, & the call log indicated that's what I requested. I asked to hear the call, as that is not what was said. I subsequently called on 4/7/23, 4/11/23, 4/25/23, & 5/12/23. Every time, I was given the run-around, told they had to speak to the owner. They told me they would not charge me for the excess over the HEAP Credit, which I told them was unacceptable as I need the HEAP Credit available for when I move. On 5/15/23 I called again & was told the owner decided he will not retrieve the oil, as he has determined I "must have used some of the delivered oil" since it's been cold. I offered to pay for any of the oil I may have used, but I wanted them to remove the rest. They threatened to call HEAP as if I was scamming them, & the woman was very rude & condescending, questioning my "need" for HEAP when I explained I would find alternative heat if needed when they emptied my tank. I raised my voice at this point to tell them to remove the oil. She hung up & would not answer my calls after that point. She kept picking up & hanging up my calls, which is highly unprofessional. HEAP even contacted them on my behalf, & were told it would be too expensive to retrieve the oil, as they would need to dump it. So Buell Fuels has essentially stolen my HEAP Credit by refusing to correct their mistake, & I have 3/4 of a tank of oil for which I will not be compensated & cannot utilize before I move.

  Business response

  06/13/2023

  To whom it may concern, Customer states that she requested to be taken off automatic payment and delivery on 2/17/23. We have no record of such a request. Although she did request to be taken off auto pay, which we did. Regardless of her delivery status, as a H.E.A.P. customer when we receive a voucher we are to log a delivery which was also done. Customers who receive H.E.A.P. are typically below ¼ of a tank and need delivery as soon as possible. It was our mistake when she received a fill instead of what her credit would cover. That is why we offered to remove the difference on her account. Customer also stated that she may be moving at the end of the summer but she was not sure. She did not want the delivery because she wanted to have her heap credit for her new place when/if she moved. Customer was told that if we were to pump out the tank we would have to dispose of the fuel. Customer stated it is not her problem she wants her heap credit on her account. She also stated that she might not even move and may need us to come deliver that same amount again if she doesn’t end up moving. To our knowledge this customer is still living at this location and using the fuel delivered. We have tried to talk to her and come to a compromise. We also reached out to Oneida County H.E.A.P. and the State H.E.A.P office to make sure we had followed the correct procedure . Both offices verified that we had done what we should have for her and are not required to do anything further. Respectfully, Tammy D********Buell Fuels, LLC **** State Route 12BDeansboro, NY 13328

  Customer response

  06/13/2023

  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.  When speaking with the rep on 4/5/2023, I was told she listened to the call from 2/17/23 & I indicated I wanted to remove auto pay. I told her I want to hear the call, because I had no intention of canceling auto pay (& no need). I have never been provided with that recording.  I also told the rep I spoke with on 5/15/23 that I am moving before 9/1/23 & therefore the erroneous delivery needed to be corrected as I would need the HEAP Credit for my new residence. When they told me on 4/7 or 4/11/33 that they would not re-deliver if they removed the fuel, I told them I would find another company & they needed to remove the fuel delivered in error. This company made no attempt to work with me. The owner has yet to reach out to me & speak directly with me about the situation. The only reason they didn't charge the amount over the HEAP Credit is because I would have disputed the charge to my credit card. Despite my efforts to have them correct their error, they refuse to make the situation right. I absolutely said that them losing the fuel they delivered in error was not my problem, & I maintain that stance. I should not be punished for their mistake. My family should not struggle financially for their mistake. I had absolutely no reason to cancel auto pay for my account, but I did have a very good reason to stop auto delivery, as my housing situation was up in the air at the time of the call I made on 2/17/23 where I requested auto delivery be stopped.  I want them to re-issue my HEAP Credit back to the account or to HEAP directly so that the balance will transfer to my new oil company once I move.  They made an unauthorized  delivery and applied my credit as a matter of procedure, which is legal but not appropriate given the whole situation. I also want to hear the phone call where I supposedly stated I wanted to turn off auto-pay & not auto-delivery.  I find it very suspect that the rep on April 5, 2023 stated she heard the call, yet my requests to hear it have been ignored.   If this had been a delivery charged fully against my credit card, I would be able to report it as a fraudulent charge since they refuse to correct their mistake & the delivery was unauthorized.  It was mishandled because the delivery should never have come. But since there was a HEAP Credit on my file, they bypassed the ethical resolution of retrieving the fuel & allowing my credit to remain on my account because they "followed a procedure of making a delivery & then applying the credit to their books."  HEAP told them that since they made a delivery, they were entitled to the remaining credit.  This is factually correct, but not a fair outcome to the consumer (me), who has now been stripped of the ability to use the credit in my new home after I move.  Since they were not supposed to deliver in April 2023, it should fall upon them to eat the loss of the fuel cost. In any other business, the customer would be made whole when the company made such an error.  Instead, I'm told that I should suffer the loss of the credit since they made a delivery & didn't charge more than the credit amount? That is a completely unreasonable response from the company.   Regards,  ******* ******

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