Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Griffin Oil & Propane Co's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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  Griffin Oil & Propane Co

  1224 Holland Road Suffolk, VA 23434

• 

  Griffin Oil & Propane Co

  528 County Dr Wakefield, VA 23888

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/28/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  My husband and I just built a brand new custom home. Our builder recommended ******* but all they ended up doing is scamming us out of ***** for what they claim was for pipe installation that they had to install on behalf of the builder since the builders plumber didn't do his job. ******* never informed me of any sort of pipe installation nor did they ever provide an estimate for the pipe installation. The only price they informed me of was for the price of filling our tank. Our builder was the one who contacted them to install propane to our home, therefore just like all of our other contractors who worked on the house the billing should have gone to him. Yet instead of ******* billing the builder, they fraudulently charged my credit card for ** ***without my knowledge or authorization or any evidence that they informed me of that charge. I had to then file a dispute with my credit card to get my money back. Since they did not have my authorization nor any sort of contract that I approved the cost of the pipes they knew they didn't have a leg to stand on so they used disconnecting my propane from my house. I just paid ***** to fill the tank in October but to force me into paying a bill that was not mine they cut off a service that was already paid for. They did this solely to collect the money that the builder owed them. ******* and the builder always do business together so they came up with what they called a "credit memo" to try and make it out like the builder was going to pay a portion of the fee and leave me with a balance of *****. The manager ***** had already stated after I contacted them about the unauthorized charge that they had made a mistake and that the total charge should have been ***** for the installation which means they are a bunch of liars and scam artists. I was given no choice to pay them the ***** if I wanted them to turn back on the propane that I had already PAID for!!! They are guilty of not only being a bad company with bad business ethics but also guilty of coercion. This company needs to be looked into as I see on the *** we are not the only ones who have had issues.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/03/2024

  We completed
  a job for the ******s that was initiated by them and agreed to by them
  alone.  The builder provided a recommendation
  that they use *******, but it was their choice to proceed with the goods and
  services that we provided.  The job scope
  we completed was in agreeance with the ******s and at no stage would the
  builder have typically covered the costs for the projected installation.  Our contracts are between the homeowner and
  *******, the builder is not involved in the that contract.  The contract between the ******s and the builder
  is a separate relationship that I am not familiar with and the ******s would
  have to speak to.  The builder ONLY
  provided a recommendation they use us; and after multiple different companies provided
  information to the ******s, they chose to proceed with ******* in August after
  a verbal correspondence regarding the installation with a ******* Sales Rep.  The ******s also decided they did not want to
  establish Net 30-day credit with ******* via credit check and therefore were
  agreeable to paying for the goods and services via credit card as they occurred.
  
  Our jobs
  occur in a few phases.  The first is the delivery
  and filling of a propane tank to the residence. 
  On 10/05/23 this was completed when the tank was filled with 400 Gls. Of
  propane.  The propane fill was
  subsequently paid for by the ******s via c/c in the amount of ********.  ****** proceeded to reach out for a detail
  of the transaction in which we then provided her account details showing the
  400 Gls. Propane and the related taxes & charges.  At that stage, no other installation work had
  been (or could have been) completed, only the tank was delivered and filled.
  
  On
  10/12/23 our installation technician visited the residence to understand the
  job scope for the completion of the installation that was to occur the next day
  on 10/13/23.  At that time, he met with
  ****** and the builder to propose different piping options based on the current
  progress of the house construction.  At
  that time, they decided how to proceed for the following day.  At the time as well, it was discussed that the
  scope was much broader than originally planned because of the layout the
  builder had provided.  On 10/13/23, 2 *******
  technicians completed the installation, and our ******* contract was signed by
  *******
  
  On 10/13/23,
  the ******s were billed for all work completed inclusive gas lines, valves,
  fittings and labor.  Like every installation
  we do, homeowners purchase all “real property” that is run underground and attached
  to the house.  This remains in their possession
  and transfers with the residence.
  
  Since
  the ******s were COD, ******* ran their credit card for the amount of ***** on
  10/16/23, the next business day.  ****** proceeds to call and communicate her displeasure about the amount.  After we detailed the job scope change vs. the
  original discussion for the amount change, she proceeded to dispute the charge
  on her C/C and told us to call her husband.
  
  *******
  called her husband to discuss, and ****** was subsequently conferenced in the
  call as well.  That call concluded when
  ******* offered to call the builder to investigate his recollection.  Also, immediately after that call, ****** called ******* and instructed us to ONLY deal with her on this matter and not
  to involve her husband.  ******* talked
  with the builder the next day and immediately called the ******s back and left
  messages for both ****** 1st and then ********* to return the call
  and discuss.  After in excess of 30 days of
  no returned calls, ******* called both ******s again on 12/06/23 to resolve the
  unpaid ***** COD balance on their account. 
  They said they would not pay and will be suing both ******* and
  builder.  ********* was also agreeable that
  discontinuing service was the best path forward.  After that conversation on 12/06, ******* Oil
  proceeded on that course and discontinued service on the morning of
  12/07/23. 
  
  On the
  morning of 12/07/23, 2 ******* technicians proceeded to the residence.  Upon completion of the work, they were
  threatened, verbally cursed & abused and their vehicle obstructed by **** ******* standing in its driveway path. 
  She proceeded to call the police who questioned our employees, took no
  further action, and permitted them to go on their way.  Later in the day of 12/07/23, the builder, in
  good faith, decided to pay for part of the installation and therefore resolve
  complaint.  ******* then issued the
  ******* * ***** credit memo for the portion of the installation the builder committed
  to pay.  ****** proceeded to remit c/c
  payment for the ***** balance over the phone
  and their service was reinstated.
  
  This
  complaint was resolved on 12/7/23 when the complaint agreed to remit payment of
  ***** and reinstate service.
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/05/2024

  
  
  Complaint: ********
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  ******* still is yet to take blame for their negligence of mis communication. They just want to keep trying to cover up their mistakes.  The facts of their provided statement is only partially true and *** fabricated. After reading their google reviews I can see that we are not the only ones who have been taken advantage of by this company.
  

  Shame on ******* for their bad business traits. I would not recommend this company to anyone.

  ****** ******s

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/08/2023

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  This company is substandard in many ways. Job was left unfinished, customer service is a joke, very rude employees and lack of communication

  Business Response

  Date: 05/10/2023

  "Customer Service Issues" is a vague complaint; but that said, below is a summary of our companies transaction with Mr* *****  Mr* **** of ********* ***** *** reached out to our company in reference to setting and purchasing a propane tank, running a gas line to a
  generator he owned and running a gas line to another 2nd location where a smaller tank was set.  We do not
  have the exact date, but upon his call, an appointment was made with Mr* **** so that our representative, Joe, could
  look at the aforementioned job scope.  They had discussed it over the phone, but a site
  visit was required prior to proposals or work.  Upon Joe's arrival he was told that **** **** could not be there but that his father was there.  Mr* ****'s father could not tell *** much about the job,
  only where the generator was located.  *** looked at where he thought the tank would
  sit, where he thought the line would be run from the new tank to the generator and
  where the line would be run from the generator to the 2nd location at a dog
  kennel.
  

  Upon returning to the ******* office, *** called **** **** to discuss the scope. *** asked exactly where Mr* **** wanted the tank to set and Mr* **** instructed that he was going to
  have a concrete pad poured at the specific location.  *** also asked if there was anything existing underground that
  we could potentially be hit while using our trencher to run the gas line.  Mr* **** said there were several things underground, but that he
  would have them already uncovered and in plain sight by the time the job commenced.  By doing this, it would allow us to utilize our trenching equipment instead of hand digging.  Mr* **** asked for a quote to do the job and *** told him
  that he could not provide an exact quote based on the scope and information he saw at the sight visit.  It was communicated to Mr* **** that if he wanted our company to do the job, it would have to be on a time
  and material basis due to unknowns concerning the exact tank location and existing underground lines.  *** did provide Mr* **** with the cost of
  the propane tank itself, the cost some of the materials which he knew would be used and what our labor rate was per hour. Mr* **** verbally told *** to do proceed with the job and it
  was scheduled for January 26th, 2023.  The installation had to be
  rescheduled on our part due to one of our technicians illness, this was communicated to Mr* *****  The job was then rescheduled for February 10th,
  2023.
  

  Upon the ******* *echnicians (***) arrival on February 10th, *** asked for **** ****. *** was told
  by Mr* ****'s father that Mike could not be there. *** asked him where the propane tanks concrete pad
  was located and was told that one was never poured. Additionally, *** discovered that no existing underground lines were either uncovered or
  marked. The father also stated to *** that he wasn’t really sure where any of those existing lines were located.  *** proceeded to set the
  propane tank on solid cinder blocks and hand dug approximately ***** of wet
  clay type soil.  Hand digging is not the optimal way to run gas line, but it was necessary in this circumstance to avoid hitting any existing, unmarked underground private lines.  After hand digging the 45' trench and burying the gas line, *** covered the trench the best we could with the all the dirt which was removed from the trench. Shovels and hard rakes were used to bust up dirt clods to the best
  possible given the circumstance.  Our technician are advised is to always put back into the trenches  exactly what we take
  out.  That said, If *** could have used the trencher, he could have trenched the ditch much
  quicker and with a width of 3 inches instead of a 10 inches.  Wide trenches are much more difficult to leave in a finished from.  Especially as it related to wet clay, like in this circumstance.
  

  A few
  days after sending Mr* **** and invoice, he called *** complaining that it was too
  high.  *** advised him that due to hand digging the trench and the fact that no underground lines being uncovered or marked, the job took longer than the original scope.  *** apologized and also reminded Mr. **** that he had proposed the job in the beginning on a time and material basis.  During this phone call, nothing was said about the ditch or the yard
  being left in bad shape. However on February 24th *** received an email  from Mr* **** saying how bad of shape *** left the yard in. He tried to explain to Mr* **** that
  had *** been able to use the trencher that this would not have been an issue. *** would have much rather have used the trencher versus hand digging 45 ft. of clay dirt, but he could not take chances of hitting anything underground.

  We have not had any additional correspondence form Mr* **** until this case being opened.  I am happy to provide more details if you have any additional questions or concerns.  We have been in business for 85 year and pride ourselves or satisfactory and fair work completed by experience and skilled employees.  *** has been a ******* employee for 26 years and *** has been a ******* *echnician for 24 years.  They are both skilled and experienced at their profession.

  Respectfully,

  ** ********** ****

  President