Tag Archives: propane

Prepare for Heating Season and Propane Deliveries

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By McKenna Halvorson

The cold weather is here – and so is heating season! Heating season in Vermont runs from November through mid-April. Use the heating season checklist below to further prepare for winter weather. If you have fuel questions relating to propane or other heating fuels, please visit our website.

CAP’s Heating Season Checklist

Before Scheduling a Heating Fuel Delivery:

  1. Shop Around for Providers
    1. If you own your own tank and do not have a contract with a provider, you may be able to shop around for a fuel delivery.
      • If you own your own tank and are not currently in a service contract with a heating fuel provider, you may be able to call other providers if your preferred provider cannot guarantee a delivery. If you use propane, you may have to swap your tank(s). Confirm who owns the tank before inquiring with other providers.
    2. For propane customers, review your Fee Disclosure Form for potential charges associated with a delivery, including emergency deliveries and special trip fees.
      • If you cannot locate a copy of the Fee Disclosure Form, check the company’s website or call your provider to request a new copy.
  2. Track your Fuel Usage
    1. If you are on will call or cash on delivery, call your provider when your tank is between 30-40% full.
      • If you wait to schedule your delivery, you may risk running out of heating fuel as the provider could be booked with planned deliveries.
      • If you are interested in switching to automatic delivery, contact your heating fuel provider.  

After Scheduling a Propane Delivery:

  1. Make a Plowing Plan
    1. Ensure your driveway or private road is plowed so delivery can be safely made, especially during or after a snowstorm. If needed, sand the roads the day of delivery.
      • Confirm that the path to your tank is clear – remove all fallen tree branches, bushes, and other hazards.
      • Frozen gates, both in your driveway and around your tank, may delay delivery.
    2. If inclement weather is forecasted, call your provider as soon as possible to make different arrangements.
  2. Answer Phone Calls from your Provider
    1. Technicians may call you if a problem arises during delivery. Answering those calls may avoid potential delays in receiving propane.

If you need more heating fuel support, including affording heat this winter, please check our Staying Warm This Winter post for additional information. There are programs that may be able to help!

The Vermont Attorney General’s office enforces CP111, a consumer protection rule, which regulates propane. CP111 outlines rights for propane consumers including the disclosure of fees, notice prior to a change in credit status, and certain protections for disconnections.

CAP provides a letter mediation service and hotline for consumer issues facing Vermont residents. If you have experienced an issue with your home heating provider or have questions regarding propane, contact the Consumer Assistance Program.

  • If you have questions or concerns about your fuel delivery, call the Consumer Assistance Program at 800-649-2424, email us at AGO.CAP@vermont.gov, or file a complaint.
  • If you have questions or concerns about fuel assistance (LIHEAP), call Energy Assistance at 1-800-775-0516.

AG DONOVAN ANNOUNCES TOP 10 CONSUMER COMPLAINTS OF 2021

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BURLINGTON – In recognition of National Consumer Protection Week, Attorney General T.J. Donovan announced the top 10 consumer complaints received by the Consumer Assistance Program (CAP) in 2021. CAP, a partnership between the Attorney General’s Office and the University of Vermont, offers a free mediation service for Vermont consumers, including small businesses. In 2021, CAP received 1,173 complaints and recovered more than $240,000 for Vermont consumers. Claiming the list’s top spots are complaints involving vehicles, retail, and home improvement, respectively – representing approximately 44 percent of all complaints filed.           

“I want to thank CAP for the services they provide to Vermonters. Whether they are resolving a consumer complaint, helping a Vermonter get a refund, or providing guidance to a victim of identity theft, CAP is always there to help. I encourage all Vermonters with a consumer complaint to reach out to CAP for assistance.

Attorney General T.J. Donovan

 The following are the top 10 consumer complaints received by CAP in 2021:

RankConsumer Complaint IssueNumber of Complaints
1Motorized Vehicles Common issues included defective merchandise; failure of state inspection; misrepresentation; and unsatisfactory service/repair.199    
2Retail Common issues included failure to deliver; refund policy/refund disputes; defective merchandise; and unsatisfactory service.187
3Home Improvements Common issues included unsatisfactory service/repair; criminal home improvement fraud concerns; failure to perform; improper installation; and deposit refund dispute.132  
4Health/Medical Common issues included unauthorized billing; excessive estimate/charge; and defective merchandise.83  
5Fuel Common issues included pricing complaints; refund delays; propane tank removal delays; billing disputes; contract disputes; and safety concerns.81
6Housing and Real Estate Common issues included landlord-tenant issues; security deposit disputes; and warranty of habitability disputes.77
7Banking, Credit and Finance Common issues included debt collection; credit reporting disputes; and financing/loan issues.67
8Home Furnishings Common issue included defective merchandise, often involving new appliances.59
9Athletics Common issues included refund policy disputes for seasonal passes, and failure to deliver services.30
10Delivery, Moving and Storage Common issue included delayed deliveries.29
CAP’s Top 10 Consumer Complaints of 2021

            Though not represented in the list of consumer complaints, scams continue to be of concern to Vermonters. Earlier this year, Attorney General Donovan released the top 10 scams reported to CAP. In 2021, CAP received 5,154 scam reports, up slightly from the previous year. New twists on old scams involving computer tech support and fraudulent online listings represented nearly a quarter of all reports filed by Vermonters. More information on stopping scams is available at ago.vermont.gov/cap/stopping-scams/.

            CAP offers a free mediation service to all Vermont consumers, including small businesses. If you are a consumer in need of assistance, please contact CAP by calling 1-800-649-2424 or visiting ago.vermont.gov/cap.

Staying Warm This Winter

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By Crystal Baldwin

Heat is a precious commodity. This was an easy lesson to learn when growing up in Vermont. At my house, once the thermostat was set at 68 degrees Fahrenheit, when the front door opened, you’d hear my dad call down the hall, “Close the door, you’re letting all the heat out!” Much of the time, the door would have long been closed. But, that did not keep the puff of cold air that entered from lingering.   

The cost of heat motivated my dad to be conscious about conserving it. My siblings and I did our best to do just that.  We learned to bundle up in sweaters and long underwear to keep the chill off. There were never too many blankets at bedtime. I am thankful that I never felt too cold or too uncomfortable from the cold—except maybe when shoveling during a Nor’easter. This winter, my personal hope is that every Vermonter will be warm and will know how to gain access to heat.   

Resources in VT to stay warm. Find help now.

Heating fuel can be expensive. Fuel pricing, outside of pre-buy or fixed price contract, is not regulated in Vermont. People often turn back the dial on their thermostats to preserve fuel to forgo the added expense. The CAP hotline has heard stories of families in need of fuel and living on low to no heat in the middle of winter.

If you or someone you know is having trouble affording heat this winter, I encourage you to seek out programs that can assist:  

•     Vermont’s Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program known as Fuel Assistance, can help those who qualify for the program. We encourage people who need help paying for heating costs to seek out Vermont Fuel Assistance. Vermonters can call 1-800-479-6151 to request an application, go online to apply, or visit their local Department of Children and Families. Make sure to start the application process before the upcoming heating season.

•     Don’t qualify for fuel assistance? Your Community Action Agency may have a supplemental program that might be able to help.

•     Have a back balance on your account? Check with your fuel dealer about payment plan options.

•     The United Ways of Vermont information and referral hotline, 2-1-1 can connect you to additional regional resources. 

If you would like more information, watch the following video. The Consumer Assistance Program’s Assistant Director, Lisa Jensen, was recently on Across the Fence with the Director of Chittenden Community Action, Travis Poulin, discussing this important topic.   

Across The Fence Program: Keeping Warm-Know Your Rights & Community Resources

May you and yours be warm this winter. If you find that you are not warm, please seek out the assistance outlined above. If you are warm this winter, consider spreading warmth by checking in on neighbors and encouraging them to contact us when in need of support. If you are able, consider donating a gift of warmth to support a heating assistance program. You’ll be glad you did.    

Winter in Vermont: Fuel Costs and Staying Warm

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As Vermonters, we are familiar with cold temperatures. It gets cold here in the winter. Propane tanksThat’s why access to heat is so important. The Vermont Attorney General’s office is charged with seeing that companies remain in compliance with Consumer Protection Rule 111: Regulation of Propane. Our Consumer Assistance Program (CAP) receives propane complaints each year. Since 2011, there has been an overall decline in propane complaints which is good news.

However, Vermonters contact us more and more about heat insecurity and their inability to afford the lowest cost delivery option of fuel. The Vermont Department of Health recently warned that between 2008 and 2016, 26 Vermonters died from hypothermia. That is 26 too many. VDH advises “Hypothermia happens when your body temperature is abnormally low. It is caused by being in cold temperatures for an extended period of time…Older adults, infants and people with chronic medical conditions are especially susceptible to hypothermia, even after relatively short exposure to cold weather or a small drop in body temperature.”

When consumers can’t afford the cost of fuel or energy to heat their homes, there is a severe risk of hypothermia, especially during such cold winters here in Vermont. People often turn back the dial on their thermostats in order to preserve fuel to forgo the added expense. The CAP hotline has heard stories of families in need of fuel, living on low to no heat in the middle of winter. Lack of fuel is beyond a consumer protection issue; it’s a health risk.

Fuel Truck in the WInter

If you or someone you know is having trouble affording heat this winter, here are some programs that can help: Vermont has the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program as well the WARMTH Program to help. We encourage people who need heat to seek out Vermont Fuel Assistance. Vermonters can call 1-800-479-6151, visit their local Department of Children and Families or Community Action.

Don’t qualify for fuel assistance? Your Community Action office may have a supplemental program, like Fuel Your Neighbors that may be able to help. Also, check with your fuel dealer. The Vermont Fuel Dealer’s Association has “Split the Ticket Program” that delivers free heating fuel to individuals through donations from fuel dealers, local businesses, organizations, and private donors.

For those who agree that going without heat in Vermont is unconscionable, please consider making a donation to support your neighbors in need. Can’t afford it? You can commit to performing wellness checks on people who you suspect may be keeping the dial back. Your neighbors will appreciate the warmth.

Contributing Writer:  Crystal Baldwin