Syracuse (WSYR-TV) - Tuesday evening, NewsChannel 9 broke the news that a Minneapolis law firm has filed suit against Suburban Propane. The lawsuit says Suburban's business practices were "unlawful."
NewsChannel 9's consumer investigator,
Jennifer Lewke, has been investigating Suburban Propane for years. She's done dozens of stories based on the complaints from customers of the propane and heating oil supplier.
In March of 2009, customers called the addition of a tank-rental fee unprofessional. "The charge is a little over $60 but it's the way they did this it's very unprofessional and it's almost like they're trying to sneak it to us," said 30-year customer Jose Vergara.
In December of 2008, NewsChannel 9 investigated Suburban's pricing. "Their prices kept going up and up and up and all my neighbors started switching to other companies and they're paying a dollar less a gallon than I was paying," said customer Chuck Wart.
In February of 2009, customer Ed Demott got tired of it all and wanted to switch providers. “I told them I don't want their tank no more -- I'll switch companies -- and now they're going to charge me to take my tank away and give me 50 cents on the dollar for the fuel that's in my tank -- and my tank is full!,” he said.
Many of Suburban's fuel oil customers are asking whether they'll be able to be part of the proposed class action, for now, the answer is no. Because fuel oil customers own their own tanks, they have the ability to switch more easily than propane customers.
Now, all the customers who feel they've been wronged may have recourse.
Nichols Kaster Attorneys at Law has filed a class-action suit against Suburban Propane. "Our phones are already ringing off the hook from the Syracuse area because of your story yesterday," said Nichols Kaster attorney Paul Lukas. "I suspect that'll be the case around the country because everyone we've talked to has the same story."
The lawsuit goes as far as saying suburban's quote "unlawful business practices are purposely designed to exploit and mislead its residential customers." It also alleges that the company has "deliberately failed to disclose pricing and fees prior to fully delivering propane"
"We know this is going to be a fight - a big fight - because this goes right to the heart of their business model and we believe their business model is to cheat their customers," said Lukas.
A judge will have to decide whether this case moves forward and what the stipulations would be for joining it if it does. So, at this point all customers can do is sit tight. Jennifer Lewke and NewsChannel 9 have reached out to Suburban several times Tuesday and Wednesday for comment, but have not received a call back yet.
