I have had Osterman Propane for 15yrs and I thought I was the only one with this problem. From October to April my bill is about $400/month. I get phone calls sometimes 2 times a week. I speak with Debbie (we know each other by name) and I give them $200 - $300 a month, but everytime I pay I get another bill for $400, and I can't keep up with their bills. And its not even a month in between. They are here every three weeks. When I speak with her she tells me my payments are from a meter reading and not exactly from the amount of gas we use, but they always mark on the bill 101 gallons used. I have my heat so low in the winter to try to keep my bill down, that I need to wear sweatshirts, sweatpants, blankets and believe it or not the spaceheater thats cheaper than the gas bill. No matter how much money you give them they are never happy and always want more. When my thermalcouple went, I called and they insisted I needed to get permission from my landlord. Well, my landlord was not home so from a Thursday morning until Friday morning I didn't have heat. It just so happen to be one of the coldest days of the year. They finally showed up after midnight changed the thermalcouple and was gone in 10 minutes. $332.00 was on my next bill. When I called they told me I was responsible for it, when I explained my landlord needed to be billed, they told me they would send it to them and its still on my bill. In the meantime, I'm constantly told if I don't pay my balance off they are going to shut my gas off. I give them money every month and it's usually a large amount. I always pay it off by the end of spring, but they still harrass me for the money. How can they get away with this? And how can it be stopped? I cannot change gas companies because I rent and was told I needed to stay with Osterman. They own the tank. I need to get another full time job to pay their winter bills. They suggested doing a budget for the year, but because the winter bills are so expensive my year round payments would be $300/month. It should be a crime. The tenant upstairs from me also complains about their bill. Between the 2 of us, we are giving Ostermans almost $1000/month.

In fall of 2009 we received a bill from Oseterman Propane for minimum service charge. We have never been a customer of Osterman Propane and own our tank. Our previous gas company was apparently sold to this company. The house we purchased came with a unlabled, unmarked old tank. We called Osterman Propane and told them we are not a customer and we own the tank. We sent the same information registered mail and asked to be removed from the customer list. In January of 2010 on a Wednesday morning an Osterman truck pulled into our drive way and two men got out, named Robert Khul and Jason Dexter. They removed the gas line from our house and started to remove the tank. We called the police and asked for them to be arrested for tresspassing. They had no papers to prove ownership of the tank. They were escorted off the property with the gas line to the house leaking gas. The police ordered them to return under police escort and repair the damage. Osterman Propane never provided proof of ownership of the tank. In December 2010 we received a new bill for minimum maintance.

We called Osterman Propane and spoke with Britty (notice Osterman asks to be contacted before a complaint is submitted). She informed me many times that I must write to release them from responsibility for the tank. She said she would let me have it. I told her it is not hers to give; Osterman must provide ownership of the tank. She could not provide any document or serial number for the tank. My husband called supervisor Mike and was told they would be coming with the police for the tank. We'll let you know what they do next.

I inherited this company when I purchased my home 5 years ago and in these five years I have been: Charged .50 more per unit because I choose to save energy by turning my thermostat down to 62 degrees (I don't use enough so I have to pay more), called for a delivery and the truck never shows up (ran out of propane), have had a leaky tank for 2 years and still don't have a new one. The person I've dealt with is the most unpleasant woman you can imagine. Uggggggg! I can't take it.