FIGHT OR WALK

Hi Jim.

The problem I have is with an oil company. I lived in the Bronx and had an oil company delivering oil to my house for 18 years. I always paid my bills in full and on time. On Nov. 2, 2006 I moved to Connecticut. Although I lived in Connecticut, I still own the house in New York. The oil company had no idea that the house was vacant and oil deliveries were made on a regular basis. Three oil deliveries were made between mid Oct. and mid Jan. At that point I didn't feel anything was amiss. However, on Jan. 13 and Jan. 28 I received two more deliveries totaling 180 gallons. This peaked my curiosity as to why so much oil was being delivered to an empty house. I called the oil company on Jan. 31 and asked them this question. At first the woman I spoke to said that even though the house was empty I was still making heat and hot water. I told her that I realized I was still using oil but the thermoststat was reduced from 65-70 to 55 and the hot water usage was reduced since no one was taking showers every day, (three people lived in the house) no dishwasher or washing machine were being used and no normal sink hotwater was in use. She then told me that it takes more heat to heat an empty house than a house that has furniture. I told her that these answers were unacceptable. She said she would have her boss call me. I didn't here from anyone until June 21, when she called me about payment on the two outstanding bills. I had 7 bills in all and paid the first five in full. I asked her about the answer to my question and she stated that she had already answered it. I told her as I told her the first time that these answers were unacceptable. She once again told me that she would have her boss call me. I didn't hear anything again until Aug. 8 when I received a bill for both payment plus interest in the mail. I called her and asked her if she had an answer to my question. She again stated that she had answered my question also adding that people living in the house produce body heat which helps save oil and reducing my thermostat to 55 doesn't matter because I'm still making constant heat. I got to the point where I said that her answers were lame. She said that she didn't want to argue with me and would have her boss contact me. I also contacted an oil association which I mistakeningly thought was a consumer advocate organization. The answer I received from their representative was even more astonishing. When I explained to him that the amount of oil delived to an empty house in the 2006-2007 season surpassed the amount of oil delivered to a fully functional house in 2005-2006, including removing from the equation three people taking showers for six months,(over 500 showers) he stated that the amount of oil consumed using the shower was "insignificant". I now feel that this organization is just a front for the oil companies. I have all the delivery receipts for both heating seasons to support my figures. I'd like your opinion on if it seems I'm being charged for oil that was never delivered to my house and if these explanations I'm being given are as ridiculous as they sound or is there something I'm overlooking or not aware of. It just seems that an empty house should not use more oil than a house that is fully functional. I love your show. Keep up the good work.

Tony.



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Tony,

Ultimately, resolving this disagreement would take a professional to analyze oil usage by BTU’s required to provide heat under the conditions of a full house and an empty house with consideration for the weather conditions (temperature, humidity, rain, snow, wind). Obviously, such a study would be more costly than paying the bill. You might satisfy your own curiosity by doing a detailed analysis, being mindful to annualize the annual and seasonal usage. The fact that there were 2 deliveries about 2 weeks apart does not fully indicate usage for that period. Perhaps the driver did not fill the tank on one or both visits.  Can you prove your thermostat was accurate?   
So we go to the practical side. They claim they have explained the usage; you say the explanation is “lame.” Neither side has offered PROOF to the others satisfaction. What resolutions are possible? They can withhold future deliveries; you could take them to court. Maybe you can find another supplier; maybe they can hurt your credit. So what to do?
If the debate comes down to 180 gallons, what do you think would be reasonable 140 gallons? Forty gallons at $2.50 per gallon is $100. How far will take a fight for $100?
Years back one of my mentors said, “I never mind if a man steals from me as long as I know what he is stealing.”
You will hear me say on my show, when I was growing up I was not allowed to steal but I was allowed to work.
It took a long time for me to accept stealing as a part of doing business but as a practical matter I cannot chase every envelope and paper clip that disappears. Recently, I asked the phone company to fix a hum on one of the income lines. They sent a repairman that accidentally cut my outgoing lines. Without outgoing lines I was not able to get on the air for 44 minutes (then by a lower quality Internet connection). This cost me $440 ($10 per minute to air the show). Can I prove this – absolutely! Will I pursue it – absolutely not. In the event of line failure in the future all they would have to do is drag their feet over one Saturday and I lose 120 minutes of air time ($1200). In the long run I can’t win. I have learned not to fight battles I can’t win.
Call this into the show. Knowing when to fight and when to walk is important in both financial and emotional situations.

Everybody’s Uncle