New rules passed by the Vermont Legislature will apply to the state’s propane dealers when they are signed into law, TimesUnion.com reported this week.
Customers who have not used all of their propane tank’s gas will have to be refunded for the unused fuel under the new energy regulations. Propane dealers will also have to pick up long-term customers’ tanks without charge if they decide to swap suppliers.
The regulations were written by Rep. Michel Consejo following complaints by propane customers about certain charges. The new rules are part of a broader energy bill passed this year by the Vermont Legislature, the St Albans Messenger reported. Gov. Peter Shumlin is expected to sign the bill in the near future.
Under the changes, propane companies will no longer be able to charge customers for propane they have not used. Customers who stay with a propane dealer for more than a year cannot be charged for removal of a tank from their property if they decide to switch suppliers and must be reimbursed for any remaining gas. Tanks must be picked up within a set period of time and gas reimbursement must be made in the same manner as the original customer payment – not simply store credits.
The bill was supported by both the New England and Vermont Fuel Dealers Associations, the St Albans Messenger reported.
If a company is doing the right thing, “there is nothing in the bill that will hurt them,” Consejo said.