PROPANE TANK OWNERSHIP

[antlers125]

Corporate America at it again. It seems that a big name Propane supplier has bought out 1 of our local suppliers & is trying to force some residents to buy from them at a much higher rate, claiming ownership of underground tanks that have been in place for many years. The company Is requiring proof of ownership on the tanks or pay a rental fee. If anyone has any advice would be great. And how do you show proof of ownership on a propane tank that has been in place for 20+ years? Anyone w/sound advice please feel free to send me a Private Message. Any & all info is Greatly appreciated.

 

[Deere Dude]

Just make a handwritten note to yourself and sign Joe Blows name. They just want a paper.

 

[GPintheMitten]

Seems like possession is 9/10 of the law. Tell them to prove ownership if they think they own it.

How long have you owned the property? When was the tank installed? Maybe the county or township has some record if a permit was issued to bury it.

 

[kthompson]

I am not an expert on this but before you prove you own it you may should find out if you want to own it. 20 year old tank in the ground may be near the end of it's life or may already have small hole rusted in it depending on the quality of the tank.

If your tank were to catch on fire or explode not good in any manner. If their tank were to they should be liable. Not sure how the EPA looks at propane tanks leaks.

 

[TnAndy]

Just make a handwritten note to yourself and sign Joe Blows name. They just want a paper.

Exactly. Print off a standard internet 'bill of sale', fill it out and give them a copy. I can tell ya from personal experience it works.

I bought an older above ground tank with "XYZ" propane logo on it. The property owner who bought the place called XYZ several times to come get their tank, each time was told they didn't have a tank at that location, and was finally told "DON'T call us again !" So I found out, went and got the tank, for nothing...guy just wanted it gone.... wire brushed it down nice, put a new coat of paint on it, and had....get this.....XYZ propane come put me a new regulator on it, and fill it....with a bill of sale that said I own it.....ahahahaaaa....

 

[kthompson]

You know even if the company did not sell the tank the cost of it has been recoup many times by the fee built in the fuel cost for the tank. For a company to pursue the removal of the tank if a buried tank they will have a good bit of cost in that with equipment and manpower needed and then have a tank that may have only scrape metal value to. I would expect they would have to fill the hole left by their removal and any damage to lawn if in a yard. By the time they take all that into consideration plus if their tank no one else I think can not fill it.

I still say find a person who you can talk with in the business and ask about the liability of you owning the tank. Here they say they can not refill the 20 pound tank unless it meets current standards or test date or something along that line. There may be such a requirement on tanks like yours and they really want you to take ownership of it for such reasons.


To me common sense says they would be better off without giving long term customers reason to buy own tank and then be able to shop for pricing rather than locked into them for the fuel. Then common sense is not very common.

 

[PILOON]

A bit off topic but still propane.
When I cleared this property I discovered 6 100 pound cylinders (all full) in the bushes.
Called the supplier and asked them to remove them as they were all rusty and I deemed dangerous.
I know they were leftover from the times when the previous owner stocked up for the winter as the site was not accessible in winter.
Company refused and denied ownership. (the paint code confirmed them to be theirs)
It took our fire department to force the pickup.
(The previous house had burned down due to lighting strike and poor grounding.)

 

[check]

Why bury them anyway? Around our cottage all the propane tanks are above ground. Doesn't seem to make sense to bury them, because of the rust problem in the wet ground.

 

[TnAndy]

Why bury them anyway? Around our cottage all the propane tanks are above ground. Doesn't seem to make sense to bury them, because of the rust problem in the wet ground.

Burying them gets an ugly tank out of sight, plus here, they will fill a buried tank to 90% versus an above ground at 80%, since the underground one is more temperature stable. Buried tanks are coated with a heavy tar coating, and have a sacrificial anode bolted to them to help prevent corrosion.

 

[Deere Dude]

Burying them gets an ugly tank out of sight,

UGLY? My tank is purdy. I painted it JD green and yellow. It is the best looking thing on my property.

 

[TnAndy]

UGLY? My tank is purdy. I painted it JD green and yellow. It is the best looking thing on my property.

OK....one man's ugly is another man's yard art.......ahahahaaaa

 

[SandburRanch]

Buried tanks are constructed to be buried and the purpose is to keep the gas pressure up to a usable pressure in colder climates.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I am surprised that you can still fill a 20 year old sub-surface tank. I remember many years ago like in the 60's, my parents had to switch from their U/G tank to above ground. The tank was about 15 years old and not leaking but the gas company said a new law went into effect about UG tanks and they all had to be either removes or all liquid and gaseous emptied. After it was completely depressurized, the fill nozzle was removed and the tank completely filled with water. The above ground riser was cut off and the hole filled in. It is still in the ground as far as I know and no subsidence of the soil so I guess it is still not rusted out. The gas company furnished an above ground tank which is still in use today.

 

[Ed of all trades]

I talked to the propane dealer today if I buy the tank I pay $1.49 gal if I rent I pay $2.25. 250 gal tank is $875

 

[Sprinklerman]

Funny thing is , most propane companies have been sold or merged , they had very poor record keeping . They can not prove they own the tank .

 

[Deere Dude]

I talked to the propane dealer today if I buy the tank I pay $1.49 gal if I rent I pay $2.25. 250 gal tank is $875

With my coop, I had to use double the tank capacity per year or they would charge me $.50 per gallon for the part I didn't use. I got a used tank and painted it. What they wanted was a proof of ownership with all the stamping on the tank decipherable with the capacity etc. I had the owner just write a hand written note and then the gas company came out and filled it and never checked anything anyway. But they did a pressure test on it and the whole system.

 

[Texasmark]

Used to be that Butane required an underground tank to control the pressure on hot days. That was too much trouble so the retailers quit selling Butane (around here anyway) and only sell Propane.

I have a Propane tank built back in 1950 in Dallas, TX. The registration plate says it is at least 5% nickel. The tank shows nothing but slight surface rust where the paint peels off in 65 years of sitting out in the weather.

I added a household generator last year and bought a new tank from my local supplier to fuel it. Made in Mexico by Trinity Industries of Mexico in 2007. No mention of requirement for Nickel content and it shows. Tank was rusted (in places) with faded paint when they delivered it just like 20 or so more sitting out in a field behind their facility. I know it's new because the paper ID tag is still attached and it had a vacuum when the guy came out to fill it. First thing I did was sanded it down and gave it a couple of coats of premium paint.

On leased tanks here they paint the cover (over the fill spiggot) red with white tanks. If you own it it's all white.

I didn't get a bill of sale when I bought it and I think I'll just go see them and get one. Might need it one day.

 

[ultrarunner]

The new propane supplier keeps putting "Owned By" stickers on our family 500 gallon tank...

Each time I see a new sticker I take it off... I have the bill of sale from 1962 when Grandpa bought it for $200

 

[Raspy]

Corporate America at it again. It seems that a big name Propane supplier has bought out 1 of our local suppliers & is trying to force some residents to buy from them at a much higher rate, claiming ownership of underground tanks that have been in place for many years. The company Is requiring proof of ownership on the tanks or pay a rental fee. If anyone has any advice would be great. And how do you show proof of ownership on a propane tank that has been in place for 20+ years? Anyone w/sound advice please feel free to send me a Private Message. Any & all info is Greatly appreciated.

Turn the tables on them and demand a current certification or removal or "their" old and likely unsafe tank.

If everyone agrees that you own the tank, you are responsible for the damage it may cause and the propane company can refuse to fill it unless it's certified within the last X number of years. If they claim it, they will continue to fill it and will be liable if it fails. If you force them to get rid of it, you can buy your own tank and forget the rental. If it becomes outdated, re-certify it yourself with fresh paint and a date stamp. That sounds like a trick, but it's all that the propane company likely will do (I've seen them do it).

This is one of the reasons I don't like propane. When you get tied to one supplier, they will take advantage of you with rentals, refusals to fill and price gouging.