Hoffman Fuel reviews and complaints

I had a similar issue, When I was sold there so called "Gold Plan" I was ensured I would receive same service I was receiving with current Oil company, though on the two occasions i needed service I called first thing in the morning to report I had no heat I was told they were backed up and would get there by end of day which was 5 PM, the first time and 5:20 the second time. When I practically begged for a quicker turn around like I was promised and as my old company provided I was told 'it's not that easy" . Other companies actually do find this easy or are actually good enough at it that it appears that way to their customers. Maybe your teams need to take a lesson from them. I will be returning as their customer once this useless contract is up.

It's unfortunate you are not satisfied with the service. But Our service agreement clearly states "plumbing parts are not covered under this agreement". Our gold service plan does cover 37 heating related parts and labor for those parts. Ofcourse you could find the parts cheaper going to home depot, but putting them in yourself, what if something else happened? We garuntee our work. The company also cannot service a customer at a loss either. The labor rate is the same a plumber would charge as well. Due to the nature of our business we cannot give times as to when we will be at a customers house as every service call is different. If you want you can email me I can look at the bill for you and see what I can do. hoffmanmail@championenergy.com. ---Cristina

Hoffman Fuel has the worse customer service. They are very rude and unprofessional, especially if you have a legitimate dispute. They charge more and fail to credit payments when received. In fact, even though the bank clears payment to Hoffman, they delay posting the payment internally for over over five days, if not more! Stay away from this company. Horrible customer service and bad faith business practices.

totally agree with the complaint above, they made a delivery after my contract ended when I explained to the customer service I was looking for another company for a better price, in addition I was told I was not scheduled for a delivery until Nov. 2012, they come a month early and now are looking to get paid for oil I didn't want from them

Well, they delivered fuel to me after I filled up with someone else and then they said I used 18 gallons they never left a bill. Well, again I got the contract and asked them to turn my hot water up. Well,
now they time me my furance needs a coil cleaning. I told them that couldn't be because it was a new boiler.
Well, I called someone else for a second opinion and they had the mixing valve
going the wrong way and fixed right on the spot. I didn't need a coil cleaning or
a hot water heater. I have plenty of hot water. Be careful. They are nasty on the phone one day they will be history.
Remember what comes around goes around. Thank you Hoffman fuel in Danbury for nothing. You are a horrible company and when it come time to choose it won't be you.
Shame on you for taking advantage of a senior.

Oil companies are required by the state of connecticut to purchase 75% of a customers oil regardless if they choose a fixed or a cap price. So yes they do purchase millions of gallons up front and until that is delivered they can't lower the pricing. Companies also get penalized when they purchase high and the market falls. They have to pay a margin call which could be in excess of 1 million dollars to be able to benefit from lower pricing.

Hoffman Fuel, Trumbull has sent threatening letters to my daughter and her husband and the company was at fault. My daughter bought a house and the previous owner used Hoffman Fuel. They come over 1 month later and just top off the tank, with no warning and no OK from my daughter. My daughter didn't have any connection with this company and was not using them, and the bill was in the previous owner's name with his account number. The worst part is that the company admitted, in a letter, that they were wrong but want their money and will sue them if they don't have it by a certain date. Before this date they receive another threatening letter with legal fees on it. My daughter has paid the bill and she's still being harassed. Stay away from this oil company!

as a new customer, after being told the tank was full from last delivery with another company, they send out truck to deliver 6 gallons of oil.
The most unimaginably idiotic people in their new customer dept.This is not a company that in good faith I would tell ANYONE to do business with.

at ALL costs do not deal with their new customer rep, Cora. She is out to get your business no matter what, then changes her story every time you call.AVOID thids company!

It is very common for the customer wanting to top off just prior to the contract expiration, this way they start off with a full tank as they shop other Oil Companies for a competitive price...this is nothing new and there is nothing wrong with this...what bothers the Oil Company is the fact that they would rather top you off later in the year at a high price, hence a higher profit in their pockets. I like it when they deliver when the price has spiked, and you never really needed the delivery...I'd get a lock for my oil tank...or better yet, don't pay the bill till you need oil, they won't deliver if you're in the rears...i'd rather pay the late charge then have a bill when my budget doesn't allow it.

THE ABOVE COMMENT IS ACCURATE, IF THE CUSTOMER IS ON AUTOMATIC DELIVERY NORMALLY THE DELIVERY SCHEDULE DOESNT CHANGE TOO MUCH FROM YEAR TO YEAR.SO IF THE PREVIOUS YEAR YOU HAD NO OIL BETWEEN APRIL AND NOVEMBER BECAUSE YOU DONT USE OIL FOR HOTWATER, WHY WOULD YOU BE IN NEED A DELIVERY THIS YEAR?. AUTOMATIC DELIVERY IS BASED ON DEGREE DAYS. NOT THE PRICE OF OIL. IF OIL PRICES HAD WENT THE OTHER WAY AND WE DELIVERED THE CUSTOMER WOULD HAVE BEEN UPSET.

Stay away from Hoffman Fuel. They would not deliver oil to me under contracted price in June before contract expired said I wasn't due until August we use no oil between April and November . Simply attempting to evade their responsibility. Reported them to BB and tell anyone who will listen to stay away from them.

Hoffman mailed out a letter a few weeks ago stating that due to lower oil prices the budget plan had changed. Unfortunately it didnt apply to all buget plan members only those that had singed in with a capped program. How was everyone supposed to know it ddint apply to them, when you received this letter. I didnt, for a few weeks I thought thats the right thing to do to lower everyone's budget plan. Some of the customer service staff is condencending harsh and just plain rude. You can work for a company and not become part of their tactics . During these diff economic types, when you call and are concerned what your balance is, you are met with rudeness and lack of interest. All oil prices contracts end end of April, be very careful that Hoffman doesnt show up and put oil in May. I signed with them after hearing disappointed customer now I am one of them. I will not resign with them.

i can totally agree . every day i call a few different local companys and hoffmans market price is always a great deal higher . i am not locked in for this season but remain on automatic delivery which has yet to come. my tank never went under half full when i was locked in over 3.00 but now that the rates have dropped im nearly empty. when i called they swear there coming that day and never show. im sure if the price was higher they would be topping me off every other week.
and as far as service my furnace has not been cleaned since 07 and the soonest they could fit me in is jun 09. i would never have got involved with them if i had not inherited them from previous owner or if i had read all of these complaints prior. just as soon as im done with this comment i will be calling them and canceling all services.

Hoffman Oil is a huge disappointment. I always thought they were a reputable company but their actions over the last year have proved that they are a total sham.
How can a former customer make sure that their contract is cancelled if they can't speak with a representative (another shady business practices by Hoffman!) If you can ever get through to their office (and how many times have callers been put on indefinite hold and unable to speak with anyone?) the women that answer the phones are both arrogant and rude - obviously they don't understand the meaning of 'customer service'.
This is just another poor reflection on the Hoffman management as they allow their phone representatives to speak to customers in such a derogatory fashion.
It is my misfortune to have experienced all of the same poor business practices mentioned by others.
My situation is that my tank was filled up after my contract expired and I had already signed up with another company. As Hoffman wouldn't remove the oil from my tank I told them that I'd pay what my current supplier was charging me and no more.
I sent my check (which was promptly cashed) and included the email that I'd sent them explaining as to why I was paying the reduced amount - now they are sending my closed account to a collection agency. Surprise, surprise.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how this company can be reported to the Attorney General of Connecticut? Is this another Trudeau Oil company scam?

I have told many, many people about the poor business practices (scams) of Hoffman Oil and can only hope that their bad reputation will eventually result in their bankruptcy. May this happen sooner rather than later.

I am considering getting a fixed price contract with Hoffman since prices have declined. Now I am afraid to. I have been with them for 8 years and have never ever had a problem. Their service is responsive and reps are pleasant. One delivery guy was rude, but maybe he was having a bad dau lr is rude. Repairs are on schedule and reliable. Few times the oil quality was low and caused problems, but I was told that would be true for all companies as they tend to get the same product. I can attest to the company but not their fixed price contract practices, which I am now wary to enter.

I have had a number of conversations with people regarding Hoffman Fuel, it seems that all complaints are about Hoffman's underhanded treatment of price agreements. Basically they deliver when the price is to their advantage and refuse to deliver when the price increases after contracts have been negotiated.
They are outright rude on the phone and a company to stay away from at all costs. BBB has several complaints attached to this company. If oil prices are high everywhere you can at least give your money to a reputable company that appreciates your business.

I've been a customer of Hoffman Fuel for years and finds them to be the best in the area. Prices are high no matter where you go But Hofffman gives the best service of anyone else so I stick with them.

It's not really Hoffman Fuel's fault - all oil contracts are complicated and its a chance you take when you sign one. The oil companies are struggling to stay afloat and they can't sell you oil they buy at $3 for $2. You sound like you might be a customer who should use a discount oil site - you log on, check price, pay the discount price and do not have to deal with the complications the contracts sometimes bring - one you can check out is http://myoilheat.com

GLTY

Basically same happened to me told them I would contact BBB, they said, "" go ahead you aren't getting the oil, not due until August." how much oil do you think we use between the end of June and August?, none but the price lock has expired. All I can say is let as many people as possible know about your experiences. They have a program to recruit new costomers so I am sure do not enjoy loosing them

Same thing is happening to me now with Hoffman. The budget payments are based on usage that I never will receive plus they hold on to the extra money. It seems to be an industry norm, however, because it's happened to me before with another company. I don't like the games.