Finally, on Monday, the Ohio attorney general filed a civil lawsuit against Westlake-based Level Propane in Common Pleas Court in Delaware County. The state alleges that Level Propane violated the Exclusions and Limitations in Advertisements Rule and Consumer Sales Practices Act. It charges the company refused to disclose the cost of propane until after tanks were filled and bills were mailed, failed to honor guaranteed prices and failed to deliver gas on time. It also alleges the company made offers without clearly stating all the conditions, charged customers for gas they did not receive, made false advertising claims, and did not respond to customers' complaints. Level Propane spokesman Tom Andrzejewaski said the company, which serves about 100,000 customers in 26 states, disagrees with the charges.
Propane is a derivative of natural gas processing and crude oil refining.
Propane prices went up with the price of natural gas and oil. But the issue is not just rising prices. Complaints against Level have been mounting for years. Four years ago, the attorney general's office received only three complaints against Level Propane, attorney general spokesman Joe Case said. Three years ago, there were about 20.