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Petroplus gets heavy
Page 7
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A SOUTHAMPTON-BASED haulier has hit out at his treatment by fuel retailer Petroplus, following the loss of a fuel card and subsequent theft of more than £3,000-worth of diesel.
A vehicle belonging to Chilworth operator CannellTransport, which runs four trucks on container work, was broken into in August. During the burglary a fuel card and its PIN number were removed (CM 4 September). Petroplus's terms and conditions state that operators are liable for any fuel drawn on a stolen card for up to three working days after it has been reported missing.
Boss David Cannell says he was willing to accept the loss, albeit grudgingly, but adds that his subsequent treatment by Petroplus was nothing short of heartless.
A letter written by the Stocktonbased fuel company on 22 October assures Cannell that nothing more will be done on the invoice until at least 3 November. The letter from Paul Carter, adds: -Please may I assure you that, as originally agreed, we are happy to wait until 3 November, by which time the police investigation will hopefully have been concluded — before discussing [the] invoice."
Indeed, at the time of the theft, Petroplus fuel card business manager Joanne Walker assured CM: "He won't be expected to pay until it [the theft] has been investigated. We are not going to demand the money with menace."
However, Cannell was shocked to find that the next correspondence, on 4 November, was from a credit collection agency demanding the money within seven days or the company would face legal action. Cannel explains: "I've paid the bill now as I don't want any damage to my good repute if I get a black mark against my name. I think they are totally heartless — they just want their money and they don't care about upsetting people like me."
A spokeswoman for Petroplus comments: "Unfortunately, the card was left with the PIN number which was then stolen.ff they were kept separately, then no way would any fuel have been stolen. Perhaps we could have looked at ways of spreading the cost rather than in one large sum. We are not looking to put him out of business."