Thiefing Petrol Station (Esso - Deptford Park)

car_driver2

I went to this station late on Tuesday night as I needed petrol for the next day. As with late night petrol stations you have to give cash at the counter first before you attempt to put any petrol in.

This I did (£30).

I procceded as you would - pump in fuel tank, price dialer going up, liter capacity going up etc. Put the fuel gun away, stepped in my car - guess what NO PETROL had gone in at all.

I go to the guy at the counter and tried to explain the situation. It was only when I brought the matter to his attention that he gave me a receipt (not before when I had paid my £30 in cash initally). I said that I want to go to another fuel pump in the staion to try again OR that I want my money back. He told me no refund or you'll have to pay again - like I was gonna even bother waste my money again.

Ok I nearly kicked up a fuss but I told him that you have to give me an alternative as its my rights. He denied me a refund and said that if I wanted to I should call the police. Now before I even called the police Im thinking that they are gonna say "its a civil matter, not criminal etc" and basically they wont get involved. But to prove to the guy serving me that I wasnt going to fobbed off, I called the police. Yes I was told that its a civil mattter etc and was given a police reference. I took a photograph of my car to show the fuel dialer and the dashboard and the needle was nearing the empty stage (the stage it was at when I had entered the station). The time between what was printed on the receipt and time I took off my fuel dialer (clock on dashboard) was 30 mins.

I retuned the next day etc and spoke with the manager. He too denied me with a refund, despite me showing him the receipt that I had and still have on me. He said that if I didnt leave the shop immediately then he would call the police - which he did. But when they turned up - they basicaly said what I was told on the phone from the previous night and that was the end of it.

I would like to know what my rights are especially as this petrol station stll have my money but not given me my goods/services that I intended on getting. In my eyes - they have stolen my money and given me what I wanted. Tea-leaf!!!!!

topdaddy_2

Yeah they are dodgy there. Been short changed frequently.

jumperjohn

That's awful. Can you complain to Esso? I know nothing about pertol station ownership, Im guessing its a franchise? How about small claims, you'll be out of pocket but I'd do it just out of principle.

Avoriaz

Contact Trading Standards.

As far as I am aware, they are responsible for ensuring that fuel pumps dispense accurately.

I may be wrong.

Contact Esso and see if they can bring pressure to bear on the owner/manager of that petrol station. Perhaps they can check if their stock records versus sold records are £30 more than they should be. Or perhaps measurement errors exceed that amount.

Did you not notice that no fuel was going into the tank? I can hear it going in when I fill my car.

Good luck.

Herzlos

They are regulated by trading standards and are allowed to over-measure (i.e. give you more than you pay for) but not under-measure (giving you less).

So I'd bring it up with both TS and Esso. If they've modified the pumps to cheat people it should be obvious enough to detect.

scotsbob

I would involve Esso and Trading Standards. Even if you don't get any joy you will at least caus them some grief and if there is a "fiddle" going on it will stop them

Bantex_2

You can always hear and feel the petrol going through the nozzle.

May be worth getting the fuel gauge checked.

anotheruser

Fill up £30, drive off.

When you get something through the post, say you paid for it the other time and someone said it was okay to do it.

nickcc

Pumps are fitted with air eliminators which prevents air registering on the meter head (display), either the pump has been deliberately tampered with or, as previously suggested, your Tank gauge is faulty.

Bantex_2

anotheruser wrote: »

Fill up £30, drive off.

When you get something through the post, say you paid for it the other time and someone said it was okay to do it.

Try explaining that when the police pull you over for fuel theft. It will all be on CCTV with ANPR.

hewhoisnotintheknow

didnt the pump feel funny not moving when you pulled the trigger?