Saw this posted on an email list. I also got a follow up response which I will post below the initial email. These type of stories need to get out, not only to protect those of us living in Israel, but also to hopefully effect change.

Part 1 – The PazGaz Horror Story

Before you phone Pazgaz to report a leak, I will share with you what
happened to me a few days before Pesach.

After hearing numerous times the Pazgaz jingle which recommends and
promises a free gas check in one’s home, I decided to take them up on
it as we have one outlet that has had an odor for a very long time
ever since it was installed. I decided to call Pazgaz instead of Mantzur from Bat Ayin, who is a Pazgaz technician but also does work privately for a lower fee because I obviously preferred the option that was free.

No one answered any of the Pazgaz phone nunbers, and only after 2 days
I received and answer to my cellphone regarding the message I had left
about a smell of gas. I explained that nobody was home and we would
be out all day, but nonetheless the woman said that she must send
someone out to check the leak. She added that the service is free
ONLY IF THEIR TECHNICIAN FINDS THE CAUSE OF THE ODER but if he
doesn’t, I will be charged 200 SHEKELS!! i immediately told her that
is outrageous, as they constantly advertise their jingle saying the
the gas check if free! She replied that it is in fact free only once
in five years and mine was checked a few years ago. I told her to
forget my call, especially as they ignored it for the past 2 days,
and I will call a private technician (Mantzur who also works for them)
who will certainly charge much less. She said that by law she cannot
cancel my request and must send me their technician even against my
will. About ten minutes later a Pazgaz technician phoned me and
told me he is outside our home in order to check for a possible leak.
I repeated that I am in Jerusalem for the day and nobody is home,
and I don’t want him to do the check as I refuse to pay 200 shekel if
he doesn’t find the cause. He gingerly replied that he will go away
but first he will disconnect my gas supply – until I agree to his
visit and possible charge of 200 shekels!! I told him that he dare
not disconnect my gas just before Pesach, as I was to begin my
non-stop cooking for dozens of guests the next day – but he insisted
that I will have no gas until I meet their demands.

I felt threatened and bullied but had no choice but to call someone in
Alon Shvut to let him in our home and do the check, while I insisted
that I refuse to pay if he does not find the cause of the odor because
this visit is against my will.

Guess what?? He identified the odor immediately, but did not find the
cause. A few days ago I received a bill from Pazgaz for 200 shekels,
stating that I will be charged interest if it isn’t paid on time. I
have been trying to contact the “boss” at Pazgaz since then, to no
avail. His secretary said he will return my call but of course I
haven’t heard from him.

How do I know that there is not a racket involved here – such as the
technician receiving a small kickback for every time he doesn’t find
the cause for the odor he himself smells and Pazgaz gaining the rest
of the 200 shekels?? How can they say that I am legally bound to
take only their technician when they advertize falsely about the check
being free and only informed me of the costly charge after I
notified them of the smell, when had I known the truth I could and
would have called in some other qualified technician of my choice?

If you have suggestions as to whom I should report this issue to, I
would appreciate it.

Meanwhile, don’t believe Pazgaz ads and shop around for a technician
like for anything else if you don’t want to be forced to pay 200
shekels and yet be left with the same odor of gas as before.

Part 2 – The aftermath and PazGaz correcting a wrong

Thank you for the many responses and words of advice in response to my
description of the “trap” I found myself in when I responded to the
Pazgaz jingle on their phone- lines which recommends  consumers to
invite their technician for checking out one’s gas line “without
charge”.

I am happy to convey to all of you that thanks to the advice and
information provided me by  S. Yisrael from Efrat, I wrote detailed a
letter  to the heads of Pazgaz conveying the facts of their
unnacceptable and  outrageous conduct, beginning of course with the
fact that they were falsely advertizing on the phone.   The director
phoned me and profusely apologized for  what he worded  as the many
facets of thier wrongdoings on this matter. He said the company
directors had discussed my complaint and accepted every aspect of it,
and immediately cancelled the 200 shekel fee Ithey had demanded, and
in addition they insisted on providing  me my next gas tank without
charge.  He promised to reassess the legality  of their advertizing a
free check-up when in fact that is not so.  I suspect that the fact
that they  knew of my letter being posted on the various yahoo lists
helped encourage them to take this issue  seriously.   I hope that
they were sincere in their promise to change their policy in such
matters in the future.

Thanks for your advice and encouragement. Hope the lesson has been learned.

—————-

This is actually good news and shows that you don’t just have to accept being wronged. I am looking for similar stories of those that have been wronged by businesses/companies in Israel and how they eith had a positive or negative outcome so please share to make this country a better place for all of us and to help create businesses that are worthy of being successful.