Countrywide Farmers plc. - ceased trading May 2018 Reviews 

I have exactly the same issue as all of the other posts shown here for Countrywide. Two failed deliveries so far, last Tuesday and yesterday, Sunday the 11th. I too have called this morning and spoken again to Olivia, tank now showing 10%. My problem is I am contracted to Countrywide, however, I guess that contract is now broken due to failed deliveries? I have asked for somebody to call me back today as I need to source the gas from elsewhere as it is getting critical.

I moved to Countrywide in September last year. Having checked for online reviews there did not seem to be anything to be concerned about. I have a business & domestic account with them. My business is a small motel/b&b style operation for which the provision of gas is imperative to operate.
We have a telemetry device on our business tank so Countrywide are supposed to know when to fill. When they fill the business tank they are supposed to check the domestic tank.

We have had 2 fills since starting with Countrywide and everything was fine.

On 1 Feb at 20% our business tank had not been filled. I checked our domestic tank which was 35%. I called Countrywide and they said that a fill was due by Wednesday 7 Feb and added an order to the domestic tank too (bearing in mind they are supposed to check it anyway).

7 Feb the deliveries to did not arrive.

8 Feb I called the office and asked why no delivery and when it would arrive. I was told the 7 Feb was a provisional date and that my business tank had enough to last me to the 16 Feb. It was then reading 15%. I was told by Alicia that would get a call back that day with a delivery date.

I phoned my account manager, Ian. He told me he did not know the reasons for the delivery not arriving but that he would speak to the office and get back to me. I got a text that evening saying that the delivery would be by 11 Feb (Sunday).

11 Feb no delivery. I messaged Ian to advise and tried to call the office - it was Sunday but worth a try! No response.

12 Feb 0915 ish - Ian called in response to my Sunday text. "The delivery has not arrived then?" Ian could not offer an explanation but did tell me, obviously having already spoken to the office having received my Sunday text, that the other problem was they can't read my telemetry device. Bearing in mind it read 15% 1 Feb I am worried as I have a full house of guests this evening.

I have just spoken to Flo in the Countrywide office. She was polite and courteous but could not tell me anything. She has passed my call and details on to their manager......I will get a call back in business hours.

I was unable to get a tank reading for the tank with a telemetry device as the lady I spoke with operates on a different system to other people I have spoken with ...... I really don't know what I am supposed to do if I have no gas for my customers on the business account, let alone for my parents in their 70s on our domestic account.

If I don't have gas for my customers it will have a huge negative impact on my business cash flow and reputation. Will Countrywide compensate me for that?

I would like to give Countrywide the benefit of the doubt and think this is some kind of blip but having read all these recent reviews I am very concerned and wondering if I made the wrong decision in transferring my gas supply to them. I will update later.

Update 1: 12 Feb 2018 - No call back from Flo or anybody else in the office yet however, after calling Ian, my account manager, to see if it is possible to read the business tank gauge myself because the the telemetry has failed, which I have now done successfully, he has escalated it on his side (sales). I am now waiting for a definitive call on whether or not I will get a fill in the next couple of days. If Countrywide are unable to guarantee they can provide me with gas so my business is not at risk, I will have to look at sourcing gas elsewhere.

Update 2: 12 Feb 2018 - No call back from anybody in the office despite a promise to ring me back within working hours. I did however get a call from account manager Ian who has restored some of my faith, faith which I hope is not misplaced. He is trying to manage the issue for me with his boss. They do not know if my delivery is out tonight but hope so. Failing that they will speak to operations in the morning and Ian will call me in the morning before 1000 hrs to let me know the situation so I can decide what I need to do. Fingers crossed that Ian's professionalism and constant courteousness is supported, and indeed appreciated, by his employers.

What is beyond me is how nobody seems to know, or maybe is not willing to say, whether or not my delivery is actually on its way or not :-| Hopefully tomorrow will be a better scenario.

Update 3: 13 Feb 2018 - Situation for my business is now verging on critical. I have been given a confirmed delivery for tomorrow. Fingers crossed it will go as planned.

Update 4: 14 Feb 2018 - Sent a text this a.m. to ask if any update and received a call from Ian to advise our delivery is 'ticketed' which I am told means it is on the vehicle and out for delivery today. I have everything crossed.

Update 5: 14 Feb 2018 1410 hrs - We have gas! :-)

Had a bad experience 3 weeks ago when their driver knocked down my phone line and then overfilled the tank to 100%. Brief conversation with one manager (D Moor) who was dismissive. I have called and emailed and been promised a response but nothing. Customer service is woeful. I am livid with them and their apparent indifference

Switched to Countrywide for my LPG in September 2017 and now beginning to think it may have been a mistake. Had first delivery last week and had cause to complain. Have tried ringing them several times with no luck and sent two emails which they have ignored. Poor customer service!
Wow how quick they are to reply with a stock answer!!!! I have already given them all the details they need to answer my complaint. Even less impressed now.

Interesting to read all the recent reviews about Countrywide. Like the customer below we have always experienced prompt service and a quick answer when telephoning the customer service department.
However, we have now been waiting for a delivery of gas since our order was placed on 15th January. After 2 weeks we called customer service but couldn't get through. We called again and waited over an hour to be told our gas would arrive by Friday 2nd Feb at the very latest. It's now Monday and no gas has been delivered. I have spent nearly 2 hours today waiting on the telephone to speak to customer services but no one picks up the phone and eventually the line goes dead. Oh, but I did get an email just a few days ago informing me that my rate will increase by 8ppl with immediate effect!!!
Unacceptable level of service, we'll be changing to a new supplier...

Absolute shambles. Paid for an automated monitoring service to top us up without having to worry. Sitting here today with no heating. Ring them up and sit in a queue of 40+ people for an hour to be told they will ring you back. They don't. Nobody can do anything. If you want to be warm in the winter then pick an alternative supplier.

UIpdate 1
Quick to respond to a bad review, but not to a customer. I have already emailed:
webenquiries @ countrywidefarmers.co.uk
LPGCommercialteam @ countrywidefarmers.co.uk
enquiries @ countrywidefarmers.co.uk
lpgas @ countrywidefarmers.co.uk

No reply and getting colder by the minute!

Update 2
Promised an emergency delivery by Mid-Morning, still waiting as we pass mid afternoon. I have no faith in anything they tell me.

Been waiting 5 weeks for a delivery
Told would-be be delivered on 25 jan did not arrive phone customer service told it would be delivered on 27 jan never turned up now out of gas phoned customer services again said would be delivered today 2nd Feb phone customer services to confirm delivery told yes would be delivered but guess wot never arrived. now the 5th Feb and still no gas delivered, had to phone for emergency gas waiting for it to be delivered today

Follow up on my review down the page.

They replied on here asking for contact details so they could contact me, supplied the week before last, heard nothing!

We have been a customer with Countrywide LPG for nine years. Until recently, you would ring up at 20%, the phone would be answered by a real person and the gas delivered in 2 or 3 days.
Now you have to wait 15mins in the automated system being told how important your call is, to be given a delivery date two weeks ahead. When the delivery fails to turn up, you have to wait another 15 minutes in the system to be told they will ring you back with a second confirmed date. Still waiting.
Reading the replies from the impressively titled multi-channel customer services advisor, their dismal performance is down to it being winter! I'm thinking a fuel supplies company might be prepared for that!

UPDATE:
We have gas! However the delivery turned up out of the blue after two missed delivery dates, unanswered emails, ignored (we will answer in 24hrs) tracking enquiries and 15minute waits on the phone.
If the multi-channel customer services advisor had any real wish to assist, she could have looked up my details on the Countrywide database on the day of my review and intervened directly. I can guarantee that I am the only person of my name, in Abergavenny waiting for gas.
We all know that a lack of communication is the best way to antagonise customers - Countrywide excels!

FINAL UPDATE.
Unsurprisingly, the call promised by Customer Services never happened. I understand Countrywide LPG is being purchased by DCC. I hope they will re-invigourate customer care and return Countrywide to the competent supplier it used to be.

Unfortunately I’m not having a good experience with countrywide at the moment we spent three-four hours on the phone to them last Wednesday as we believed we had no gas (valve had broken) but we was only on 5% we eventually managed to get an engineer out who was very polite and helpful. When this was being arranged we placed an order for gas which we was promised would be delivered on the 25th. Today I called them as there has been no sign of them by mid day and I was concerned and they informed me they are running a week behind so delivery won’t be till next Wednesday! I explained again that it was critical we had delivery and that we had explained this last week and was promised all they can say to me now is that they are waiting to hear from the transport manager. I asked them what happens if the transport manager says next Wednesday? There response is that it will move onto a code 40!?! And the transport manager will call me and see what he can do?! Or see if a emergency call out can be done (no doubt at our expense) this is our first winter with lpg I understand we did leave it late ordering but this winter has been a learning curve for us. So we will have no heating or hot water in the next 48 hours and most likely no call back judging by last weeks service. We have Nan staying with us I need answer so I know if to make alternative arrangements for accommodation for her. And to top it off I’m having a dinner party Saturday for my partners birthday at this rate I will be having to go to the chippy!

We ordered LPG when our tank read 40% as instructed by countrywide we then waited 2 weeks by which time our tank was nearly empty. We phoned countrywide to find out what was going on and were told they were going to put a “code 49 “?! on our account as our tank was empty and we could expect a call from the transport manager that day to tell us when we could expect a delivery! Needless to say we received no such call, and now a week after that we are left with no heating or hot water. Repeated calls to countrywide have left us on hold for over an hour!!

We have two young children and it’s the middle of winter! Thanks Countrywide!

We’re stuck with this highly unprofessional, incontactable and uncaring company, you don’t have to be! So please read this review and listen to its message if you want to stay warm this winter!

I have been trying to renew my contract (yeah sounding like a real bad idea I know) it has taken 6 weeks and still no response, they don't respond to emails (their generic contact email is a joke) and when you ring (if you get through) you get fobbed off; getting an escalation to a senior is also a joke with promises to call back never happening.
I have been a loyal customer for Countrywide for 8 years but I think it might be time to look elsewhere seems they don't want my business or couldn't care less. Pity there is a no star option

We have been a customer of Countrywide for 5 years but have now decided to move away as the service and pricing is awful. Signed a 2 year contract, however, they only fix the price for 1 year and through that second year incrementally increase the price almost month of month. In the second year of my contract my price has increased 61%!!! I am not able to get out of my contract as its 2 years but they will not change their pricing. I have received no notification of a price increase at all and when you challenge it - all you are told is "the market price has increased" I work in commodities so can say with 100% confidence the market price has not increased anywhere near 61%. They never return calls when they say they will and you have to chase day in day out to get any sort of answer. Just awful.

Well having read the disappointing reviews, I can only add our experience to that. We ordered a 47kg bottle of propane and paid for it by card. 17 days later and despite continued calls and assurances we have yet to see this bottle of gas delivered. They don't even send confirming emails.

We raised complaint which logged with their transport Manager Marcus, but to date no one from Countrywide has called either to explain why this delay and their lack of any communication regarding our order.

Having spoken to three different employees, none have them were able to tell us tell us when to expect a delivery. Frankly, this is just poor, poor, poor.

UPDATE 5th February. Just to let you know the reason for the recent poor service has been a shortage of gas. Checked the wagon when it arrived - 12 bottles were all that were on the back and that also included the empty ones. Looks like a cash flow problem given that Countrywide LPG is in the process of being sold to DCC PLC with completion expected by the end of March 2018. Any chance of an honest answer Countrywide?

We have been loyal customers of Countrywide for the last 8 years, for the first seven we received excellent service. Orders were delivered on time and we always received confirmation as to day of delivery by phone (as requested) as this allowed us to unlock security gates to allow access in the event we were out.

For the last year service has been poor, no indication as to delivery date, except for the more recent indication, via email, as to a provisional date with confirmation of order. Resulting in security gates having to be left unlocked on the off chance LPG would arrive, particularly annoying as the area has been subject to a spate of burglaries in recent months.

The last order has been particularly distressing in that:

• Order placed on-line 1/12/17.
• Confirmation received via email with provisional delivery date of 14/12/17.
• Did not arrive on the 14/12/17 and did not receive any indication it would be late or of a revised delivery date.
• 14/12/17 Contacted sales team and informed outstanding orders should be delivered by Sunday 17th as there was a slight delay due to weather, fully understandable.
• 17/12/17 Gas did not arrive.
• 18/12/17 Contacted sales team yet again and informed your representative that our tank reading was down to less than 10%, received curt response in that “our delivery area delivery day was Thursday”, I asked if she could confirm that our gas would be delivered by Thursday the 21st Dec and I am afraid I did not get a clear answer.
• 18/12/17 Made a request via their online “Track My Order” facility which states I would get a response within 24 hours, did not receive any response.
• 21/12/17 Gas did not arrive.
• 21/12/17 Rang again and spoke to Kirsty Clayton, informed her of the situation and that I was also concerned we would run out of gas over Christmas period and the problems that could cause, as we had elderly relatives staying with us. Kirsty said she would talk to transport to find out what was going on and confirm our actual delivery, that day or early the next morning.
• 22/12/17 Kirsty rang to confirm delivery would be made Saturday 23th.
• 23/12/17 Gas did not arrive.
• 23/12/17 I rang their emergency number informed still making deliveries on Christmas Eve.
• 24/12/17 Gas did not arrive.
• 26/12/17 Gas finally arrived at 17.00 when the reading was down to near zero.

I am afraid this caused a lot of heartache in the family as it was clear we had no real guarantee we would actually receive gas before Christmas. In an attempt to save gas we used fan heaters etc. to try and reduce the need for LPG, not easy in large house. One elderly relative had to stay with other members of the family as we could not take the risk of not having any suitable heating.

We did not receive any feedback from Countrywide either via email or to a letter sent to their operations manager as to the issues we encountered.

If you want service then look elsewhere.

I've been with this company for over 25 years both domestically and in business using 1,000's of litres per month. They were a very good company to deal with (deliveries within 2-3 days), but something has gone seriously wrong somewhere. Not only is it an absolute nightmare to contact them via phone and they don't reply to email,I have been promised a delivery which hasn't materialised and when I put my order in, within 24 hours of doing so, I received an email telling me the price had gone up! The increase is extortionate.
My guess is that the company is on the brink of failure, why else would there be delivery and pricing problems? I'm changing, which is sad after all these years and knowing personally the ex Chairman to be a very good man.

UPDATE::Just had the reply as below, and rang again at lunch time today to ask where my delivery was, having been promised it yesterday! The lady assured me she'd call back this afternoon. Needless to say, no call. So, the reply is a lot of hot air and a "stock" answer which I bet is pinned to the lady's PC! It beggar's belief ??????

UPDATE; Friday at 6pm and still no gas and no calls to explain situation!!

Countrywide used to be good, both in terms of delivery times and customer service. I'm not sure what's happened, but something has gone seriously wrong of late. I'll never order from them again. I would say I'd rather go cold than order from them again, but you do go cold even if you do order from them. And don't bother complaining - they really don't care. They'll tell you each time that they've logged your complaint and a senior manager will ring you back ... but they won't. Avoid at all costs!

Dreadful, unprofessional & unhelpful customer service!!!
NO HEATING, NO HOT WATER ❄️❄️😫
Ordered LPG well before Christmas to have a delivery before last week.
Expected delivery day came and went , finally they turned up on Friday.
And went again 😧
Apparently, ‘the driver was unable to deliver gas as the tank is so overgrown’ ???!!
So, husband calls Countrywide ( speaks to an obnoxious, rude jobsworth ) to explain that the tank is fully accessible to be filled, indeed we had a delivery two months ago with no problem and same shrubbery surrounding , which hasn’t grown over Christmas!

He explained that we have 3 children and with disabilities, meaning we cannot use electric power shower as Child has to be bathed.

His reply ; ‘ don’t try and pull the sympathy disabled card’ !!! !!!!! 🤬🤬🤬😡😡😡

Husband emailed photographs of tank and accessibility, the reply was that we will not receive any LPG delivery until they have carried out a ‘full risk assessment ‘ ???!!!!!!!

So, frost outside , no heating or hot water expected any time soon.

Fuming isn’t the word!!
After 7 years of no problems, Countrywide will be returned their tank as soon as possible 😡😡👿

Aside from LPG, I’ve spent hundreds of pounds a month in these stores for all my animal feeds / products for the last 20 years at least!!!!

Signed up with Countrywide on 12 December. They said they would fill the tank in 3 – 5 working days. They’ve had 11 working days, & still no LPG despite several promises, so now the tank is empty, and the house freezing. They break every promise, and they tell you nothing - you’ll spend hours hanging on the phone only to be fobbed off. Worst customer service I’ve ever experienced. Don’t sign with them, especially if you are vulnerable and have to rely on them to deliver.

UPDATE: Countrywide say below that it's been resolved. Not true! Today I was just referred on to someone else. He asked a set of questions which made it clear there are loads of us in the same boat, all stuck without heat and cooking facilities because of their poor service. He promised that 'someone would get back to me', but of course no one has - so that's now four broken promises. And still no indication whatsoever of when they will deliver. From Countrywide's latest annual report, page 2 - 'Our mission - no one tries harder for our customers'.

NO HOT WATER, NO HEATING OVER CHRISTMAS

Ordered on 11th December. It is now the 28th. 4 days without gas over Christmas in sub zero temperatures. Family of 4. Communication is appalling and no apologies.

There are obviously many customers in our position. I don’t know what is going on with this company but the lpg service they are providing is a shambles.

Still no advice as to when we should expect our delivery because they are apparently waiting for information back from their transport department.

I’m currently awaiting a call back from the customer services manager so that I can log my complaint. What good that will do I don’t know.