The shrub was interfering with the meter & they charge YOU for necessary repairs. How do you know it wasn't causing the meter to read higher usuage? Can they answer that one?
How do they figure 6 hr of labor when the tech was there for ONE hr? I grump about our gas company sometimes - think I'd better be quiet.

When I smelled gas at a rent house maybe 18 yrs ago, they came right out. Due to the age of the floor furnace, it was red-tagged. Landlord (aka TightWad Original) just re-lighted the unit. No charges. Nor was I charged when this same company checked out a gas smell for me at my current home. I had to call 3 different occasions over a period of time before the source was found (small leak); again, no charge. And yes! I had the leak fixed -- that WAS my expense but the gas company didn't charge me for locating the the source of the gas leak.

Maybe you should go all electric?

Just hope that you don't get a bill from the fire department! I have heard that in some places they charge if they are called.

WOW! that is cheap...during the two yrs i worked as a landscape designer i often heard a story of the crews doing the very same thing, breaking a gas line by pulling out above ground plant materials. the bill to our company was several thousand $$. i made sure we had ALWAYS called No Cuts & they had been out to flag, to cover our butts...w/o those flags and a confirmation # from No Cuts anything you damage on a property (even your own) while landscaping is fully billable to you. state law in FL ~ liz

Fortunately, it's the Volunteer Fire Dept, and our taxes pay for that, and the cut to the line was before the meter, so we didn't get charged for the spewing gas. But Liz, you may be right. Never again will I plant anything near a gas meter! LOL!

They've come out for gas leaks and smells before with no charge, but even the gas guy said that they don't use the black plastic covered copper pipes anymore because they always get mistaken for branches and roots. He was actually very nice, even straightened the meter, which has been crooked since the house was new. He figured the fine would be around $400, but not to quote him! Good thing, cause he was wrong!

Well we have almost the same bill. HUbby went for an uphill bike ride in 90 plus degree weather and came home with chest pains. I called the ambulance. To go 6 miles was $1290. And you thought gas prices were high....
He has Blue Cross/BS insurance and we thought the insurance would cover it - well all they would pay was $490. I asked why the ambulance company would not take the insurance money (we got a check for $490) and they said Amb Co. was not a participating provider. Now if the insurance co thinks the ride should have cost $490 - why was it $800 more? I am scared we have another bill coming since they send a medic unit out too and the basic service for medic is $500. Next time I will stick his a&% in the Explorer like he wanted me too. He was fine but the hospital admitted him for the weekend until his tests came back OK.
Hugs, you are not alone with your "big bill" Kathy

Wow,that's too bad.

We were going to do some work on our house in the late 90's and one of the contractors was walking around measuring things and looking around.Then he called me to come outside,and told me we had a gas leak at the meter.I called the emergency # for the gas co and they had someone here in minutes to shut it off.
They then proceeded to fix it which they did by flashlight and spotlights since it got dark.They said the pipes were old(house built in 1952) and had just detereoriated(sp).It didn't cost us not one dime,Thank Goodness,and they were here several hours.

I'm sure they've probably changed their policy by now and would probably charge for those services.
Kathi

Kathy, we had similar disputes after DH had his heart attack. They claimed we didn't give them enough notice ahead of time. Excuse me? My husband was having a heart attack. We called 9-1-1. Excuse me that we didn't know 24 hours in advance so we could alert them!

Unreal...
I pity the kid who was in there with hubby. His insurance would not cover an ambulance ride unless he was admitted. He scalded his legs when a brush fire got out of control and they did not admit him.
(Sorry Laurel)

Wow - that doesn't sound good at all! Guess I was lucky. I moved into my house about 5 years ago, and from almost day one, I smelled gas. Each time I called the gas company they came right out. We have had several houses blow completely up because of gas leaks, so I they do not play with that part. BUT, each time someone came out, they never found any leak or anything. The first guy pulled the ole "you're a woman..." trick and left. I ended up having to go out of town for almost a year, but returned home every few weeks. One day before I was on my "home" rotations, my neighbor called to tell me she called the gas company because she smelled gas coming from my house. The gas company came out and said they would come back - but never did. I was so worried once when I was on my way back out of town, I had a friend be sure that my gas line to a lampost was turned off tightly. The gas company won't service the lamps but I really wanted them to check out the lamp. I knew I would be coming home over a long weekend so I called them to tell them that my neighbor smelled gas again. Evidently, they came out again. Before I could get home, my sister called and said that there was a sign on my door that said that I needed to call the gas company to have my service restored. What the heck!!! So, I called - I had taken a very late flight so when I got home, it was about 11:00. I called anyway and they came right out. Turns out, I had a leak at the pipe from the street, and they had to dig up a half of my yard. The day before, a house had blown up because of the very same thing. Something funny, the guy that came out to restore the service just happened to be the first guy that came out and told me I was just smelling charcoal lighter fluid!!

I guess I was pretty blessed because this had been going on for almost 3 years, and the house never blew up!!

OK - long story, but when I read your post, I felt even more blessed. I didn't have to pay for ANYTHING!!

I'm so sorry you have to foot this bill. I would fight it as much as possible. There are utility support departments that may be able to help you pay, if you do have to pay.

Best Wishes!

Call the PUCO! You can find the number on your gas or electric bill.

Tami