Some Houston businesses have been hit with price gouging complaints as part of the recovery efforts after Beryl, according to price gouging complaints obtained by ABC13

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — After Hurricane Beryl, some Houston residents reported paying hundreds of dollars more for hotels, sudden price hikes at the gas station and higher food costs, according to price gouging complaints obtained by ABC13.

The plaintiffs say hotel rates have more than doubled, gasoline prices have increased by a dollar and a case of water has risen to nearly $20. Prosecutors will review the claims, and business owners could be on the hook for thousands of dollars in damages.

Phillip Knop was among those who filed the complaint. He couldn’t believe the high price of gas at a Houston-area gas station.

“Honestly, it makes me feel a little sick to my stomach,” Knop said. “No one could have predicted the true impacts of Hurricane Beryl, and Houston is supposed to be a city that steps up to deal with these situations.”

AAA said the average price of unleaded gasoline in Houston last week was $3.14. Knop said he paid much more than that.

“I was driving by and saw the sign lit up that said $3.19,” Knop recalled. “I was shocked because just the day before, they were charging $4.19 a gallon.”

Knop filed a price-gouging complaint with the state attorney general’s office. He wasn’t alone.

Cheryl Dickens did the same after seeing the price of some hotel rooms.

“If it’s not monitored and controlled, it’s going to continue to happen and people are going to continue to suffer,” Dickens said.

ABC13 obtained documents from the attorney general’s office showing that 113 price gouging complaints were filed. The majority involved gas stations, hotels and grocery stores.

The Harris County District Attorney said they have received 252 complaints of price gouging. If you suspect price gouging, prosecutors recommend taking photos and keeping receipts.

Write down the address and date. Write down the names of the employees you spoke with.

After a complaint is filed, investigators may visit the store. Even if the price is reduced, the merchant may face legal problems, as price gouging is illegal in the event of a declared disaster.

In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, the attorney general’s office said it sued more than 60 gas stations and they were ordered to pay more than $300,000 in damages.

“Unfortunately, these incidents are likely to happen again,” Dickens said. “So I think we need to address this issue so it doesn’t happen again in the future.”

“They should not profit from disasters like Hurricane Beryl at the expense of ordinary citizens,” Knop said.

If you notice price gouging, you can file a complaint with the attorney general’s office or the county attorney.

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