Cheaper Oil for Fuel?

Misfit99

I ordered oil on Feb 4 from SCF for delivery in Essex. They usually deliver within 2-4 days. On Feb 12 I phoned them & I was on for a delivery but was dropped as my gates were locked....wrong address. Feb 13 I phoned them, I was out for delivery and the tanker broke down. Feb 14 I phoned them & I was on list for delivery but could not get hold to depot to find out why I had no delivery. Feb 15 I phoned again, they cannot deliver as I am flooded & they can't drive through this.
I have tried to explain its is standing water in the access lane due to run off from the fields & I drive through it in my Focus everyday, they maintain they cannot deliver & have cancelled the order. Their advice - phone them when puddle dries up or phone round & try and find a company that will deliver.
In the meantime the boiler is off and weather is forecast to dip towards the end of the week.
Any suggestions?

bernithebiker

You could either buy red diesel in cans at the pump, or failing that, if desperate, buy normal diesel and bung that in your tank. Will work fine, but obviously a bit pricey...!

werdnareklaw

Misfit99 wrote: »

Their advice - phone them when puddle dries up or phone round & try and find a company that will deliver.

Now, that sounds like a good idea. Try someone else :j

Another good idea is not to let your oil stock fall so low. I live on a small farm with tricky access for an oil tanker in a rather remote and hilly area of Lincolnshire that gets cut off in heavy snowfall.

Plan ahead, my motto. Also have an alternative for warmth like a wonderful wood burning stove, a standby generator and a good woman to keep you warm

dogshome

I too live in Essex and have that sinking feeling you are being scammed - Since Feb 4 Oil prices have been on the rise, but you had a verbal contract with SCF on that day that they would deliver XXX litres at XX.XXpence per litre.

SCF aren't happy with the order as with the the oil price rise they have lost margin, or maybe even making a loss

They are however in a Swings & Roundabout business and it's a safe bet that if Oil prices had gone down since Feb 4, they would have delivered and charged you the price quoted on Feb 4

Get on to them, (prefferably by Email or letter), telling them to deliver on or before X date, or you will order elsewhere and run them thro' the Small Claims Court for any extra you have to pay for the same litreage

analyst_2

I agree they appear to be trying to worm their way out, probably because of a price shift. Whilst I fully sympathise with and appreciate the sentiments expressed above . . .

telling them to deliver on or before X date, or you will order elsewhere and run them thro' the Small Claims Court for any extra you have to pay for the same litreage

That isn't going to hold water (pardon the pun). Its the well-trodden path of the Sale Of Goods Act which applies.

The supplier has simply made an offer to supply, legally referred to as invitation to treat, against your offer to purchase. No sale has been conducted and he has the right to refuse an offer and to not sell to a customer until such time as some commitment to purchase is made, e.g. laid the money down in his (proverbial) sweaty palms.

Edit:
A little bit further consideration of this.
Under The Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982 (as amended) there is a requirement for the service to be carried out within a reasonable time
Now, that in theory could give you some leeway, but he could still argue that given the weather conditions i.e. flooding, it was not reasonable to deliver. So when push comes to shove, are you really going to enter into court proceedings using niggling little argument v counter-argument . . . I suspect not.

Given the date of the OP, I suspect that this is probably now all water under the bridge . . . doh!:o

G_M

analyst wrote: »

I agree they appear to be trying to worm their way out, probably because of a price shift. Whilst I fully sympathise with and appreciate the sentiments expressed above . . .
That isn't going to hold water (pardon the pun). Its the well-trodden path of the Sale Of Goods Act which applies.

The supplier has simply made an offer to supply, legally referred to as invitation to treat, against your offer to purchase. No sale has been conducted and he has the right to refuse an offer and to not sell to a customer until such time as some commitment to purchase is made, e.g. laid the money down in his (proverbial) sweaty palms.

True - no sale has been conducted, but a contract has been created. A contract is an agreement between two parties, normally for one to provide the other with goods or services in exchange for 'consideration' (normally cash!).

A contract is legally binding as soon as agreement is reached (whether in writing or verbally). It does not just become binding when "the money down in his (proverbial) sweaty palms."

The 'invitation to treat' arose when the OP rang and asked for their price. Once the OP accepted that price, and the company agreed to deliver, there was a contract.

Thus the OP could still insist on delivery being made at the original, agreed, price.

dishyd23

We are needing oil asap but all the companies i try all want the payment in full upfront, we are not in a position to do this as on one wage and a low one at that! i have 2 small children so we need to keep warm. does anyone know a company or any help we could be entitled to? im at my wits end with trying to sort this out! we have borrowed from people in the past and gone into my overdraft to pay for oil years ago and im still paying that off

suki1964

dishyd23 wrote: »

We are needing oil asap but all the companies i try all want the payment in full upfront, we are not in a position to do this as on one wage and a low one at that! i have 2 small children so we need to keep warm. does anyone know a company or any help we could be entitled to? im at my wits end with trying to sort this out! we have borrowed from people in the past and gone into my overdraft to pay for oil years ago and im still paying that off

I'm sorry but most oil companies want paying before delivery now days. Oil has always been a pay before use fuel, unlike gas and electric which is paid after consumption

Do none of your petrol stations sell fuel at the pump? Or any suppliers selling emergency drums?

You really do have to find the money to put aside weekly for oil. In my county there is a stamp scheme that all the suppliers accept

powie69

dishyd23 wrote: »

We are needing oil asap but all the companies i try all want the payment in full upfront, we are not in a position to do this as on one wage and a low one at that! i have 2 small children so we need to keep warm. does anyone know a company or any help we could be entitled to? im at my wits end with trying to sort this out! we have borrowed from people in the past and gone into my overdraft to pay for oil years ago and im still paying that off

Some suppliers will let you spread the payment for oil on direct debit. They would require half payment up front for a 1st order, and then the rest paid monthly on direct debit. It might be worth checking out with your local suppliers.

ralph_wilson

We set up a buying group recently in our village. We bought 12,000 litres for 60.5p/ltr (+vat of course) delivered last month (Feb 2013).
If you can, gather a group of neighbours and, say 2 people, visit about 4 or 5 suppliers face to face - not over the phone or they won't play ball, explain who you are and what you want and invite them to tender a confidential price. DON'T enter into a "Dutch auction" or you will lose trust. Don't tell the losing suppliers the winning bid either.
Hope this is useful.