Supplier has added too much oil

Amay78

Hi. We recently order 500l of oil through homefuels online. When the contract company came out to deliver, the gentleman came to the door and said that he had accidentally out 779l in instead. At today's prices I would not have ordered more than the minimum 500l. We wouldn't need more until mid summer when prices are lower with the heating now going off and the oil just being for water.

The gentleman said he would have to go to his depot who would then get In touch with homefuels. Heard nothing so rang and left them a voicemail to see what would happen. Still nothing. Rang again today. They are saying that we either will have to pay for the oil or they will come and drain the excess? They say they will ring me back once they have decided what type of discount they could offer.

Have a few concerns obviously. Made a mistake putting in, what if they make a mistake taking out -work Mon to Fri so not normally in for deliveries etc. If they start removing, will obviously also take out some of our additive and am I right in thinking may stir up any sludge into heating system? With getting now going off, would hate form this to cause issues by autumn. Sorry not had home oil heating long So a little in the dark.

I better just taking the hit -hadnt budgeted for the extra or is there something g we can do? Would kind of like to have a bit of an idea before they next ring. Thanks for any advice you can offer

tacpot12

If you're not prepared to pay for the extra fuel, you will have to let them collect it. If you want to be in attendance when they do, then that is your decision.

You can't really do anything about the additive: the fact that the over delivery further diluted the existing additive can't really be rectified (other than by them paying for the small amount of extra additive needed). If you have added the correct amount of additive for 500l, that was probably your mistake - I would have waited for the excess to be drained before adding any additives if the concentration is important. If you have added the correct amount of additive for 779l, then again I think this is your mistake. I would just bite the bullet on the cost of the additive.

I would expect your system to have some protection on sludge being drawn in. The filling process is more likely to generate turbulence in the tank. Draining should generate less turbulence, and so stir up less.

Cardew

Welcome to the forum.

There have been many posts on the forum over the years of too much oil being delivered. If you do a search you will find them.

Despite what the 'Barrack Room Lawyers' will say, I believe the consensus is that the company are within their rights to collect the excess oil.

The best advice would be to negotiate a 'cut price' deal for the additional oil - say 10p a litre

POPPYOSCAR

I very much doubt they will want to remove the excess for various reasons.

See what they offer as a discount and negotiate down hard with them.

You are within your rights to dictate to them when they can come to remove it if they insist but I do not think they will.

POPPYOSCAR

Cardew wrote: »

Welcome to the forum.

There have been many posts on the forum over the years of too much oil being delivered. If you do a search you will find them.

Despite what the 'Barrack Room Lawyers' will say, I believe the consensus is that the company are within their rights to collect the excess oil.

The best advice would be to negotiate a 'cut price' deal for the additional oil - say 10p a litre

I would want far more than 10p a litre.

Oil is usually much more expensive at this time of year than in the summer months.

G_M

So they might want to drive back, to collect 279 ltrs? I suspect they'd prefer not to waste their driver's time and petrol, and come to some arrangement.

If they DO choose to collect, personally I'd insist it be done at a mutualy agreed time when I could be present "so I can unlock the tank for your driver".

But better all round to negotiate a 'summer price' for the extra 279 ltrs.

I just paid 47 ppl for 500 ltrs, and hope to top up like you later. Hopefully for 35 ish.

So what did you pay this time, and what would you expect/hope to pay in July/August?

I assume you paid in advance for 500, so at least you are in a good bargaining position. Far better to have their oil in your tank, than to be trying to reclaim money from them....

J_B

G_M wrote: »

I assume you paid in advance for 500, so at least you are in a good bargaining position. Far better to have their oil in your tank, than to be trying to reclaim money from them....

That's the trump card you have - are they even allowed to take oil back?
Presume it would need to be a specialist lorry?
The additive that you say you have used may 'poison' the fuel / their lorry.

The ball is definitely in your court - offer them 10ppl now or 35ppl paid in July!

Margot123

I would estimate that sending a driver and tanker to collect such a small amount of oil would be far in excess of the profit actually made.

Therefore you are in a good position to negotiate a healthy discount on the excess. It is their mistake, and they have admitted it. Make them rectify it to your satisfaction, not theirs.

As you wouldn't be ordering additional oil till summer when prices are considerably lower, I'd say 10-15p per litre discount is about right. Although they may now use the #chestnut' that 'prices are about to rocket due to tensions in the Middle East' (just had that said to me this morning on ringing for a quote).

firefox1956

What additive are you putting in your heating oil ???
No way will they be taking back heating oil that has had anything added to it by a third party.

G_M

firefox1956 wrote: »

What additive are you putting in your heating oil ???
No way will they be taking back heating oil that has had anything added to it by a third party.

In fact I doubt they could re-sell it legally even if you had not put in additives - they could not guarantee to the next customer that it was unadulterated.

oysterman

Def negotiate hard, most companies nowadays do not have the vehicle to suck contents out of tank's. They have to get a third party into remove it, which would cost far more than the oils worth. Which company delivered in error?