Heating Oil

Chrisnvicky · 13 February 2019 at 12:59PM

When its time to buy heating oil, I can phone around the local companies and shave a few pence off the original quotes. I always feel that there should be some strong and more available watchdog to keep a close eye on this trade. An older person I know was paying 25p a litre more...that's a lot when you order 1,000 litres. Is there some way that MSE can get involved….most 'rural' households are on oil heating....what do other users think?

Ebe_Scrooge · 13 February 2019 at 5:33PM

Ouch, 25 ppl is a big difference ! Unfortunately, it's a free market, and it's no different to people who shop around for a better price on gas, electricity, car insurance, etc., compared to those who don't, and end up paying more. Oil suppliers are free to sell their products at whatever price they wish, in much the same way that a tin of baked beans will cost less at Lidl than an identical tin in Waitrose.

Yes, you could argue that heating oil is a necessity as opposed to a "want". But so are gas and electricity, and again we're always encouraged to shop around and change suppliers for those utilities. And yes, I fully appreciate it's harder for older folk who are less tech-savvy - although, for heating oil it's only a few phone calls that are required.

So whilst I totally sympathise with your sentiments, I really don't think it would be possible - or "right" - for Big Brother to dictate to any company what they choose to sell their goods for.

< Cue an argument about the effectiveness or otherwise of the recent energy Price Cap .... >

dunstonh · 13 February 2019 at 11:01PM

I know was paying 25p a litre more...that's a lot when you order 1,000 litres.

When Oil is around 50p a litre, a 25p difference is significant.

Is there some way that MSE can get involved….most 'rural' households are on oil heating....what do other users think?

If you were charged around 75p-80p a litre then you should be telling all your friends about it. However, there is actually nothing wrong with that. They give their price. You say yes or no to that. If you say yes, then that is your choice. If you say no and get it cheaper from another then again, that is your choice. If locally, you can let others know, then the local market will dry up for the expensive oil supplier.

G_M · 14 February 2019 at 10:41PM

As technology and the web extend, it becomes increasingly difficult for the elderly, or the tech-non-savy, or the laptopless/smartphoneless, to get the best deals.

Another area is direct debits, which my elderly father does not 'trust' - again this adds cost to his utilities, insurance etc.

But the world changes. There's nothing government can do. It's really up to family to help each other access the better deals/ prices, products.

Heating Oil

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