Serious oil shortage in Newbury Options

[JeffG]

This doesn't appear to have been picked up by the NWN. As my heating oil is getting low, I tried to order yesterday and was told that they can't deliver until the second week in January!

That's my regular supplier - no other supplier is taking on new customers.

I really don't know what I shall do if I actually run out (which seems likely) - I only have a couple of ancient fan heaters and on checking the Argos site, every type of portable heater is sold out.

Oil prices have apparently gone through the roof, too, though I wouldn't mind paying more as long as I could get some!

[blackdog]

This doesn't appear to have been picked up by the NWN. As my heating oil is getting low, I tried to order yesterday and was told that they can't deliver until the second week in January!

That's my regular supplier - no other supplier is taking on new customers.

I really don't know what I shall do if I actually run out (which seems likely) - I only have a couple of ancient fan heaters and on checking the Argos site, every type of portable heater is sold out.

Oil prices have apparently gone through the roof, too, though I wouldn't mind paying more as long as I could get some!

Friend of mine has a load of jerrycans so he went and got his own oil (from a filling station - not sure which one) when he ran out a couple of weeks ago (overheard him on the phone this week offering to lend the cans to someone else in the same situation).

[JeffG]

Worth knowing, though I didn't know you could get heating oil from a filling station.

[gel]

Worth knowing, though I didn't know you could get heating oil from a filling station.

Have seen that in Ireland both North & South; often next to a pump dispensing diesel for farmers use;
I always wondered if those garages ever challenged a car driver using.

If you had cans you could presumably collect from Pinnock Bros and others.


Have you tried the oil heating pooled buying website??
They normally have a next day delivery option, at a premium.

See what you mean about price!

Oil price graph

[JeffG]

If you had cans you could presumably collect from Pinnock Bros and others.

Well, if they won't deliver, I wouldn't have thought they would supply someone turning up on their doorstep.

Anyhow, you would need an awful lot of cans to to make any sort of impression on an oil tank!

[Biker1]

Presume you have tried this lot.

Don't know of any garages that specifically sell heating oil.
You could always buy diesel but you would be paying road duty on that.

Know any local farmers that will sell you some red diesel for your heating?

[JeffG]

Presume you have tried this lot.

Natch. They, like the other companies, are not supplying new customers.

Diesel?? As far as I can make out, heating oil is "Kerosene 28". I don't know the chemical composition of diesel compared with that, but I certainly wouldn't want to risk it in my system, even if it is only twice the price

I am resigned to rationing myself and checking the level in the tank daily. Not much fun, really.

I should have ordered earlier, when I had enough room to squeeze in 1000 litres, but hindsight is a wonderful thing and I have never, ever, before had to wait more than a few days for a delivery after ordering.

Anyway, enough moaning for now!

[gel]

Natch. They, like the other companies, are not supplying new customers.

Diesel?? As far as I can make out, heating oil is "Kerosene 28". I don't know the chemical composition of diesel compared with that, but I certainly wouldn't want to risk it in my system, even if it is only twice the price

I am resigned to rationing myself and checking the level in the tank daily. Not much fun, really.

I should have ordered earlier, when I had enough room to squeeze in 1000 litres, but hindsight is a wonderful thing and I have never, ever, before had to wait more than a few days for a delivery after ordering.

Anyway, enough moaning for now!

More suggestions:-

FOUND THESE PEOPLE ON WWW, never come across though; may be worth a punt:
http://www.berkshireheatingoil.co.uk/

These I do know, and looks too low to be true:

http://www.oilpricecheck.co.uk/latest.htm

These are more expensive, quicker you want it, which I've not seen elsewhere:
http://www.heatingoil.co.uk

or
http://www.homefuelsdirect.co.uk/Fuel-Products.html

List here
http://www.clickheatingoil.co.uk/heating-o...shire-page1.asp

[JeffG]

These I do know, and looks too low to be true:

http://www.oilpricecheck.co.uk/latest.htm

Thanks for the info - yes 50p a litre does look too good to be true. There seems to be a slight problem with this, however, if you look at this page!

Berkshire Heating Oil does look interesting - full current price but they do say "delivery usually within 48 hours", but so do other companies normally and there is no actual mention of delivery date on the online quote. It might be worth checking them out by phone on Monday, though.

Thanks for your research!!

[Biker1]

Diesel?? As far as I can make out, heating oil is "Kerosene 28". I don't know the chemical composition of diesel compared with that, but I certainly wouldn't want to risk it in my system, even if it is only twice the price

It's basically the same stuff although, as you say, heating oil is 28 viscose and diesel is around 32.

Customs & Excise (or whatever they are now) spend a lot of time chasing those who use heating oil in their diesel cars on the road.

[On the edge]

This is probably off thread and in any event is only a potential long term solution. So sorry in advance! In many places on the continent, communities 'club together' to put in missing infrastructure. So, would it be worth the 'oil club' looking at the potential to install a private gas line? Someone once told me that an area near Cold Ash managed to get gas - because a private developer of some luxury houses installed a 'private main'. Could even tie in with making it an 'eco village' Apparently it works very well and was after years of pleading with the gas people. Such a scheme fits 'Big Society' if anything does - so who knows, an EC grant as well perhaps.

[JeffG]

would it be worth the 'oil club' looking at the potential to install a private gas line?

Not necessarily. Some people don't have gas because they don't want it, not that they couldn't get connected if they wanted to.

[On the edge]

Not necessarily. Some people don't have gas because they don't want it, not that they couldn't get connected if they wanted to.

Very true! It wouldn't be compulsory - market forces and all that. However, even taking into account the cost of a replacement bolier (which lasts 20yrs max in most cases) the ongoing cost and reliability is likely to be much better. Dare I also suggest there is another (and potentially even better) community solution. District heating; used in many 'cold' European countries to great effect. However, again, I appreciate people want choice.

[mrsed]

Hello - have you tried www.boilerjuice.com ?
We always order from them and they find the cheapest place - always been reliable but we haven't tried to order any since the summer. Perhaps give it a try?

[JeffG]

Thanks for the pointer. I have seen their site thanks, but I have already ordered from Berkshire Heating Oil, as suggested in a an earlier post. They are not the cheapest, but they said they will deliver in the week before Christmas. I should be able to last out till then.

By the way, Radio Berkshire were featuring the story in their breakfast show this morning, and South Today are covering the story tomorrow (Weds.)

[ossy1]

Get mine from www.boilerjuice.com, they always seem to have the cheapest prices on offer. Never had any problem getting a delivery.

[ossy1]

just ordered 500litres , just in case, from directoil.co.uk. They are cheaper than boilerjuice today and say they can deliver by 7th Jan.

[JeffG]

No 'just in case' in my case - my tank is nearly empty, so I am keeping my fingers crossed that Berkshire Oil deliver when they said they would.

[Brad]

I work for a electrical wholesale normally we are selling alot of heaters but at the moment we cannot get any until at least the new year, must have lost out on a few grands worth of heaters because suppliers have no stock!

[blackdog]

Spoke to my mate yesterday - he bought 100L at his local garage (5 jerrycans) for £52. A couple of weeks later he bought another 100L. It's kept his heating working.