OFT to examine energy supply to off-grid customers

[Legal Beagles]

The OFT announced a market study into the supply of energy to consumers who are not connected to the main gas grid.

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[pallaz1851]

Re: OFT to examine energy supply to off-grid customers

I also read this article purely because we are on heating oil, living in a small 'hamlet' of 23 houses, village hall and church!! we are off the beaten track....

Thought you might be interested in the following 'accurate' logging of our expenditure and use over six years.

2004 across 4 deliveries used 3301 ltrs range from 18.4p/ltr - 28.95p/ltr on last delivery.
2005 3 deliveries 2800 ltrs 25.95p/ltr - 35.20p/ltr last delivery.
2006 2 deliveries 2447 ltrs 32.10p/ltr - 33.90p/ltr last delivery.
2007 3 deliveries 2000 ltrs 35.95p/ltr - 38.31p/ltr last delivery.
2008 5 deliveries 2600 ltrs 38.9p/ltr - 52.15p/ltr last delivery.
2009 3 deliveries 1800 ltrs 34.0p/ltr - 47.8p/ltr last delivery.
2010 4 deliveries 2200 ltrs 46.95p/ltr - 69.95p/ltr last delivery.

What you can see from these figures is the fact that worldwide oil prices cause some fluctuation, however, there is no way that we can tell within the charges if profit increases were also 'lumped' on.
It also identifies how we as a family had to adapt to the rising costs, either 'reducing' the amount we used and then also how we had to 'increase' the amount to compensate for the bad winters.
The facts also show how we had to make the funding of the heating oil fit our income at the time and therefore the requirement to buy less at a time (number of deliveries increase therefore a worse rate of purchase).

Your article states that the OFT announce a market study into the supply of home heating oil amongst other forms.
I think it should be noted that this form of 'supply' is once again.......'totally unregulated' at present so although I can ONLY assume!! there is the distinct possibility of 'Cartels' here....
Over this last six years I used to ring round for quotes to cross compare, now of the TEN companies that were available, they are ONE!!!!!! so nowhere else to go... locked in!!
The sooner the OFT have a go at this and the lack of competition the better, for it is not going to get any better as it is...