Risks being taken with heating oil orders, firm says

Heating oil customers who are worried about the cost are taking risks by delaying orders in the hope of a price fall, a firm has warned.

Marsh Fuels, which supplies heating oil in Berkshire and Hampshire, said its sales were lower than expected as colder weather approaches.

However, the firm said customers could run out of oil or expose themselves to even higher bills by waiting.

UK heating oil prices have risen by about 75% since the start of the Iran conflict on 28 February, according to the BoilerJuice website , external .

Dave Marsh from the Newbury-based firm said: "We're coming into autumn and we would expect to be busier than we are.

"And so we've made the assumption that customers are hanging on, trying to eke out that little bit of oil they've still got left in the bottom of their tank, hoping for the price to dip.

"The problem is that can be quite risky. If we get a cold snap and the customers are lower than they think they are, they may suddenly be urgent."

Andrew Illingworth, who buys oil on behalf of residents in Broughton, Hampshire, said he was handling fewer orders than normal for the time of year.

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