Panic as 1.5 million UK households left without heating | UK | News
Sudden fluctuation in the global oil market caused prices to rise rapidly (Image: Getty)
Households in the UK have been left without heating and hot water after suppliers canceled deliveries of heating oil as global prices soared during the conflict in the Middle East. More than 1.5 million homes in the UK are not connected to the gas network and rely on heating oil to heat their properties.
But sudden volatility in the global oil market has caused prices to rise sharply, with some households reporting increases of up to £100 in just one week. Customers say deliveries are being canceled at short notice, forcing them to either re-order at much higher prices or risk being left without heat.
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More than 1.5 million homes in the UK are off the gas grid and rely on heating oil (Image: Getty)
A customer of Certas Energy said their order was canceled and prices tripled from what they originally paid.
They said they were still waiting for a refund and were told another delivery from a different supplier could take up to 15 days.
“I will run out of oil by then,” they said. “This means there is no heating or hot water,” they told The Sun.
Another customer said supplier Watson Fuels left them in a “bad situation” after ordering but not receiving a delivery.
“Like others, they sent an email saying they couldn’t deliver next day, which means it’s too late to source elsewhere,” the customer said.
Users of online marketplace BoilerJuice reported similar problems.
One household said it ordered 500 liters of heating oil for £329 on March 4, but the order was canceled and it was asked to pay an extra £400 to place a new order.
Another customer said that his delivery was canceled on the day it was due.
“We ordered our oil long before the war started,” they said.
“We ordered 500 liters for £325. Then they canceled and asked us to re-order for £785.”
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A spokesperson for BoilerJuice said the platform does not set prices or cancel deliveries because the contract is between the customer and the supplier.
“We are seeing a small number of cancellations initiated by a few suppliers. The vast majority of orders are being delivered as expected,” they said.
“In the event of delays or cancellations, we work with customers to secure alternative deliveries and minimize the impact.”
Certas Energy said only a small number of deliveries were affected.
A spokesperson said: “A small number of customer deliveries have been rescheduled. In such a case, we honor the price quoted to the customer at the original scheduled delivery point.”
The issue has caught the attention of regulators and ministers.
The Competition and Markets Authority has warned that it expects customers who order heating oil to receive it at the agreed price and said it “will not hesitate to take action” if consumer law is breached.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and energy minister Michael Shanks have also written to the UK and Irish Fuel Distributors Association seeking answers while the regulator gathers evidence.
Meanwhile, Chancellor Rachel Reeves has asked Treasury officials to explore possible support for households dependent on heating oil.
Unlike gas and electricity bills, heating oil prices are not covered by the energy price cap set by Ofgem, leaving many rural households exposed to spikes in global energy markets.
