February, March and even April can bring snow, icy winds and prolonged cold weather. The forecast is predicting harsher conditions to come, so now is a good time to place an order to top up your tank – just in case.

If a cold snap bites, demand will soar and pressure for deliveries will increase. In addition, an ongoing industrial dispute involving tanker drivers (not Oakley’s) may affect supplies from the Midlands’ Kingsbury depot. We at Oakley’s are sourcing our supplies from elsewhere when necessary, but if cold weather takes a hold and the dispute continues pressure on supplies will inevitably increase.

 Our advice is to check your tank now and order a top-up. Don’t get caught out!

“There is little sign of a drop in oil prices in the near future, so it would make very good sense for customers to stock up on supplies before we face any real winter weather, or the pre-Christmas rush,” said Oakley’s Fuel Oils Managing Director, Richard Bates.

His advice is in line with a joint initiative by the Federation of Petroleum Suppliers, Citizens Advice and the Government to get people to buy ahead of foul weather. Energy Minister Charles Hendry said: “I welcome this campaign by consumer groups and industry to encourage heating oil consumers to stock up early this winter…. Clearly, leaving orders to the last minute risks longer delivery times, especially if cold weather increases demand and disrupts transport, making deliveries difficult.”

 Feed them with your relevant details and all of them will come up with the best price they can. But are they actually the best or cheapest way to buy heating oil?

 Consider these facts:

 • Heating oil price comparison sites are NOT heating oil distributors. They are companies who advertise a service that they then outsource to distributors.

 • The price you pay is the amount they have to pay the distributor to buy and deliver the fuel, plus the comparison site profit margin on top. It can therefore be cheaper to buy direct from your local distributor.

 • Householders should look at comparison site prices and be aware that the websites do not actually store heating oil or run fleets of delivery tankers. Consequently the website operators may find it difficult to deliver promptly to a household (particularly at times of high demand, like last winter).

 • Local distributors have to prioritise their deliveries and plan their routes. Oakley’s try to repay customer loyalty by offering preferential delivery options to regular buyers. Occasional one-off orders that come via comparison websites may just be fulfilled as a lower priority.

 We at Oakley’s pride ourselves on offering competitive heating oil prices and building long-lasting relationships with customers throughout our delivery areas. We strive to deliver heating oil when you want it and to provide friendly backup advice and extras such as Budget Payment Plans, Direct Debits, replacement tanks, fuel additives and many more important accessories. 

IT CAN PAY TO DEAL DIRECT

So next time you’re buying heating oil, be sure to ask us for a price. 

You should not be surprised at how competitive it is to deal direct and locally! 

 Phone us on 01952 684 600 (Telford) or 01827 875 588 (Kingsbury) during office hours. Or out of hours, request a quote via www.oakleysfueloils.co.uk, remembering to provide your address and postcode, quantity needed, any special delivery details (ie difficult access, small tanker). We will reply to you with a competitive price  – and you are assured we will deliver promptly and reliably when you want, with a courteous smile.

 Oakley’s are happy to pass on any savings in delivery time and road fuel usage that we are able to make as a result of delivering to a Buying Group of people in a local area. If you run, or are thinking of forming, a buying group with near neighbours, here’s what you need to know about how Oakley’s prices are affected. 

 The optimum order from a buying group is around 17,000 litres. That is the carrying capacity of one of Oakley’s larger delivery tankers. If we can deliver a tanker full to several drops in one limited area, there are the greatest savings for everyone. However, many buying groups can still make savings on lesser quantities. 

The price per litre that a buying group can achieve depends on the following factors: 

1 – overall round-trip distance to all the group delivery points from our nearest storage depot (Telford or Kingsbury). The closer together the deliveries are, the greater the potential savings in driver time and transport fuel to complete the group’s order. We will work out the most cost-effective route before giving you a price per litre. If buying group deliveries are many miles apart, then the savings will be smaller. 

 2 – number of deliveries. The larger the average size of each delivery, the greater the savings in driver time and transport costs that Oakley’s can pass on to the group.

 3 – access for our standard tankers. For example, if one of the group drops can be made only by a mini-tanker, we will have to factor in the extra costs of sending out a small vehicle for that particular delivery.

 4 – time restrictions. If one of the drops is stipulated for a certain time or a specific day (for example only after 2pm, or only on a Wednesday), we may have to visit the area more than once, eating into the time and transport discounts available to the group.

 Customers who already place substantial orders as individuals (say 2,000 litres or more) may see the smallest savings in a buying group. That is because they will already be receiving a favourable pence per litre rate from Oakley’s based on the volume of their order. Users who generally order smaller quantities (say 500 or 1,000 litres) could see relatively greater benefits, because their individual volume discounts will not have been as big. The price per litre they pay will reflect the overall group order volume.

 Oakley’s are always interested in hearing from buying groups. If you want to talk further to us about group buying, please speak to Shirley at Oakley’s Telford depot (01952 684 600) or Peter at our Kingsbury, Tamworth depot (01827 875 588).

If so, Oakley’s could be the place for you… We will be adding to the list of people we employ on a part-time basis in Telford and Kingsbury next winter to deliver home heating oil.

Suitable candidates will already hold a current HGV licence. We will provide all necessary training and support – and pay the fees to get you through ADR certification this summer, ready to drive our tankers in the winter.

If you enjoy local delivery driving and meeting people and are able to work on an as-and-when basis, then we’d be pleased to hear from you. If successful, you’ll be joining several other drivers who have worked for us for years under this arrangement.

If you’re interested, phone Richard Bates on 01952 684 600 or email him at richardb@oakleysfueloils.co.uk.

Through our trade association, the Federation of Petroleum Suppliers, Oakley’s have helped establish a website, www.oilsave.org.uk, dedicated to providing consumers with information on how to get the best out of their oil heating systems. In addition to tips on how to save energy, there are ideas on how to link existing heating systems with renewables such as solar panels.

Oakley’s recommend that you look at a booklet telling you a huge amount about caring for your storage tank.

It can be downloaded free by clicking the ‘Get to know your oil tank’ link at www.fpsonline.co.uk/tech.asp. If you are in any doubt at all over your tank’s condition, then when you next order heating oil from us, ask us for the name of an approved and independent inspector/installer in your

Typically, owners of underperforming cookers find that their appliances fail to reach full operating temperature, making cooking more difficult. Even with an increased fuel supply, the flame can turn yellow and sooty. Ultimately, the burner fails to ignite at all.

A fuel stability test shows what a typical heating oil looks like before (left) and after (right) treatment with Oakley’s VBA.

Affected appliances require more frequent servicing, and services can reveal severe coking on the burner and, sometimes, coloured or ‘gummy’ deposits.

Distributors have noticed complaints have been on the rise since legislation in 2008 reduced the level of sulphur that was permitted in fuel oils.

However, other possible causes include kerosene that has been contaminated with water and/or sediment in the oil tank or feed pipes; and incorrect setting of the appliance controls.

If you have a problem, then ask your service technician – we recommend you use an independent OFTEC registered engineer – to check all the above factors. Thereafter, Oakley’s Fuel Oils have further help at hand – Oakley’s V•B•A (Vapourising Boiler Additive). V•B•A has been developed specifically to help cut clogging and build-up of hard deposit in lower sulphur fuel. The result is a more efficient, cleaner running cooker.

Similarly, we are receiving an increasing number of requests from customers who want to pay for their fuel oil by BACS or by Internet banking. It’s easy to do and so to set up this facility, please phone our Telford office, 01952 684600, and we will provide you with the details you need.

How we can help…
If having checked your oil tank to make sure it is not empty or stirring up sediment because the oil level is too low, and you are happy that your cooker has been serviced properly, then if the burning problems continue, call Oakley’s and we will investigate whether an oil additive could be the answer to your sooty Aga.

Oakley’s VBA (Vaporising Boiler Additive)has been developed especially to reduce the carbon build up in these types of burners, resulting in a much cleaner running cooker.

Where there is any doubt, it may be a good idea to call an independent OFTEC registered engineer to check the whole  system, from the tank to the flue.If you still have any doubts, just give us a call and we will see what we can do to help.

The main purpose of an oil storage tank is to store fuel safely. Tanks are usually made from steel or plastic but come in all shapes and sizes.

Spilt oil can pollute the ground, streams and rivers. Cleaning up oil spills is difficult and can be very expensive, hence you should adequate insurance cover for this. However, not all oil tanks or installations will meet the requirements of current legislation.

All storage tanks for oil on commercial premises must be bunded to prevent oil leaking from the tank into the environment. If your tank has no bund you are breaking the law and you will be severely prosecuted if you have a leak of oil. You could well find that your insurance will not cover the cost of any cleanup operation as the oil was stored in an illegal storage tank.

Tank inspection

It’s a good idea to get a qualified professional to inspect your tank system at least once a year. Take action to fix any problems or concerns they report to you.

Sudden drops in oil level may indicate your tank has a leak. If you think there’s a problem, consult a professional urgently.

Replacing a tank
When replacing your oil storage tank, get advice from a suitably qualified and competent tank installer. They can help you identify features on the site which will dictate what can be installed and how to comply with legislation.

Choose a tank that has been manufactured to a recognised relevant European, British or industry standard. These show that a tank has been manufactured and tested to strict quality standards. If in doubt, please call Oakley’s. We stock a full range of oil storage systems for most applications, please ask for details.