Mike C

HOME HEATING OIL & LPG CRISIS This is a short summary of issues identified from 1,000s responses we (MSE) have had to build a dossier to send to govt... 1. SHARP PRICE INCREASES. A typical pattern is prices increasing from 55p to 65p per litre to £1.20 to £1.45 per litre or £1.60+ per litre if a delivery is needed quickly. - Prices have surged leaving some households unable to afford essential heating - Reports of supply shortages, with some firms not quoting at all for bulk deliveries, stating “no stock” or “no oil available” - Households told only smaller boxes are available for £3.15 per litre around 5x the normal bulk delivery price. - Some considering or actually switching off heating to preserve what little oil they had left - Severe emotional and financial strain especially for older, disabled and low‑income households 2: UNFAIR PRACTICES. Orders not being fulfilled as expected, even when placed earlier or already paid for. - Firms cancelling already‑placed orders, even fully paid ones or demanding more money - Re‑quotes after cancellation massively increase the price, leaving households financially exposed - New ‘price‑on‑delivery‑day’ policies remove price certainty and shift all risk onto consumers, who have no idea of cost - People running out of oil, including medically vulnerable users, feel forced to accept inflated prices - Problems with refunds and additional surcharges on refunds 3: LACK OF REGULATION- "IT'S THE WILD WEST" There is widespread anger that heating‑oil is an “unregulated, unprotected” market. - People feel abandoned, heating oil & LPG users have no regulator, no affordability support, and no safety net. - People are confused about their rights and whether many current practices are even legal We will be sending a larger version today to the top of the Department for Energy and working on a full portfolio of problems and case studies to send in a week on top to the CMA and Energy Committee.

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