Beware of the Credit Charge!

By John Swindells 28 Aug 2010 | Comment
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When you order your next batch of heating oil, you may be told that you can send a cheque within a few days of the delivery. This means that you don't have to be in at the time of delivery, and you won't get charged a credit card surcharge when pre-paying.

Goff offered me the post-pay cheque option, but take a look at the invoice they left me: a £20 credit charge had been added, along with a note that "The credit charge may be deducted off the invoice total if paid within 3 days".

Not only is this ambiguous (may be deducted ??) but the credit charge has been added to the total amount to pay. I wrote my cheque for the amount without the credit charge added, ie, what was agreed on the phone, and sent it off to them the day after the delivery - on the Saturday of a bank holiday weekend, so they won't be handling the cheque until Tuesday at the earliest.

Keep your eye out for these hidden charges, which they seem to apply as an devious afterthought. If they want to charge for late payment, then they need to be up front about that during price negotiation.

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2 Comments

by john on 28 December 2010
Rubbish you lot just keep putting the price up and up blaming the economy or the demand total rubbish, i worked in the oil industry for 17 years these so called environmentalist oil companies are just full of greed i really hope it goes pear shaped its a disgrace.i found a bill last week 2001 ltrs price ?267 including the vat never has the price of heating oil come down its all way up up up,my option is now keep your oil i purchased a small sustainable wood, log boiler buffer tank and my last years heating bill including all the bad weather ?400
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by ukoilman on 20 January 2011
No doubt, with 17 years in the oil industry there is no loyalty!!!! You are probably receiving an oil company or companies pension that needs to be paid for. Oil price is governed by market forces, everybody also forgets how much the government takes in duty 62% - 70% to pay for NHS and other social packages.
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by oilmanuk on 30 August 2010
As a former oil company credit manager I can see why the company here puts the charge on and with this instance they give you the choice of paying on time or late. The decision is yours. I do not see why you bemoan the fact that it "may be deducted off the invoice total if paid within 3 days". Its an instruction to pay on time. I see no ambiguity. Plus, if you order or get a quote on line you can choose how to pay. I trust you did not post date the cheque!!!!
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by John Swindells on 31 August 2010
Thanks for your alternative viewpoint. It's interesting to see it from the 'other' side.
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