March 5, 2020
Could your heating oil guy be ripping you off? While we hope that this never happens to you, it is good to know about what to look out for when you receive your next oil delivery. Follow along while the heating oil delivery experts at The Oil Peddler provide you with all of the need-to-know information about selecting a heating oil company, and making sure you get all the oil that you pay for, on Cape Cod. Here’s how to tell if the heating oil guy is ripping you off, and then how to avoid it.
How to Tell if the Heating Oil Guy is Ripping You Off:
Choosing a Reputable Heating Oil Company
One way to avoid getting ripped off by your heating oil company is by paying attention to the reputation of the company. Businesses price labor, product, and time differently, and some are less scrupulous than others about this. In order to find a heating fuel delivery company that you can trust, check the following information before contacting or hiring them:
The Experience and Years in Business of the Company
If there’s any good news in all of this, it’s that shysters just don’t stay in business for very long in a healthy industry. With social media and review platforms, it is not in a company’s best interests to perform bad practices. This is your first indicator of a good, dependable oil company. If they’ve been around for a while and are clearly experienced, they’re likely a good candidate for your heating oil needs.
The Price of Their Oil Compared to Industry Averages
The U.S. Energy Information Administration keeps close tabs on heating oil prices, including past pricing per year and projected pricing for coming years. This can act as a handy tool, letting you check your local prices against national averages in order to make sure you’re not getting unfairly overpriced.
Do keep in mind, though, that the price of oil can change locally according to supply, demand, and extenuating circumstances. Never hesitate to ask your oil delivery company about this. If the price is higher, a reputable supplier will be able to give you a good and honest reason why! You can also look around to see what other local heating oil companies are charging.
Related Post: When is the Best Time to Buy Heating Oil?
Reviews from Real Clients
One of the biggest perks of the information age is the sheer availability of information we have access. When you’re considering an oil delivery company, look them up on available review platforms, like Google, Yelp, or Facebook. See how they stack up to the service of other companies, and check for any unfair pricing or poor service that resulted in abnormal service costs.
Common Oil Delivery Scams
Luckily there aren’t many ways that a delivery company can gouge you, so you only need to look out for a few things. The most common scams include:
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Not resetting measurements
Most oil delivery companies use a meter to keep track of the amount of oil being expended to fill your tank. This meter must be zeroed out before every delivery to ensure you’re not paying for gallons you aren’t getting.
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Under fueled oil tanks
When a company completes delivery and fills your tank, it’s not at all rude to just check the tank! Check your gauge to be sure that you received everything that you paid for.
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Simple overpricing
Plain and simple overpricing is still the most common scam to this day, mostly because it’s the easiest to get away with. Do your homework, and if you think you’re being overcharged go ahead and ask the oil delivery guys why their prices are higher than usual. There might be a good reason! Or, you might be getting ripped off. If the prices are too high, you may want to look into a different Cape Cod heating oil delivery company.
Related Post: Top Considerations When Choosing a Discount Heating Oil Delivery Company?
The Oil Peddler is Cape Cod’s #1 Dependable Heating Oil Supplier!
For over 40 years The Oil Peddler, and our parent company Hall Oil Gas and Electric, have been serving the needs of homeowners on Cape Cod. As a long-time oil delivery company we understand that you don’t get very far by not treating your customers right! We are proud to have a great reputation in our Cape Cod communities. If you feel that you’re being overcharged or scammed by your existing heating oil company, feel free to contact us for a quote and a summary of our company’s practices. We aim to provide the best customer service and most competitive oil prices in the area. It’d be a pleasure to welcome you to the Oil Peddler customer family.
If you’re looking for bulk fuel delivery, The Oil Peddler has you covered. And if you’re interested in automatic delivery, you can turn to Hall Oil Gas and Electric for those services! Find out if we can deliver oil to your town by looking through our service area. Then connect with us any time by calling 508-398-0070, or reach us online about discount heating fuel.
