State Offers Tips To Avoid Being Shorted On Home Heating Oil Deliveries
BOSTON (CBS) -- State inspectors are conducting spot-checks to make sure home heating oil delivery companies are giving accurate pricing this winter, the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation said Monday.
The office's Division of Standards said in a release that inspectors would be checking delivery trucks for security seals, making sure those trucks are properly certified, and making sure the number of gallons in meters matches the number indicated on delivery tickets.
In a statement, the office noted that the Department of Energy Resources found those who heat their homes with oil were expected to spend around 38 percent more money on heating this winter--an average of $378.
They offered several tips for consumers who want to make sure they aren't getting shorted on heating oil deliveries. Customers should:
- Save their heating oil delivery slips so that officials can use them for audits
- Check that the amount of gallons they ordered corresponds to the amount on their tickets
- Make sure the cost per gallon is the same on the delivery ticket as it is on the bill from the oil company
- Call local weights and measures officials or the Division of Standards if they think they have been shorted
"Consumers need to feel confident that they are getting what they pay for when it comes to their home heating oil," Consumer Affairs Undersecretary John Chapman said in the release. "Inspectors from the Division of Standards take their role in consumer protection seriously and will continue their efforts to ensure accurate deliveries throughout the winter months."
The office said they had issued around $1,200 in fines to heating oil companies in recent years.
