20% increase in price of heating oil in Newry

23rd November 2016 | Rural Energy

As winter approaches, the Consumer Council is encouraging home heating oil households in the Newry and Mourne area to check their tanks to see if they an oil refill.

The Consumer Council’s weekly home heating oil survey has revealed that the average price of a 500 litre fill in Newry and Mourne is currently £195.32.

Richard Williams, Head of Energy at the Consumer Council said, “As we head into the colder winter months it is advisable to check if you need a refill of heating oil. Knowing the average price in your area will enable you to see if you are being offered a good price when you shop around for your fuel, especially given that home heating oil prices have started to rise in recent weeks.”

The Consumer Council has provided some top tips to help with energy bills this winter:
• Always shop around for home heating oil to get the lowest price but remember to consider reliability of service, punctuality of delivery, payment terms and offers. Use their weekly online oil price checker to help you judge whether if you are getting a good deal -www.consumercouncil.org.uk;
• If you can afford it, buy home heating oil in bulk. The more you buy the cheaper the price per litre. For example a 900 litre fill is 12% cheaper per litre than 300 litres;
• Be aware that emergency oil drums are often three times the price (per litre) of a regular fill;
• If you can’t afford to buy in bulk then look to see if there is an oil buying club or an oil stamp saving scheme in your area;
• Regularly check how much oil you have left to avoid suddenly running out; and
• Have your boiler serviced annually by a qualified, OFTEC registered technician to ensure it runs efficiently.

And this is the same advice that people elsewhere in the UK should follow.

More information available on the website below

http://newrytimes.com/2016/11/23/20-increase-in-price-of-500-litres-of-home-heating-oil-in-last-three-months-in-newry/