D
doit4u
In 2006 my regular central heating oil supplier offered a free installation of a Signalman monitoring system providing I signed up to a budget account and stayed with them for a minimum of 12 months. The supplier and the monitoring service are part of Texaco.
The system sends them information on my oil usage and tank level so that they can deliver before I ran out, without me needing to check the tank's level. As an incentive to sign up they would give me 500 ltrs free if they ever let me run out.
Listening to discussions in the local pub in January when prices were running very high and changing daily I got suspicious about what I had been invoiced for a delivery but was unable to compare prices as the delivery had been several days earlier.
Yesterday I had a delivery at a price of 49p per litre. I got a neighbour to ring and he was given a price of 44p. 10% less. I rang the company and was told that for the extra cost I was getting 'peace of mind' that I wouldn't run out. If this 10% extra applies to previous deliveries I have calculated that I have paid an extra £193 in the last 12 months. I hate to think what I have paid since 2006.
Needless to say I have told them where to stick their Signalman and will use next years savings to buy my own version of peace of mind at the local.
IF YOU ARE ON SUCH A MONITORING CONTRACT I STRONGLY RECOMMEND YOU CHECK WHAT YOU ARE PAYING AND PASS ON THE WORD TO OTHERS
The system sends them information on my oil usage and tank level so that they can deliver before I ran out, without me needing to check the tank's level. As an incentive to sign up they would give me 500 ltrs free if they ever let me run out.
Listening to discussions in the local pub in January when prices were running very high and changing daily I got suspicious about what I had been invoiced for a delivery but was unable to compare prices as the delivery had been several days earlier.
Yesterday I had a delivery at a price of 49p per litre. I got a neighbour to ring and he was given a price of 44p. 10% less. I rang the company and was told that for the extra cost I was getting 'peace of mind' that I wouldn't run out. If this 10% extra applies to previous deliveries I have calculated that I have paid an extra £193 in the last 12 months. I hate to think what I have paid since 2006.
Needless to say I have told them where to stick their Signalman and will use next years savings to buy my own version of peace of mind at the local.
IF YOU ARE ON SUCH A MONITORING CONTRACT I STRONGLY RECOMMEND YOU CHECK WHAT YOU ARE PAYING AND PASS ON THE WORD TO OTHERS
