Would I be able to report an oil company for delivering oil to an old and bad tank

[Squaremozaic]

My mother is in her 70s. For a few years I was noticing some behaviours in her that leads me to highly suspect some form of dementia and likely a behavioural type. She's displaying behavioural and mood stuff and waning comprehension. The local GP office where we are both patients and I am known are useless. I raised concerns a few times but they keep citing 'any memory loss?' to me.

As for memory loss - it's not extremely obvious. Maybe it looks like she's forgetting to behave or something. I don't know. It's definitely behavioural, mood, waning comprehenion, poor spacial awareness as in placing chairs and furniture in bad places and in front of and behind doors so you can't really open them.

Anyways she was told last year by an oil delivery driver that the oil tank has to be replaced by the next fill.

She has completely ignored this and she's completely argumentative and combative about this. Not to the oil company but to me. She has no comprehension on the consequences involved for ignoring this.

I am thinking about reporting the oil company for continuing to deliver oil to an old and rusty and failing tank. They really should not be putting any oil in the tanker any more but they are doing it.

Where do I report the company to. I think if the company was reported to an environmental agency they will be forced into stopping oil deliveries and then maybe my mother's hand will be forced into dealing with this.

Or will I take the issue to the GPs and explaining them the seriousness of what's involved.

Accidental oil leaks are covered by household insurance (often, not always, so check the policy). If the failure is down to the tank failing, then that's a different issue and an environmental investigation / leak clean up is frighteningly expensive, including specialist ground tests and posssible contamination of water sources (oil can seep into ground water pipes if the pipes are not made of specialist materials and this is another issue to consider, as the contamination is not easily fixed and the pipe needs to be changed to stop ingrest into it from oil). Also, rules regarding replacement tanks are different and where a tank is now, may not be where a new tank can be sighted, including base and the need to run new oil lines etc. How do I know this? Well we had contractors cut the line in the ground whilst working on a water pipe, cause an oil leak and then the tank had to be replaced due to the inability to reconnect.... then we had to wait for an environmental specialist team and I think you get the drift, that although nothing to do with us, totally down to contractors and their sloppy work that our insurance (who then passed this onto the contractors, as the insurance company contracted with them in the first place!!!!!), but it cost them some £40K in all! Nothing you can do, but she will need to be prepared for what next if an oil leak occurs, as the issue is now known about the tank's imminent failure and changing it now will be a small cost in relation to what it could be!

Nobble the boiler. Switch it off/ remove a part such that she has to call the service engineer. Have him condemn the tank / line, and put a sticker over the filler. Advise the delivery company.

But don’t go complaining to them because your elderly mum is no longer able to be responsible.

I don't want to be nasty with the company. My idea in thinking about reporting the company is that it will force them into stopping delivery and it will force my mother's hand into dealing with it.

🙄 can’t believe the posts suggesting that you call up a tank replacement company, pretend to be your mother, and try to ‘order’ a new tank costing thousands and probably some digging works.

my parents have an oil tank that’s 35 years old. The oil company agrees that it needs to be replaced but are clear that it is up to my parents to do so. They will continue to deliver as long as the tank servicing is up to date but no other supplier will take it on until the tank has been upgraded. Unf because safety standards and designs have changed so much since then it’s going to be a big job with new pipes to be dug and laid, all the connections to be upgraded and the tank to be re-sited further from the house. So they are putting it off.

Yes, if the tank is her property she is responsible for ensuring it is in good condition (see Storing oil at your home or business: Storing oil at your home - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)).
If there's a leak, she will be liable for clean-up which can be very expensive. If the leaks results in pollution of a river or stream, that is an offence and may additionally lead to a fine or prosecution.
I suggest you make a call to your local Environment Agency office and suggest they make a call. If they deem it necessary they'll serve her an Improvement Notice which might make her wake up, plus you could pass this to the oil delivery company. I'm sure they would then take notice, as to ignore it would I expect make them part liable in the event of a leak!

My.mother isn't aware of new regulations and placements and upgrades to pipes. I can understand why your parents would be slow to carry out work in that regard. However in my mother's case, she isn't aware of any of these new requirements. She doesn't want to do any of this. Full stop.

Before you report anyone for anything would it be worth having the tank formally inspected. That way you will have a definitive answer and probably recommendations and a clear path on what to do next. The more you tell a stubborn person what to do the harder they dig their heals in.

I have dealt with stubborn parents so know it's not easy but generally when presented with facts they would be more open to dealing with things

Do you live with your mother OP? If so, do you have any say in how the household runs or pay for any it?

You’ve already posted about this back in March this on the Elderly Parents board and had a lot of advice. Has anything changed since then?

OP - walk away. Your mother doesn’t want your help.

Do you know her neighbours? We had a similar issue with my mother who sounds exactly like yours. (She now 3 yrs later has a dementia diagnosis and most days is sharp as a tack but has no inhibitions and will say and do what she likes)

Mums tank had a small drip at the front where a long tube was fitted so she could see how much oil was in the tank. One of the drivers said it should be replaced which it really did need. She was having none of it and fought it out with me. I was chatting to her neighbour and we agreed she would have a word.

She asked mum if she could smell
Oil as she could from her side of the fence. Hammed it up about how
Dangerous it was and someone she knew had to live in a hostel till their spill was cleaned.

Mum rang me to arrange a replacement that night. Could you get her neighbours or someone she trusts on board to ask for help?

That is not really the responsibility of the delivery company, I think it would be massively unfair to report them. You could phone the delivery company and explain the situation. Why can't you arrange to have the tank repaired

@Viviennemary You cannot repair the tanks. It’s not worth it and they have oil in them. They are usually replaced with a non metal one. This tank could be solid inside and it’s not leaking. They do go a bit rusty on the outside but you make a judgement about whether it’s going to leak or not.

I would possibly ask Environmental Services at the council for advice. They give advice on preventing leaks. They should speak to you. A company will not unless you have permission. It also would not be a catastrophic leak - it will be a drip. It’s wasteful and will contaminate the land but you might even get an environmental officer to look at. Just ask for advice.

You need a POA for health and finances. Get this sorted now. DM will have to consent. If she won’t, see guidance in Age Concern. You need to get control of money and make decisions if she’s not capable.

Why don't you get a couple of quotes, then to the best firm explain it's your mum not you needs it, and can they ring her and ASK if the oil tank needs replacing and would she like a quote...etc

You've just got to sometimes

Would you not be better reporting to the environment agency rather than the oil company.

I presume you could report to them as a safety issue as you would report say a gas leak to cadent.

You need to report to the statutory agency who will be aware of all the H&S laws and regulations rather than to an individual company.

It is too late for poa if she already has dementia.

She doesn't have a diagnosis of dementia but I reckon it's there. It's happening. She can still do a lot of daily living stuff but there's stuff that's just not right. She's doing things that done make sense. For example organising a kitchen cupboard with mugs up high on the high shelf where you need a step ladder to get them and putting other stuff that we don't use daily down lower. She's beginning to follow me around like a child and I don't get any peace or privacy from her. She looks confused sometimes and spaced out.

I tried to get poa but she was always apathetic on anything legal. She just didnt understand.

I actually think I am dealing with a behavioural type of dementia and apparantly it can be harder to diagnosis because many people's idea of dementia is forgetfulness even GPs which are the starting point. I had a terrible time this morning rushing to get ready for work. All my mother did was stand about and just getting in my way and she was idle and I swear to god she's like a child. I would have launched into vodka this morning with the stress I was under but I couldn't due to work. My mother just had no comprehension of time and places to be.

I think many people's idea of dementia is little old ladies forgetting their names but it's disease that gaslights people. I think long term memory remains but short term is gone and there's definitely some indications of short term memory issues. Will I go back to the GP and tell the GP this.

A diagnosis is going to take a while and I honestly have no idea what to do with the failing tank.

I will jot be spending money on the replacing the tank. She's made a will and she wants to leave to a sibling whos not even at home while I bear the brunt of her bullshit. I feel if I had a sibling home he would tell her wants needs to be done and she would take it but with me she's argumentative and dismissive and combative. I explained that a leak is going to be very bad but I was dismissed. She has no comprehension. It's folly.

I would put money on dementia with her.

https://www.raredementiasupport.org/ might help and you could print stuff out if you think your mum had fronto temporal dementia

Prob best route is to ask your mum to be seen by neuro. As some of the symptoms of fronto temporal dementia can also be symptoms of other brain issues ( tumors) its also worth being open minded and just explaining symptoms to gp and say you are worried about her doing unusual things , seeing things getting words wrong ect.
If you are worried that she is at risk of self neglect contact social services. But I would push for nuero and a head scan for mum where dementia damage will be seen

Regarding the tank I would ' break the boiler' so service man has to come round and try and get them to say that the tank needs replacing to get boiler fixed!

Could you move out and leave her to it? If she has form for being horrible to you, would life be better for you if you lived elsewhere?

Why don't you just say your mother has memory loss then. Sometimes we have to garnish the meal to get the service we need

Talk to GP. Belligerence is a sign of dementure. You could apply to be a Deluty if she won’t agree to LPA. With neither in place you have no legal right to do anything.

It's OP again.

This problem still exists to this day.

What I did last autumn - I emailed the oil company to remind that that my mother was notified of the tank needs replacement a year before that. I explained that is suspect issues like dementia with her and she is unable to plan and organise properly. I explained that she doesn't have the comprehension to understand an oil leak.

I was talking to a manager in the pip company who said that they will put a notice on her account to stop delivering oil to her. My mother range for an oil fill in October (I think). The pipe company still delivered.

I around out a few weeks after that, that the pipe company sent her letter in the mail that she just hid in her room. I found it a different day. I can't find it now. I forget what the letter said because all I had was a few seconds to gance at it.

My mother is talking yet again about another oil fill. I know reminding her of the tank replacement is going to be pointless. She's just going to respond in anger to me.

Also I have e alo g list of so much crap about her that suggests she's going senile but it's behavioural and mood based and I am getting no help whatsoever because everyone's idea of old age and demand dementia problems is memory loss. So noone wants to believe me that I am suspecting an issue on dementia. You see she does have many moments of clarity and understanding but then there is other stuff that's just not quite right.

This oil issue is a huge problem or it will be if it leaks. She has comprehension of the consequences of ignoring the replacement of the tank.

Also I was told last October by the oil company that they want delivery again but they did deliver oil. This isnt about my mother being old and elderly and heating - that's all bullshit and cock and pie in the sky bull crap. We do have a fireplace and just getting the work done and that will be it.

It's so depressing.

My mother is talking about another oil fill. I have no idea what to do. I was half thinking about lifting her phone and just taking it to prevent her from making any more calls. But then I don't know if that's the answer either. It did cross my mind. Her phone isn't really being used properly anyways. She has no friend or social groups and my siblings hardly phone home any more. Her own family of origin and siblings have all backed away from her too because she's so anti social. It did cross my mind but then I don't know if that's the answer any more either.

When I contact the old company last autumn, it was supposed to prompt the company to deny her an oil fill until the tank is replaced and it was supposed to get my mother into gear for this work.

She is just so difficult.