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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Am I liable to pay for heating oil delivered to me by mistake?

74 replies

MacarenaMacarena · 22/08/2023 20:53

I had a call from my usual heating oil delivery company. They said they've accidentally put heating oil in my outside oil tank that they'd meant to deliver to a neighbour.
They are asking me to pay for it.
I hadn't budgeted for a couple of hundred pounds again for oil this year.
If the driver is going to be held accountable for this of course I will cover it, but do I have to pay for it, or allow them to drain out the extra at their leisure, or should they just let me have the oil?
IABU pay for the oil!
IANBU try not to pay and tell them they're lucky I don't sue!

OP posts:
MILLYmo0se · 22/08/2023 20:55

Tell them they can have it back or you could offer to pay a discounted price if you can get the money together?

EscapeRoomToTheSun · 22/08/2023 20:55

Er no, not a chance

ZeroFucksGivenToday · 22/08/2023 20:56

Don't pay for it. Not your issue. Do you know how much was left in your tank? So if they drain it you won't be in a worse position. They're trying the easy option which is you cover the cost of their mistake. Simply say no, but they're welcome to remove what they've put in, but you need assurances you'll be left in the same position as before.

pinksquash13 · 22/08/2023 20:57

If you would eventually get more oil, I'd argue for half price. I'm not sure I'd go through the hassle of them draining it only to buy more some point over winter but I definitely wouldn't pay full price.

WhatsForTeaMama · 22/08/2023 20:57

What exactly would you sue them for?

SM4713 · 22/08/2023 21:00

Its THEIR error. It makes no difference whether the driver went to the wrong address, wrong address logged as the delivery address or another reason- its not YOUR fault! Do you know that they actually did delivery to you? Cameras or some sort of level on the oil thing to check?

What options have they said- just pay or drain??? Legally, I don't know I'm afraid.

BungalowBuyer · 22/08/2023 21:00

I wouldn't be offering to pay for it, you didn't order it why should you be out of pocket. It's not an easy thing to return, I can't imagine they'd want oil in their tanker that's been in your tank.

VWT5 · 22/08/2023 21:02

I would try a dialogue to negotiate with them, on the basis that I would want goodwill for them to maintain my future deliveries.
…..Tell them you hadn’t budgeted…..you might ask them to come and remove it, unless you can both find a mutual solution….e.g. at cost price to you, you pay in instalments over a few months…?
I think the oil price is actually more reasonable at the moment too….

AndTheSurveySays · 22/08/2023 21:03

If the driver is going to be held accountable for this of course I will cover it

Why? Confused

MrsClatterbuck · 22/08/2023 21:03

This happened to dh and I. Not the oil company that we used at that time. I think we got discount on it plus we didn't pay it all in one go.

Mustardfan · 22/08/2023 21:06

I wouldn’t make the suggestion to them that they remove it. I wouldn’t have thought that you really want them to fiddle around with your tank. I would say that you can’t afford it right now. But if you can pay half that sounds like a good compromise. But half or nothing. They’ve made a mistake and you don’t owe them anything.

lanthanum · 22/08/2023 21:08

I would have thought that the best solution is that you keep it, but are not expected to pay for it until the point at which you would have refilled. Probably at the lower of the price now and the price at that point - it was their mistake, so if the cost is different, they should be the ones that lose out.

Soontobe60 · 22/08/2023 21:10

Is there a reason why they can’t drain it out?

StupidHip · 22/08/2023 21:10

I think make them an offer. Either a discount or pay £10 pm or similar.

Baldieheid · 22/08/2023 21:10

If you can't afford it, you can't afford it.
As you will eventually need oil, could you come to some sort of payment system with them? It would be a shame to destroy a business relationship with a company you use regularly, but the same goes for them. There must be a compromise that can be reached.
After all, you didn't order this. They can't just demand £££ by surprising you with an unordered "order".

jlpth · 22/08/2023 21:11

Ask them for a deferred payment plan

LizzieSiddal · 22/08/2023 21:12

I would explain that you didn’t intend to buy any oil this winter as you can’t afford it. Ask them if they can either give you a missive discount plus pay for it over the next year or they can come and take it away.

ThreeLittleDots · 22/08/2023 21:13

They won't want to drain it out - there's no guarantee your tank is clean.

I'd ask for a massive discount or to defer payment until you would have paid for it.

110APiccadilly · 22/08/2023 21:13

I'd just tell them you can't afford it right now and suggest you pay later or in instalments, preferably at a reduced price for your trouble.

It is their mistake but at the same time presumably you will need oil at some point so worth coming to an amicable arrangement if you can.

TheInseparables · 22/08/2023 21:15

I’d just say you can’t afford it now and agree to pay cost price at a later date.

Vitriolinsanity · 22/08/2023 21:16

The price of heating oil is very volatile at the moment, I'm tracking it for work, but I'm convinced it will go up in the next two months.

I suggest you call them, fox the current price but on a no interest plan.

Ahhbeecee · 22/08/2023 21:22

Well if you want to continue to use them I would negotiate a good price!

Original poster
MacarenaMacarena · 22/08/2023 22:25

If the company would otherwise take it out of the wages of the driver who accidentally delivered it, I'd want to pay for it. I would have the benefit of it in the long run, he would be being punished if he had to pay. I'm not a monster!

OP posts:
Original poster
MacarenaMacarena · 22/08/2023 22:27

They'll know exactly how much they delivered, so presumably how much they'd take out again!
What do companies start doing next? Laying a new lawn you didn't ask for?!

OP posts:
Ohthatsabitshit · 22/08/2023 22:33

Just ask if you can pay for it when you would have had your next delivery.