From today's heating oil: Where the price is ejected. What to watch out for

What is the price of heating oil ? 

Starting today, Friday, October 13, 2017, the heating oil is sold to consumers and the price is expected to be around 95 cents a liter, and according to gasoline customers some orders have already been made. 

The vice president of Saint Christophoros Association of Theos Santorini, Themis Kyourtzis, speaking at the radio station of the Athenian agency, noted that "the price of heating oil closed at 95 minutes last year, so it will open this year. With existing refinery prices the price will be 92 to 95 minutes for large quantities. "

However, as he said, "there is always a price differentiation when it comes to supplying small quantities or we have a high floor, a small increase in transport and operating costs." 

He noted that it is not excluded in some provincial cities the price to reach even 1 euro. 

What consumers should look for 

In order to inform consumers, in view of the winter season, instructions were issued by the General Secretariat for Trade and Consumer Protection for the handling and marketing of heating oil and firewood. 

As stated in the relevant information document of the relevant Secretariat General of the Ministry of Economy, consumers should pay attention to the following: 

Trading and marketing of heating oil

1. Market research before making an order for oil to choose the most economical price. They have the ability to be informed about fuel prices by the Gas Fuel Observatory of the General Secretariat for Trade and Consumer Protection www.fuelprices.gr. 

2. Know exactly the dimensions of the tank to be able to calculate how many liters of oil correspond to each centimeter height of the tank. B.C. if a tank has a length of 2.0 meters, a width of 1.25 meters and a height of 1 meter, then its total capacity is 2.5 cubic meters (2 × 1.25 × 1 = 2.5 m3) or 2.500 liters. Therefore, each centimeter of tank height corresponds to 25 liters (2,500: 100 = 25).

3. On receipt of the oil, it is advisable not only to trust the tank meter but also to use their own trimmed measure. 

4. In the presence of the supplier, the amount of oil present in the tank is measured and after receipt it is measured after 2-3 minutes, in order to "soak the foam". 

5 The color of oil, which is an indication of its quality, must be red and clear and not cloudy.

6. The payment of the oil must be made on receipt of the necessary proof of proof of the amount of oil in the tank before and after receipt, as well as all required legal details (such as name and address of the customer, VAT number, quantity of oil, payment amount, delivery time, etc.). 

Handling and marketing of firewood 

1. Firewood retailers must ensure by appropriate means the protection of firewood from adverse weather conditions that may alter the characteristics of the products to be disposed of.

2. The retail sale of firewood shall be made by volume with either the "spatial cubic meter" or the "bulk density" (m3 in bulk), defined as follows: 

• "Spatial cubic meter of stack 'Means the volume of cubic meter occupied by regularly stacked firewood, including intermediate voids. 

• "Spatial Bulk Cubic Measure" means the volume of cubic meter contained in bulk firewood, including intermediate voids. 

The consumer should be informed whether the price offered refers to stacked or bulk sales.

3. In the firewood sales premises, retailers must display a price list by type of wood, either in euro / m3 of stacker or in euro / m3 in bulk, as well as the volume of containers (cages, pallets, bags, a.) that they may use for the disposal of firewood. 

The same obligation applies to the sale of the above products at a distance. Also, retailers must have appropriate length measurement equipment to calculate the volume.

4. The sale or free disposal of any wood impregnated with tarpaulin (cut timber from old PPC / OTE) or "green" timber (impregnated with salt), or any wood of wood-glued (plywood, chipboard, MDF / .a.) as the burning of the above causes serious health and environmental problems. 

The final sale price of the products must include the VAT applicable to it.

Finally, it is pointed out that guidelines have been given to the audit services at central and regional level to carry out regular checks on the compliance of the parties with the Rules for the Handling and Marketing of Products and Services - POI (Issuance / possession of prescribed traffic and traffic documents, legal tender of tank vehicles, etc.). 

Consumers can submit questions and complaints to the General Secretariat for Trade and Consumer Protection via the website www.1520.gov.gr and through the Consumer Line 1520.