How to order heating oil in Ireland: what to ask before you say yes

Before you ring

Near the bottom of the tank, the boiler can draw sediment, and some boilers then need bleeding or a service call before they start again.

Our guide to how much heating oil you need covers the arithmetic, and the heating oil planner gives a cautious estimate of when you'll need a top-up.

Eight questions to ask your oil supplier

1. “What's the total price for 500 litres, delivered, including VAT?”
   Some prices exclude VAT and some apply only above a certain amount. The delivered total for your exact amount is the only figure you can compare fairly.
2. “Is that price the same if you deliver next week?”
   Some oil suppliers hold the quoted price to your delivery day; others charge the price on the day the oil arrives.
3. “Is there a minimum order, or a charge for smaller amounts?”
   Some oil suppliers have a minimum delivery, and some charge a little more per litre for smaller orders.
4. “When can you deliver, and will you ring before you come?”
   Oil suppliers get busier from October, and delivery times can stretch when the weather turns.
5. “Do I need to be home?”
   Many deliveries can be made while you're out, as long as the driver can reach the tank and the fill point isn't locked.
6. “How can I pay?”
   Card over the phone or on delivery, cash or bank transfer: it varies, and some oil suppliers want payment before they deliver while others take it after.
7. “Is it kerosene?”
   Most Irish homes burn kerosene, also sold as 28-second oil. Gas oil is a different product at a different price.
8. “If it doesn't all fit, what do I pay?”
   If the tank takes less than you ordered, you should pay only for the litres delivered.

How to compare oil suppliers without ringing round

Most oil suppliers now post their prices on their own websites. Tankful checks those websites every day and shows, for your county, who charges what and when each price was last checked. The oil supplier always confirms your final price.

Check Tankful before you ring round.

• 900 litres is often cheaper per litre than 300, so compare prices for the amount you're ordering.
• The lowest price in your county may come from an oil supplier that doesn't cover your area.

Or let us ask for you

Tell us your Eircode, how many litres you need and how to reach you. We ask the best-priced oil suppliers near you, one at a time, and tell you as soon as one confirms. The oil supplier who says yes rings you to agree the price and the day, and you pay them directly. It's free, and you can cancel any time.

If you'll run out in the next day or two, ring an oil supplier directly.

After the delivery

• The litres on the docket should match the meter on the lorry.
• To get an email when your county's price reaches what you want to pay, set a free price alert.

Wondering whether to order now or later? Read should I buy heating oil now or wait.