Spano wants oil dealers to re-negotiate contracts
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- October
- 22
Westchester County Executive Andrew Spano wants oil dealers to renegotiate fixed-price contracts customers signed during the summer when prices were much higher than they are now.
Spano said a survey conducted by the county’s Department of Consumer Protection showed the average price has dropped to $2.78 a gallon. That’s a drop of 46.3 cents from a survey conducted Oct. 6. Prices have dropped $1.69 a gallon from their high in mid-July, he said.
The survey tends to underestimate the actual average cost of fuel oil in the county. That’s because many of the higher-priced dealers refuse to provide their prices when the county’s inspectors call them.
“Some customers, particularly seniors who were worried that there was no end in sight to the cost of oil, locked in rates over the summer when they were at their peak – about $4.50 a gallon, Spano said in a statement released by his office. “These consumers are now locked into sky-high prices, even though much lower-priced heating oil is available.â€
Spano wrote to 69 home heating oil companies in the county asking them to “be sensitive to customers in this situation.â€
He said that he understands that many oil companies bought oil at the higher prices, but he believes companies may have “some leeway†in pricing and should do what they can to help customers, particularly those on fixed incomes.
This entry was posted
on Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008 at 12:37 pm by Allan Drury.
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Category: Energy
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