How to arrange a heating oil delivery

Want to know more about  buying home heating oil? Find out more with the Scottish Fuels heating oil delivery guide.

How heating oil delivery works

At Scottish Fuels, it’s never been easier to buy home heating oil.  You can either order online, or give us a call and order over the phone.  

To get started, you’ll need to create an account with us. All you’ll need are your:

  • Name
  • Address
  • Telephone number
  • Payment details.

You may want to let us know if you live in a remote area, too. We have 900 tankers operating throughout Scotland, even off-grid – we just need to know which one to send.

If you’re new to Scottish Fuels, simply give us a call and we can help set you up with an account: 0345 300 8844

If you already have an account with us, just enter your login details on the ‘My Account’ page. 

Selecting your fuel

Once you’ve set up an account, you can go on to choose your fuels and lubricants. We offer both a standard and a premium kerosene heating oil called Glowmax, which can help reduce build up in your boiler for maximum efficiency.

Select how much you need from 500 litres up to 5,000 litres. Most tanks hold between 1,000 and 2,700 litres, depending on the size. We’ll agree a quote with you and then you’ll proceed to purchase. We’ll also agree a delivery date that best suits you at this stage. 

Please be aware that the quote we give you is only valid for the day we supply it.  Every time you order, you’ll need to get a new quote. This is because of changing oil prices in Scotland.

How long will my home oil delivery take?

We’ll arrange a delivery date for your heating oil on the date we agreed when you placed your order. If you haven’t specified a date, then we will deliver within 30 days. Whilst we will deliver all over Scotland, we may need warning if your property is hard to reach. We may also have to deliver in instalments, depending on your order.

When should I make my next home heating oil order?

Typically, one year’s worth of fuel equates to about 1,000 litres. Of course, this will vary depending on the size of your home and how often you use your heating. A well-maintained boiler is also important in fuel usage, so we always recommend getting regular servicing.

Your heating oil tank should be fitted with a gauge to show how much heating oil is left in your tank – and you should keep an eye on this for when it’s getting low. If you don’t want to traipse down the garden to check your tank levels, ask us about our handy Smart Monitors that let you check your fuel levels from your mobile, tablet or laptop.

You should never fill your tank beyond 80 to 90%. This helps to avoid spills, as oil can change volume in fluctuating temperatures.

Do I need to prepare my fuel tank for a delivery?

We’ll give your tank a visual inspection before topping it up with fuel to make sure it’s safe. However, there are some things you can do before we deliver your home heating oil, for example:

Ensuring you have a strong, level base for your tank to sit on

Regularly checking for cracks or splits

Checking all gauges and alarms work

Turning off your boiler before a delivery

Protecting vents and gauges from rain

Removing any nearby obstacles or dangerous animals

We’ll look at the height and location of the tank, as well as its proximity to your home. 

Why do I need to turn my boiler off?

You may not think of this when it comes to heating oil deliveries. But a new delivery can stir up sediment water from the bottom of your boiler’s tank, which in turn can clog pipes. We recommend leaving your boiler off for a minimum of a few hours after a delivery. This will allow any sediments to settle.

Home oil delivery: other useful information

For as simple a delivery as possible, you can help us out by:

Telling us if your property is difficult to access.

If your home is on a narrow lane, has restricted access, or is blocked by obstacles like a weak bridge, please let us know. Most standard tankers have six wheels and are around 8m in length, but we may be able to send a smaller one if requested.

Letting us know if you’re not going to be home.

You don’t need to be at home when we make your delivery – but if you’re worried about access issues, we ask you to let our customer services team know. We’ll let you know if we think you need to be at home for a safe delivery.

Pay Monthly and Automatic Planned Deliveries
You can opt to pay for your annual fuel via 12 monthly direct debit payments to avoid one-off bills. Plus, you can sign up to automatic deliveries where we top you up automatically when you need it most. Just give your local team a call on 0345 300 8844 if you’d like to find out more.