Bulk Oil buying scheme - service fee

As you are aware, Northamptonshire ACRE (NACRE) is a charity that aims to help members obtain cheaper heating oil, to keep their fuel prices down and where possible alleviate fuel poverty through our bulk oil buying scheme. The NACRE oil buying scheme is operated in partnership with eSmartmetrics (trading as Olive) and is able to deliver extremely competitive heating oil prices for our members. Last month we were able to save our members £15 (member saving against average price on 750 litre order). 

Over the last year or so eSmartmetrics has seen the cost of processing oil orders increase and has been trying to find a fair and equitable way of addressing the problem. In common with other oil buying schemes, eSmartmetrics has decided the only way to solve the issue is to introduce a service fee per order of £1.99, which will come into effect from 1st August 2020. Any members who wish to buy through the Olive scheme after this date will need to pay the service fee at the time of order. 

This has been a difficult decision for eSmartmetrics but is necessary to enable them to continue to secure extremely competitive prices for our members. eSmartmetrics will use the service fee to offset the increased costs of processing and managing the competitive tendering process. Please be aware that NACRE will not benefit from the service fee.

If you have any queries about the new fee, please contact [email protected] for further information.