Help Available for Customers of Defunct F&S Oil

Toll-free customer hotline set up at 1-800-842-2649.

Rep. Kevin DelGobbo, R-70, Naugatuck, says home heating customers of the defunct F&S Oil Company can obtain help from state agencies.

Rep. DelGobbo provided the following advisory as supplied by the Independent Connecticut Petroleum Association (ICPA):

To the Customers of F&S Oil Company

Both the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) and the Office of the Attorney General (AG) acted literally the day we at ICPA knew F&S was going to close to make sure whatever pre-buy consumers are owed gets reimbursed to consumers and from press accounts that investigation starts Monday, March 10, 2008. Laws are on the books to protect consumers in these instances and both DCP and the AG act very quickly to make sure consumers get their money back.

The owners of F&S worked to try to sell the company right up through Friday March 7, 2008, and unfortunately could not complete a sale.

When the financial institutions the company was working with could not lend any more money to keep the company operating and a sale could not be completed, the owners made the decision that they had no choice but to close. This is a tragic situation for the company’s customers, employees and the community that F&S has served for more than 80 years. Fortunately this kind of situation is very rare, but no less painful for everyone involved.

• As you seek a new supplier, the state has a hotline available at 1-800-842-2649 to assist you. Fortunately there are a number of heating oil retailers that serve the region who will be able to serve you quickly and reliably.

• If you are a consumer who purchased pre-buy or fixed price heating oil from F&S and you did not receive all your deliveries make sure you follow the Attorney General’s advice and call his office and file a complaint immediately at (860) 808-5318. You can also email a complaint to the Dept of Consumer Protection at food.standards@ct.gov

To the Employees of F&S Oil Company

ICPA wants to help you in every way we can find a new position with another company. E-mail your resume or description of the recent position you held at F&S, along with your name, address and contact information and we have a job bank set up to make sure every other company in the state and region knows of your availability for work.

We will do everything we can to help you find another job. Send your e-mail to ICPA Executive Director Gene Guilford at gene@icpa.org