Watchdog wants tougher regulation of heating oil market

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority has recommended stricter consumer protection regulations for heating oil suppliers in Northern Ireland and Scotland, including supplier registration, pricing transparency, and vulnerable household protections—but stopped short of price controls. The watchdog is also pressing suppliers who cancelled customer orders during the March 2026 price spike to compensate affected consumers or face enforcement action. If you supply heating oil in Northern Ireland or Scotland, you'll need to register, meet minimum standards on pricing and cancellation, and flag payment plans clearly—but the door to the market stays open because the CMA rejected price controls. The real jolt: suppliers who breached contracts during the March spike now face enforcement action unless they compensate affected customers; if you're compliant, your non-compliant competitors are about to face fines.