(a) No heating fuel dealer shall condition the availability of burner maintenance or repair service upon the agreement of any consumer to purchase heating fuel from such dealer, provided, any dealer may give priority for service to any consumer who has a heating fuel delivery contract with such dealer.
(b) Any dealer who sells heating fuel and who has established a schedule of payments plan with a consumer shall, upon notice of termination of future heating fuel deliveries, return to such consumer, within ten days of receiving such notice, any moneys collected in excess of the retail price for heating fuel actually delivered, provided this subsection shall not apply to a schedule of payment plan in which a specific product unit price is agreed upon for the length of the plan.
(c) Each heating fuel dealer who sells under a trade name heating fuel or who provides service for heating fuel burners shall disclose to any consumer or potential consumer on any communication and invoice and in any advertising, the name of the person or entity which has filed a certificate to use such a trade name, as required by and pursuant to section 35-1.
(d) Any violation of subsections (a) to (c), inclusive, of this section shall be deemed an unfair or deceptive trade practice under section 42-110b.
(e) Any heating fuel dealer who violates the provisions of this section shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars for the first offense, not more than seven hundred fifty dollars for a second offense occurring not more than three years after a prior offense and not more than one thousand five hundred dollars for a third or subsequent offense occurring not more than three years after a prior offense.
(P.A. 90-304, S. 3; P.A. 07-217, S. 67; P.A. 12-76, S. 4.)
History: P.A. 07-217 made a technical change in Subsec. (d), effective July 12, 2007; P.A. 12-76 made existing provisions applicable to heating fuel dealers and consumers and added Subsec. (e) re fines, effective July 1, 2013.
Cited. 231 C. 707.
Structure Connecticut General Statutes
Title 16a - Planning and Energy Policy
Chapter 296 - Operation of Fuel Supply Business
Section 16a-17. - Definitions.
Section 16a-18. - Illegal creation of fuel shortage. Penalty. Extradition.
Section 16a-19. - Powers of investigation.
Section 16a-20. - Enforcement, civil action privileged, damages, reciprocity.
Section 16a-22a. - Heating fuel dealers prohibited from requiring minimum delivery of fuel. Fines.
Section 16a-22b. - Surcharge on price of fuel oil or propane prohibited. Exception.
Section 16a-22c. - Registration of petroleum product dealers. Definitions. Regulations.
Section 16a-22d. - Registration requirements. Affiliated companies.
Section 16a-22e. - Public listing of petroleum product dealers.
Section 16a-22f. - Annual report by secretary.
Section 16a-22g. - Penalty for failure to register.
Section 16a-22j. - Report of sale, acquisition or change in current business practices.
Section 16a-22k. - Unfair trade practices in the business of selling heating fuel. Fines.
Section 16a-22m. - Residential propane service termination.
Section 16a-22n. - Fuel Oil Conservation Board.
Section 16a-23a. - Sale of anthracite. Regulations. Enforcement.