It's down to the customer

Published: Monday, 08 November 2010

IT IS not the sellers' place to decide the split when the customer buys diesel, it is down to the customer. That is the law—full stop.

The 60/40 bit was only a recommendation in the early days when HMRC and boating groups were negotiating what should happen and how, writes John Chard.

Signs declaration

Geoff Smith [Emails] is dead right. At the end of the day, if the customer wants 10% for heating and 90 % for propulsion or indeed 90% for heating and 10% propulsion, so be it. So long as the customer signs a declaration for the propulsion quantity, that is all that is required legally.

The legal seller is then required to retain those completed declarations till such time as HMRC require them.

I use the term legal seller loosely—I often wonder how many are legal and therefore declare the tax collected to the tax man.

Each and every legal Registered Dealer Of Controlled Oils (RDCO) has documentation to prove he is legal. Ask to see his registration paperwork.

Report the seller

I emphasise, that if any boater is concerned about the fuels origin or whether that seller is legal or making up his own rules as he goes along the customer/boater has every right report the seller to HMRC Rebated fuels department.

After all, every illegitimate litre sold by a  non RDCO, is not only robbing the boater, but also robbing legal RDCOs who will have invested money in setting up his business.

Any percentage

Going back to the beginning,  so long as the customer signs a declaration for the propulsion quantity, that is all that is required legally. It can be any percentage the customer wants.

John Chard

[John was a legal seller of diesel on the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal at Sharpness, and tells us he left the business seeing what was coming!]