Last week, CF Oil Company in New Britain closed without warning, leaving many wondering how they would get their heating oil. A message on the company's voicemail said it would reopen on Monday after merging with a Meriden company.
The attorney general’s office said Friday night that the business suddenly closed and that the owners were trying to sell it.
Customers, many of whom had prepaid contracts, filed formal complaints.
The Department of Consumer Protection had been investigating the company for a few weeks.
"We were of the belief that they were not committed to the future contracts and other items that the law requires of any oil company that sells prepaid contracts," Commissioner of Consumer Protection Jerry Farrell said.
Liz Pratt, of Newington, had a prepaid contract with CF Oil and was one of those customers looking to have her oil tank refilled, only to find out the company was suddenly not responding to her requests.
"Give me an idea," Pratt said. "Let me know what’s going on."
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She later learned about the company’s status.
"It should be common courtesy," Pratt said.
Attorney General George Jepsen said last week that customers who ran out of oil in few days following the closure should make arrangements with other heating companies as soon as possible.
The company's answering machine states that they are in the process of merging with Tunxis-Ohrs, which is a fuel company based out of Meriden.
Repeated calls to CF Oil were not answered.
