A home with an LPG boiler and a bulk tank is tied to whoever fills the tank, but not indefinitely. Orders made after a competition investigation limit how long a supplier can tie a household in, how much notice it can require and what happens to the tank when the household switches. This guide summarises the CMA’s published guidance on those orders as it stood in September 2026. It covers domestic bulk LPG supply, not mains gas or oil, and is general information, not regulated advice.

Where the rules come from

The CMA says the orders resulted from the Competition Commission’s domestic bulk LPG market investigation and were made under the market investigations provisions of the Enterprise Act 2002. Its guidance page lists an order for individual tanks, a separate order for metered estates and a tank transfer price calculator, and says the orders are intended to make it easier to switch LPG suppliers. The CMA enforces the orders but says it does not intervene on behalf of individual customers.

Exclusive contracts are capped at two years

The CMA’s switching advice says a household using LPG for the first time, or with an existing contract, may be required to sign an exclusive contract, and the supplier will typically own the tank. Signing one means being tied to one provider for a maximum of 2 years. Customers nevertheless have the right to change supplier either during a contract or at the end of the exclusive period, and suppliers must make it easy. Information on how to switch must be provided in all new contracts and on every invoice. If an exclusive supply contract runs for longer than 2 years, the CMA says it may be unlawful. The general point about tie-in terms on supplier-owned tanks is in the guide to LPG boilers.

Notice and switching fees

The CMA says the period of notice to end supply agreements must not exceed 42 days. Once the exclusivity period is over, which can only be 2 years long, the current supplier cannot charge a fee to switch. If a customer switches before the end of the contract, the supplier must explain how, but the customer may have to pay a fee for ending the contract early. The provider must tell the customer the fees involved and the notice period, which cannot be longer than 42 days. Suppliers must also provide a telephone point where customers can be quoted prices, according to the CMA’s list of requirements.

How a switch works

The CMA advice says a customer can contact the current supplier and say they want to terminate the contract to transfer to another supplier, or contact a new supplier and say they want to transfer to their services. It recommends contacting both to complete the switch. The switch is usually completed within 28 days, unless the tank needs to be replaced. Suppliers charge different amounts for taking on new customers, so the advice suggests comparing suppliers and their costs before choosing, and it points to the Liquid Gas UK website for suppliers in an area.

What happens to the tank

When most customers switch, the CMA says the tank does not change and the new supplier takes ownership and responsibility for it. Some new suppliers prefer to fill tanks they have installed. In that case the customer needs to ask the existing supplier to remove its tank before the new one is installed. The existing supplier must sell the tank to the new supplier if the new supplier wants to buy it, and the CMA says the sale must take no more than 42 days. The customer should not be charged for the removal of existing tanks, and the whole tank transfer process must, subject to exceptions, be at no cost to customers. For a customer who owns the tank, the new supplier can either remove it or buy it, and a price has to be agreed. The CMA’s tank transfer price calculator helps suppliers agree prices for transfers between them, and the CMA updated it on 13 April 2026.

When something goes wrong

The CMA says a customer should report a possible breach of the order if information about switching is unclear, if the contract notice period is longer than 42 days, or if a fee is charged to switch at the end of the contract. It says the CMA will not act for individual customers but does enforce the requirements, and that a customer who thinks a supplier has overcharged or misinformed them should contact the relevant consumer advice organisation. A separate closed case page says the Office of Fair Trading’s earlier undertakings from bulk LPG suppliers were released on 25 June 2026, and that the CMA expects suppliers to review their terms and practices to comply with current consumer law, including the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024.

FAQs

How long can a bulk LPG supplier tie me in?

The CMA says exclusivity periods can be a maximum of 2 years, and a longer exclusive contract may be unlawful.

How much notice can a supplier require?

The period of notice to end a supply agreement must not exceed 42 days, according to the CMA.

Can I be charged to remove the old tank?

The CMA says a customer should not be charged for the removal of existing tanks, and that the whole tank transfer process must, subject to exceptions, be at no cost to customers.

The bottom line

Under the CMA-enforced LPG orders, exclusive periods for domestic bulk LPG cannot exceed 2 years, notice cannot exceed 42 days, switching information must be given, and tank transfer must be at no cost to the customer, subject to exceptions. Switching is usually completed within 28 days unless the tank needs replacing. This is general information, not regulated advice on any specific installation.

Sources

This guide draws on the following primary sources, current as of 25 September 2026:

• GOV.UK, “Advice on switching bulk LPG supplier” (CMA guidance, published 24 May 2022)
• GOV.UK, “Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) market orders and calculator” (CMA, last updated 10 June 2026)
• GOV.UK, “Domestic bulk LPG suppliers: unfair contract terms” (CMA case page)

Related guides

Best Boiler Deals is an independent guide. We may earn a fee from some links; this never affects what we write. This article is general information, not regulated advice on any specific installation — always confirm the details with a Gas Safe registered engineer.