By the Energy Know How Team, Sharon Smith, Lynn Clarkson and Madiya Shokat
I first met client B at a community event close to her home which was organised by our colleagues on the Tenant Involvement Team where they offered refreshments and a chat for attendees. A few days later Miss B called me to ask for help with an energy issue.
Miss B is visually impaired (she is completely blind) and is on the Priority Services Register with her energy provider.
She was very upset and explained that her energy provider had attempted to take over £1300 form her bank account to pay her outstanding electricity bill from her previous address. She has been told that her bills were estimated (she was at the property @ 2 years), and she had accumulated this debt despite paying @ £ 170.00 per month by direct debit.
She does not think her meters were ever read and is unable to read them herself. She thinks her carers may have submitted meter readings using online webchats during the time she was there but as her carers often change, she cannot confirm this with them. She does not recall anyone ever visiting to read the meters as would be expected if someone cannot see the meters themself.
She did not have enough money in her account for this direct debit to be taken and had no prior notification (as she should have had) of the attempt to take payment. She has now cancelled her direct debit to prevent a further attempt to take an unaffordable amount.
She has recently paid a large gas bill for her former home (Feb/March) which was again because of estimated bills – she had to borrow the money to pay this as she was worried someone would come and knock on her door to get it.
She has now received a letter stating that if payment is not made soon, then the amount will be sent to a debt collection agency, and she is extremely worried about this and very anxious.
The letter was NOT in braille, and she has had to wait for someone she trusts to read it to her.
She does receive her bills in braille but has not read anything that has ever suggested she is behind with her payments or that her bills were estimated.
It does not appear that her direct debit payment was ever reviewed (as it should be at least annually) and to the best of her knowledge she was paying what was requested and when it was requested – this bill on moving home has come as a significant shock to her.
As she has not received anything to suggest she was falling behind with her payments and due to the failure to read her meters due to her visual impairment, I suggested it would be worth making a complaint to her energy company and I agreed to help with this due to the circumstances.
The clients written consent to act on her behalf was obtained and a formal complaint has been submitted on her behalf – we are awaiting contact from the energy company.