Scores of council tenants in the Highlands could face a Christmas electricity bill bombshell, according to a north councillor.
His warning follows the revelation that a pensioner couple’s heating bills have doubled since the installation of new equipment.
It is understood that several hundred council homes have had replacement systems fitted as part of a Scottish Government-funded heating and insulation upgrade.
Donnie and Brenda McNeil of Murray Place in Rogart are among those counting the cost.
They pay by meter and stumped up £130 between December 3-15 after the installation of six assorted heaters that replaced the storage heaters they previously relied on.
Left no operating instructions for the new equipment, Mr McNeil, 65, said he waited a fortnight for a manual to fully comprehend the vast permutation of possible settings.
“We have used the same amount of electricity but paid twice as much,” he said. “It’s very frustrating especially at a time of year when you must count your pennies.”
Mrs McNeil, 76, who suffers from the debilitating condition fibromyalgia and is often housebound, said it was “hugely inconvient” to have intermittent heat.
East Sutherland and Edderton SNP councillor Graham Phillips, who intervened on their behalf, believes such problems are likely to be widespread, but not yet realised by those paying by direct debit.
He said: “There is the potential for neighbouring tenants to be heading, unawares, for a similar financial shock.
“There have been examples of systems being badly installed or not tested. One lady in Rosehall was left without heat or hot water. When she complained in mid-November she was told nobody could sort it before December.
“A family in Embo needed a heating system reinstalled after theirs’ failed.”
He acknowledged that the council had acted to address the issues, but has urged chief executive Steve Barron to consider suspending the present contract “for its continuing failure to deliver.”
Council troubleshooters visited the McNeils’ home on Monday to investigate their complaint.
A spokeswoman for the council said: “We cannot comment on individual tenants’ circumstances.
“However, we can confirm that councillor Phillips has been fully appraised of the actions that the housing section has taken.”