A Moray resident embroiled in an ongoing 10-month dispute with her energy supplier for a new meter is taking desperate steps to reduce costs – while still receiving mounting power bills totalling £13.60 per day.
Liz Allan, her boyfriend and her roommate have now been forced to stop using the washing machine and electric shower for fear of racking up huge energy debt.
Ms Allan, who lives in the rural community of Maggieknockater, near Craigellachie on Speyside, has spoken out against Ovo for their slow efforts to resolve her situation.
It began in November 2021 when Ms Allan called her energy supplier to have a key meter installed to save money after moving into the property in July.
She was told she would have to wait 28 days for the meter to be installed, however, her supplier never got back in touch, so she followed up in January 2022.
Since then, she has received push-backs every time she has called to sort her situation out.
After providing a meter reading in January when her previous roommate moved out, they were shocked to receive a bill of £1,735.11 for six months, or £222.84 per month.
The issue was quickly resolved, and the bill was reduced to £1,337.05, but it left the household in fear it may happen again.
Meanwhile, the previous Ofgem price cap increase in April was to £1,971 per year, or £164.25 per month.
Desperate measures to save electricity
Living at a rural property, Ms Allan decided to switch off unnecessary equipment to save energy.
She said: “We switched all of our storage heaters at the fuse box, our water heater at the fuse box, so we have not had heating or hot water on because we are terrified to turn them on.
“The supplier doesn’t seem interested in doing anything about it. It had got to the point that my mental health was a real struggle, so I was in tears having to think about phoning them. When I got off the phone, I would be in an absolute state.”
Ms Allan had her mum step in to deal with the account, but her supplier needed to speak with her directly because she was the account holder.
She recalled speaking with at least six different people, all of whom said that there were “no appointments available” in her area.
The worst was yet to come when the bill for the three months from February 12, till May 5, – a total of 83 days – came to £1,136.76 or £378.92 per month.
It was a huge surge in the cost of their energy usage, which had been reduced to the bare minimum.
Ms Allan said that she had been from “pillar to post” with her supplier, and they explained that the price hike could be because of their storage heaters.
She argues that, following the first bill, they decided to switch off all the storage heaters at the property.
Household limiting showers and hot meals to save money
The household has had to slash their energy usage, limiting themselves to one or two showers per week, even though they work long hours at a nearby factory.
Ms Allan said: “We limit ourselves to a load each of washing a week. We don’t cook that often. We buy a lot of takeaways because the price of electricity is soaring.
“It’s been so draining, and I suffer from fibromyalgia, so the cold really affects me, so I would be sat in my house with thermals on and was still freezing.”
She is “terrified” that as winter approaches, tasks such as washing will be long and arduous since they have no tumble dryer and can’t afford to put the heating on.
Since this ordeal, Ms Allan has given up on dealing with her supplier and intends to submit a complaint to the energy ombudsman.
A complaint to the ombudsman can only be submitted if the formal complaint to an energy provider has not been resolved within eight weeks.
Ms Allan logged a complaint with Ovo seven weeks ago along with two additional complaints earlier in the year for the same property.
She said: “Ideally, the ombudsman would tell Ovo to replace the meter and provide some compensation because it has been a nightmare and it’s taken a real toll.”
Ovo has been contacted to comment on the case.
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