Buxton pensioner considered suicide over 18-month-long energy bill blunder

Marilyn Nichols, 68, was bombarded with letters demanding payment for an outstanding electricity account belonging to a nearby resident whose address was mixed up with her own.

The pensioner - who survives on a state pension and housing benefit - told how she spent ‘months’ suffering anxiety and sleepless nights faced with the prospect of having her power disconnected as winter approached.

In July energy firm Scottish Power sent mother-of-two Marilyn a letter demanding payment for the overdue account - £435.

In the letter the energy provider warned her a debt collection agency could cut her gas supply off or install a function on her meter – deducting a portion of the debt as she topped it up with payment cards.

After months of failed attempts to have Scottish Power clear the unsettled debt from her address the former farmer of 30 years was shocked to find £7 automatically-deducted from a £10 prepayment card she loaded into her meter at home.

She said: “I budget £30 monthly for central heating, hot water and cooking so at this rate I would need to put £100 onto the meter for £30 of gas.

“Seventy per cent would go to Scottish Power - a bonus for their incompetence to resolve the error.”

Faced with the prospect of a cold autumn and winter with no heating or hot water and unable to cook Marilyn even considered suicide.

However she added ‘I wasn’t going to give them any more money so I started writing letters’.

One of them reached High Peak MP Robert Largan - who was so worried about the 68-year-old’s mental health he alerted police.

On Wednesday morning officers showed up at her Manchester Road flat fearing the worst and to check she was okay.

Relieved Marilyn told how as the seriousness of her complaint was escalated Scottish Power contacted her to resolve the problem - clearing the debt from her account.

However she admitted the experience had taken its toll, saying the firm took ‘incompetence to a new level’.

She said: “Their employees are really taking the mickey - I really was reaching the end of my rope and actually started using the word suicide.

“You would think a big company like Scottish Power would take this kind of thing more seriously.

“They’ve caused me so much anxiety with the phone calls and sleepless nights - I’ve endured this for over 18 months.”

A spokesperson for Scottish Power said: “We’re concerned about Ms Nichols’ experience and very sorry for the distress this has caused.

"There are a number of historical issues related to the energy account and address details as well as the meter associated with her property, and we’re doing everything we can to sort these out as a priority.

"We’re keeping in touch with Ms Nichols every step of the way and hope to resolve the situation as quickly as possible.”

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you

Nancy Fielder, editor