Fuel poverty hits hard in Lybster – supported housing pensioners fear major debt from 'horrendous overpriced heating' and energy price hike
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Two pensioners with serious disabilities fear for their future after being landed with huge electricity bills for what is supposed to be a budget heating system.
Jackie Smith (66) and Harry Harris (75) live at separate addresses in supported housing on Lybster's Jeffrey Street and got to know one another over their mutual issues with the economy heating systems that were fitted in their homes by Highland Council a few years ago.
Mrs Smith said she was at the end of her tether and added: "Both myself and Mr Harris are not asking for the crown jewels – we're just asking to be treated and listened to with respect [and] not feel like inferior, unintelligent, and useless golden oldies, who don't matter any more. We may live in sheltered housing but we're not waiting for God."
The issues that they both have concern a Dimplex Quantum storage heating system which is supposed to provide an economical method of providing warmth that complies with their Highland Council tenancy agreements – which state that tenants should be able to "heat the house to a reasonable temperature and at a reasonable cost so as to avoid condensation and mould".
Retired Royal Navy submariner Mr Harris, who has heart and lung issues along with arthritis, showed how damp mould was permeating his house after he cut down on heating his kitchen and bathroom.
Though he said he has been happy living in Lybster, he is now investigating the possibility of moving somewhere else where he can heat his home effectively.
"This is a one-bedroom, well-insulated property, that's quite small and yet my energy bill, for some years, has been over £2000 a year," he said.
"In the coming year, before the price rises in April, it's £2400. The increase that's coming could take it up to £3600 a year. Neither Jackie or I are coping with this. It's a total disgrace. The energy bills are just horrendous."
Mr Harris, whose wife passed away with cancer in 2018, said he has been fighting Highland Council over the heating issue for six-and-a-half years – not long after he moved into the house in 2014. Now, he says he is "actively investigating the possibility of moving somewhere else" where he can heat his home effectively.
"The whole of the council ignore us and shuffle us around from person to person but they are breaking a clause in our contract with them. The tenancy agreement is a legal contract and if we break any clauses we face sanctions and they can evict us if necessary."
However, Mr Harris claimed the council was not abiding by its promise as outlined in paragraph 5.5, regarding heating the house to a "reasonable temperature and at a reasonable cost".
Mrs Smith, who suffers from asthma and has metal plates in her leg, has had similar issues with the Dimplex heating system which both tenants claim is run from a central base in Cumbernauld that only allows them very limited control of the settings. They claim that the "same amount of power is being pumped into the unit" even if it is put on a holiday setting when they have been away from home.
Mrs Smith added: "I've had my latest bill for the period October 9 to January 28. Bear in mind I've been away a few times also for approximately four weeks over Christmas and New Year. My heating was set on holiday mode [at] 10 degrees. The total cost was £422.56. Considering [my] times away, I feel this is more than excessive." Another recent bill came in at £559 for the quarterly period.
She added: "I have spoken to Dimplex about these issues and their response was it should not be costing so much to use. I asked how much it would cost for one of their engineers to come and check my heating system and was quoted £115."
She also has similar issues with damp mould throughout her house and says that the supported housing warden service "is not fit for purpose" and has been of no help to either of the tenants. She showed numerous email communications she had with the council which she says shows "their utter contempt [and] lack of duty of care towards some of the most vulnerable members of society".
"Both myself and Mr Harris are in fuel poverty. I cannot afford to heat my home, and am relying on a small heater to try and keep me warm. I am frozen in my home. The heating system does not keep me warm even when it's turned on [and] I have to use throws to keep me semi-warm."
She says she cannot live another winter in such conditions and is considering moving out temporarily. "I simply cannot both physically and mentally cope with this any more, and have been made ill over it. Considering we live in sheltered housing and been left in these conditions, it is disgusting. We should not have to live with these problems and to sort it out ourselves."
A Highland Council spokesman said: “While we cannot comment on the details of individual tenancy matters we can confirm that we have been in contact with Mr Harris and Mrs Smith regarding complaints about their housing. These complaints have been considered under the council’s complaints process and we believe that we have responded appropriately to the concerns raised. We would be happy to discuss things with them further.”
Mr Harris and Mrs Smith claim that other supported housing tenants on Jeffrey Street are also struggling to pay for their heating costs. Last week it was announced that the energy price cap will increase from April 1 with average bills going up by 54 per cent.
