7:00am Saturday 4th July 2009
Chef James Town has been left shocked and bemused by an electricity bill claiming he owed £788 for four days at the two bedroom flat he has just quit in Marlborough.
Mr Town, 23, chef at the Sun Inn, has shared a flat at 80 High Street for the past 18 months. The friend has returned to live in Australia so Mr Town has given up the flat and moved into The Sun.
He settled the electricity bill up to May 25 and moved out of the flat on May 30 owing Southern Electricity for four days when he did not use any heating, or any fuel for cooking and only minimal use of electric lights while he shifted his possessions.
Mr Town said he was surprised when the estimated bill arrived for £788, when his quarterly bill had always been between £180 to £200.
He contacted the power company but had not heard from them since.
His girlfriend Rebecca James, who lives in Wootton Rivers, said: “Obviously this not only highlights the flawed estimations but how careless energy companies are with their quality control especially in these economic times.
“I would hate to think how an elderly person would have felt receiving such a bill.”
A spokesman for the electricity board said it was customary for consumers leaving premises to read their own meter so that an accurate bill could be sent.
She added: “This sounds unusual. We will be getting in touch with Mr Town to sort this out.”
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