Highland gas scandal

Consumer: ‘ No access to cheap deals’

Stornoway families are being overcharged by up to £1million a year, an MP has claimed. Angus MacNeil believes up to 1,100 Scottish Gas customers in the town are wrongly denied access to the cheapest tariff.

Stornoway families are being overcharged by up to £1million a year due to incorrect gas bills, an MP has claimed.

Isles MP Angus MacNeil believes up to 1,100 Scottish Gas customers in the town are wrongly denied access to the cheapest tariff.

Stornoway guest house operator DerekMcPherson says he was massively overcharged by 30% for years.

He is rejecting a £1,500 payback offer from Scottish Gas as he believes he has lost out much more than they calculate.

Following the MP’s intervention, energy regulator Ofgem took up the issue to ensure island customers are allowed to move onto the cheapest tariff.

Ofgem insists all Scottish Gas customers are entitled to the firm’s cheapest tariffs, including its “white label” operation with Sainsbury’s Energy.

Mr MacNeil said the money should be paid back with interest and an apology issued.

He added: “The sharp practice of pretending to some customers they weren’t allowed to have the cheapest tariff has left a lot of people short changed over a number of years.”

Kersti Berge, head of Ofgem in Scotland, contacted Scottish Gas as a result of Mr MacNeil’s intervention.

Now the utility retailer will ensure all of their price schemes are available to “customers in all regions,” she told him in a letter.

Islanders “should be made aware” they can switch to the cheapest price.

MrMcPherson says Scottish Gas kept him on the more expensive tariff for the last 11 years.

Even after Ofgem upheld his complaint they still refused to give him the cheap rate provided to mainland customers.

Mr MacNeil took up his case, forcing ScottishGasto concede they were in the wrong and in breach of their statutory obligations.

Mr McPherson , who runs the Fernlea guesthouse, said: “I certainly won’t be settling for anything less than the recompense of all overpayments I have been forced to make over the years. I hope that every single Scottish Gas customer – domestic and business – in Stornoway adopts a similar position.”

Scottish Gas said it was unable to comment until it had looked into the matter and intends to issue a statement today.

LOSING OUT: Stornoway guest house operator Derek McPherson says he was overcharged by 30% for years