Electricity saga leaves OAP without central heating for a year

Jessie James, who has heart trouble, is relying on electrical heaters and has run up a 480 electrical bill in four months.

She said her problems were due to frequent dips and surges in the electrical supply to the house.

EDF, the power company which supplies electricity to her bungalow, said Mrs James' problems were not due to the electrical supply.

Mrs James said: 'It's made me ill. When you are old you can't bear being cold and this has gone on so long. It'd be horrible for a young person - let alone someone who is 79.

'I have rang them so many times.

'They kept saying you're the only one.

'It's awful when no-one believes what I say

'I lost my husband but I have a little bit of savings but seems unfair I'm having to give it all to EDF.'

EDF has carried out checks on the power supply and said any variances in power supply to the bungalow had been within acceptable energy levels.

Mrs James, from Mill Close, Ringmer, said the problems began In January 2004 when her lights started to dim in the evenings and television picture became faint.

At the same time her gas boiler controller was damaged and had to be replaced.

Mrs James said the problems with the lights and television persisted and in January 2007 the controller on her gas boiler malfunctioned again, and the boiler broke.

A engineer from British Gas cut off the gas supply and told Mrs James the gas could not be restored until the electrical supply was sorted out.

Since then Mrs James has been using electrical heaters which she said did not heat the house properly and have left her with huge bills.

Ringmer parish councillor Ian Wilson has been involved in the case since June 2006 and was convinced fluctuating electricity levels were to blame for the problems.

He took the case to energy watchdog Ofgem, which supported EDF's explanation.

He said: 'It's obvious there is a supply problem to the house.

'Light bulbs only last five to ten days

'Three kettles, three electric lawnmowers and the recharging unit on Mrs James' motorised disability vehicle have also been damaged.

'I don't think the wiring of the bungalow is to blame because it's been checked in 1999 and 2005.

'EDF has said the power fluctuations are within the regulations, but I believe EDF has misinterpreted the regulations and I also think the company should carry out a full check of the power supply.'

Cllr Wilson said he intended to make a further complaint to Ofgem.

A spokesman for EDF said: 'EDF Energy Networks has undertaken extensive monitoring since 2004 of the supply voltage to a property in Mill Close, Ringmer, and the incoming supply has consistently been found to be within normal, statutory limits.

'On a number of occasions we have installed voltage monitoring equipment at the property to continuously monitor the voltage supplied there and the supply voltage has been found to have remained within limits.

'We have been liaising closely with the housing association and the customer and we can confirm that the problems the customer is experiencing are in no way related to the incoming electricity supply to her home.

'EDF Energy Networks has not received related calls from other customers in the area.'