Is this all we can look forward to?
Anyone spot the terribly sad story in the press about the 84yr old vision impaired, disabled veteran who attempted suicide in the English midlands?
Apparently there was an ongoing dispute with his German-owned power company E.ON, over an outstanding electricity bill going back 2 years. They claimed he owed $13,600. The callous jack-booted folk at the power company broke into the great-grandfather's home while he was in bed upstairs, and installed a pre-paid meter.
When the pre-paid shut off he spent 3 freezing nights without heating, light and cooking facilities, then wrote a heart-breaking note to his family and swallowed 100 sleeping tablets. He was found unconscious by his daughter and has since made a full recovery.
The irony of this whole saga is that the old bloke didnt owe a cent! (or should that be penny?) It appears the reason for his overly-high electricity bill was that his meter had been wired incorrectly and his Off-Tarrif was charged through his Peak-Tarrif. He had been over-paying for years and was well in credit. Fearful of his electricity accounts and what he supposedly owed, the fiercely independant bloke had stopped opening their letters, thinking he had just lost touch with how dear things had become.
Dont you think a simple visit from E.ON would have witnessed his circumstances, established hisusage and sorted out the incorrectly wired meter before things deteriorated as they did? The company (begrudgingly) offered an apology. I put this down to sheer laziness by staff at E.ON who seem to have their backsides stuck firmly to their chairs, and in the name of profits dont employ sympathetic consultants to follow up problems.
I strongly believe he should be offered free power from E.ON for the rest of his days.
A very sad story. But why didn't he confide in his daughter, or other family members? This must have been an ongoing situation and if he was so worried it is a mystery why he kept it to himself. The electricity company may have taken notice of some younger irate family members instead of ignoring a poor old man.
Glad he is ok and yes the company should give him free power for life.
Margaret.