A Scottish couple claims Scottish Gas put them through “hell” after the utility company billed them incorrectly for thousands of pounds. Lynn Dow, 64, and her husband Allan, 77, had been loyal customers of Scottish Gas for over 30 years. They moved to their new home in Longridge, West Lothian, four years ago, and decided to stick with the same energy provider.
However, in October 2023, they noticed a massive spike in their bills, with one bill reaching over £2,200. This was in stark contrast to their typical energy usage, which generated bills of around £846 per year. Scottish Gas later admitted that the high bills were due to an error where an advisor failed to fully register the details for Mrs Dow’s meter after it was replaced.
The Dows said the incident caused significant stress, especially since Allan had recently suffered from a stroke. “It all started after we moved in four years ago and we were having issues with our billing,” Lynn said. “When we got the £2,200 bill, I nearly dropped down dead.”
Despite multiple complaints to Scottish Gas, the couple struggled to get the issue resolved. After a complaint to the ombudsman, the Dows won their case, confirming that Scottish Gas was at fault for the incorrect bills.
Lynn said the whole experience has been “a nightmare.” “To say I am furious is an understatement,” she added. “The last thing we need is the stress of this.”
Scottish Gas has since apologized to the Dows, acknowledging their error and explaining that no payments were taken for the inflated bills. A spokesperson said: “We’ve spoken with Mrs Dow to say sorry, the bills she received were incorrect. This has now been resolved. We know this has been upsetting for Mrs Dow, and we’ve reassured her that there’s no outstanding balance on her account. We’ve also applied a credit as a goodwill gesture.”
