By Alan Richardson

A DISTRESSED pensioner has been bombarded with bills, letters and warrants for 18 months by Scottish Gas, despite having no gas supply in her flat.

The family and friends of 90-year-old dementia sufferer Margaret Tainsh have responded to each missive by calling the company to explain the situation, but to no avail as the bill has spiralled from just over £60 in May 2006 to over £430.

Only now that Mrs Tainsh is set to move from her Logie Crescent council house have they decided to make the issue public so the next tenant does not have to suffer the same ordeal.

Mrs Tainsh’s son, John-Murray Tainsh, said, “These bills and warrants have been dropping through her door regularly and, because of my mother’s condition, myself, her nurse and her neighbour have all called for her to get them stopped.

“When the council put the heating in the houses, they gave the choice of gas or electric and my mother chose electric heating and also has an electric cooker—there is no gas in the flat at all.

“But it doesn’t matter how many times we’ve told Scottish Gas, or how many people tell us they will sort it, the letters just keep coming and the costs rises each time.

“It’s got to the stage where I would welcome a court summons because I could go there and make a fool of them.”

The first bill arrived in May 2006, clearly addressed to Mrs Tainsh and requesting payment of £61 for her gas usage.

Regular statements, letters, red letters, warrants demanding payment, threatening disconnection and demanding entry to Mrs Tainsh’s home have all followed, although more recently they have been addressed to “The Occupier.” Extra charges of up to £50 are included many times.

The most recent letter arrived on December 28 asking for the bill—now £438.98—to be settled.

Mr Tainsh continued, “Because my mother has dementia, she is not able to tell us if anyone has ever been round to visit, as the letters threaten, and she is just confused about the whole thing.

“There is some sort of gas box outside her flat but the pipe goes straight up to the next flat and is nothing to do with her. Maybe they are using an estimate or something?

“But my mum is going into a home now and we will be clearing the place, but we would hate to think of the next people having to deal with a bill of over £400.”

A spokesman for Scottish Gas said the problem had now been fixed and apologised to Mrs Tainsh.