Kirriemuir Food Hub chiefs say they feel like they have been “held hostage” by energy giant SSE in a year-long battle electricity battle at a former town bank branch.
It centres around the hub’s efforts to get new meters for the former RBS building in Bank Street.
The charity also wanted to switch suppliers after being landed with a bill for thousands from SSE.
The food hub has delivered a lifeline service in Kirrie since being set up during the Covid-19 pandemic.
It was previously run from the back of Food Hub chairperson Lindsey Wilson’s Three Bellies Brae pub.
It saved 20 tonnes of food from going to waste in one year alone.
And in June 2023 the food hub moved into the old bank building to join forces with Kirrie Rotary Club’s clothing bank.
Electricity meter issues after bank move
Prior to the move a new electricity meter was put in since the bank had been closed since 2015.
But it was the wrong meter.
Due to SSE not updating the meter details the hub was unable to agree a contract or move energy supplier.
Food hub treasurer Jenny Lilja has been involved in months of wrangling to get the problems sorted.
“As well as the meter problems we got a bill for nearly £4,000,” she said.
“We wanted to change supplier to get a much better deal but couldn’t do that because of the issues with the meter.”
Energy Ombudsman asked SSE to say sorry
So she raised the matter with the Energy Ombudsman.
And it backed the hub volunteers with a series of demands to SSE to resolve the fiasco.
It included telling the firm to write a letter of apology to the food hub and compensate it with £300.
Jenny added: “That was in March and they have done absolutely zero.
“We are completely at our wit’s end.”
Food hub chairwoman Lindsey said: “Jenny has been battling this for a year and yet they have done nothing to sort it out.
“It just feels like we are being held hostage by SSE over this whole situation.
“We’re a voluntary organisation, but if this was a business I doubt if they would be able to survive this.
“And what faith can you have in the system if the Ombudsman can’t even get them to do the honourable thing.
“They were told what should be done to help. But we’re months on and no further forward.
“What chance has the wee guy in the street got if this is the way they operate?
“If this was someone’s own home and they couldn’t find a way out I don’t know what kind of despair that would lead them into.”
SSE response
After being contacted by The Courier, SSE promised they would sort the Kirrie situation.
On Thursday a spokesperson said: “We’d like to say sorry to Jenny, Lindsey and all the volunteers at the Kirriemuir Food Hub for not having resolved this issue sooner.
“With that in mind we are reaching out to them today to get things sorted and to pay the compensation owed.”
The firm said it accepted the Ombudsman’s findings.
Conversation