Ken and Anne Murray, who are in their 80s, have been living in temporary accommodation for six months
Ken and Anne Murray have been waiting six months to move back into their home of 63 years(Image: Andrew Teebay)
An elderly couple say they feel “broken down” following a months-long battle to reclaim their family home in Rainhill. Ken Murray, 88, and his wife Anne, 87, were forced to flee their home of 63 years in January, when a fire broke out due to an electrical fault.
Since then, they have been living in temporary accommodation as vital repairs are carried out. Ken, a grandad of three, said: “We managed to escape, but everything inside was ruined. We lost everything, more or less. Everything was destroyed, everything including the electricity meter.”
Following the tragedy, Ken and Anne said they received a £7,000 quote from their energy providers, Scottish Power, for excavation works allowing electricity to be re-installed at their home.
But seven months on, the company has yet to provide electricity to the couple’s home – despite two engineer appointments in June and July.
Ken said: “For the last four months, I have been begging to have the meter put in. They’ve failed to do it on two occasions now. They’ve given us another appointment next month, and I fear it will be the same routine as before.”
He said the installation of the new meter had been handed to another company by Scottish Power. However, on both occasions when the engineer attended, he and Anne were told that they had been given the incorrect meter, and were unable to install it.
A Scottish Power spokesman said this was because the couple had refused the installation of a smart meter, which is the only type of meter they install.
Ken said: “Each time I have to be present, and each time they’ve come along and said we cant fit it, it’s the wrong one. In the meantime I’ve emailed Scottish Power to confirm that the meter will go in without any problems, but they haven’t responded. I’ve asked them for details of the company who fits the meter, but they ignored that too.
“We’ve had no help at all. We’re going round and round in circles. I’m 88, my wife is 87. It’s just going on and on and no matter who we talk to we get nothing. The builders have had to work off generators. It’s taken them twice as long to do what they had to do.”
Ken and Anne Murray’s house needed extensive repairs due to the damage(Image: Andrew Teebay)
Ken said the experience had left him and his wife feeling “broken”, as the devastating house fire came just six months after another tragedy – the loss of their daughter Rachel, who died of cancer in July last year.
Tearfully, Ken told the ECHO: “We lost our daughter, our home. My wife is ill with the stress. I’m just about putting up with what is going on. I’m dreading next month because I think we’ll go through the same routine all over again. That’s where we are
“It has been extremely stressful. Things that could have been done have not been done. We just want to go back home. We’ve lived in that house for 63 years. The whole family was brought up there. We had a lot of happy times over the 63 years.”
He added: “To me, it’s just the horror of trying to get people to do the right thing. It’s not an emergency operation to get a meter installed, but seemingly it is for Scottish Power.
“We have our son in Nottingham, who has had to come to Liverpool to support us. It’s affecting all our family. We’ve gone through enough. This is just breaking us down. Every day is the same, no answer, no reply, no response to our emails. I’ve written to the CEO three times and have had no response. I just want to be in my home with my family but I can’t do that.”
A spokesperson said: “Following the installation of a new network cable by SP Energy Networks, we have made two attempts to install a new meter at Mr Murray’s property. Unfortunately, he has repeatedly refused the installation of a smart meter – which is the only type of meter we install – and that is why his electricity supply has not been reconnected.
“We have booked a further installation date on August 1 and it will be for Mr Murray to decide whether that goes ahead or not. He has also raised the matter with the Energy Ombudsman and we will respond to the Ombudsman in line with our standard procedures.
“Mr Murray has not been charged for any meter installation; however, he was required to pay for the new electricity network cable connection. An initial quote of around £7,000 was provided, with SP Energy Networks undertaking all the necessary excavation works. Mr Murray chose to use a third party for the excavation works and was then only charged for the electrical works completed by SP Energy Networks at a cost of £732.55. He has not been charged any more than that.”