Two Jersey politicians admit to overcharging tenants for electricity
Two Jersey politicians have admitted to overcharging their tenants for electricity.
Deputy Rowland Huelin and Connetable Richard Buchanan both say it was an error - and that they were not intending to make a profit.
In a statement Deputy Rowland Huelin said that he handed over management of his lodging house when he was elected, giving full control to a "reputable agent"
He says that they had a "brief conversation" on charging an additional 0.7p per unit to cover the service charge and communal areas.
He insists that this was deemed fair and appropriate at the time and that his sole intent was that it should be cost-neutral.
He said that the lodging house was inspected in the summer of 2019 at which point the inspector "advised against" the additional 0.7p per unit charge.
The Deputy says a discussion took place on how to recover the service charge.
However because he thought the solution was complicated he told his agent to only recover the electricity charges at unit cost (15.3p) with the cost of the service charge and communal areas falling to him.
Richard Buchanan the Connetable of St Ouen says that he has refunded his tenants.
In a statement he said that his tenants are required to pay for the electricity used for their lighting and electrical equipment.
He said that this was supplied by individual pay-as-you-go coin meters in each bedsit,and in the laundry room.
He says that the rate was set at the same tariff supplied by the JEC.
However in September 2017, when old pound coins were taken out of circulation, he replaced the meters.
He says the only available option was an electronic card system that tenants could load with credit.
He says that he was advised that the cost of each card, could be recouped via the unit rate set at each electricity meter and this was done in late 2017.
He insists that his intention was only to cover his costs and not to profit from supplying electricity to his tenants.
He says that in 2019 an Environmental Health inspector pointed out that this "uplift" in the unit rate was "contrary" to the Residential Tenancy Supply of Services Order and that he should refund his tenants.
He says that this was done and he had confirmation that the matter was closed.