SEL introduces late payment fees for refusal to pay levies

The company, embroiled in a long-running wrangle with Sark’s Chief Pleas over the proposed compulsory purchase of the utility, has claimed that half of all islanders have paid their September bills in full, including the levies.

For those who have not, it is now enforcing late payment fees of 2.5% or £10, whichever is higher.

‘Well over half of all residents have settled their accounts in full,’ said managing director Alan Witney-Price. ‘I cannot comment on individual circumstances.

‘All I can say is that late fees have been applied and those with outstanding terms have been given seven days to bring their accounts up to date. At which point SEL reserves all of its rights for recovery and potential disconnection.’

He said he could not comment on whether Chief Pleas had paid the bills for its premises.

The bills saw the price per unit more than double, after two levies in lieu of legal costs, totalling 60p per unit, were added to the unit price. They have now been removed by the island’s price controller.

Seigneur Christopher Beaumont has reiterated that he will not pay the levies, nor the demand for late fees. He said that he had paid the electricity portion of his September bill only. He received an overdue invoice which advises him that late fees will be imposed.

‘I can’t find SEL’s terms anywhere, and I have never signed up to them or been asked to do so,’ he said.

‘I’m not late paying for my consumption of electricity. I’m late paying for legal services I haven’t asked for, haven’t agreed to, and incidentally haven’t received.

‘I doubt he [Mr Witney-Price] is going to be able to persuade a court to take anything other than the power part of SEL into consideration.’

Mr Beaumont said he only knew of a handful of customers paying the full bill.

‘Is their payment an endorsement of his policies or a fear of them? I suspect the latter,’ he said.

‘For those whose bills are minuscule, it appears that dislike of SEL has led people to minimise their consumption. Less than two units per day is not uncommon. This would lead to a bill, including levies, of less than £70 which might be affordable.’

The deadline for the joint appointment of an independent valuer for this process passed on Friday.

Chief Pleas had previously said once this deadline had passed, it would apply to Sark’s Seneschal’s Court and ask for accountancy firm Begbies Traynor to be appointed.

Asked if this had progressed, it did not confirm.

Mr Witney-Price said he was waiting on information from Chief Pleas.

The Guernsey Press contacted all 17 current Sark Conseillers to ask if they were paying their personal electricity bills but had not received any responses by the time of publication.