A Moray gas customer has had his bill halved after a postcode lottery for prices was exposed.
Tomintoul resident Mike Budd faced paying nearly £300 a year more than neighbour Sandra Sawyer – despite their underground tanks being just 6ft apart.
But supplier Flogas slashed his rate and promised a full review of its pricing structures after the discrepancy was highlighted by the Press and Journal.
News of the price variances spread quickly in the Cairngorms village as locals swapped stories about how much they were paying. And Mr Budd discovered another neighbour, who is also supplied by the firm, was paying even less than Mrs Sawyer.
Last night Mr Budd estimated that his savings could now mount up to nearly £1,000 over 12 months.
He said: “It just shows how chaotic the whole pricing structure was. It’s just like a bingo ball – put your hand in and see what comes out.
“The night the story was in the paper it was all that people were talking about in the village. People were checking how much each other were paying.
“The bottom line is they’ve either calculated the prices from a formula that doesn’t take account of actual geography or have just tried to push it as far as they can go.
“Either way it’s pretty shameful.”
Last night Mr Budd said he was celebrating his reduced gas rate by leaving the heating on for slightly longer.
After receiving a letter last week informing him his prices would be rising to 64p per litre the Tomintoul resident will now pay 34 per litre. He buys about 3,400 litres a year.
The difference in price between neighbouring homes was condemned by Moray MP Angus Robertson as an example of a firm trying to take advantage of rural customers.
Mr Budd added: “I’m happy with the result, but it makes it even more galling they were asking me to pay 64p in the first place. It should be the same price within a town or village. What’s the difference to them?”
As well as a reduced rate, the firm has also offered Mr Budd a free fill of his tank.
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