New Fife Council housing tenants set to benefit from lower energy prices

Councillor Judy Hamilton has welcomed the prospect of lower energy bills for new Fife Council tenants.

From April, Our Power Energy Supply Ltd will become the default supplier for Fife Council’s empty properties, with smart meters being installed by building services.

In time, Our Power – which has its customer service base at Methil Energy Park – will also become an option for all council tenants, offering them the chance to switch to receive power at a lower cost than other energy suppliers.

Councillor Judy Hamilton, spokesman for housing and building services, said: “Our Power will offer a simple, affordable, transparent and fair pricing structure that does not penalise low-income customers regardless of payment method or location.

“With energy prices rising and some households at risk of falling into fuel poverty, energy suppliers like Our Power, will be an extremely useful resource by which councils can assist vulnerable tenants and those on low incomes to save on their bills and avoid ill health.

“It is more important than ever that bills – in this case, energy bills – can be as manageable as possible. This will help us continue our promise of making Fife’s homes warmer and more affordable”.

Our Power Energy was founded by 35 member organisations, including Fife Council and some of Scotland’s largest housing associations and local authorities, and operates on a non-profit distributing basis.

As an Ofgem licenced supplier of gas and electricity, Our Power will help the council tackle fuel poverty through the provision of lower cost energy to the tenants and communities of its member organisations.

John Mills, the council’s head of housing said: “Fuel poverty is a major issue for many households throughout Scotland. However, by removing profit from the equation, Our Power offers a new way of tackling this problem.

“Over the next five years Our Power will help many disadvantaged families reduce their energy bills and stay warm. This could see up to £11m of savings for households in some of the most disadvantaged communities across the country.”