Huge bill for electric supply repair for my 92 year old mum?

Question

I live far away from my mum so the details i have are vague but i am furious about the situation.
Two months ago my mums electric went off,she lives in her own home,private and paid for.She lives with my eldest sister who sadly isnt very bright and has no common sense.
They called the electric company and was told the consumer unit outside the house for incoming electric had burnt out and it was a big job to replace.
Engineers said it would take days to fix.
I told my sister to phone my mums house insurance company and find out if they are covered and that they would foot the bill as the engineer said it would be expensive.
My sister rang them and was told electrics are not covered on the policy !!! great isnt it when you think you are covered for everything and when you need to claim you are not covered.
I expected my sister to say who is going to pay then ? are you going to leave an elderly woman with no electric as we are not covered ? she didnt and agreed for them to go ahead with the work.
It took 4 days and today they sent my mum a bill for £1,054.
She hasnt got the money to pay and im furious and wonder who is responsible to pay ?
I thought any incoming and electrical work outside of your home would be sorted by the electric company but it seems not to be the case.
Im angry with my sister as every time i rang at the time of the work to see what was happening all she said was what lovely men they are and so hardworking !!! i said sod that crap,who is paying for this ? she said they are going to write to mums insurance.I said you are not covered ? 
So any ideas on this ?
Thanks

Girlie Electrics · Accepted Answer

If it was a fault after the meter, she's responsible.
If including the meter, the supplier is.

But the supply company wouldn't repair a consumer unit, 
so you need to get hold of a copy of this bill, see who issued it and for what work. 

Consumer Units do not fail catastrophically unless the maintenance has been neglected. No insurance will cover that.

Anonymous · Answer

You use the words consumer unit- then say outside the house - if by that you mean the board containing the fuses/circuit breakers for all the different circuits in her house then it is very very unusual to have it outside the house.

Any rate the rule is - anything from the road upto and including the meter is the responsibility of the supply company - anything after the meter is the responsibility of the householder - so if it is indeed the consumer unit it will be after the meter and will be your mothers responsibility to pay.

But do please talk to the supplier about payment - for people on limited income they may well agree to spread the cost so that she just pays a little extra on each bill.

Anonymous · Answer

As others have said if your sister give the go ahead then there is no comeback but I am mystified why she is being charged if it was outside the house, I would get onto the power company for a explanation also have a word with the CAB and a local counceller in your mums area, it would do no harm to tip off a local paper in your mums area as well they love things like this, if all else fails ask the power company for time to pay Good luck.

Anonymous · Answer

It seems that your sister has assumed responsibility for the charge as she authorised the work. However, it would be unfair to leave her holding the baby so to speak as there wasn't an alternative at the time. I suggest that you contact all your relatives and ask for a contribution. That's about all you can do. Apart from reading the insurance policy through to make sure about the lack of cover.

Anonymous · Answer

call ACORN and the Obummer guy. they'll help u all they are able to. LOL. you notice a lot solid for ninety two. I even have my seeing eye canine type for me. I even have domestic canine of his blood line. there rapid newbies.

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Huge bill for electric supply repair for my 92 year old mum?

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