BRITISH Gas has admitted an IT glitch has taken more than a year to resolve, leaving an 84-year-old woman anxious that she will receive a huge bill.
Melba Bartle says she has not received a proper electricity bill for more than a year, only demands for bills in single figures.
It is thought she has paid about £17 in the past year, despite pleading with the energy provider to generate correct bills.
Last night, after her family contacted the Mail, British Gas admitted a "computer error" occurred between her June 2013 dual gas and electricity bill being issued, and the next bill in September last year.
As a result of this error, the company says it inadvertently stopped billing Mrs Bartle, who lives in Anlaby, for her electricity.
British Gas says it failed to put things right, despite being alerted to the error by Mrs Bartle's family.
Her granddaughter, Louise Lowe, 42, said: "One IT glitch and it's taken a company the size of British Gas more than a year to sort out. It is just not good enough.
"Every day for the past year, she has been waiting for the postman to arrive.
"My grandma is from a generation that likes things done properly. It is very important to people like her that they pay their bills on time and do not owe money.
"She doesn't know if she is going to end up with a huge bill."
Mrs Lowe said the error has caused the whole family a lot of worry.
She said: "I am a very easygoing person.
"When my grandma told me about the problems she was having with British Gas, I told her: 'Leave it with me. There's obviously been an oversight somewhere. We'll get it sorted quickly for you'.
"But the longer it has gone on, the more it has agitated me.
"Just like my grandma checks the post, I've been checking my email hoping there will be some kind of response from British Gas.
"It has become a priority in my life to get this sorted now."
British Gas acknowledges that Mrs Bartle's family first contacted the company in September last year to point out the problem.
Following calls from the Mail, a British Gas spokesman confirmed the matter is being investigated as a matter of urgency.
In a statement, the company said: "I am very sorry for the unacceptable delay in resolving the error on Mrs Bartle's account, and the distress this has caused.
"We are putting the error right as a matter of urgency and are offering a gesture of goodwill."
Mrs Lowe said: "We've no idea what this gesture of goodwill is.
"British Gas is a big name. We thought we could rely on them.
"My family have been loyal British Gas customers for years, but I am looking to change my supplier as soon as this gets resolved."
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