Mario's super power bill is a real shocker

The 68-year-old, who doesn’t even have a TV, says his account went from £1,418 in credit to £2,162 in arrears – a switch of £3,500 – in less than two months.

Energy giant Npower has now promised to investigate his “apparently high energy use” after Mario turned to the Post for help.

“It’s astonishing,” he said at home in St Paul’s Square, Preston. “How can I have used all that? I’ve checked my meter over the past week and I’m only using about five units a day, if that, at 16p each. At that rate it would take me 12 years to run up a bill like that.”

Mario’s latest electricity statement is even more shocking as he lives abroad up to six months a year. “I don’t have a TV, or a washing machine, or a dryer, or things like that. I only use an electric kettle to make a hot drink. I’ve now found out I’ve been on the highest tariff for years and not once have they offered me a lower one.

“Since 2011 I’ve been paying more every month than they told me to. In January I got a bill saying I was £1,400 in credit, then at the end of February they said I was £2,160 in debt. So that’s £3,500 I’ve supposedly used in two months.”

An Npower spokesperson said: “We’re keen to resolve this as quickly as possible and we’re currently looking into what has caused this apparently high energy use.”