PN: No option but to continue with class action lawsuit over utility bills

The Nationalist Party will continue with its class action lawsuit against government on overcharged utility bills after Labour Party MPs voted against a motion filed by the party on electricity and water bills.

During a press conference on Tuesday, the party's energy spokesperson Mark Anthony Sammut said that the PN's motion was government's last chance to do justice for people who were overcharged on their electricity and water bills.

He said that government had admitted that people were being charged, yet still refused to explain why they voted against the private member's motion.

Members of the Nationalist Party filed a private member’s motion on Monday to amend a legal notice concerning the overbilling of water and electricity.

Earlier this year, Energy Minister Miriam Dalli announced a new utility billing system to correct an anomaly that saw some consumers paying at the higher bands despite a yearly allocation of cheap units.

The legal changes were announced in October, but the notice specified that the rules will apply retrospectively to 1 January 2022.

The Nationalist Party filed this motion arguing that the rules should be backdated to 2014, which is when the original billing system was introduced.

Those interested in being part of the class action lawsuit can register their interest on kontijiet.com or can present their information to Dar Ċentrali by Friday 9 December.