A BUSINESS owner has spoken out of his anger over the six months he had to wait before his property was connected to the electricity grid. 

Paul Etheridge owns Impact Ascents in Kirkby Stephen.

He and his family moved into the area and on October 6 Electricity North West confirmed that they would work on his electric supply, leaving time for the family to move in on November 1. 

The property was going to be used as a family home and the centre of his mountaineering expedition company.

The waiting game continued until March 7 when an electrician came to his property to dig a hole to access cables. Traffic lights and path diversions were put in place during a period of poor weather. 

On March 14, Mr Etheridge said he was emailed to say that the permit for the work had run out and the hole was filled in so the work could be done at a later date. 

He said while his neighbours were understanding, some of them were elderly and the work meant that they could not park their cars close to their homes.

Mr Etheridge went around apologising and said he wanted a letter sent by the energy company to his neighbours explaining what happened.  

READ MORE: Bupa to sell Kendal dental practice and others across the UK

At this point Mr Etheridge claimed he had paid £840 for the electrician, £3,450 to rent a flat 100 metres from his home, and £1,320 in lost wages for taking days off when work was promised but not done. 

Finally, on March 25 after the local MP Tim Farron raised the issue with the company, the work was done to hook up his house to the grid. 

Mr Etheridge said that it had upended his family's life, who had enjoyed living in their previous house.

"I am very angry, and my family are angry. Had I known it was six months I would have extended the rent, I couldn't go back. We should have been in our beautiful home instead we were in a one-bedroom flat," he said.

A spokesperson for Electricity North West said: “While this was a particularly complex job involving both overhead lines and underground cable teams, we have spoken with Mr Etheridge to apologise for the delays and have already reimbursed him close to £2,500." 

The company said it would continue to speak to Mr Etheridge once the work was completed.