George Maclean was offered free electricity for 20 years if he allowed a firm to install a wind turbine in his garden.
He simply had to agree to return any excess energy, via the national grid, to the company which owned the mast.
But he was left with nowhere to turn after the device and both the installer and owner couldn’t be contacted.
George, 64, said: “I’m fed up. Instead of saving money, this has cost me a small fortune.
“The blades haven’t moved for the best part of a year.”
He and wife Fiona, 61, signed up with Xzeres Wind Europe in 2015 after spotting an advert in a smallholding magazine.
The ad stated: “Free electricity for 20 years, guaranteed. No hidden fees. No cost.”
George, of Achnasheen, Ross-shire, said: “We had land at the back of the house which was perfect for the turbine.”
They contacted Xzeres, based in Birmingham, and two reps visited to check the site.
George, a retired digger driver, said: “When the men turned up, they could hardly get out of the car because the wind was so strong. The turbine should have worked a treat.”
He later signed a lease with another firm, Gale Force Master Fund LP, based in the Cayman Islands, to site the structure on his land.
Dad-of-three George said: “I had to instruct a lawyer. It cost £3400 to set it all up.
“I’d never heard of Gale Force until that point but they were to pay me £1 a year in rent.
“Xzeres were to maintain the mast and rectify any damage.”
But the 10kW device burned out and had to be replaced in December 2015.
George said: “It appeared the higher the wind, the slower it ran. The whole time I was still paying for electricity. My bills halved but were still £50 a month.”
The blades were changed in November 2017 but he still had problems.
George said: “Xzeres admitted they’d used the wrong blades and would replace them again. This never happened.”
By December 2018, he was told to switch the turbine off as it had stopped generating.
He said: “Xzeres said it also needed an alternator. I was fuming. I then received an electricity bill, which was more than £1000 for six months.”
He last heard from Xzeres in February when it said it didn’t know when the parts would be available.
George said: “I’ve been in touch since but my messages have not been returned.”
Xzeres Wind, which has an HQ in Wilsonville, Oregon, did not respond despite repeated requests.
The Edinburgh law firm which acted for Gale Force Master Fund LP in setting up George’s lease said it didn’t comment on client activity.
An independent group set up to support Xzeres owners said it believed none of the Xzeres firms were actively trading. But it added that it was still possible to maintain and support turbines. I’m investigating that option for George.
I’d be keen to hear from any other readers having issues.
