Utilities billing company Arms Ltd has filed a counter protest against a Mellieha resident, repudiating his accusation of "gross negligence" after it cut off his power supply.

Resident Jason Vella had filed a judicial protest last August after receiving the final notice for payment of bills that were subject to arbitration proceedings.

Mr Vella had complained that his electricity supply had been cut despite an agreement to pay off outstanding bills over a period of time. However, the firm’s legal department initiated arbitration proceedings against him to pay the bills totalling in the region of €2,000.

While the arbitration proceedings were still pending, the company cut off his power supply in July including electricity to the common area of an apartment block, leaving him and his neighbours with no electricity to operate the lift.

Arms Ltd said that Mr Vella had seven outstanding bills and had entered into an agreement for the repayment of three of them - however, these had not been paid by the agreed date. It denied Mr Vella's assertion that the company was asking him to pay twice the amount due, pointing out that it had reduced the claim from €7,668 to €4,185.

Arms said that it was legally entitled to cut off the electricity supply if a consumer's bill remained unpaid 14 days after being notified. It was Mr Vella's responsibility to avoid allowing the matter to escalate and the company should not be put into a bad light as a result of his inaction.