A mum says she is spending three nights a week charging her daughter’s electric car because a requested top-up point has been out of action since it was installed.

Teresa Philbin, of Balmer Close, Rainham, fought for more than a year for a charging station to be fitted to her daughter Amie Jenkins’ parking space in nearby Birling Avenue.

In April last year, the 53-year-old told her 30-year-old daughter’s landlord, mhs homes, she would be getting an electric car and asked for the fitting of an electrical supply.

She explained Amie was in full-time care for multiple physical and mental health conditions, including severe learning difficulties and autism, and had a disabled spot at her disposal.

Amie is unable to drive with her carers using the car to take her out instead.

Though the company denied a private installation it did say it would work to place a communal one which her daughter and other residents could use.

But come September when the car was to be collected, no port had been installed and no explanation into the delay given.

With no further light on the subject, Teresa was forced to collect the car on March 27 and after explaining this to mhs, work began on the charging station which was installed the same day.

But Teresa’s trouble is far from over as due to a software issue, the port does not take payments nor charge the car.

She said: “I have to take it to Tesco three times a week and charge it there.

“It takes me about an hour to get the car take it to the charger and walk home and then I have to wait three hours for it to charge before doing that trip again. It’s part of my life now.”

Teresa has named herself the ‘charging tooth fairy’ as she does this for her daughter after she goes to bed.

She continued: “With Amie you have to keep it a secret. Before she goes to bed she will check out the window to make sure the car is safe.

“She has seen me take it a few times and her behaviour changes. She scratches herself when she’s stressed.

“Amie’s carers would usually text me when she has gone to bed which is around 9pm.

“I take the car to Tesco to use the charger and let the security guards know it will be there longer than the allotted three-hour limit.

“By the time I am home from bringing the car back it is usually gone midnight.”

Since the installation of the charging point, Teresa has heard no update on when it will be fully working – the only indicator was after making a formal complaint in December she was informed the process was delayed.

She said: “I was ringing twice a week but I’m bored now as they keep saying it is with their complaints department.

It’s part of my life now. I’m going to start calling myself the charging tooth fairy

Teresa is desperate for the station to be working, not just for the convenience but for her safety.

She continued: “I am worried walking the streets on my own at night.

“On the occasion when my son is here he’ll come with me as I collect the car and follow me about but most of the time I’m alone.”

mhs homes’ executive director of assets and development, Gemma Hancock, said.“We installed the charging point a month ago but unfortunately there have been delays with a third-party contractor fitting the payment unit.

“We understand the problems this is causing for Mrs Philbin and her daughter and we’re working alongside the contractor to get things resolved as soon as possible. In the meantime, we’re doing what we can to support them including offering the use of the charging points at our offices for free.

Teresa claims the offer to use the office points hasn’t been received.

Despite the issues, she says changing to an electric car has had huge benefits.

She said: “We made it as both an ethical choice but also as it would allow Amie to have access to the community for a cheaper rate.

“She loves her new car mainly because it is so quiet. Her last car she wouldn’t get in because of the noise, I think it was a sensory overload but this one she gets in straight away.”