A SANDWICH shop worker was stunned to receive a demand for £72 million in rent arrears for her Sheffield council house – equivalent to almost 66,000 years of payments.
Cathy Archer, of Cawdor Road, Arbourthorne, could not clear the debt in her lifetime with the meagre earnings from her part-time job at a shop on The Moor.
And she would have to win the jackpot almost 100 times on an online bingo game she plays to repay the staggering sum.
Housing management company Sheffield Homes today confirmed the letter had been sent in error and apologised for the blunder.
Mum-of-one Cathy, who is supposed to pay £21-a-week in rent for her end-terrace house, said she was told by officials she actually owes just £35.
The 39-year-old said: "When I received the demand, I just felt like collapsing.
"It didn't register to start with, I was in total shock. I wondered how I could possibly owe them so much."
Cathy's rent totals £1,092 annually, meaning her supposed arrears were equivalent to 65,934 years of payments.
She added: "After receiving the letter, I phoned Sheffield Homes and the bloke who answered couldn't stop laughing. I said I'd have to come back in the next life to pay it all back.
"I only work 16 hours a week and half my earnings go straight out on council tax and rent – there's not much left over to even begin to clear a debt like that.
Dean Peaker of Sheffield Homes said: "We would like to apologise to Miss Archer for this administrative error and any upset it may have caused.
"Mistakes like this happen extremely rarely."
What do you think? Add your comment below.READ MOREBack to main news index.Latest video reportsTraffic and travel information.Check out the jams on Sheffield's traffic cameras.Today's features.Books of condolence.Pictures.More Barnsley news.More Rotherham news.More Doncaster news.The full article contains 335 words and appears in Sheffield Star newspaper.
