Hotline and "No cold calling zones" to tackle energy mis-selling

FOUR ENERGY COMPANIES are to be investigated amid claims of mis-selling to customers, the regulator Ofgem has announced. Npower, Scottish Power, Scottish and Southern Energy, and EDF Energy all face questions over tactics used on door-to-door sales according to the BBC.

Research carried out by Ofgem indicates that many who switched suppliers following doorstep sales ended up on a more expensive tariff because they were misled, or found it too difficult to compare bills.

A Hotline has now been set up with Consumer Direct for consumers to provide any evidence of mis-selling. The hotline will be available on the standard Consumer Direct number 08454 04 05 06 (when dialing this number customers should choose option 1) and Ofgem will review any evidence of misselling of energy contracts which Consumer Direct passes on.

A leaflet is also available with practical information and advice for consumers on the Ofgem website.

However, perhaps one solution is to deter door-to-door sales in the first place - unless we specifically invite them.

The purpose of ‘No Cold Calling Zones’ is for residents in a particular area to actively discourage unwelcome visits to their homes by traders who ‘cold call’ looking for business. The majority of people do not want traders calling un-announced and are usually able to contact traders when they need work doing.

The scheme works by the residents involved putting up signs in their area (like the one pictured in Preston) and/or notices on their doors. All the residents in a street or cul-de-sac need to be involved and willing to display the notices and not open their doors to, or buy from, cold callers and to double-check the identities of expected callers. They need the confidence to tell cold callers to leave as the area is a no cold calling zone.

For a scheme to be successful then it would need to be established with the support of local police, council, Neighbourhood Watch Group or Residents Association where these exist.

More information is available from the Trading Standards Institute in their No Cold Calling Handbook