'Cowboy Selling' of energy a growing problem says MP

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 28th Aug 2002

MP Vincent Cable reports a growing number of cases of residents infuriated by their treatment at the hands of the competing suppliers of gas and electricity.

This reflects national trends where complaints have gone up by over 10% in the last year and where companies like Seeboard (which also trades as Beacon Gas) and NPower (also called Independent Energy) lead the league tables for complaints arising during transfers.

Vincent Cable said: "There is a lot of cowboy selling going on. I have had to raise several, appalling, cases with Ann Robinson who heads up the consumer watchdog, Energywatch."

Ms H of Richmond Road switched to NPower from Seeboard on promise of cheaper power. She received a bill for two months in the earlier part of this year of £848 (for a one-bedroom bungalow). Many times Seeboard's bills. When she disputed the charges and tried to change suppliers NPower prevented this happening until it was paid in full, a practice called 'debt blocking'.

Ms M of Kingston Road, Teddington, found that her gas was transferred from British Gas to Beacon without her knowledge and permission and was then sent a bill followed up by threats from a debt collector.

Mr Shaw of St James Avenue, Hampton Hill, transferred his electricity from Seeboard to NPower (Independent Energy) but then found that Seeboard had mistakenly welcomed him back and both companies sent him bills. Faced with an inability by the two companies to sort out the confusion he transferred to a third company (Ameda) but Seeboard blocked the transfer and sent more bills. The correspondence sorting out the mess has now gone on for two years.

Vincent Cable said that: "when I involve the top people in the company these problems can be sorted out, with apologies given, but members of the public should not have to put up with the hassles and aggravation to which they are being subjected. The cases I have taken up are just the tip of a large iceberg. There need to be stricter obligations to meet far higher standards of performance".