Cold-calling should be stopped completely - 13/07/2011
Cold-calling techniques used by energy suppliers do not allow customers to compare energy deals in an informed way.
This is the opinion of Gillian Guy, chief executive of Citizens Advice, who welcomed Scottish and Southern Energy's announcement that it has suspended all doorstepping sales with immediate effect.
However, she said, there should be an end to all cold-calling, which includes unsolicited phone calls too.
"Consumers increasingly need a market where they can make informed choices and find suppliers that offer them the best deal," she pointed out.
"But CAB has plenty of evidence to show that doorstep fuel selling often leaves people in debt and confused by a system of double billing or money transfers they haven't agreed to."
Ms Guy noted that many doorstep salespeople are driven by commission and sometimes resort to "aggressive" techniques to make a sale.
Customers who are worried about their bills could turn instead to an impartial energy comparison site in the comfort of their own home and select a tariff that works best for them.
If you want to find out more about switching energy suppliers and how you could save up to £453 in minutes, click here.
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