SSE fined for doorstep mis-selling - 08/05/2012

Energy supplier SSE has been handed a £1.25 million fine for poor marketing practices in its doorstep selling operations.

The penalty was issued by Guildford Crown Court after the firm was found guilty of supplying its representatives with a misleading script in order to encourage people to switch energy provider.

SSE indicated it will not pursue its option to challenge the fine and will pay it in full, after its appeal against the verdict failed earlier this year.

Director of sales, marketing and energy services at SSE Stephen Forbes said: "We accept that a company of SSE's standing and with SSE's values should not have found itself in this position and we are very sorry that it did."

He added the firm has "transformed" its sales strategies in the three years since the case began and customers should now have full trust in its products and services.

Since SSE was originally found guilty, five of the Big Six energy suppliers have suspended or permanently ended their doorstep sales practices, leaving E.ON as the only major provider still doing this.

Audrey Gallacher, director of energy at Consumer Focus, said the fine sends a strong message to the energy industry that it must offer customers a fair deal and put consumer protection at the heart of their sales methods.

"It is positive that since this case started most energy firms have ended cold-call sales on the doorstep. Poor practices like this are unacceptable and drag the reputation of the energy industry further through the mud," she said.

Ms Gallacher added anyone who feels they have lost out as a result of SSE's mis-selling should seek compensation under the firm's sales guarantee, which promises reparations to any customers who switched to the company as the result of inaccurate or misleading information.

She also called on E.ON to put an end to the "distrusted" sales practice.

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