European firm dismisses staff over scams

- Rogue gas and electric salesmen from Southern Electric have been slammed by a consumer group for telling outrageous lies to get contracts.

Consumer group energywatch has received hundreds of complaints from across the south east, including Surrey.

Tricks used have included saying: "I am from the regulator, you need to sign here"; and "Your electricity is being taken from France, which is costing you more."

Jean Shanks, energywatch's London and South East director, said: "Some salesmen have even duped pensioners."

And she claimed a few unscrupulous salesmen had actually become aggressive when their bogus claims were questioned.

Shanks said one Surrey householder said he was shaking with fear after a brush with a Southern Electric salesman. energywatch is to ask Ofcom to take action against the firm. "Consumers need to be protected from these unscrupulous salesmen. "So we have passed our evidence to the regulator, Ofgem," said Ms. Shanks. "We wouldn't want it to be suggested that the actions that are highlighted are typical and that as a company we tolerate them, because we do not," A spokesman for Southern Electric said. "We acknowledge that we have had a problem with a small minority of our sales staff," he added. "We have obviously acted to root them out." Southern Electric had "no hesitation" in dismissing such staff, the spokesman said. He added the 370 complaints registered from June to December 2003 should be seen in the context of 200,000 customers who had joined the Scottish and Southern Energy Group over that period.

"Most people switching to Southern Electric can save money," he added. "Nobody wants to stifle competition."

"There is this small minority of sales staff out there who are making it seem much more disreputable than the process really is."