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MONEY COMMENT
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Yesterday evening at about 7.20pm, I was in the middle of watching the news when the doorbell rang. It was a young man who, very cheerily, said: "Hello. How are you?" It wasn't his fault I got cross immediately. But, considering I'd never seen him before in my life, I thought he was being a bit familiar with me and, besides, only door-to-door salesmen speak to me as if I'm their New Best Friend when I open the door. And I don't like sales people bothering me during the evening at home. Sure enough, he asked me which energy company I was with. I answered politely but when he followed up with a question about when I had last switched companies, I told him it was none of his business. "Very true," he said. Then he grinned at me and toddled off to the house next door. I know he was only doing his job and I'm sure he's a very nice man. And I also know it's a good idea to regularly check whether other gas and electricity suppliers are offering cheaper deals. But last year, the consumer watchdog, Energywatch, received a staggering 12,000 complaints about gas and electricity mis-selling, many of them from people who had either had their signature forged by sales staff or who had been persuaded to sign bits of paper on the door-step without realising they were actually signing a contract to switch suppliers. Still, it was amusing that he called on the very day that the Association of Energy suppliers launched a new Code of Practice to cover just this sort of eventuality. Compensation will be payable to those adversely affected by dodgy salesman and an independent panel will be set up to ensure suppliers adhere to the Code. To be honest, Energywatch isn't sure this kind of self-regulation is going to work but they're prepared to wait and see what happens over the next six months. At any rate, if you're thinking about switching suppliers, make sure you choose from the list of those who've signed up to the Code: Atlantic Electric and Gas, British Gas, LE Group, npower, Powergen, Scottish and Southern Energy, and Scottish Power.