Residents re-volt

There have been four complaints received by the government body Energywatch about salesman from Southern Electric in Lancing and West Sussex trading standards has received 15 about the same company over the last month.

One resident, John Tolhurst, of Third Avenue, said a salesman from Southern Electric had called at his house at about 4.30pm on Friday. "He kept on saying 'you are on a high tariff'. He seemed to invite himself in, over my door step. I'm kicking myself, because I allowed him to come in."

Mr Tolhurst said the salesman then asked for a copy of his electricity and gas bills, but he said they were upstairs and he did not want to leave him alone.

Mr Tolhurst said the salesman was in his house for only a few minutes, but he said he was worried that such sales tactics would intimidate old people living on their own.

He spoke to some of his neighbours and they had also had visits from Southern Electric salesman and they also felt worried.

A spokesman for West Sussex trading standards said they had received 15 complaints about Southern Electric salesmen and these had been referred to the watchdog Energywatch.

A spokesman for Energywatch, which regulates the industry, said it had received only four.

Southern Electric spokesman Sharon Miller McKenzie said the company would like to apologise to anyone who was not happy about a visit from one of its representatives. Mrs Miller McKenzie said representatives were trained to ask for existing electricity or gas bills and they needed to see them to ensure a smooth transition between their existing supplier and Southern Electric.

She said the company had the lowest number of complaints in the industry.