Sales practice
Key Facts
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In 2003 a Code of Practice for Face-to-Face
Marketing of Energy Supply (the Code) was established to
ensure every company operates honest and independently-audited doorstep
selling practices
In 2003 the EnergySure Scheme was also established
which sets our standards for the recruitment, training and assessment
of every sales agent.
Since then, there’s been 90% decrease in complaints on sales
practice
12 million houses are called on every year and this has resulted in
half the population switching their energy supplier |
ERA Position
The introduction of the Code and the EnergySure
Scheme has delivered major improvements in doorstep selling practices
in the last two years. The industry is working hard to stamp out all rogue
traders while encouraging best practice and high standards in energy selling
practices.
Background Information
Read the Code
• About the
Code
• Governance and Administration
of the Code
o The AES Board
o The Code Manager
o The Code Panel
o The Code Auditor
• Delivering
and monitoring compliance with the Code
• Breaches of the Code
• Read about the EnergySure
Scheme
• Contact the Code Manager
What are others saying?
“The industry has made significant steps towards
preventing unfair marketing activities and it is possibly only a matter
of time before self regulation provides a viable alternative to the marketing
conditions”.
Ofgem, January 2006
“A number of initiatives have been launched over the last few years
to address the problem [of mis-selling] including the introduction of
the EnergySure scheme, the Association of Energy Suppliers Code of Practice
and new powers for Ofgem to fine suppliers for non-compliance with licence
conditions. These measures in combination appear to be meeting with some
success.”
Office of Fair Trading, Doorstep Selling: A report on the market
study, May 2004
“The energy sector has been plagued with complaints about doorstep
salesman since companies were first allowed to sell energy anywhere in
the country. Research by the OFT estimates that that energy salesmen are
one of the most common doorstep callers and doorstep sales are worth around
£1.2 billion to the energy industry per year.
Energywatch, July 2004
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