Householders complain about aggressive telemarketers pressuring them to switch energy retailers

HOUSEHOLDERS have complained of being pestered by as many as four calls an hour from aggressive telemarketers pressuring them to switch energy retailers.

HOUSEHOLDERS have complained of being pestered by as many as four calls an hour from aggressive telemarketers pressuring them to switch energy retailers.

Victoria’s energy ombudsman has now reported concerns about underhand sales techniques to the nation’s consumer watchdog.

Energy and Water Ombudsman Victoria Cynthia Gebert said some agents working on behalf of some smaller electricity and gas retailers had resorted to rogue methods.

Distressed customers have complained of being badgered by excessive calls and being tricked into changing retailers.

Some complained of being called four times an hour and being harassed by landline and by mobile, and said “do not call” requests were ignored.

Energy giants Origin, EnergyAustralia and AGL abandoned door-to-door marketing five years ago. Picture: Thinkstock

Others spoke of doorknockers giving misleading information and of trouble trying to cancel transfers within contract cooling-off periods.

“Our recent work has highlighted several systemic issues related to energy marketing practices,” Ms Gebert said.

“The issues have arisen in both door-to-door and telephone sales. Customers were complaining of misleading and high-pressure sales tactics and of the transfer of their account to a different energy retailer without their consent.”

Several sales agents have been sacked or retrained as a result of investigations.

Ms Gebert has written to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission regarding the concerns.

Her office handled 576 “transfer without consent” cases last financial year, up by 88 per cent on the year before.

Marketing complaints, which typically relate to misleading or pressure sales, climbed 10 per cent to 573.

The Herald Sun recently revealed how door-to-door sales pests were preying on elderly Victorians, having been trained to look out for “roses, ramps and rails” at homes.

Though the industry says unscrupulous behaviour is limited, critics of doorknocking and telemarketing argue that sales staff desperate to earn commissions can be tempted to stoop to dodgy tactics.

Energy giants Origin, EnergyAustralia and AGL abandoned door-to-door marketing five years ago.

The ACCC has previously taken legal action over unethical doorknockers, leading to millions of dollars in penalties.

The energy ombudsman does not publicly identify the retailers it investigates.

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@KarenCollierHS