Investigation into SSE's compliance with SLC 23 (notification of principal terms) and SLC 25 (marketing and telesales activities)
Investigation
- Open
- Decision proposed
- Closed
Publication date
Closed date
Company
Decision
The Gas and Electricity Markets Authority ("the Authority") has confirmed its decision to impose a financial penalty on SSE for its failure to comply with SLC 23 with respect to proper notification of principal terms and SLC 25 with respect to marketing and telesales activities.
The Authority found that for varying periods between October 2009 and September 2012, SSE committed various contraventions of SLC 23 (Notification of Domestic Supply Contract Terms) and SLC 25 (Marketing Gas/Electricity to Domestic Customers).
The contraventions which have been found include: The use of misleading scripts by both external telesales agents and doorstep sales agents; Failure adequately to monitor and audit the sales activities of external and in-house telesales agents, doorstep sales agents, and venue sales agents; and Failure sufficiently to ensure and control the provision of accurate estimates and comparisons to customers, and to have regard to all relevant information when arriving at a "best estimate" of a customers’ annual consumption.
The Authority considered it appropriate to impose a financial penalty for these contraventions. The Authority decided to impose a financial penalty of £10.5 million on SSE.
Further details can be found in the final penalty notice.