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| SSE fined record £10.5m by Ofgem | SSE fined record £10.5m by Ofgem |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Energy supplier SSE has been fined £10.5m by the regulator Ofgem for mis-selling gas and electricity. | Energy supplier SSE has been fined £10.5m by the regulator Ofgem for mis-selling gas and electricity. |
| The fine is the largest ever imposed on an energy supplier by Ofgem. | The fine is the largest ever imposed on an energy supplier by Ofgem. |
| Ofgem said SSE, formerly known as Scottish and Southern Energy, was guilty of management failures that led to "prolonged and extensive" mis-selling. | Ofgem said SSE, formerly known as Scottish and Southern Energy, was guilty of management failures that led to "prolonged and extensive" mis-selling. |
| The mis-selling relates to telephone, in-store and doorstep sales, the regulator said. | The mis-selling relates to telephone, in-store and doorstep sales, the regulator said. |
| It said customers contacted by SSE were exposed to misleading statements, inaccurate and misleading information on SSE's charges, and misleading comparisons between SSE's charges and costs of other suppliers. | |
| Some customers were told they would save money when in fact they were switched onto a more expensive contract. | |
| 'Clear message' | |
| "Ofgem's findings show SSE failed its customers, mis-sold to them and undermined trust in the energy supply industry," said Sarah Harrison, Ofgem's senior partner in charge of enforcement. | |
| "These failings did not just take place on the doorstep but also in the management of SSE. Ofgem's fine reflects an absence of effective management control over energy selling." | |
| She said the fine sent a "clear message" to energy suppliers who failed to treat customers fairly. | |
| It is the second of four mis-selling cases that were launched by Ofgem in 2010. | |
| In March 2012, EDF Energy agreed to pay £4.5m pounds to vulnerable customers following breaches to marketing rules. | |
| Investigations into Scottish Power and Npower are continuing. |