Mother Christina-Anna Clarke is warning of the dangers of door-to-door salesmen after her daughter mistakenly signed a contract changing their energy suppliers (Oct 10).

She says her daughter Rachel, 18, believed she was signing an agreement to receive more information about the offers available, but unknowingly signed a contract to change suppliers.

Mrs Clarke, a 47-year-old facilities manager, of Bay Tree Close, Loudwater, High Wycombe, fears some door-to-door gas and electricity salesmen could be failing to fully inform customers.

Her daughter, Rachel, 18, who lives in a flat owned by her parents, in Rectory Avenue, High Wycombe, said she signed a form in August believing it was for more information on changing from British Gas.

Rachel said: "I was in the front room having a hair cut. My friend answered the door and it was a salesman asking if we would be interested in receiving information on changing our gas suppliers.

"He wanted me to sign something so somebody could then give me a ring. So I signed it, but I wasn't told I was signing a contract."

Rachel's mum discovered the gas and electricity suppliers to the property had been swapped to SEEBOARD Electricity and Beacon Gas, without her knowledge, when they received a final bill from British Gas.

She said: "I worry about elderly and people who are more vulnerable to door-to-door salesmen because they will not know what they have signed and will just carry on paying. It's just not right and people should be aware of this kind of sales technique. SEEBOARD must take responsibility for the agents they are using."

A spokesman representing the two companies said that after receiving the complaint they immediately transferred the account back to the original suppliers while they investigated the allegation.

He added that the company is regularly audited by speaking to customers and that SEEBOARD pays great regard to the protection of its good name and reputation. He also said the salesman in the case has now left the company.

The trading standards department issued a warning in May about some gas and electricity suppliers using less than scrupulous tactics to encourage people to change suppliers, although no single company was mentioned in the warning.

Terry Carter, from Buckinghamshire Trading Standards, advised: "Do not sign anything that has been brought round by a salesman unless you have been given time to read it."