Five Questions About: Lying energy firms

Who's been caught lying this week? One of the 'big six', I presume?

Yes. SSE was lambasted by energy watchdog Ofgem for misleading customers about the cost and attractiveness of their tariffs. The firm was fined £10.5m for mis-selling energy to around 20,000 people.

So are the other firms innocent?

Hardly. Last year EDF was fined £4.5m for mis-selling by the watchdog while it's still investigating Scottish Power, nPower and E.on. It won't be a surprise if there are further large fines announced.

What can I do about it?

Two things. if you're a victim of mis-selling by SSE you can claim money back from the firm. Call 0845 0707388 to make a claim. Second, you can do lots of things to hit its massive profits. You could switch to another firm and you could also cut your fuel bills.

How can I cut my bills?

The key way is to make your home more energy-efficient. Go to www.energysavingtrust.org.uk for a selection of ways to improve your home's efficiency.

What about other suppliers?

If you're fed up with the antics of the big six there are a number of alternative energy suppliers to whom you could switch. These include Co-operative Energy, First Utility and Ovo Energy as well as green suppliers Ecotricity and Good Energy.