AN electricity company has been told to improve its selling techniques following a number of complaints from customers.

npower has been forced to take action after receiving a rebuke from gas and electricity watchdog Ofgem. Figures show that from November last year to January this year, npower received more complaints about direct selling than any other electricity supplier.

One of the main sources of complaints involves people who are signed up to npower over the telephone.

Steve Kappel, who lives in Darlington, says it has taken him six months to cancel his agreement with npower after just one telephone call resulted in the company signing him up.

"The bills are in my name, even though npower signed us up after one phone call to my partner," he said.

"I tried to cancel the agreement but it has taken me this long to change back to my original supplier."

A spokesman for Ofgem said they had received a number of complaints about the selling practices of npower but had now secured an undertaking from the company to improve the procedures.

He said that if anyone has a problem with either their electricity or gas supplier, they should contact Energy Watch on 0800 887777.

A spokeswoman for npower said: "We had a problem with complaints, but have been working with Ofgem and the number of complaints have now gone down."