I HAVE campaigned against door-to-door money lenders and will continue to do so.

They target poorer areas, encourage debt and charge outrageously high interest rates but the activity of utility companies is almost as bad.

Yesterday a representative from one called to say he could save me money if I switched to a certain price protection scheme.

I asked why I wasn’t being offered the cheaper “social tariff” and was told it’s not advertised as too many people would apply for it.

I got a similar comment from another supplier in Morrisons two months ago.

Governments argue that competition between these companies is the best way to keep energy costs down, but anecdotal evidence is the opposite.

Utility companies already make massive profits and they’re about to increase prices again.

Their mis-selling is worse than the banks. Half the people persuaded to switch suppliers get a worse deal.

Tom Hodgson, Darlington.