British Gas named worst offender for nuisance calls

British Gas makes more marketing calls from a single number than any other company in the UK, according to a survey commissioned by the Sunday Telegraph.

The energy company made almost 7,000 calls to 900 out of 20,000 households surveyed over the past twelve months. If replicated across the country, that suggests it calls 4.1 million homes each year.

Domestic emergency service firm Homeserve, which has affinity partnerships with the majority of UK water companies, was also singled out for nuisance calls.

Conservative MP Alun Cairns told the Sunday Telegraph: “Certain groups of people, particularly the elderly who may be at home all day, will not answer their telephone unless they recognise the number because they are so concerned about nuisance calls. Some people tell me that they are getting five or six of these sorts of calls every day.

“And when these calls are silent that causes real concern for the elderly, whose first thought may be that it is someone they know who is in trouble and can’t speak or that it is someone out to frighten and intimidate them. This simply cannot be allowed to continue.”

British Gas denied making unsolicited calls. A spokesman said: “This is a highly regulated area and we take our obligations extremely seriously. When we do call customers it is always with their permission or when we have undertaken all relevant checks to confirm consent.

“We uphold the highest standards of customer service and when calling it is to offer people information on products and services that may save them money or offer peace-of-mind, such as boiler care.”