ScottishPower will stop proactive sales for 12 days from today (4 March), until 15 March, over its failure to to meet Ofgem's target to clear all outstanding Ombudsman decisions in relation to consumer complaints.

Customers with outstanding Ombudsman complaints will continue to receive free energy until the issues have been resolved, it has been confirmed.

In November, Ofgem launched an investigation into ScottishPower's treatment of customers. Customers were found to be experiencing long call waiting times and receiving late bills, while the firm was not implementing Ombudsman decisions.

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ScottishPower also signed up to three Ofgem targets to improve customer service within three months or suspend proactive sales activities until the targets were met. It has failed to reach the target to remove the backlog for acting on Ombudsman decisions for individual complaints by the end of November. As a result, it cannot engage in "proactive sales" for the next 12 days.

Sarah Harrison, Ofgem's senior partner in charge of enforcement, said: "A sales ban illustrates the difficulties ScottishPower is having in delivering the levels of service customers deserve. While Ofgem's targets have driven significant improvements in ScottishPower's performance, we remain very concerned about how customers are being treated."

ScottishPower has said it is "committed to delivering the best service possible and treating our customers fairly."

(CD/JP)