I am one of those little old ladies who, stupidly, decided to change from Seeboard to British Gas for electricity after being harassed in a supermarket by gas salespersons.

For the next 18 months or so, I was driven to distraction by the incompetence of British Gas, a company that had little idea of what it was supposed to be doing.

During that time, I received nine different bills, ranging from £19.74 to £338.26, whereas with Seeboard none of my accounts ever went above £50 a quarter.

I was accused of non-payment and had to make numerous phone calls to offices in Birmingham, Southampton and Leeds and, each time, was asked to go through the whole story because I was never able to speak to the same person twice - all this at my expense during daytime hours.

In the end, I put the matter in the hands of Ofgen (now Energywatch) and within about four months it was sorted out.

But never again would I allow anyone to pressurise me into changing banks, gas, electricty or telephone company, for it is a nightmare one would not want to go through twice. J W Jurer has my utmost sympathy.

-Sheila Kent, West Drive, Brighton