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"Consumers found trapped in"reversal"transactions in the long term on the basis of anything else that alleged letter, are right to be angry," says Audrey Gallacher, head of the energy policy to the consumer focus. "It is not clear that termination fees are fair, or are clearly explained." She said that in some cases they could even resists to legal review.

BT, British Gas, EDF Energy, Scottish Power are a few companies using these methods, and customers often pay more than 60 books to liberate themselves from trafficking in desired and often expensive.

Practice putting contracts has been banned for small business clients but regulators are not passed to protect ordinary household against the same dangers, despite the watchdog letters and repeated warnings that spreads the practice.

Four million clients who signed fixed rate deals with several years ago energy companies may find on these contracts turning, while BT landline customers fall also coarse them.

Generally, when the current customer's agreement is close to its end, the company will be email or write to them, explaining that they are not required to do something and that they will be placed on a fixed unless they ask explicitly something else new.

However, much of this contact takes place by e-mail, which can easily end up junk mailbox a client, while the rest can easily be missed if you are not at the wrong time or fail to notice small print in a letter.

In most cases, clients receive a month to amend their contract, and if they do not in this period they cannot get out of it without charge penalties for an entire year.The undertakings concerned insist on the fact it is quite fair, despite the fact that it is easy to miss an email or to reject a contract renewal letter where the existence of termination payments is mentioned only in small characters.

Regulatory agencies, however, does not necessarily acceptent.Un obliges electricity regulator's spokesperson said that "noted concerns" on these contracts and the practice of the automatic rollover contract.

"Specifically, [we are concerned] the level of transparency of terms and conditions and the consequences for clients if they do not fully understand" she says. OFGEM plans to consult on if automatic transfers to domestic energy retail customers should be restricted in some way.

OFCOM regulates the telecommunications industry said he had concerns about BT contracts.He has already forced the former state provider to reduce termination of ￡ 7.50 per month costs ￡ 2.50 by mois.Toutefois, this Cup is not effective until the end of this month, so clients reeling from her most recent rising prices and who wish to spend somewhere cheaper are still being charged up to 90 pounds.

"BT are the only ones to do and we're not too impressed," said a spokesman for OFCOM.

Ms. Gallacher consumption activity said she feared enterprises more, would eventually presenting contracts, unless the regulatory bodies sorted the problem. ""If these companies with impunity they all begin do," she says.

British Gas, which charges customers ￡ 35 per fuel if they switch away from their new agreement fixed price outside of the 30 day period stipulated, said that his clients loved their contracts because capotés. ""Our customers expect to be placed on another contract term," said a spokesman. "Communicate with everyone, and we give them the best rate at the time.?

BT said that provided customers a better service to its provider charges currently concurrents.Le ￡ 7.50 per month for regular clients who want to spend their standard call plan night Unlimited and weekend, a contract of 12 months as it rolls automatically.

Company recently raised its prices, which means that people who are looking to avoid the increase in prices have been hit with more costs they waited.

"Renewable contracts are standard of many services such as subscriptions to journals, insurance breakdown of the voiture.Nos customer data are clearly both verbally and in writing of the nature of their contract and what it means in exchange for benefits they receive to the command," said a spokesman.

Scottish Power, which collects a fee of ￡ 50 exit if clients fail to opt out of their flat rate tariff and get rolled into another, said that he wrote to customers twice before to the new agreement.

EDF, which also cost ￡ 50 termination fee unless you pass in the appropriate 28-day period before you find yourself automatically on another contract, also said its customers liked fixed price fares and had an appropriate notice period.

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