We're bombarded by invitations to change our gas/electricity supplier. Why

A.� British Gas lost its monopoly on supplying gas in 1996, and the 14 regional electricity boards monopolies were broken up in 1999.�That means any company can now supply gas and electricity to your home -�or both.�More than�30 different energy companies now compete for our business.

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A.� A recent survey found that over 12 million of us have changed.�That might sound a lot, but there are millions more households which haven't, which is why the competition is still so fierce.

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A.� Yes you can. Industry watchdogs estimate that an average household could save �100-125 per year�by shopping around�for the best deal.

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A. There are various reasons. The first is good old-fashioned apathy -�those who just can't be bothered or haven't the time to research the best deal, fill in the forms etc.

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However, a recent survey suggested that�the biggest factors were a belief that�the process will be complicated -�which it shouldn't be -�and a fear that it�involves work on the pipes and cables, which it doesn't.

The confusion is not that surprising. With 30-odd different suppliers all claiming to have the best deal, it is no wonder people find the whole thing baffling or off-putting.

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There has also been some bad publicity surrounding the companies and their methods. There have been well-documented cases of strong-arm tactics by salesmen, including people who unwittingly signed up to switch when they thought they had agreed simply to receive more information. The government's Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has been forced to step in and tell the industry to clean up its act.

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A.� On average it shouldn't take more than 15-20 minutes to sign up to a new supplier, be it by filling in a form or over the telephone. Once that process has been completed the new supplier will contact the old supplier and the change should take place within around four weeks.

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There is no need for new meters, wiring, pipes etc. To find the best deal, there are now websites where you key in your postcode and current annual bill and are then told of the cheapest supplier in your area. The process only takes a couple of minutes. Try www.uSwitch.com�or www.unravelit.com.

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