IF YOU thought that the era of the high-pressure doorstep sales technique had come to an end with the demise this week of the encyclopaedia salesman, think again.

For, it seems, the "hard sell" is alive and well in East Lancashire as rival companies vie with each other to sign up households as the market for gas supply is thrown open to competition.

There is no doubt that competition works for the benefit of the consumer. And this newspaper has been a long-time advocate of the smashing of the privatised utilities' monopolies. Proof of the benefits is seen in the eagerness of the new and old gas firms to outdo each other in the battle for customers.

But, as complaints pour in to trading standards officials about the methods of some salesmen, it is plain that customers should match their eagerness with caution.

For while you may want the best deal, their yardstick, remember, is the best profit for their company and themselves.

And if there is any substance in the reports of independent brokers who have entered the fray demanding fees of £30 to secure the best deal for customers, of scare tactics whereby householders are told they may be cut off if they do not sign up, our advice is to employ the utmost caution - of slamming the door on them.

The consumers' best approach to this new market is to sign nothing without reading the small print and comparing all the offers with each other, with an eye to achieving the best deal over the longest term.

And if you find firms are going over the top in the bid for your business, report them to the trading standards department and to Ofgas, the industry regulator, so that heat is put on them, not you.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.