He was armed with an official looking list of names and addresses (electoral role i guess), with some of his writing on some rows. He knew my name, and said if his two reference numbers for me matched the numbers on my power bill I would qualify for a price reduction. He pointed to the list (where he had written on it) and said he’d just saved several of my neighbours money.

During his entire pitch I didn’t say a word (he didn’t give me a chance), even when he started to talk himself out of a sale. I told him I’m in rented accomodation so I didn’t have the authority to change supplier (not strictly true, and he should have handled that objection!). He admitted defeat and knocked on my neighbours door.