CONCERNED Weymouth residents are demanding answers from an energy company after it revealed private banking details to the wrong people.

Karen and Rod Wallace, of Avocet Close, Wyke Regis, were concerned to receive a letter from Marks & Spencer’s subsidiary power company M&S Energy, thanking them for transferring their gas and electricity.

After several enquiries Mrs Wallace discovered that the note was meant for David and Jetta Clark of Avocet Close in Chickerell, who had decided to make the switch.

Of greater concern to the couples, however, was the fact that Karen was given the Clarks’ bank details by the company over the phone even after identifying herself.

Karen said that when she first contacted M&S Energy to notify them of their mistake, she was told that written permission had been given by her husband to switch suppliers.

She said: “I told them there was no way that was right because he wouldn’t do that without talking to me about it first.

“I then asked if they could check which bank account the money would come from and I was given the account holder’s name and all of their details.

“I told the girl I was speaking to that she had crossed data protection laws.”

She added: “I think it’s really bad that I’ve got these other people’s bank details without being asked any security questions first.”

David and Jetta Clark said they signed paperwork authorising the transfer of their energy supply to M&S Energy, which works in partnership with Scottish and Southern Energy, in March.

Since then the couple have received letters from the company marked with the Wallaces’ Wyke Regis post code and are still awaiting written confirmation of their direct debit authorisation.

David said: “We’ve called the company at least three times, first confirming our account details, then explaining that they’ve got the wrong post code.

“The last time I called I was assured that it had definitely been changed but Karen is obviously still getting our mail.”

He added: “It’s not good at all if she was able to get hold of our bank details, because she could have been anyone calling them up. I’m surprised that they did that over the phone, especially if she had told them that she was not the account holder.

“I don’t understand how they can keep getting it wrong.”

A spokesman for Scottish and Southern Energy said data protection laws prevent him from discussing individual details.

He added: “As a company, we have the lowest number of supply transfer complaints in the industry and as such, on the rare occasions when things do go wrong, we react as quickly and efficiently as we can to resolve the matter to everyone’s satisfaction.

“On this occasion we have been in touch with the Wallaces and the Clarks to fully address their concerns.”