A GAS and electricity supplier is facing a £2 million fine after its sales agents duped homeowners in Kent in an energy scam.

The proposed penalty, the first of its kind, follows a four-month investigation into methods used by agents working for London Electricity

They tricked customers by filling in forms authorising a switch of supplier using names and addresses from the electoral register.

One man in Chatham man received a contract from the company with his dead wife's forged signature on. People in Medway also claimed they had been tricked into signing what they thought was an information sheet only to later find they had signed authorisation for a change of suppliers.

The Medway Today and Medway Messenger newspapers helped Jonathan Shaw, MP for Chatham and Aylesford, expose the underhand selling tactics of staff working for the UK's fourth biggest gas and electricity supplier.

Mr Shaw said: "I am grateful to Medway Today and the Medway Messenger for all their support in bringing to light this scandal. Medway was the single biggest complainant in this matter."

Mr Shaw is expected to meet with the chief executive in the next few weeks to discuss the selling methods shown by his employees.

London Electricity now has 21 days to object to the proposed fine.