Give cold callers the cold shoulder
Essex County Council’s Trading Standards team, Essex Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner for Essex are all urging Essex residents never to do business with cold callers offering household maintenance and repairs.
Cllr Roger Walters, Cabinet Member for Trading Standards, said: “We are increasingly frustrated that rogue doorstep traders are still having such an impact on residents in our county, so we want to be very clear: never do business with cold callers. The experience that people are put through by these rogues can be life changing for them, so we must do all we can to raise awareness of the dangers of doing business with doorstep callers offering household maintenance and repairs. To those who have been affected, please call Trading Standards because we will be able to offer you support and advice. Trading Standards staff are experienced in dealing with residents who have been targeted by these callers and residents should not be embarrassed or afraid to get in touch.”
Nick Alston, Police and Crime Commissioner for Essex, said: “I fully endorse the advice of Trading Standards and Essex Police that residents should refuse to do business with cold callers. Sadly, there are many examples of people – sometimes elderly or vulnerable – becoming the victim of a crime after engaging with cold callers. So please follow the professional advice, and turn cold callers away.”
Essex Police’s Chief Constable Stephen Kavanagh strongly urges people across the county to “close the door” on cold-callers.
“Most of these people are predatory salesmen who target vulnerable residents and offer household property services,” said Mr Kavanagh. “Using any method to obtain money, they will often only do the job to a poor standard or not undertake the work at all. This must be stopped at source and this is where householders play a massive, vital part in eradicating the growing misery heaped upon many people in Essex. Our message is simple: Don’t open the door and if you do engage in conversation, inform the salesman that their services are not required and close the door on them.”
Essex County Council’s Trading Standards team would encourage anyone who has been targeted by cold callers to call the Trading Standards helpline (which is run by the Citizens Advice service) on 08454 040506 for advice, guidance and support. Trading Standards staff are experienced in dealing with residents who have been targeted by these callers and residents should not be embarrassed or afraid to get in touch.
One way Essex County Council is trying to combat rogue doorstep trader is through the Buy With Confidence scheme. Essex residents can search for a Trading Standards approved trader in their area by visiting
http://www.essex.gov.uk/Business-Partners/Trading-Standards/Pages/Buy-with-confidence.aspx
or by calling 08454 040506. Local businesses can also apply to become a Buy With Confidence trader by visiting the website.
Some examples of where Trading Standards officers have stepped in to help residents in the past few months include:
· Trading Standards officers were contacted by a bank because of concerns for an elderly customer in Halstead who had withdrawn a large sum of money (more than £20,000). The gentlemen in his eighties had entered into a contract to have solar panels fitted to his home by rogue traders. Trading Standards was able to step in and help get the money back because the work had been started within the seven day cooling off period.
· A man in his eighties from the Tendring district was saved from handing over more than £10,000 to rogue traders. The elderly man had agreed to some garden clearance work but the trader boldly proceeded to cover his entire front and back garden with block paving. In so doing they blocked his drain with discarded building material, causing an overflow and back fill to adjacent properties. Trading Standards officers were called and were able to advise and support the elderly man.
· A Braintree resident was cold called by a man in a high viz jacket offering to fill driveway holes. The consumer had not agreed a price for the job but was expecting to pay a few hundred pounds. After the work was finished the trader knocked at the door asking for more than £3000. Trading Standards was able to step in and ensure the victim did not have to pay because the trader had failed to issue a written 7 day cooling off notice which has the effect of rendering the contract unenforceable.
· A Braintree resident was pressured into having work done at her property. An initial payment of more than £3,000 was made to have her driveway paved. She was then persuaded to have further work bringing the total cost to more than £10,000 – which was then demanded in cash. Trading Standards and Essex Police were able to intervene.
· Police officers called our Trading Standards team with concerns about an elderly gentleman in the Harlow area who had been the victim of doorstep crime to the value of more than £28,000. Trading Standards has provided the man with advice and support.
