3 messages from Trading Standards
Remain Vigilant!
South
Gloucestershire Trading Standards would like to advise residents to remain
vigilant when dealing with unsolicited visits to their front door.
It has come to our attention that rogue
traders are visiting homes offering to paint roof tiles with a micro porous
roof coating. This type of work is suspected to be totally unnecessary and it
is believed that standard paint is being used at grossly inflated prices.
Rogue traders are also knocking on doors
offering alarm and security systems. These practices are known by the Police as
well as Trading Standards
Bear the following in mind to help protect
you from falling victim to these rogue trading practices:
- Be wary of
traders who cold call - genuine
traders rarely need to drum up business;
- If they claim
work needs doing, get a second opinion;
- Do not pay in
full upfront – if they are a rogue trader, you may not see them again;
- Beware, many
rogue traders use high pressure, aggressive and intimidating selling
tactics to get you to agree to a contract or pay a higher price than that
quoted;
- Remember that if
you enter into a contract in your home, you should be given written notice
of your right to cancel that contract. Failure by the trader to give you
those details may constitute a criminal offence!
If
you think you have fallen victim to such a scam or have not received your cancellation
rights, contact Consumer Direct on 08454 040506 for advice.
If you are interested in setting up a No
Cold Calling Zone, contact Trading Standards on 01454 864419 or at trading.standards@southglos.gov.uk.
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Protect Yourselves
with a Password!
South
Gloucestershire Council Trading Standards would like to advise residents of
another way to help protect themselves from distraction burglaries.
We recently advised residents that it had
been brought to our attention that men falsely claiming to be from the
waterboard had been linked to distraction burglaries. In an effort to help
protect vulnerable residents from these types of crime, the Priority Service
Register has been set up by the Home Heat Helpline. Vulnerable residents can
set up a security password for all dealings they have with representatives of
utility companies.
To contact the Priority Service Register
and arrange a password, contact 0800 33 66 99 or visit the website www.homeheathelpline.org.uk .
If you have fallen victim to such a crime,
contact the Police.
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Watch Out, Rogue
Traders About!
South
Gloucestershire Council Trading Standards would like to warn residents that
rogue traders are known to be operating within the district.
Instances have recently been reported in
Yate, Bradley Stoke and the Alveston area. The cold callers are offering to
repave driveways, paint roof tiles and repair fascias.
Examples
of the tactics used include:
·
Agreeing
to do specific work and then refusing to, whilst not amending the price;
·
Using
false trading names;
·
Refusing
to acknowledge a consumer’s wish to cancel;
·
Changing
payment terms to persuade the resident to continue with the contract;
·
Using
intimidating and aggressive practices to persuade residents to agree to
contracts.
Be
wary when dealing with cold callers – you don’t know who you are dealing with!
If you think you have fallen victim to
such practices, contact Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06.
