Consumerline - News

Give cold callers the cold shoulder - 23/11/2009

Northern Ireland consumers are being warned to be on their guard against doorstep callers offering to carry out home improvement work.

The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment’s Trading Standards Service is advising consumers to be wary if approached by doorstep callers offering to sell goods or services.

The advice follows a recent increase in the number of complaints made to Consumerline about bogus tradesmen.

Doorstep sellers typically turn up at a consumer’s homes, without advance notice, offering to carry out building work, house repairs or garden landscaping. While it might be tempting to agree to attractive prices being offered on the doorstep, Trading Standards is warning people to think twice.

Mary McKeown from Trading Standards Service said: “Doorstep selling can offer a convenient and necessary service to householders. When welcome and genuine, it can be of great benefit. However, hasty decisions made on the doorstep can often result in agreeing to work that is not actually necessary. The end result can turn out a lot more expensive than quoted and householders run the risk of it having been carried out to a poor standard.”

In one recent case a doorstep seller called at the door of an elderly man offering to carry out some roof repairs to his home. The caller stated that he was working on a neighbour’s house and that he had noticed some roof tiles that needed replaced on his house. The tradesman offered to do the repairs for £90, however once he had started work on the roof he told the householder that more repair work was needed and that the cost would be £660.

The elderly gentleman was made to feel that this work was urgent and as the original roof tiles had already been removed, the householder felt he had no option but to let the tradesman carry on with the work. The work carried out was totally unnecessary and to a very poor standard.

Mary continued: “Bogus doorstep sellers frequently pressurise householders by making them believe their home requires urgent repair work. Often they maintain to be working in the area and therefore claim to offer a greatly reduced price.

“Word of mouth is often the best form of recommendation and it is important that homeowners know who they are employing and the standard of workmanship they provide. Our advice is clear – householders should not agree to building work, house repairs, or indeed any other services with people who ‘cold call’. Always seek a second opinion and do not pay for work up front.”

Finally, Mary outlined the following important information for consumers. She said: “The law states that, where goods or services cost over £35, consumers are entitled to a seven day cooling off period during which they can cancel the contract. Sellers must provide prospective buyers with written notice of these rights, along with a cancellation form. If traders do not comply with these requirements, any contract agreed with a customer will not be legally binding. More importantly, such traders will be committing an offence.”

To help consumers to stay in control when confronted on their doorstep by unwanted doorstep callers, Trading Standards is encouraging people to remember the following advice:

• Be wary of special offers or warnings about your home
• Don’t hand over a cash deposit
• Don’t agree to a trader starting any work straight away
• Take time to consult with someone you trust for a second opinion, speak to friends, family or neighbours before making any decision
• Remember your cancellation rights
• If in doubt, contact Consumerline (www.consumerline.org)

If consumers are concerned or have a complaint about doorstep callers, they are asked to contact Consumerline on tel: 0845 600 6262/028 90253900 or alternatively log on to www.consumerline.org.

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