Staying Safe From Rogue Traders

Staying Safe From Rogue Traders

They have always been with us and probably always will be but how do you stay safe from rogue traders?

You know the ones, the doorbell rings and when you open it there is some one outside offering to tarmac your drive / fix your roof (there always seems to be a tile missing) / tidy your garden / double glazing / kitchenware / electricity/gas sales persons (not meter readers) or they have seen something else that needs doing. Or it may be that they are "from the water board and need to check the water pressure" (the author knows several people that have been caught by this one include elderly family members).

Listed below are a few "do's and don'ts" that will help to keep you safe from doorstep callers :-
 

1. The most important thing is if in doubt don't let them in
2. Don't keep a lot of cash in the house - one of the reasons that older people are often targeted is that they tend to keep large amounts of money in the house. You should think about keeping the money on a bank / building society or even the Post Office.
3. Fix a security chain to your door and make sure you use it before answering your front door, although the author has a large dog and takes him to the door while holding his collar.
4. Make sure you ask for identification and check it is genuine.
   • Does it look correct - most will have a photo on them
   • Is there a telephone number on the card ?
   • Tell the caller that you will ring their company to check that they are genuine (and check the phone number in the telephone book, not from the ID card)
   • If you have registered with some utility companies they operate a password scheme - does the caller know the password ?
5. Never be pressurised into having work done or buying goods – a  genuine trader will allow you a cooling off period.
6. By law you must be given cancellation rights for goods or services over £35 – even if you have agreed to the visit beforehand.
7. Consider paying for goods and services that cost over £100 by credit card – you will have extra protection and most repetable companies will have the ability to take a credit card.
8. You can always say “No I don’t buy at the door” and ask the seller to to leave – if they refuse ring the police.
9. Think before you buy, ask yourself the following:
    
      ·  Do I want it?
      ·  Can I afford it?
      ·  Do I know and trust the seller?
      ·  Do I know how to contact the seller or have I only got a mobile telephone number?
      ·  Do I have the right to cancel?
      ·  Is this offer too good to be true (they rarely are) ?

Some local councils and police forces operate a "no cold caller" scheme that can give you a sign for the window that explains that you do not buy from people that call at your home, experience shows that people see these signs and do not even attempt to ring your doorbell. It would be worth contacting your local trading standards office to see if such a scheme operates in your area.

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