28/9/15

This week, Essex Police in partnership with Trading Standards, will be sending messages to help prevent our community falling victim to rogue traders. The messages will cover a different aspect each day including tactics employed by rogue traders, how to deter rogue traders from calling at your address, how to deal with rogue traders, where to find reputable traders and where to go for more information and help.

Today, we are informing you of the tactics rogue traders may employ to gain your confidence or pressure you into accepting their unfair, often unwritten or edited terms and conditions. Rogue traders call on unsuspecting households offering convincing deals that you can’t refuse or ‘to do you a favour’. If you accept work from a rogue trader you’ll pay much more than you intended for very poor, unnecessary and sometimes
dangerous work.

Common phrases rogues use include
   We’ve been working on your neighbour’s property…
    I’ve worked on your property in the past, do you need further work doing?
    I was driving past when I noticed loose tiles on your roof…
   We’ve got some leftover materials from another job that we can use at your home (such as Tarmac for a drive)

Tactics used by rogue traders include
   Hard selling - overstaying their welcome in your home or at your door until you agree to them doing the work.
   Stating they accept cheques but insist on cash once the work has begun
   Agreeing a price which increases as they state further work is needed
   Ignore your cancellation rights and begin work immediately

FACT - Rogues often pass your details onto other rogues
REMEMBER – Your door. Your House. Your choice. Not sure? Don’t Open the Door

▪ Check out any leaflet through the door as often the address can be false and the telephone number untraceable
▪ If you need work carried out get at least three written quotations and ask family, friends and or neighbours about traders they have used.
▪ Use a Buy with Confidence business who have been audited and approved by Trading Standards via 03454 040506 or www.buywithconfidence.gov.uk
▪ Ensure your relative, neighbour has not been the target of these rogue traders

If you are being threatened by a doorstep trader or they want to take you to the bank to obtain cash call 101 or 999.

29/9/15

Today we look at how to deter rogue traders from calling at your address and how to deal with them if they do.

Display a ‘No Cold Calling’ sticker on your front door. These are available from Trading Standards free of charge. Call them on 03454 040506. Southend, Rayleigh, Harlow, Braintree, Basildon, Grays, Clacton, Chelmsford, Stansted Airport and Colchester police stations also have a small supply.

Consider asking a good, trusted neighbour if you can direct unknown callers/ traders to their address for them to deal with. If your neighbour agrees, when an unknown caller arrives at your door show them a card (preferably through the window) with your neighbours address on directing unknown callers there. Do not enter in to a conversation.

Alternatively, if an unknown trader knocks on your door, don’t open it unless you use a door chain . Open a small window either upstairs or downstairs and speak through the window. No matter what their sense of urgency is, tell them
   • You do not buy goods or services at the door
   • You have to discuss it with someone else (for example your partner or son/daughter).
   • If they are persistent, tell them that if they don’t leave you will call the police to discuss the matter with them

REMEMBER – Your door. Your House. Your choice. Not sure? Don’t Open the Door

30/9/15

Today we look at what you can do if you are involved with a rogue trader.

Don’t be embarrassed or frightened if you have been caught out by a rogue trader, report them to Trading Standards who will be able to give advice and may take action against them.
Report suspicious callers or suspicious activity to Trading Standards via the helpline on 08454 04 05 06 or to Essex Police via 101. It would be really helpful if you can give details of any accompanying vehicle like a registration number (or even part of) or any sign writing or maybe a feature such as a broken wing mirror or roof rack. The colour of the vehicle will probably stick in your mind without you thinking about it. A description of the rogue would be great too. Try and notice an accent or speech impediment if they speak to you, their teeth, moles, birthmarks or tattoos. A rough height (compare them to your own height as a guide) is useful too. If they give you a leaflet please handle it carefully and call the police.

If a rogue trader won’t take no for an answer or you have been harassed into allowing them to start work and they are still at your house call 999.

If a trader misleads you or behaves in an aggressive way, new consumer rights introduced on 1 October 2014 may enable you to unwind (undo) the contract and
   • get some or all of your money back
   • get compensation for your loss or distress.

You may be able to do this where the trader’s practices or behaviour are:

• misleading or aggressive, and
• the trader’s actions played a significant part in your decision to buy from them.
This applies to most goods and services, including utility contracts, door-to-door sales, holidays and holiday lets. It does not apply to financial services, the sale of land or social housing or credit (unless it is linked to the purchase of goods and services).

When can you unwind the contract?

You can unwind, or undo, the contract if:
   • you do so within 90 days, and
   • you have not fully consumed whatever you bought, and
   • you have not already asked for and had a discount.
You do not need to show any loss or that the trader acted dishonestly or negligently.

REMEMBER – Your door. Your House. Your Choice. Be Sure At The Door

1/10/15

Today we look at how to find a reputable trades person.

Essex Trading Standards operate a ‘Buy With Confidence’ scheme, which enables residents to identify approved local traders who have readily demonstrated a commitment to high working standards, high levels of customer care and a fair trading policy. The scheme is run by a partnership of local Trading Standards services, including the unitary authorities of Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock.

https://www.buywithconfidence.gov.uk/