Warning over cold calling as weather warms

Plymouth residents are being warned against high pressure selling of services on the doorstep after a spate of complaints.

Plymouth City Council's Trading Standards has seen a series of incidents where tradesmen targeted elderly and vulnerable people to carry out work such as power-washing, roof repairs and guttering.

In all the cases the work was commissioned after the resident was cold-called by the traders. In some instances, the work was shoddy, while in other cases the customer was pressured into paying far more than the original agreed price.

Now Trading Standards officers are asking people to be wary of traders calling door to door – particularly as the weather begins to warm up and people look to spring clean their properties.

Some of the episodes came to light as a result of a recent Rogue Trader Week, where Trading Standards teamed up with officers from Devon and Cornwall Police to carry out targeted enforcement action. As a result of the initiative, several traders were stopped and questioned and one was arrested and bailed in relation to alleged fraud.

They also visited previous victims to give them extra advice on how to protect themselves.

Rogue trading and doorstep crime covers such practices as targeting vulnerable residents. It can include charging for unnecessary work, deliberately damaging property to create work, leaving work unfinished and using intimidating behavior to extort money as payment for poor quality or unnecessary work.

Councillor Brian Vincent, Cabinet Member for the Environment said: "Doorstep crime can affect anyone, but it is often elderly and vulnerable people living on their own who are targeted.

"Rogue traders can be very persuasive and it can be very distressing and frightening for an elderly or vulnerable person who is unaware of how to protect themselves.

"Tracking down and catching these rogue traders is an absolute priority for Trading Standards and we work closely with our partners in the police to tackle this issue."

But this is something we can all help keep an eye on. If you have an elderly or vulnerable neighbour it is important to check that any work they are having carried out is wanted and needed. If anyone is suspicious they should report the matter to Trading Standards or the Police by ringing 101.

As part of the local Doorstep Crime Reduction Partnership Plymouth residents can obtain a free information pack and No Cold Caller sticker by telephoning 01752 304141.

Residents wanting tradesmen to undertake work at the homes should go to the Buy With Confidence website or telephone 01752 304141 as the Buy with Confidence businesses have been vetted and approved by Trading Standards to ensure that they operate in a legal, honest and fair way.