Residents and businesses are being warned to be on their guard against unscrupulous traders and cold callers offering building repairs, garden work and clean-up services, which may be sub-standard and over-priced as we head into the wet weather season.
Trading Standards Officers are warning people that unscrupulous traders will see it as the perfect opportunity to take advantage of residents as many reputable traders will already be booked up. The Public Protection Partnership’s advice is to avoid door to door services and get quotes from reputable traders.
Consumers should first check whether their insurance policy includes emergency assistance support for damage. Most insurance companies will appoint their own tradespeople to carry out the work. Where work is not covered by insurance, it might be tempting to hire the first person who offers to fix storm or adverse weather damage, especially if they claim to have worked for a neighbour.
Traders that perpetrate maintenance and repair fraud may start off by quoting low prices but will soon demand more money and very often the work they claim needs doing is completely unnecessary.
Councillor Iskandar Jefferies, Chairman of the Joint Public Protection Committee said: “Unscrupulous traders often attempt to take advantage of victims of adverse weather as people who have been affected are often very tempted to take the first offer to restore their property as quickly as possible. You should never agree to have work done by someone who appears at your door unannounced.
These unscrupulous traders pose as legitimate tradespeople, often targeting the elderly and vulnerable people within our communities. These offenders are extremely believable and can come across as very charming and trustworthy, but they can also use aggressive behaviour and scare tactics.
Remember, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Never be afraid to close the door or hang up if something doesn't feel right.”
Top tips to help avoid unscrupulous traders:
- Never engage with cold callers knocking on your door or who call out of the blue.
- Check references and recommendations of traders and ask to see recent examples of completed work.
- Be wary of using traders recommended on social media the reviews may not be genuine.
- If a business is on a recommendation website, look at how they assess traders who are on their site and how they deal with complaints.
- If gas and electrical work is needed check that the trader has the right qualifications and registrations.
- All gas businesses and their engineers must be on the Gas Safe Register to carry out gas work legally
- Check the register on Gas Safe Register - The Official List of Gas Safe Registered Businesses - Gas Safe Register.
- Prepare a detailed description of the work needed.
- Get at least three written quotes and ask to see proof of the trader’s insurance.
- Get a written contract, which should include the identity of the trader, their address and telephone number, details of the payment schedule, timescales, what will happen with the rubbish to ensure it won’t be fly tipped or illegally dumped and the identity and qualifications of any sub-contractors.
- Is the trader listed as a Limited Company? – if so, it should be listed on Companies House. Does the company exist? If not, the trader is giving false information about their company details.
- For contracts over the value of £42, traders must give you a notice that you have 14 days to change your mind and cancel the contract. An exception is if work needs to be carried out in an emergency or at your express request, but you must waive these rights in writing.
- Never pay in cash - use a secure method such as bank transfer or credit card. Payments of more than £100 by credit card afford you more protection should things go wrong.
- Has the trader offered to take you to the bank to withdraw money? If so, this is considered an ‘aggressive practice’, so consider this a warning sign.
- Speak to friends or family before parting with any money if you are unsure.
Anyone concerned about the activity of a trader, cold caller or doorstep seller is urged to contact the Citizens Advice National Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133 or by visiting its website citizensadvice.org.uk. Citizens Advice will give advice on what to do next and report the matter to the Public Protection Partnerships Trading Standards team for investigation.
Please contact the police if you have any information relating to crime in your neighbourhood. Report online at www.thamesvalley.police.uk, or call 101 or in an emergency dial 999. Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on free phone 0800 555 111.
Notes:
The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA) sets out the legislative scheme for the recovery of money from criminal conduct following a confiscation investigation. Confiscation occurs after a conviction has taken place. The aim is to deny criminals the benefit of their criminal conduct, recover the proceeds of crime and disrupt and deter criminality.
The Public Protection Partnership (PPP) is a shared service delivering Environmental Health, Licensing and Trading Standards to people and businesses on behalf of Bracknell Forest Council, and West Berkshire Council.
PPP work jointly with Wokingham Borough Council to provide a Trading Standards, Financial Investigation and Case Management Service across the three authority areas.
These services encompass a wide range of areas of responsibility from environmental protection to fair trading, food safety to animal health, housing standards to taxi licensing, and more.
