These case studies are from Hampshire County Council where in 2004, Hampshire Trading Standards set up a Quick Response Team to deal with doorstep criminals who target the elderly and vulnerable by cold calling offering to carry out property repairs, lay driveways, provide gardening services or even power clean roofs and patios. The team at Hampshire County Council helps a wide range of adults from elderly residents to those with learning or physical difficulties. Since being set up, the Quick Response Team has attended over 290 incidents of doorstep crime and through intervention has directly saved consumers more than £320,000.
Case 1
Mrs A, in her early sixties rang who she thought was a reputable trader after seeing their website to ask for a quote for replacement gutters, fascias and soffits. An hour later a man knocked on her door saying that he was from the company she had rung, but it later transpired he was just using the trading name of the reputable trader and was not connected to them. He said he could do the work for £700 and Mrs A agreed to this. The trader gave her a written quote together with a notice of cancellation rights, as required by law. However, he back dated the quote by seven days so that it looked as though the seven-day cancellation period had already expired. He told Mrs A he did this so she could get a cheaper price. After removing the fascias and soffits he told Mrs A more work was required than first thought and it was going to cost her an extra £2000 to complete. He then wrote a ‘2' on the quote making it £2700. Mrs A immediately reported the matter to Trading Standards and officers from the Hampshire Trading Standards Quick Response Team attended the scene. They soon established that the offender was well known to Trading Standards and with Mrs A's consent they cancelled the work on her behalf and she paid nothing.
Case 2
Mrs B, in her eighties, was cold called by a man who said he worked for the company that had laid her drive five years previously. The man said he was working in the area and had seen that her drive needed cleaning and re-sealing. He told Mrs B he could do the job for £400 and she agreed to have the work done. The trader did not give any paperwork or a notice of the consumer's right to cancel the contract, as required by law. He said he would return the next day to carry out the work, but Mrs B was suspicious so she contacted the company that had originally laid her drive who told her that he was nothing to do with them. Mrs B then telephoned the Hampshire Trading Standards Service Quick Response Team who arranged to attend her property the following day to speak with the trader. The officers confronted the trader the next morning when he arrived at Mrs B's home and with her consent cancelled the work. No money was paid to the trader and he left after being warned to comply with the law in future.
Case 3
Mr C, retired and in his late sixties, was cold called by a man who was working on a neighbour's property replacing defective ridge tiles. He told Mr C that his ridge tiles were in a worse state than those of his neighbour and they could replace them for £1,150. Mr C agreed to the work and was given a document outlining what work would be done, but not a notice of his right to cancel the contract, as required by law. After the work had been completed the trader said he could also power wash the moss from the roof for a further £400 and Mr C agreed to this as well. A concerned neighbour had seen the work being carried out and telephoned the Hampshire Trading Standards Service Quick Response Team. Officers attended the scene and recognised the trader as someone who had been advised previously and was already being investigated for similar offences. He went on to commit further offences and was subsequently prosecuted by Hampshire Trading Standards. The magistrates imposed fines totalling £1550 and as a result of the intervention by the officers Mr C did not pay for any of the work.
Who to contact
If you are targeted by rogue traders selling products or equipment, or if you have been a victim of a rogue trader, contact your local Trading Standards office - visit the Trading Standards website and use their postcode finder to find your nearest office.
If you have a complaint about a product or service, you can call contact Consumer Direct on 08454 040506.
If you think that there are rogue traders are operating in your area, call your local police or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 1111.
