Police/TS Scheme re Doorstep Selling

LadyDee

Our local area in a partnership between Thames Valley Police and local authorities, is promoting a Public Protection Partnership called "No Cold Calling Zone", with leaflets and stickers and advice concerning doorstep selling.

This is the first time I've heard of this and apparently there are many around the country.

If people here have friends or relatives who are being targeted by doorstep sellers or you suspect they could be it might be worth contacting your local authority, trading standards or local police to help them identify areas that would benefit by being designated a Cold Calling Zone.

The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 make it a criminal offence if a door step seller refuses to leave your premises, or returns after being told to leave.

Even displaying official Police stickers on your door might act as a deterrent because they will be aware that the occupier is aware of the law concerning cold callers.

unholyangel

Would be better suited to praise/vent/warnings board unless theres a relevant question about consumer rights that was missed out from your post.

pmduk

IMHO the post highlights a consumer right to prevent doorstep selling. This type of scheme worked well at my last address.

unholyangel

pmduk wrote: »

IMHO the post highlights a consumer right to prevent doorstep selling. This type of scheme worked well at my last address.

The legislation mentioned doesn't give any consumer right to prevent doorstep selling.

What the legislation does do is ban aggressive practices - such as when you invite a rep around to measure up & quote and the rep refuses to leave when you ask them to (which came from double glazing reps and their like who would practically pitch a tent in your living room until you relented and signed the contract).

BorisThomson

This board is far busier than the Vents board. If it prevents one vulnerable person from being taken advantage of then it should stay here, where most people will see it.

(I would go further and ban doorstep selling full stop.)

unholyangel

BorisThomson wrote: »

This board is far busier than the Vents board. If it prevents one vulnerable person from being taken advantage of then it should stay here, where most people will see it.

(I would go further and ban doorstep selling full stop.)

I agree it should be banned full stop - for cold calling in general rather than just doorstep selling.

Those in charge don't seem to want to take the necessary steps to do that though. They seem to care more about the revenue & jobs created by those firms that they do their victims.

Around here we set up a service locals can use with a list of trusted tradespeople. We obviously can't stop people from entering into contracts with whoever they want but we can make it harder for the cowboys.

This board being busier doesn't mean much when its not a consumer rights issue and if you were to post by which is busiest rather than most relevant, it would defeat the purpose of having boards.

LadyDee

Oh well, if people think it's inappropriate to post it here, then report it and have it moved.

Can't do right for doing wrong sometimes.