Trading Standards advise to say “NO” to cold callers
Written by author on November 13, 2012
Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Trading Standards Officers are urging people to stay safe in their own homes by saying a firm “NO” to cold calling doorstep traders.
12 November marks the beginning of the Trading Standards Institute’s (TSI) annual National Consumer Week – following a London launch by BBC presenter Gloria Hunniford and consumer minister Jo Swinson MP the message ‘cold calling – don’t buy it’ is now taken to every community by local trading standards services.
Householders are encouraged to download a no cold calling ‘super sign’ from www.tradingstandards.gov.uk . It tells cold calling doorstep traders* to go away – those who don’t are committing a criminal offence and consumers should report them to the police or trading standards.
Officers from Dumfries and Galloway Trading Standards are backing the national campaign to close the door on rogue traders and help end the heartache and financial loss that can be caused by unscrupulous cold callers, who often target the elderly and vulnerable.
More than 10,000 complaints are made about cold calling doorstep traders every year, but this is likely to only be the tip of the iceberg – we know victims are often embarrassed and frightened as many incidents will go unreported.
In addition to the no cold calling ‘super signs’ promoted during National Consumer Week, Dumfries and Galloway Trading Standards have also to date created 6 ‘No Cold Calling Zones’ across the region, which have been proven to make householders feel safer in their own homes.
Chair of the Planning, Housing and Environment Committee, Councillor Ian Carruthers, said: “Every day trading standards officers up and down the country are dealing with cold callers targeting vulnerable consumers for expensive, unnecessary and badly done home maintenance work.
“Our message is clear: we think that there is only one way consumers can really stay safe from rogues in their own homes, and that is by saying ‘no’ to cold calling doorstep traders.
“With our Cold Calling – Don’t Buy It campaign we want to raise awareness amongst particularly the more vulnerable consumers that cold callers could be anyone and that they should never be dealt with.”
*TSI does not consider companies who leave catalogues on doorsteps to be cold callers.
