People in Swindon urged to ‘never deal’ with cold callers
You should report any suspicious as early as possible
Swindon residents are being warned to be careful of cold callers.
It follows recent reports of rogue traders claiming to belong to local company Taylor Roofing Contractors Ltd.
Rogue traders knock on doors and offer to fix problems, which are often made up, around peoples’ houses.
Carla Baker from Swindon Trading Standards told Greatest Hits Radio: “It's really easy to protect yourself from cold callers. You never deal with them. Close the door on them and find a local reputable trader that you can trust.
“We're very clear that the good local traders in Swindon, in Wiltshire and across the whole country are really busy. They're not knocking on doors and drumming up business. That's just not how it works.
“So, we really do urge people never to deal with the traders that knock at the door.”
Even though the incident involving Taylor Roofing Contractors Ltd. happened last week, Trading Standards are still urging people to “be very vigilant”.
Rogue traders are a “constant problem” in Swindon and Wiltshire, Ms. Baker added.
To tackle the issue, it is important that residents report any suspicions to the Police or Trading Standards as soon as possible.
“There are very useful laws in place that protect people when they're dealing with traders. The main legislation says that if you deal with somebody at the door or you agree to a contract at your home, then you have a 14-day cooling off period and there are very clear rules on how all of that should be set out.
“If you’re not given the exact correct paperwork, then that contract isn't enforceable against you. You don't have to pay anything, or if you've paid, you can claim a refund.
“So, it's really important that people come to us straight away as soon as they have concerns, so that we can get involved. We can check the paperwork, we can check the trader and find out what's going on. And it's not at all unusual for the police to intervene and actually discover that there is a rogue trader involved and that no payment is due.”
To find a reputable trader, Trading Standards advise to be weary of any recommendations or offers found online, especially on social media platforms.
Instead, they suggest asking family, friends or neighbours for recommendations of traders they have been using long-term and are satisfied with.
Trading Standards also across the country also collaborate on a so-called Good Trader Scheme through which people can find vetted traders.
The list of approved local traders can be found by accessing www.buywithconfidence.org and entering your post code as well as the type of work required.