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23/04/2003
Watchdog demands doorstep sales ban
The Trading Standards Institute (TSI) has today called for a ban on "doorstep cold-calling" sales, following a national survey in which 95% of those surveyed objected to the practice.
Nearly 9,000 randomly selected householders were surveyed for the national survey last November, and over 95% said that they did not want doorstep sellers calling – less than 1% were in approval.
Around two-thirds of consumers said that they had received a cold call in the previous three months and 25% indicated that they have had a bad experience with a cold-calling doorstep seller in the past two years.
The TSI also found that only one-in-six consumers ever reported an incident of cold-calling to the authorities.
The highest levels of complaints were in relation to property repair, maintenance and improvements, with 9.7% of respondents saying they had had a bad experience with property repairs.
The TSI say that if the figures were extrapolated throughout the UK, the results would equate to 2.4 million people registering problems with property repair callers.
Ron Gainsford, Chief Executive of the Trading Standards Institute said: "Up and down the country householders have been ripped off for large amounts of money by unscrupulous criminals passing themselves off as roofers, gardeners and property improvement businesses. Often using false names and addresses they leave distressed, bewildered and frightened people with little or no chance of redress.
"With the rising aged population and increased home ownership, this is an area long overdue for strict legal control. The public, honest businesses and enforcement authorities are unanimous in their view that it is time to take firm action and ban the cold calling of property repairs, maintenance and improvements."
The TSI have said that they will be working closely with the OFT, Energywatch and other regulatory agencies to try and improve the situation.
(GMcG)
Nearly 9,000 randomly selected householders were surveyed for the national survey last November, and over 95% said that they did not want doorstep sellers calling – less than 1% were in approval.
Around two-thirds of consumers said that they had received a cold call in the previous three months and 25% indicated that they have had a bad experience with a cold-calling doorstep seller in the past two years.
The TSI also found that only one-in-six consumers ever reported an incident of cold-calling to the authorities.
The highest levels of complaints were in relation to property repair, maintenance and improvements, with 9.7% of respondents saying they had had a bad experience with property repairs.
The TSI say that if the figures were extrapolated throughout the UK, the results would equate to 2.4 million people registering problems with property repair callers.
Ron Gainsford, Chief Executive of the Trading Standards Institute said: "Up and down the country householders have been ripped off for large amounts of money by unscrupulous criminals passing themselves off as roofers, gardeners and property improvement businesses. Often using false names and addresses they leave distressed, bewildered and frightened people with little or no chance of redress.
"With the rising aged population and increased home ownership, this is an area long overdue for strict legal control. The public, honest businesses and enforcement authorities are unanimous in their view that it is time to take firm action and ban the cold calling of property repairs, maintenance and improvements."
The TSI have said that they will be working closely with the OFT, Energywatch and other regulatory agencies to try and improve the situation.
(GMcG)
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