Last week marked Rogue Trader Awareness Week and Warwickshire County Council (WCC) has been working to disrupt rogue traders by cracking down on illegal and misleading roadside advertising.Rogue tr...
Last week marked Rogue Trader Awareness Week and Warwickshire County Council (WCC) has been working to disrupt rogue traders by cracking down on illegal and misleading roadside advertising.
Rogue traders sometimes promote their businesses using large pallet advertisement boards illegally placed on the roadside, pavement or attached to trees or lampposts. These advertisements can contain false claims – for example that the business is based locally or that it is a member of a trade association or trusted trader scheme.
Throughout Rogue Trader Awareness Week trading standards officers have been removing these illegal advertisements and have already destroyed over 100 since the initiative was launched. Rogue traders also advertise online and WCC is actively closing down any websites that contain false claims.
Warwickshire County Councillor Andy Crump, Portfolio Holder for Community Safety said:
“Rogue traders can be very convincing, but their work will be overpriced and shoddy and their actions can have a devastating impact upon the lives of their victims, many of whom are elderly and vulnerable. Preventing rogue traders advertising is just one of the ways Warwickshire Trading Standards is cracking down on their activities, which also include the investigation and prosecution of cowboy builders and carrying out rapid responses to protect consumers on the doorstep.”
Recently a rogue trader conned a Warwickshire resident out of £25,000 after knocking at his door to claim a tile on the victim’s roof was loose. A common ploy of rogue traders is to repeatedly return to the properties of victims falsely claiming that more works need to be done and then charge increasingly inflated prices. In a similar case another homeowner was also told about a loose tile and agreed to pay £40 to have it repaired. However, once on the roof the rogue trader ‘discovered’ other issues and charged her £1,100 for what turned out to be little if any work.
Here are a few tips to help you identify and avoid rogue traders:
Rogue traders often operate door to door but also advertise on the roadside and with the use of flyers.
Rogue traders offer a range of ‘work’ including gardening, roof tiling, driveway repairs and guttering.
Rogue traders quote low prices, but costs soon rise and they often find more work that needs doing urgently.
Rogue traders like to appear local and genuine, but the addresses they use are usually false and their memberships of trade schemes bogus.
Never agree to buy goods or services from people who unexpectedly knock on your door. If in doubt, keep your door closed.
If you are interested in having work done on your property, seek quotes from reputable local traders with verifiable names and address – visit their premises if necessary.
If you are looking to have work done to your property, WCC’s trading standards service operates an approved trader scheme, visit www.noroguetradershere.com or phone: 0800 233 5000 for more information.
If you suspect someone of being a rogue trader, or find yourself accosted by uninvited doorstep sellers, contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 03454 040506.