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Nottinghamshire Trading Standards spread the word on rogue traders

Trading Standards officers from Nottinghamshire County Council have been educating vulnerable and elderly residents about rogue traders, offering advice and information on how to say no to doorstep callers, as part of the region’s Rogue Trader Week.

Rogue traders are a problem across Nottinghamshire and the rest of the country and often target vulnerable residents with the sole intention of obtaining money through deception and fraud. Rogue trading ranges from poor quality work and high-pressure sales, to organised crime groups targeting the elderly and vulnerable, often demanding large amounts of money. These traders do not just knock on people’s doors uninvited, they frequently have professional websites and pay for advertising in newspapers, magazines, and other publications.

Rogue traders often start with small jobs for which they charge a nominal fee. After this they then claim that further work is needed, going on to demand hundreds or thousands of pounds, often for very little or no work at all.

Nottinghamshire Trading Standards has been made aware of a number of rogue traders operating across the county. These include a roofer who took a £5,000 deposit but didn’t return to complete the work, leaving holes in the customer’s roof along with leaking windows, and a landscaper that took £10,000 from a resident and left them without a garden.

Councillor John Cottee, Cabinet Member for Communities said: “Rogue doorstep trading remains a serious issue for vulnerable groups, particularly the elderly who live alone. We advise people not to be taken in by the sales patter of a doorstep trader as they risk being a victim of a scam or shoddy workmanship. Residents can deter unwanted doorstep traders by displaying a ‘no uninvited callers’ sign on their door or in their front window. These can be downloaded for free from the Nottinghamshire County Council website.

“When looking for a tradesperson, our advice is to ask for recommendations from family or friends and obtain at least three quotes from different tradespeople before making a decision. Don’t be tempted by ‘today only’ offers - this is pressure selling, and be wary of requests for cash payments and offers of ‘cash-in-hand’ to avoid VAT. Reputable tradespeople can also be found through the nationwide ‘Buy With Confidence’ Approved Trader Scheme.  Buy With Confidence covers all sorts of businesses, so whether residents need a reliable plumber, accountant, pest controller, landscaper, electrician or anything else, they can search for local Trading Standards Approved companies.”

If you suspect someone of being a rogue trader, or find yourself confronted by uninvited doorstep sellers, contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133.

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