Be alert for rogue traders

South Gloucestershire Trading Standards have issued an alert to be extra vigilant when dealing with unexpected callers at the front door after reports of rogue traders operating in the Yate and Frampton Cotterell areas.

The rogue traders are offering to buy gold or jewellery or carry out, amongst other things, paving, roofing and gardening work. South Gloucestershire Council Trading Standards advise:

• Do not to deal with unexpected visitors at your door, you do not know who they are or what their history may be.
• Do not allow any unknown and unexpected visitor into your home. If possible, try to deal with them through a window or use a door chain.
• Ensure your front and back doors are closed and locked if your attention is elsewhere.
• If you are unhappy or feel intimidated by the visitor – shut the door and call the police.

If you think you or someone you know may have been targeted by scammers or rogue traders, please contact senior Trading Standards enforcement officer Neil Derrick on 01454 864565 or 07801 200104 as soon as possible. Remember; Not Sure, Don’t Open The Door.

For advice on this and other consumer matters, please contact the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 03454 04 05 06, Monday to Friday between 9am-5pm.

More consultations on savings proposals

Regular readers will have noticed that every week there are new proposals coming out for ways to save money from South Glos Council's budget. By April next year, the council will have saved £43m from its annual budget – with around another £36m to be cut by 2020.

We have to make these savings because the council tax we pay only covers part of the coucil's costs. Most of the rest comes from central government grants, which are being reduced as part of tackling the deficit.

Some of the latest consultations include:

• A review of the council’s Private Sector Housing service, including landlord accreditation and empty homes management, with a target saving of £168,000 - the deadline for comments is 10 October 2014.
• Proposals for saving £50,000 from the Trading Standards service, including Lorry Watch, consumer advice and trader approval - the deadline for comments is 5 November 2014.
• A review of the council’s Community Engagement service, including the priority neighbourhoods scheme and safer, stronger community groups, with a target saving of £200,000 - the deadline for comments is 30 November 2014.
• Options for cutting £277,000 from the Community Safety and ASB team - the deadline for comments is 5 December.

You can find all current South Glos Council consultations online. 

All the political parties on the council agreed the savings targets when we set the budget in February. Wherever possible we want to make the savings by making things more efficient – better use of IT for example or cutting senior managers – but that alone is not enough. We have to make difficult decisions and the Lib Dem Focus Team wants to make sure this is done as fairly as possible. We want to protect the most vulnerable, work with you to find new ways of doing things and we want to know what you think are the most important services to save.

There will also be the usual budget consultation later in the autumn – keep an eye on this blog for more information.

Lorry Watch to help police weight limits

The South Glos Trading Standards team has developed a Lorry Watch Scheme for communities to help tackle those who breach weight limits on our local roads.

The scheme is similar to the very successful Community Speed Watch scheme already in operation in South Gloucestershire. The initial trial will involve existing Community Speed Watch (CSW) groups operating in a weight restricted area reporting incidents they see while carrying out speed watch sessions. It is hoped the scheme can later be widened to include town and parish councils where either there isn't a CSW scheme or the weight restricted area isn't covered by them.

Lorry Watch will enable local people to report alleged offenders to Trading Standards, who can then advise the vehicle operator on the alleged breach and provide information on how to avoid the area in the future. It will also allow Trading Standards to gather intelligence on when and where to target their resources for enforcement checks.

Scammers target businesses

Yesterday we posted a warning about scammers targetting local residents, but consumers are not the only ones to fall victim. Businesses too are targetted. One scam is the ‘advertising scam’.

Your business may receive a phone call about placing an advert in a publication such as a wall planner or directory in aid of drugs awareness in schools, the emergency services or another charitable purpose.You may be told that you have agreed to place an order or that someone else in your business has. This tactic is used to confuse you so you won't question the caller and will pay up. They may even claim to have a telephone recording of you agreeing to the contract.

The message is - don't take the caller’s word for it that you have entered into a contract. If you haven't agreed to advertising then you cannot be held liable for the payment being demanded. Never agree to anything over the phone - a genuine company will be happy to send you details through the post.

If you think you have fallen victim to such a scam, please contact Trading Standards for advice
on 01454 864419 (businesses only)
.

For consumer advice contact Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06.

Watch out for scams!

Trading Standards are once again warning local people to be on their guard against scams. 

• There are reports of rogue traders targeting residents in the Yate, Westerleigh and Filton areas offering block paving, landscaping and patio laying services. 
• A new tactic is cold calling residents and offering to clean and seal your path or driveway for a cash payment.

There are some concerns that these traders are not providing consumers with written notice of their right to cancel, which is a criminal offence, and that they are using aggressive tactics to convince residents to agree to the work.

There are a number of steps you can take to try and avoid becoming the victim of a rogue trader.

• Be wary of traders who cold call and the deals they offer you – it is unusual for genuine tradesmen to need to cold call to drum up work!
• Do not allow any unknown and unexpected visitor into your home.
• If they claim work needs doing, get a second or even third opinion from other professional tradesman.
• If you agree to work you are afforded cancellation rights by law, and these should be given to you in writing.
• Check any paperwork you are given to make sure it has not been backdated and includes everything you have agreed to.
• If you are unhappy or feel intimidated by the visitor – shut the door and call the police.

If you do have work you wish to be carried out, why not use a trader who is a member of the Trading Standards operated Buy With Confidence scheme?

For a list of approved traders, visit www.buywithconfidence.gov.uk or contact South Gloucestershire Trading Standards on 01454 864419 or email trading.standards@southglos.gov.uk.

If you believe you have fallen victim to a rogue trader, or would like some further pre-shopping advice, please contact Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06.

Watch out for paving contract scam

South Gloucestershire trading standards is urging local residents to be very careful signing home improvement contracts when dealing with doorstep salespeople.

Legally you are entitled to a seven-day cooling off period after signing a contract with a door-step trader. During that time you can back out of the agreement with no consequences. However, several block paving businesses which operate in the region are suspected to be routinely back-dating contracts when they are signed by customers, preventing them from exercising their right to back out.

The workmen then turn up at the customer's property,  usually when they are not at home, and start digging up the driveway. When the customer complains, the business may refer them to the contract which makes it look as if it was signed over a month ago.

It is a criminal offence for doorstep traders not to give customers a written notice of their right to cancel the agreement within seven days of signing it, but this may be waived by the customer only if they sign to say that work can start immediately. Most block paving businesses give such written notice, but some use the tactic of writing an earlier date on the contract so that they can effectively start work immediately and it looks as if the customer has already had their seven day cooling off period.

Anyone entering into such an agreement is recommended to check any date that is written on the agreement straight away and make the salesperson correct it if an earlier date is written on there. If you feel that you have been duped by this method and the work has started within the seven days without your consent, please report the business to Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06.

Clothing Collection Leaflets

South Gloucestershire Council's Trading Standards officers and neighbourhood police are warning people to be wary of door-to-door leaflets asking for unwanted clothing.

There is currently a red and white flyer asking to collect clothes for a charity called ‘Breaking the Waves’. The website on the flyer does not exist and the telephone number provided does not connect. The police have some concerns and are currently investigating.

The only way to guarantee that donations benefit good causes is to deal only with charities you know are genuine, or take unwanted items direct to a charity shop.There are concerns that some clothing collections are just done for commercial gain and that the public are being misled by false claims.

If you are in any doubt about door-to-door flyers like this, or any others offering goods or services, contact Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06.

Watch out for bogus Council officials

South Glos Trading Standards warn that suspected Rogue Traders are posing as Council officers and purporting to carry out property surveys and asking for personal financial details. Trading Standards advice on keeping safe is:

• Council officers will have identification, which can be verified by contacting the relevant local authority
• Never give personal or financial details to strangers unless you are satisfied you know who you are giving them to
• Do not allow anyone to enter your home unless you know who they are
• Remember, it is your front door! It is not rude to close it on someone if you feel uncertain or unsafe.

If you would like to report a scam or would like further advice on this or any other consumer issue, please contact Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06. If you feel you have fallen victim to such a scam, report it to the Police.

Protect yourself from distraction burglaries

Trading Standards are advising residents of another way to help protect themselves from distraction burglaries. Recently men falsely claiming to be from the waterboard
have been linked to distraction burglaries.

To protect vulnerable residents from these types of crime, the Priority Service Register has been set up by the Home Heat Helpline. Vulnerable residents can set up a security password for all dealings they have with representatives of utility companies.

To contact the Priority Service Register and arrange a password, contact 0800 33 66 99 or visit the website. If you have fallen victim to such a crime, contact the Police.

Doorstep callers warning

South Glos Trading Standards are warning people to watch out for doorstep callers.

Rogue traders are visiting homes offering to paint roof tiles with a micro porous roof coating which is suspected to be totally unnecessary, and it is believed that standard paint is being used at grossly inflated prices. Cold callers are also offering to repave driveways, paint roof tiles and repair fascias and then using a range of rogue trader tactics.

Bear the following in mind to help protect you from falling victim to these rogue trading practices:

• Be wary of traders who cold call - genuine traders rarely need to drum up business;
• Beware, rogue traders use high pressure, aggressive and intimidating selling tactics to get you to agree to a contract or pay a higher price than that quoted;
• Remember that if you enter into a contract in your home, you should be given written notice of your right to cancel that contract. Failure by the trader to give you those details may constitute a criminal offence!

For consumer advice contact Consumer Direct on 08454 040506.

If you are interested in setting up a No Cold Calling Zone in your street, contact Trading Standards on 01454 864419 or at trading.standards@southglos.gov.uk.