It’s no fun reporting this stuff, but hopefully it’s useful: Bromley Trading Standards are telling people to be vigilant on behalf of vulnerable friends and neighbours, following a recent rise in local reports of doorstep crime.
Doorstep criminals use common ruses to elicit work from residents at the door. These include familiar lines such as promising to clean out gutters or seal driveways cheaply, or claiming to have been working on a neighbour’s home. However, do not be deceived.
Some residents have been quoted as little as £10 for gutter cleaning, only to be left hundreds of pounds out of pocket. These initial offers often escalate quickly, with supposed problems then “discovered” on roofs, driveways, or other parts of your property, leading to inflated prices and pressure to agree to work. The simple solution is not to agree to any work however plausible it might seem.
Whatever the work it is you need to have done, the advice is clear: do not deal with doorstep traders – it’s ok to say no. If you’ve been approached and you know your neighbours are vulnerable, check in with them too.
If you believe you or someone you know is at immediate risk of losing money to a scam or doorstep criminal, contact the police directly on 999. You can also contact your bank’s fraud team: Call 159 – Stop Scams UK.
How to protect yourself
Do:
- Do: make sure you need to get the work done – if it wasn’t something you were already considering, perhaps you don’t need it at all. If you do…
- Do get several written quotes – prepare a clear detailed brief beforehand.
- Do seek references, read reliable reviews, ask to visit previous jobs.
- Do check directly with any reputable organisation named or whose logo is shown on a leaflet/website to make sure the trader is affiliated – if not, report to Bromley Trading Standards at trading.standards@bromley.gov.uk.
- Do get a contract in writing before works commence. Check the terms and conditions. You should be entitled to a 14-day cooling off period – with full written cancellation information and not just a mention on a leaflet or a tick box to say you agree.
- Do check and verify a trader’s insurance.
- Do be wary if you are asked to pay by cash or asked to pay a cheque or transfer money to an individual if they are unconnected with the trader/company you are dealing with.
Don’t:
- Don’t deal with traders at the door – it’s okay to say no.
- Don’t contact traders via leaflets that are delivered through the door – without making thorough checks beforehand.
- Don’t pay large sums of money in advance – schedule payment as works progress.
- Don’t accept that traders are members of an organisation because they use a logo.
- Don’t be rushed into deciding – seek advice first from someone you trust.
Coney Hall Village Residents' Association (CHVRA) 