No Cold Calling Zones Sinead Upton Principal Trading

No Cold Calling Zones Sinead Upton, Principal Trading Standards Officer

No Cold Calling Zones • Deterrent , designed to reduce the number of rogue traders , distraction burglaries and bogus callers • Should lead to a reduction in crime • More informed and confident consumers

Rogue Traders • Often pose as builders, roofers, pavers/driveway traders, gardeners • prey on vulnerable • Try to gain trust • Use high pressure sales techniques • Often shoddy or non existant work • High charges • Disappeared when problems found

Why do techniques work? • People don’t like to say no! • Unreported crime _96% • notified too late, when traders have moved out of area. • Traders unnoticed in area – no descriptions

What action can be taken • Incidents reported to police/trading Standards • Breaches of legislation investigated • intelligence shared regionally and nationally • Annual national rogue trader day – joint enforcement exercises – police/trading Standards and other agencies such as Dept Work & Pensions, Environment Agency etc

No cold calling zones • Does not make it an offence to cold call but acts as a deterrent to rogues • Give a strong message to rogues that they are wasting their time, no one likely to buy • Also informs them that actions liable to be noticed and reported • Provides easy reason for refusal – removes personal aspect

No Cold calling zones • No cold calling zone signs displayed at entrances to zones • No cold calling doorstickers issued to all residents • Leaflets and useful numbers to residents • Strong neighbourhood watch • Investigation of breaches

No Cold calling zones • Must be proportionate • Must have identifiable problem with crime in area • High concentration of vulnerable consumers • Limited size • Majority of residents must agree to it.

Existing schemes • • • Stainton (High Rifts – Fawcett Ave) 2007 Marton ( Cheltenham and Matlock Ave) 2010 Stainton was the Middlesbrough Pilot –started June 07 Scheme evaluated in August 2008 63 replies – 55 thought number of cold callers reduced since start of zone 47 felt safer Only 27 displayed doorsticker 48 felt more able to avoid being victim of crime 55 thought scheme worthwhile

How to apply • Send written request from Community council to Trading Standards • Trading Standards will consider request and obtain data re area • If area potentially viable Consultation will take place with questionaires sent to all residents • Results will be evaluated

New developments • The introduction of the Consumer Protection for Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 has opened up many new avenues for offences in relation to doorstop sales, in addition to usual offences re misleading claims re product/work • Restricts claims that can be made in sales patter such as : • Limited time offer • Risks to personal security of consumer or family if they don’t purchase • trader’s livelihood at risk if don’t buy

new developments • Prevents Aggressive sales tactics • Also offence re refusing to leave property when asked. Trading Standards are currently looking at possible implications of this for No cold Calling zones.

How to contact us All queries for Trading Standards go through the following call centre Consumer Direct : 08454 040506 www. consumerdirect. gov. uk Initial advice is given, then details referred to specific Trading Standards Service. Alternatively , the public can visit our Consumer Advice Centre, 51 Corporation Road, Middlesbrough for advice. Potential offences will be referred to TS Enforcement for investigation. Reports re rogue doorstop sellers to: Police tel 326326 or Trading Standards 728226

Any queries? Please contact me: Sinead_upton@middlesbrough. gov. uk Or telephone 01642 728231