Information on Loughborough

AVOID THE ROGUE DOORSTEP TRADERS THIS SUMMER WARNS CONSUMER DIRECT

Posted on 20/05/2009
newsdesk

As the sun comes out, so do the rogue traders, warns Consumer Direct today.

The warning comes on National Rogue Trader Day, a multi-agency campaign designed to warn people of the dangers of rogue trading and doorstep crime.

Between April and September last year, Consumer Direct East Midlands, the OFT's advice service, received 255 complaints about cold callers offering home maintenance services, 19 per cent higher than during the autumn and winter months. Nationally figures were 15 per cent higher, with 2,384 complaints about cold callers offering home maintenance services in summer. The top complaints were about contractors offering tarmacing and paving services (16 per cent), roofing repairs (12 per cent) and insulation work (11 per cent).

Typically, rogue traders may knock on the door offering to tarmac the drive or repair loose roof tiles in return for a small fee. In some cases, the work is unnecessary and victims may find that any work done is substandard and the price far higher than anticipated. Others who pay cash up front can find themselves out of pocket when work is left unfinished.

Putting right sub-standard work can also be costly. Research by Lloyds TSB Insurance published earlier this month found that the cost for correcting botched home improvement work averaged