Information on Loughborough

CONSUMER DIRECT ISSUES WARNING TO MOBILITY AID BUYERS

Posted on 11/06/2009
newsdesk

A rise in complaints about mobility aids has led Consumer Direct East Midlands to issue a warning to residents of Loughborough and the rest of the East Midlands about the sharp practices of some operators selling mobility scooters, stairlifts and orthopaedic furniture.

Consumer Direct East Midlands, the OFT-managed advice service, received nearly 200 complaints about mobility aid purchases in the first four months of this year, up 25 per cent on the same period last year. Many complaints related to faulty products and customer service issues, while almost a quarter were about sales and business practices, including allegations that traders were making misleading claims. Nationally Consumer Direct received more than 1500 complaints about mobility products in the same four month period.

Callers complained about salespeople engaging in high pressure sales tactics, spending several hours in their homes, and in some cases falsely claiming to be working for Social Services, the Department for Work and Pensions or the National Health Service.

Sara Barry, Consumer Direct East Midlands Manager, said: