Bolton Council once again warning residents to be wary of traders who cold call offering to do gardening, roofing, driveways, guttering or other outdoor jobs.
The council’s trading standards is team is keen to alert people to the risks posed by these sorts of rogue traders, and is asking resident not to be taken in by cold callers. Residents should never deal with cold callers, but only with reputable traders, who have a legitimate, registered business.
Councillor Nick Peel, Executive Cabinet Member for Environmental Services, said, “These traders may appear friendly at first but they are after as much cash as they can get and are likely to leave no genuine address or contact details other than a mobile number, which isn’t much use if things go wrong. They often ask for cash in advance, and then fail to do the work or do shoddy work before disappearing.
“Residents should be aware that legitimate traders will not need to tout for business and will have work lined up in advance.
“The rogue traders who do cold call usually target the most vulnerable members of society. I would urge anyone who sees builders or property repairers knocking on doors to take down their details and report the matter to Trading Standards.”
To report rogue traders to Trading Standards, call the Citizens Advice consumer service on 03454 040506 or use the online form at www.citizensadvice.org.uk. More information on how to avoid rogue traders and how to select genuine traders can be found at www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer
Residents wanting to ensure that they use a genuine and legitimate trader can also check with their local Age Concern, who maintain a list of approved suppliers.