Report to the People
27th August 2007
Knock
Back the Door-knockers
The
recent reports of bogus callers operating in Inverclyde remind us that, every
year, householders across the country fall prey to door-to-door con men
masquerading as professional builders.
These
would-be thieves spin you lines like: “I’m doing some work down the road and
I’ve got materials left over I need to use up”; “You have loose tiles on
your roof”; or the old favourite, “Your brickwork is acting like a sponge
and soaking up rainwater.” (Bricks,
incidentally, are supposed to behave like this.)
Then,
when they’ve frightened you into thinking there’s a problem with your home,
they’ll extort money in return for little or no work.
Indeed,
figures from Trading Standards reveal that, last year alone, these parasites
stole over £1.36 billion from unsuspecting British homeowners.
I
therefore applaud the Federation of Master Builders for taking a stand against
the crooks and con men who rip off the public and damage the reputation of the
building industry.
The
Federation has produced a leaflet, “Beware of Summer Door Knockers”, which
tells you how to spot rogue traders and how to get rid of them.
The leaflet also contains specific information for elderly and vulnerable
people. Accompanying the leaflet is
a window or door sticker warning the con men not to bother knocking.
This
leaflet is available online at:
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