One of the main areas of responsibility
for the Community Safety Team is
around the problem of doorstep crime,
particularly the Cold Calling activities
of home maintenance traders. The
department has been successfully
operating a Rapid Action Team since
the summer of 2003. Officers are
available each weekday to intervene
when consumers get into difficulties
with cold calling traders. Interventions
are usually very successful and
the householder is helped out of
potentially difficult situations
and large sums of money have been
saved where vulnerable consumers
have been targeted by these rogues.
A survey by Trading Standards Authorities
across the South East revealed that
94% of residents find doorstep callers
unwelcome and around 70% were concerned
about them.
Vulnerable people are often targeted
by smooth talking rogue traders
and unwittingly end up paying a
high price for poor quality work
that often isn’t needed.
Surrey Trading Standards felt that
to maintain the essential work of
the Rapid Action Team it should
look at ways of giving uninvited
callers a clear message that they
were not welcome, so a No Cold Calling
Project was proposed. The initial
No Cold Calling project commenced
in areas of Guildford in September
2005.
The Cold Calling Campaign is a
joint initiative between Surrey
Police, Surrey Trading Standards,
the Safer Guildford Partnership
and the Guildford Neighbourhood
Watch Support Group.
The initial No Cold Calling project
commenced in areas of Guildford
in September 2005 and we now have
zones in Maybury, Woking and Horley.
Prior to the launch of each zone,
householders are consulted about
the proposals and asked for their
backing to the initiative. Advice
packs are prepared and distributed
with the aim of raising awareness
of the pitfalls of dealing with
doorstep callers and offering advice
on how to contact reputable home
maintenance traders, such as those
who form Surrey’s Approved
Trader Scheme.
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