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During yesterday’s shift officers from your team worked in partnership with Trading Standards, seeking out tradesmen and cold callers in order to check out their credentials and ensure that they were genuine.
Merton Trading Standard’s work covers rogue traders, street trading and underage sales amongst a host of other things.
The run up to Christmas usually sees an increase in people knocking at the door, some of whom may have dishonest motives.
The following advice on Rogue Traders is taken from the Merton Trading Standards website.
http://www.merton.gov.uk/advice-benefits/tradingstandards.htm
Rogue traders
We are increasingly dealing with complaints from residents who have been targeted by unscrupulous traders offering to do work on their properties. Typical jobs carried out tend to be roofing repairs, paving of driveways and general maintenance. However, the work is of a poor standard and usually has some or all of the following features:
· Work is started before agreement is reached
· No documentation is provided
· False or no information is given about who owns the business and where it is based so the traders are difficult to contact if there is a problem
· Work done is shoddy or not completed
· The price escalates
· The traders may become aggressive and intimidating
What you can do
If you are concerned about an agreement you have entered into with a trader to have work done on your house or garden, phone Consumer Direct on 0808 156 2252 or 01622 626520. If necessary, your call will be referred to us and we will deal with it promptly. However if you feel intimidated or frightened by a trader you should dial 999.
Be wary if someone knocks on your door and tells you they have noticed a problem with your property (e.g. tiles missing on the roof) and then offers to fix it for you. We would always advise you to get another opinion before agreeing to have work done. If you are looking for someone to carry out improvements or repairs on your home, you can get good advice on finding a reputable trader from the Trust Mark website, the Buy with Confidence website or the Directgov website. (http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/Consumerrights/index.htm)
To report cime please remember to call 999 if there is a crime happening ‘now’ or the new non-emergency number 101 if it has already happened
Your Safer Neighbourhood Team:
PS Lee ROGERSON
PC Elaine BROWN PC Louise VICKERS
PCSO Dan BEALL PCSO Will HUGHES
PCSO Gary McKEOWN PCSO Maria COZMA
You can contact the team on 020 8721 2724 or mertongraveney.SNT@met.police.uk
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