Good neighbours stop rogue traders

As part of National Consumer Week 2014 (3-7 November), residents in Bury are being urged to look out for rogue doorstep traders preying on elderly and vulnerable neighbours.

With as many as 170,000 incidents of doorstep crime occurring nationally each year, the National Consumer Week 2014 'Good Neighbours Stop Rogue Traders' campaign encourages neighbours, friends, families and carers to nominate themselves to discourage rogue traders. These traders often cold call and offer to carry out repairs which are poor quality, unnecessary and charged at extortionate prices, sometimes even driving the victim to the bank to withdraw money or threatening them.

Andrew Johnson, head of trading standards and licensing in Bury, said: "This campaign gives power back to communities that have been blighted by rogue traders and prevents those most at risk from becoming victims of doorstep crime.

"While trading standards officers strive to track down and prosecute rogue traders, community
intervention is the first step in preventing detriment caused by doorstep crime. The 'Good Neighbours Stop Rogue Traders' campaign highlights the impact that community spirit and the goodness of neighbours, friends and relatives can have in making Britain a safer place."

The detriment of doorstep crime reaches beyond financial loss. It can cause a person's mental health to deteriorate and in some cases, suffer physical harm. Neighbours, friends, relatives and carers can nominate themselves to help stop rogue doorstep traders operating in the area by joining a Nominated Neighbour scheme, taking away the trader's ability to contact the resident directly.

Nominated neighbours give elderly or vulnerable members of the community a postcard for their door with the nominated neighbour's address and phone number, informing cold-calling doorstep traders to speak with the nominated neighbour on the resident's behalf. This prevents direct contact between the
vulnerable resident and the trader, reducing the risk of doorstep crime taking place.

The Good Neighbours Stop Rogue Traders campaign is a partnership between Bury Council, the Trading Standards Institute (TSI), Citizens Advice Bureau and the National Trading Standards Board.

Dave Bevitt, chief officer of Bury CAB, said: “Rogue traders bring misery to thousands of households. It’s disgraceful that some traders rip people off on their own doorstep. Staff and volunteers at Bury Citizens Advice Bureaux already help victims of these crimes, but preventing con artists from doing damage in the first place is crucial.

"We’ll continue to work closely with trading standards and other organisations across Bury to crack down on illegal practices, bring rogue traders to justice and help victims to move on. We want people to be on the lookout for doorstep crime in their community to help stop neighbours falling foul of
rogues.”

Trading standards will be supporting the campaign throughout the week and should anyone require a poster or a rogue trader information pack including a doorsticker asking traders not to call they should ring 0161 253 5063.

To support the campaign Nominated Neighbour information will be available from Gaynor Mason, crime reduction specialist at Greater Manchester Police, on 0161 856 8046.

ENDS

Press release issued: 3 November 2014.

Notes to editors: Case studies are available for this region. Please contact TSI's press office on 01268 582 214 or email pressoffice@tsi.org.uk

Trading Standards Institute (TSI)

TSI is a training and membership organisation that has represented the interests of the Trading Standards profession since 1881 nationally and internationally.  We aim to raise the profile of the profession while working towards fairer, better informed and safer consumer and business communities. TSI’s members are engaged in delivering frontline trading standards services in local authorities and in businesses. www.tradingstandards.gov.uk