Trading Standards Cold Calling traders update
By Mary B
Are you fed up with receiving visits to your home from cold calling traders?
Are you concerned about rogue traders calling on your elderly or vulnerable neighbours, seeking work?
If so, say "no" to cold calling doorstep traders with a Surrey Trading Standards door sticker.
We
work closely with Surrey Police and other agencies to help reduce
incidents of distraction burglary and rogue trading. Our sticker
initiative is designed to empower residents, giving them the
confidence to deal with cold calling traders.
We are committed to protecting Surrey residents, particularly the
elderly and vulnerable, from being taken advantage of by rogue
traders. We want to reduce the fear of crime and prevent
residents from feeling pressurised on their doorsteps to make
decisions that they may not otherwise make.
Pick
up your free sticker to display on your property to send a clear
message to cold calling traders. We expect all traders to respect
your wishes but if they don't, they may be liable to prosecution
for ignoring your request to leave and not return.
This initiative is a county-wide extension of our existing
network of
'No Cold Calling Zones'.
Whilst the existing zones will remain in place, we ask that
residents in the zones pick up and display a new sticker on their
property.
Stickers
can be collected from your local council office, police station
or library. We also hope to make them available through the
Neighbourhood Watch network. If you have any trouble getting a
sticker pack, please contact Surrey County Council on 03456 009
009.
Ms Claire
Hodgson
Senior Trading Standards Specialist
Policy & Operations Team
Surrey County Council Trading Standards Service
East Surrey Area Office
Omnibus
Lesbourne Road
Reigate
Surrey
RH2 7JA
01372 371786
claire.hodgson@surreycc.gov.uk
Surrey Trading Standards communication - very useful information
By Mary BDear Mary,
We met at Surrey Camp - and I found your website initiative very interesting and wondered if some of the work we do at Trading Standards may be of interest to you to put on your DropBy website.
Buy With Confidence: The Buy With Confidence Scheme is an approved register of businesses, which have been thoroughly vetted and approved by Trading Standards to ensure that they operate in a legal, honest and fair way.
Here are the links to the national site and the Surrey site
Support With Confidence: To support personalisation, adult social care services and trading standards in partnership with Surrey Independent Living Council (SILC) have developed a quality assurance initiative called Support with Confidence. It is available to anyone buying their own social care, including those who can afford to pay for their own care.
Link to Surrey site
Rapid Action Team: The Trading Standards Rapid Action Team exists to provide a quick response to calls regarding Doorstep Callers, received by Trading Standards, from any source, especially members of the public. It is a team of officers who will attend the homes of Surrey residents to deal with a doorstep con as it is happening. The officers will intervene on your behalf, dealing with the traders or conmen, protecting you from being ripped off or targeted again. The Rapid Action Team are on duty Monday to Friday from 9:00am until 5:00pm.
Link to SCC website
New Door Sticker: Surrey Trading Standards Service is launching its new door sticker to deter cold calling traders. Further information and details about how to obtain a sticker can be found at www.surreycc.gov.uk/stopcoldcallers
Well, I think this is all very interesting and I want to encourage members to use and support those services which have perhaps in the past seemed a bit remote. So I want to thank Surrey Trading Standards and encourage you all to treat them as partners in the community. My especial thanks to:
Ms Claire Hodgson
Senior Trading Standards Officer
Surrey County Council Trading Standards Service
East Surrey Area Office
Omnibus
Lesbourne Road
Reigate
Surrey
RH2 7JA
01372 371786
claire.hodgson@surreycc.gov.uk
Claire is interested to hear about issues that concern Surrey residents but has asked me to make it clear that Surrey Trading Standards are currently unable to advise consumers on a one to one basis.
All enquiries need to go through Consumer Direct. Information about Consumer Direct can be seen on the Surrey website, this page also gives you an email link to them.
Alternatively their direct website is www.direct.gov.uk and their telephone number is 01622 626520. Please contact Consumer Direct if you have any specific concerns to raise.
