IN this month’s column I would like tell you about a campaign later this month focusing on rogue traders.

Rogue trading can involve incidents where consumers have been deliberately overcharged for unsatisfactory goods and/or services. This includes charging for unnecessary work, damaging property deliberately in order to obtain money, leaving work unfinished and intimidating behaviour in order to extort money. During this month the police aim to work with partners to proactively disrupt rogue traders.

Examples of offences that they commit are:

  • Falsely stating that a product will only be available for a very limited time in order to elicit an immediate decision and deprive consumers of sufficient opportunity or time to make an informed choice.
  • Making a materially inaccurate claim concerning the nature and extent of the risk to the personal security of the consumer or his family if the consumer does not purchase the product.
  • Conducting personal visits to the consumer’s home, ignoring the consumer’s request to leave or not to return except in certain circumstances and where justified to enforce a contractual obligation.
  • Explicitly informing a consumer that if he does not buy the product or service, the trader’s job or livelihood will be in jeopardy.
  • Falsely claiming to be signed up to a code of conduct.
  • Displaying a quality mark or equivalent without having obtained the necessary authorisation.
  •  Claiming that a code of conduct has an endorsement from a public or other body, which it does not have.

It should be recognised that rogue traders are in the minority. There are many good and decent traders working hard for a living. Good practice is to seek recommendations from friends, relatives or neighbours. Another good source of information is from Worcestershire Regulatory Services who maintain a list of approved tradesmen: worcestershire.gov.uk or traderregister.org.uk/worcester shire.

Finally, if you have any concerns about the activities of rogue traders and believe offences are being committed then you should report that to the police as soon as possible.

INSPECTOR PAUL CROWLEY, KIDDERMINSTER POLICE