Residents are urged to beware of door to door callers
Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service (WFRS) are asking residents to beware of door to door sales representatives after a man was left with a bill for £200 for work he didn’t want done.
The resident from Kingsbury was left baffled after a home security company offered to test his electrical unit to ensure that it complied with EEI regulations. After the work was completed, the resident was asked to pay an excessive bill. The company then went on to ask whether he wanted them to fit some smoke detectors, a fire blanket and a fire extinguisher for an additional cost of £220.
Doorstep sellers are trained to get people to buy. They can be extremely persuasive. Once you have let a doorstep seller into your home, they will be expecting a sale - and they won’t give up easily. Trading Standards Officers are advising consumers that it can be hard to distinguish the good traders from the cowboys and high pressure sales teams on the doorstep and so it might be easier simply not open you door to them.
Fire Safety Information Officer for WFRS, Rob Abrahams said:
“This is a very worrying incident. Residents in Warwickshire should be very careful about who they let into their homes. If you are worried about whether your unit complies to EEI regulations then please contact your service provider for advice.
We provide Free Home Fire Safety Checks to residents across Warwickshire. During the checks smoke detectors are fitted for free, so there is no need to pay extra for this service.
“Always remember that no member of the Fire Service will call at your premise without first making a prior appointment, they will always be in uniform and drive a vehicle clearly showing the fire service logo.”
For more information on whether you qualify for a free home fire safety check log onto http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/fireandrescue or call the helpline on 01926 466282.