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The Office of Fair Trading has expressed concerns that itinerant traders who recently targeted the island may be planning to return.
The warnings follow reports of businesses illegally knocking on doors to solicit work in the hope of persuading residents to carry out repairs on their properties – known as “unsolicited door-to-door solicitation” and illegal in the Isle of Man.
Traders have been known to call anyone without permission, but often particularly target the elderly and vulnerable. The OFT reiterated previous advice, encouraging friends, neighbours and relatives of the most vulnerable to inform them:
- Do no Hire walk-in traders
- Do no Forced to do unnecessary work
- Do no Falling into the rhetoric of “We just visited the area and found a problem.”
- Do no Pay a large amount of cash upfront
- Put our “we do no Deal with signs from uninvited businesses on porches or front door windows. These signs can be obtained from the OFT office or website
Anyone who is being harassed by a rogue trader should call the police or Trading Standards for advice. Anyone who is concerned that they have been harassed by a rogue trader should contact the OFT’s Trading Standards team by emailing iomfairtrading@gov.im Or call +44 1624 686500.
John Wannenburgh MHK, Chairman of the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), said:
“Our advice to householders is simple. Do not deal with uninvited traders soliciting work on your roof. Report such incidents to the police or Trading Standards. Severe weather at this time of year and over the coming months will make householders more vulnerable to being taken advantage of by rogue traders soliciting roofing work.”
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