Consumer watchdog warns over cold-callers

CONSUMER rights chiefs have urged householders to give cold-calling tradesmen a chilly reception if they try their hard-sell tactics on the doorstep.

Claims of cut-price home improvements, two-for-one deals and limited time offers should all be treated with deep suspicion, the National Consumer Agency (NCA) has said. Calls to the NCA’s helpline suggest that all too often people fall for what seems like a bargain and find out too late that they’ve made a costly error of judgment. “It is something that happens year-round but during the summer period it seems to be more prevalent,” said agency assistant director Catherine Lenihan.

The services most commonly offered are paving or tarmacing driveways, replacing gutters, installing new windows and landscaping gardens. Typically, the sales patter includes claims that the company is in the neighbourhood for a limited period and is only offering the special deal while working locally.