Trading Standards Press Release

03.07.06

It May Have Been a Wet Spring but Don't Believe That Your Home is Damp!

The public are being advised to be wary if they are contacted by Damp Proofing Contractors offering to carry out free surveys. 

Wrexham Council’s Public Protection Department has received reports about elderly residents in Wrexham and neighbouring areas being talked into having damp-proofing work done. The contractors use high pressure sales techniques and attempt to persuade customers to sign up there and then.  They often state that they have had a cancellation and offer discounts for an immediate signature.  They ignore the customer’s right to be given a seven day cooling-off period.

Trading Standards Officers advise:-

• If you are telephoned by one of these contractors, consider carefully whether you want to be visited by them.  Remember – they will probably subject you to high pressure sales tactics.

• If you do agree to be visited and the contractor tells you that your house needs treatment, don’t sign a contract until you’ve had the opportunity to consult other contractors.

• Trust your common sense – you can often see or smell damp in your home.  If there is damp, there are often causes other than rising damp, e.g. condensation, which do not need expensive treatments to remedy them.

• If you are offered a contract, make sure that it includes details of the cancellation provisions.  You are usually entitled to a seven day cooling-off period if you are visited after the contractor rings you up or sends someone round to ask if he can visit you.

• Failure to give you a cancellation notice is a criminal offence.  You don’t usually have a right to cancel if you make the first approach to the contractor.

• If you cancel a contract within the cooling-off period you are entitled to the refund of any deposit you have paid, provided the work has not already been carried out.  However, you may have to pay for work which has already been done within the cooling-off period. To protect your rights you are advised not to give the go ahead for work to be carried out immediately.

• Never pay cash and don't take what the salesman tells you at face value. Check out any suggestion that the company is linked to the council or working for the government. Sometimes such claims are not true

USE YOUR COOLING OFF RIGHTS : DON'T LET WORK START IN THE SEVEN DAY COOLING OFF PERIOD  AND ASK SOMEONE YOU TRUST FOR ADVICE.

If you are worried about unsolicited calls or if you would like further advice please contact the Trading Standards Division of Wrexham County Borough Council’s Public Protection Department on 01978 296060.