Stick it to pushy door-to-door sellers

Following a summer of police reports of door-to-door salesmen, the OIC’s trading standards department can now supply stickers advising potential doorstep sellers that their custom is not welcome.

Gary Foubister, the council’s trading standards manager, said: “All too often rogue traders turn up at homes causing stress, worry and havoc for some of our most vulnerable householders and then disappear without leaving so much as an address. Contrast this with local businesses which do not call uninvited and are readily contactable.

“The law generally requires door-to-door sales people to give consumers a notice detailing cancellation rights, a seven-day cooling-off period within which you can cancel any agreement and receive a full refund, and information on how you can cancel the contract. This cooling off period does not however always apply to farms or other businesses so bear this in mind if you are persuaded to buy goods or services for your business.”

The stickers are free and can be collected from the council offices or posted to anyone wanting one.