Oxfordshire Trading Standards is warning of a potential rise in rogue trading activity as a result of damage to properties caused by recent bad weather.
The team are warning residents to be on the lookout for cold-callers offering to carry out roofing repair work and other home maintenance jobs following flooding in the county and beyond.
Opportunistic rogue traders are known to exploit crises, and with many legitimate businesses likely to be booked up, Oxfordshire TS is warning residents to be wary of traders who are available to start work immediately, and who put pressure on customers to make quick agreements to have work carried out.
Councillor Nathan Ley, Oxfordshire County Council Cabinet Member for Public Health, Inequalities and Community Safety, said: “Our Trading Standards team is keen to get across the message that people shouldn’t agree to offers of building work, home repairs or maintenance that come from a cold call.
“Don’t be afraid to say no, don’t be pressured and check with others if the work is required and what is a fair price to pay. It really is a case of: ‘If it’s out of the blue, it’s not for you!’”
Oxfordshire TS recommends that homeowners should check whether their insurance policy includes emergency assistance support, since most insurance companies will appoint their own tradespeople to carry out work.
Where work is not covered by insurance, it is strongly recommended to avoid door to door services and get quotes from reputable traders.
“Rogue traders may quote low prices but will soon demand more money and very often the work they claim needs doing is completely unnecessary,” the Council said.
