Police urge residents to say no to cold callers after spate of incidents including in Hucknall

Nottinghamshire Police said it has seen a spike in reports of rogue or bogus traders targeting vulnerable residents in doorstep scams.

In Hucknall, an 81-year-old woman agreed to pay a cold caller £20 for roof tile replacements, but was then persuaded to pay £800 for additional work. Her relatives contacted police after suspecting she had been pressured into paying for unnecessary repairs.

Police said recent examples include: offering to provide goods or services which are of poor quality or deliberately overcharged; quoting for unnecessary work; damaging property deliberately in order to obtain money; leaving work unfinished; and intimidating residents to extort money.

Sgt Sally Collins, of Nottinghamshire Police’s fraud protect team, said the spike began in May when 13 reports were made, with a further 14 incidents in June.

She said: “We’ve had one job where the rogue trader accepted money for repair work and just stuck tape around the chimney. They told the elderly customer they had put flashing around it, knowing they were too frail to go onto the roof to check.

“A lot of victims pay money because they can’t handle the pressure these rogue traders put them under. Some are in such a frail state they pay money just so they are left alone.”

She said the force will not hesitate to prosecute offenders, but it was better to prevent incidents in the first place.

Sgt Collins said: “It can be difficult to put offenders before the courts because you need your victims to be willing to give evidence. But unfortunately, many are elderly and are too frail to leave the house or don’t want to attend court. It restricts our ability to disrupt and prosecute offenders, which is why preventative measures are so crucial in tackling this issue.”

Asked what people should do if a cold caller knocks on their door, Sgt Tara Clapperton said: “Our message is simple: Say ‘no’ to cold callers. You should not feel under any obligation to buy from people on your doorstep. Firmly but politely refuse the sales.”

Should they become aggressive and refuse to leave, call 999. If it is non-urgent, call 101.

Warning signs of a rogue or bogus trader

They refuse to give you a written quote. Without a paper trail or written quote, it’s hard for you to look into their company, compare prices or contact them if things start to go wrong. Always get itemised quotes from several providers that show exactly what you’re paying for;

They pressure you into an urgent decision. You shouldn’t feel rushed into having work done on your home by someone on your doorstep. Calmly explain that you cannot commit or pay now and want to get other quotes. A reputable trader will understand. If the work is needed, take the time to ask different tradespeople questions about why it's needed and why they’re recommending particular materials. Ask friends, family and neighbours for advice too. They may have had similar work done or know a good tradesperson.

They do not have a website or any online presence. Not all tradespeople will be on social media or independent comparison websites. But these are good places to check for reviews and examples of their work. It’s always worth doing a quick search for them online to read other people’s experiences.

They say they are doing some work locally, but you cannot go around and see their work. With home improvements, it can be useful to see a tradesperson’s previous work and speak to their past customers. What were they like to work with? Were they respectful of the property? Was the quote accurate? This won’t always be possible. But if they’re doing work locally and happened to notice something on your home, it’s a warning sign if you cannot go to their other, local site;

They tell you to go to a branch and take out cash while they set up. You should never pay upfront for work on your property. A small, nominal deposit following an exchange of a written quote or other paperwork can be OK. But the full price should only be paid on completion.

For more useful tips, see takefive-stopfraud.org.uk