Council Warns Vulnerable Residents Against Unscrupulous Salesman

Press Release

30/01/2012

Vulnerable people in Reading are being pressured into paying too much for mobility aids by unscrupulous door-to-door salesmen.

Reading Borough Council Trading Standards is backing an Office of Fair Trading campaign to raise awareness of misleading claims being made by sellers of products including scooters, wheelchairs and walk-in baths.

Cllr Pete Ruhemann, chair of the Access & Disabilities Working Group, said: "There is a big market in selling mobility aids to people in their own homes and many companies operate ethically, however this area is becoming more popular with rogues who use pressure techniques to secure a fast sale to vulnerable people.

"Our advice to people who use mobility aids and their relatives is not to do business on the doorstep, to get proper advice and to shop around for the best deal instead of handing money over on the spot and, most importantly, to make sure the product is suitable for their needs. Especially if you are thinking of buying a big item like a wheel-chair or hoist you really need specialist advice from an Occupational Therapist first - else you might end up paying a lot of money for something which is unsuitable for your needs and perhaps even dangerous.”

The OFT offers the following general advice to any consumers purchasing at the doorstep:

- Think twice before you buy and if you are made to feel under pressure to make a purchase, have the confidence to say no
- Be wary of time-limited or exclusive offers that need to be signed on the spot - this can be a high pressure sales tactic
- Double check the facts. Do you fully understand the costs and know whether it includes extras like installation, on-going serving charges or warranties?
- Always shop around to compare products and prices
- Talk to someone you trust for a second opinion

If you spend more than £35 with a trader on the doorstep, you usually have seven days in which to cancel (subject to certain conditions)

If you would like to report a problem with sales of Mobility Aids please contact Consumer Direct on 08454 040 506 or visit www.direct.gov.uk/consumer.

You can also look for suppliers who are members of the Buy With Confidence scheme. All business on this list are approved by Trading Standards. www.buywithconfidence.gov.uk