2007
Consumer Direct, the government’s consumer advice service, is warning people who suffered property damage during this week’s floods to be wary of opportunist rogue traders offering to carry out quick clean up and repair jobs.
27 June 2007
Carol Brady, Operations Manager for Consumer Direct said:
‘If you have suffered flood damage to your house or garden, you might be tempted to accept the first offer that comes along, but this doesn’t always guarantee that you’ll be pleased with the result. We are advising people to contact their insurance company in the first instance, and follow some simple steps to reduce the risk of being ripped off.’
Consumer Direct has put together the following list of tips:
• Before you organise any repairs, contact your insurance company. Some insurance companies may arrange approved traders to repair damage on your behalf, but if you organise your own repairs, check what will be covered.
• When seeking a reliable trader, talk to family, friends and neighbours to get recommendations, or look for a trader who is a member of an approved code scheme. Be very cautious about employing tradespeople who make unsolicited visits.
• Consider getting written quotes (not estimates) from at least three traders.
• Consider making staged payments and keeping back a significant part of the cost until the repair job has been satisfactorily completed. If you do this, you can ask for defects to be put right without the need to make a claim or go to court for compensation.
• If you are buying goods or services costing over £100, consider paying by credit card, as you may be able to claim your money back from the card company if the trader fails to honour the contract.
Anyone experiencing problems with traders, or needing further advice can call Consumer Direct on 08454 040506.
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NOTES
1. Consumer Direct is a telephone and online consumer advice service funded by government and managed by the Office of Fair Trading. It operates in partnership with Local Authority Trading Standards Services to offer consumers clear, practical and impartial advice and information.
2. Consumer Direct has around 350 trained advisers in 11 contact centres across England, Wales and Scotland.
3. The information and advice helpline is available on a single national telephone number - 08454 04 05 06 from 0800 – 1830 Monday to Friday, and 0900 – 1300 Saturday, excluding bank holidays and public holidays.
4. A Welsh-speaking Consumer Direct service is available on 08454 04 05 05. Minicom users should call 08451 28 13 84.
5. Calls to the Consumer Direct 0845 numbers are charged at no more than four pence per minute from a BT landline. Call charges from other landline providers or mobile phones may vary. Please check the rate with your phone service provider.
6. Northern Ireland has its own service called ConsumerLine (available on 08456 00 62 62) which is similar to Consumer Direct. Visit the ConsumerLine website.
MEDIA enquiries:
Frank Shepherd: 020 7211 8133/ 07747 457616
