Homewatch - rogues

Home Improvements (26/09/2006)

I have previously warned about a company called The Home Improvement Advisory Service.

They telephone residents offering a free damp proof survey. Trading Standards are now warning residents to watch out for this company.

The company have now changed their name to NATIONWIDE PROPERTY PROTECTION.

Trading Standards have received information that this company are currently working in the Neston Area. The message from Trading Standards is:

If you are contacted by anyone offering to assess your home for damp we would advise you not to agree to the survey being carried out and to report the matter to Trading Standards on 0845 11 32 500. If you have already agreed to the survey or have had work carried out it is important that you contact Trading Standards immediately.

Tarmac layers (09/08/2006)

I have received a warning from one of our coordinators in Poynton concerning a group of Irish males who have tried to sell driveway tarmac to a couple of elderly residents.The males were also caught in another neighbour's kitchen.

They are operating in unmarked white vans and are wearing high visibility jackets turned inside out. They claim to have done work locally and say they are from Heywood. A firm from Heywood have recently carried out work in the area and it is believed that the males are getting details from these legitimate tradesman advertising boards. Police have been called to incidents but no trace of the men have been found.

Gardeners (09/08/2006)

There has been a recent problem in Macclesfield with gardeners. Trading Standards had an incident where an elderly man was taken to the bank to withdraw £500 for his hedge to be trimmed. The trader was actually arrested and charged with deception and appears in court this week. There has been other incidents relating to cold callers offering gardening work in the Macclesfield area.They are targeting the elderly and can be persuasive. Advice from Trading Standards is to say no and shut the door and report incidents to them.

Home improvements (09/08/2006)

Trading Standards have also responded to a couple of incidents in the Poynton area where elderly residents have been cold called by traders offering to supply fascias and dry verges. The work carried out has been substandard. Thanks to Age Concern promptly reporting the incidents Trading Standards intervened and the traders were not paid for the work. The traders are not providing the householders with cancellation rights and have provided a false address. Trading Standards would like residents in Poynton to look out for anyone offering to carry out repairs to their property, in particular roofing, fascias, dry verges etc.

Home improvements (13/02/2006)

I have received the following warning from Trading Standards via my counterpart at Greater Manchester Police. The companies involved have been operating in the Stockport area but I am sending you this email in case they venture into our area.

"Britannia" and "Britannia Home Improvements"

Intelligence has been received by Trading Standards regarding the above trader. They are currently expecting this company to target the Greater Manchester area and now believe that they could also be using the name "Home Improvement Advisory Service".

Past experience of simi liar companies working in Stockport suggest that this company may be highly active during the next few weeks. This company has been approaching householders saying they are working in the area and offering a free survey to check for damp and mould problems. (See more recent item above)

Where the resident expresses interest the caller will arrange an appointment and may give the resident a security code to quote back to the surveyor when they call.

Householders in that area have ended up paying for overpriced, poor quality and unnecessary work.

Trading Standards is urging anyone who has been approached by this company to contact them on 0845 404 0506.

Driveway pavers

I have received notification from Greater Manchester Police concerning a resident in the Heaton Moor area of Stockport. On 5th February 2005 the homeowner was approached by two Irish males, both called John and both approx 5' 10" with dark hair. The homeowner agreed to have the driveway paved and was quoted £2,600 cash. The trader started work on 7th February 2005 and dug up the complete driveway then demanded £500.

The homeowner refused to pay any money until the work was completed. The trader turned up the day after and smashed the doorstep up without the owners consent and informed the owner that a further £700 for twenty minutes work was now due. The homeowner has not had any cancellation rights and has taken advice on their civil rights but the workmen have made it clear they want payment for the work which appears to be a very inflated price. When the homeowner still refused to pay any money the two males became very aggressive and intimidating.

The police have been informed that the traders are likely to harass and intimidate the occupiers of the house into parting with a large sum of money for a small amount of work. Trading Standards have also advised that £250 would be a more realistic price for the eight hours work carried out by these men.

The homeowner has been advised to contact police should they turn up again demanding money.

Please take heed from this case and be aware that such traders could come into your area and try the same ploy. If you think that you may have been approached by these men please let me know.

Police advice is never to engage workman to carry out work for you when they call at the door. If you need work done try and get three written quotes or use a company recommended by a friend or neighbour.

Meter readers

Our Homewatch coordinator in Farnham Avenue Macclesfield called regarding an incident that had happened in her area with one of her neighbours. At approx 1.45pm the letterbox rattled at her property and she expected that a leaflet had been pushed through her front door. When nothing was there she opened her door to find an Asian male sitting on a bench in her front garden. The male stood up and asked to come into her property to read the meters. He had in his possession what looked like the bona fide meter reader machine.

She let him into her house but the male did not seem to know where the meters were situated and as this lady has two suppliers for gas and electricity, she found it unusual for the same person to read both meters.

The lady directed the male to the meter but thought that he acted suspiciously. She stayed with him the whole time and there was also another family member in the house at the time.

The male left and got into a small white van and drove away. (Astra or Escort type).

Her checks with the utility companies resulted in them confirming that their representative was not in the area that day.

We believe that this person is not the person he is trying to portray. Please be very careful who you let into your property especially if this male is in the area.

We would like information regarding this male. Has he called at your house?

Thanks must be given to Farnham Avenue Homewatch for their vigilance and for sharing this information with the Homewatch network.