In the wake of storms Ciara and Dennis, rogue cold callers have sensed an opportunity. Our guest, Hertfordshire Trading Standards, tells us what to watch out for.
This is a guest post by Hertfordshire Trading Standards. All views expressed are its own and not necessarily shared by Which?.
Hertfordshire Trading Standards is warning residents to be aware of cold callers offering to do work on your home, such as roof repairs, in light of the damage caused by the recent storms Ciara and Dennis.
#StormCiaraUk certainly left her mark.
Our crews have been working round the clock to keep roads clear. We received over 1000 reports on Saturday and Sunday, a 1000% increase over a typical weekend. pic.twitter.com/h0OqN51sYE
— Hertfordshire County Council (@hertscc) February 10, 2020
‘Roof renovation service’
Cold callers may exaggerate the work needed or the need for the work to be done at all, and may charge much more for the work, which may not be of a particularly high standard.
Here in Hertfordshire, we’ve been made aware of cold callers offering a ‘roof renovation service’.
The service generally involves pressure-cleaning and painting the roof; it is very expensive, and experts advise that it can be likely to cause damage to the tiles, harm the lifespan of a roof and create an unnecessary need for ongoing maintenance.
Use a reputable tradesperson
If your house is damaged and you do legitimately need repairs carried out, then please ensure you use a reputable tradesperson to carry out the work.
We always advise that you should obtain three independent quotes for the work required.
It may be that you can speak to friends and family and ask for recommendations of traders they have used and that they’re happy to recommend, but we appreciate that this isn’t always an option for everybody.
Since 2016, Hertfordshire County Council’s Trading Standards team has been working in partnership with Which? Trusted Traders to help connect consumers to good tradespeople.
The joint scheme provides a list of businesses including roofers, electricians, plumbers, builders, handymen and many more that have passed an assessment before they’re able to become endorsed.
If you have any concerns about a potential rogue trader or require consumer advice, please contact the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 03454 040506.
This was a guest post by Hertfordshire Trading Standards. All views expressed were its own and not necessarily shared by Which?.
Have you been cold called by someone offering roof repairs or a ‘renovation service’ out of the blue?
Loading ...Spotted anyone else attempting to take advantage of the damage caused by the recent storms? Let us know in the comments.
