Mason Moore | Hinckley Reporter | 1 June 2022

A BURBAGE resident has warned that a potential bogus trader was doing the rounds in the Brookside area yesterday (Tuesday, 31 May).

The report was made by the concerned resident to officers after the ‘trader’ had cold called her at her front door stating that she “needed work completing” on her roof.

In an update shared in the Neighbourhood Link newsletter, the Beat Team members have stressed that residents should never agree to work at the doorstep. Instead, they should ask for details, take time to think, and speak to a friend or relative.

This is because rogue traders will often start with a very ‘low scale’ offer for a job at first, and then they will start to suddenly increase it by adding extra jobs on.

PCSO Darren Stretton, who patrols Burbage, further warned: “You will feel pressured or scared into paying a lot of money for shoddy, incomplete work or even worse, damage that may have been done by the rogue trader.”

However, there are many ways that you can keep yourself protected from cold callers and rogue traders trying to sell to you on your doorstep.

Leicestershire County Council have put a list of tips together.

They suggest the following:

• Keep your front and back doors secure at all times.
• Don’t open the door to cold callers – they could be a rogue trader.
• It is your home – you can close the door and end the conversation at any time.
• If you do open the door, ensure the chain is secured before opening.
• Ask for ID to confirm their identity – check on the internet or in a phone book
• If they offer to do work on your property you can say “no thanks” and shut the door.
• Do not keep large sums of money at home.

If you want to report a cold-caller, the incident can be reported to the Citizen’s Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133 or online to Trading Standards.

Alternatively, if they are at the door and refuse to leave, you can call the police on their non-emergency number of 101, or 999, if it is urgent.