AUG2010 Itinerant traders knocking on Dayboro doors
(We also refer readers to our May edition – page 4, Letters to the Editor – with a report about being a victim of this type of activity. Ed.)
Read on for Office of Fair Trade advice.
Residents are warned to watch out for itinerant traders reportedly doing the rounds in the Dayboro region north of Brisbane offering to lay new driveways.
State Member for Pine Rivers, Carolyn Male MP, after receiving a complaints from other victims, has sent us information from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT). This information relates to any Door-To-Door sales situation
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) advises residents to shut the door on these people, even if they seem nice and trustworthy.
Itinerant traders door-knocking neighbourhoods to lay bitumen driveways were notoriously dubious. Elderly people are frequent targets, surprised at the end with a hefty bill.
Pushy and intimidating tactics are often used, as well as offers to drive the resident to the ATM so they can get their money.
Mostly they have no ID, business registration or trade credentials, and provide no quote, contract or receipt – it’s completely under the table.
What makes matters worse is that you might be left with a shonky job, requiring fixing by a proper tradesperson.
The OFT reminds people that door-to-door tradespeople offering any product or service must, by law, abide by the following rules:
Produce an identity card with the trader’s full name and address
Provide a written contract clearly stating the breakdown of costs, including GST and the total price when the goods or services are more than $75
Provide a 10-day cooling-off period when the goods and services are worth more than $75. During this time no payment, including deposits, can be accepted and no work can be commenced.
Provide a form outlining the consumer’s right to cancel a door-to-door contract
Provide a form to actually make the cancellation within the cooling off period
Only contact customers between 9am-6pm from Monday to Friday, and 9am-5pm on Saturdays. Calls on Sundays or public holidays are prohibited
Members of the public can report suspicious activity of a trader to the OFT by visiting www.fairtrading.qld.gov.au or calling 13 13 04.
State Member for Pine Rivers, Carolyn Male MP, after receiving a complaints from other victims, has sent us information from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT). This information relates to any Door-To-Door sales situation
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) advises residents to shut the door on these people, even if they seem nice and trustworthy.
Itinerant traders door-knocking neighbourhoods to lay bitumen driveways were notoriously dubious. Elderly people are frequent targets, surprised at the end with a hefty bill.
Pushy and intimidating tactics are often used, as well as offers to drive the resident to the ATM so they can get their money.
Mostly they have no ID, business registration or trade credentials, and provide no quote, contract or receipt – it’s completely under the table.
What makes matters worse is that you might be left with a shonky job, requiring fixing by a proper tradesperson.
The OFT reminds people that door-to-door tradespeople offering any product or service must, by law, abide by the following rules:
Produce an identity card with the trader’s full name and address
Provide a written contract clearly stating the breakdown of costs, including GST and the total price when the goods or services are more than $75
Provide a 10-day cooling-off period when the goods and services are worth more than $75. During this time no payment, including deposits, can be accepted and no work can be commenced.
Provide a form outlining the consumer’s right to cancel a door-to-door contract
Provide a form to actually make the cancellation within the cooling off period
Only contact customers between 9am-6pm from Monday to Friday, and 9am-5pm on Saturdays. Calls on Sundays or public holidays are prohibited
Members of the public can report suspicious activity of a trader to the OFT by visiting www.fairtrading.qld.gov.au or calling 13 13 04.
