Maidenhead & Windsor

Following last week's storms, the Maidenhead Royal Borough's trading standards and streetcare services are advising residents to say 'No' to doorstep traders offering to repair roofs and fences or to prune trees and remove garden debris.

Greg Nelson, Maidenhead trading standards team leader, said: "In the wake of widespread damage caused by the storms rogue traders see a perfect opportunity to persuade homeowners to part with money for work, which more often than not turns out to be shoddy and unsatisfactory – or completely unnecessary."

Nigel Davis, Maidenhead senior streetcare officer, also stressed that rubbish from repairs may also end up being fly tipped in the borough, causing problems for residents and landowners.

Officers are advising Maidenhead residents to be wary of doorstep traders calling at their doors to tell them they have a 'problem' – e.g. with loose tiles or guttering – that the homeowner is not aware of. They offer to do the work immediately, say they will give discounts for cash payments but fail to give written cancellation rights or explain terms.

The message to householders is: Say NO because rogue traders:

* may pressurise or intimidate you to let them do the work
* say work needs doing that is not necessary at all
* may lie about the real cost of the job
* may give a false name and address

which means

* you may not get what you pay for
* you could end up paying more than you expected
* you may never be able to track down the traders responsible.

Rogue or cowboy traders may also be responsible for fly tipping. Nigel Davis explained: "Anyone who carries out work and takes away associated waste, such as builders, tree surgeons, garden contractors and house clearance firms, are required by law to be a registered waste carrier. It's worth remembering that if waste from a person's property is later found dumped, they could also be held liable."

To check if someone is registered to carry waste, call the Environment Agency on 08708 506 506.

The joint message from Maidenhead trading standards and streetcare is: Make sure you say No –concentrate on finding a reputable tradesman.

Trading standards offer cards for householders to display in their windows saying 'We do not buy from doorstep sellers' (with advice on the back about what to do if traders still knock at the door) or a sticker saying 'Attention. We do not buy or sell at this door." To ask for a card or a sticker, or to report an incident, call Maidenhead council's customer service centre on 01628 683802.

To find a trustworthy trader contact TrustMark at www.trustmark.org.uk, see the OFT (Office of Fair Trading) guide to employing tradespeople at www.oft.gov.uk/consumer or try www.improveline.com

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead