New scams to watch out for in winter

Watch out for doorstep traders offering home maintenance services this winter...

With the clocks going back this weekend, winter is well and truly on its way. And that means you might be contemplating preparing your home for the colder months, particularly following last year’s bitter winter.

Sadly, however, scammers are using this as an excuse to start offering home improvement services on your doorstep. Although canvassing on the doorstep is not illegal and many businesses that sell to people at home are legitimate, rogue doorstep selling is a growing problem in the UK.

Last year, Consumer Direct received more than 5,300 complaints about traders offering home maintenance on the doorstep. This was an increase of 16% from the previous year.

The three tricks

Age UK and the Office of Fair Trading have highlighted three areas that scammers are focusing on at the moment. These are as follows:

Cavity wall insulation

In this instance, someone will knock at your door claiming to be part of an energy-saving scheme offering discounted rates. However, in reality you’ll be charged high prices for poor quality work – if the work is done at all.

Roof repairs

Someone will knock on your door to tell you he/she’s spotted urgent problems with your roof which you should get fixed immediately and he/she will then offer his/her services. Often the elderly will be targeted so that they can’t check the problems out for themselves. But in reality, the work is unnecessary.

Driveway maintenance

In this case, a builder will offer to lay the drive with leftover materials from another job at a ‘bargain’ price. However, the builder is likely to demand an upfront payment and then disappear with the money.

Don’t get caught out

So how can you protect yourself from scams such as these?

Well, firstly, always be very wary of anyone selling something on your doorstep. Of course, there are many traders who are honest and genuine. So whenever someone calls at your door, you should always ensure you ask to see some personal identification and ask who he/she represents. If they are genuine, they will be happy to do this.

Don’t feel pressured into deciding anything there and then. If the person on your doorstep is offering on-the-spot house repairs, don’t sign up for anything immediately. Take your time to think things over and don’t rush into anything. If the trader is pressurising you to make a decision, chances are it’s a scam.

What’s more, if the trader informs you that your house is unsafe, or if you pay now, you’ll get a special deal, be very suspicious. If you think it all sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Tips for home repairs

Before winter really hits us, it’s a good idea to carry out a few checks around the home to ensure it’s in good working order. And that way if someone does knock on your door, you’ll be one step ahead of them. You can find some easy checks to do around the house in Six silly ways to ruin your home.

If you do need to carry out some home maintenance, however, there are plenty of ways to do this without accepting the latest offer from someone standing on your doorstep.

For a start, if you need cavity wall insulation, it’s worth finding out if you’re eligible for a government or local authority grant. If you’re over 70, you can have your home insulated for free, and if you’re over 60, there’s also a good chance of getting financial help. This is a genuine scheme, so don't get sucked into anything offered by a dodgy doorstep seller!

Even if you don’t fall into these age categories, you may still be entitled to some form of grant, so it’s worth checking to see whether you are eligible.

And if you’re on certain benefits, you may also be entitled to a package of insulation and heating improvements up to the value of £3,500. The scheme is known as Warm Front in England, Warm Homes in Northern Ireland, the Energy Assistance Package in Scotland and Home Energy Efficiency Scheme in Wales.

If you need some help with work around the house, it’s a good idea to use websites such as MyBuilder or MyHammer. These websites allow you to post a job online for free and then receive quotes back from tradesmen, so that you can choose the most competitive one. What’s more, each tradesman will be rated by previous customers, so you’ll be able to assess how reliable they are!

You should also always ensure the tradesman or company you choose is TrustMark approved. TrustMark is a not for profit organisation that helps you to find reliable workmen in your area.

TrustMark registered tradesmen will have had their technical skills and the quality of their work independently checked, as well as their trading record and financial status – so you will know whether or not they are suitable for the job you need to be carried out.

Make sure you always get your quote in writing before the job is started so that you know exactly what you will be paying out – including material costs, labour and VAT. That way you won’t get any nasty surprises at the end of the job, and the tradesman can’t suddenly add additional fees to your overall price. It’s also worth agreeing to a timescale so you know when you can expect the job to be completed.

You can find more tips in The rip-off that will wreck your home and Avoid being ripped-off by a cowboy tradesman.

Finally, if someone does try to sell you something on your doorstep, make sure you know exactly what your rights are by reading The scammers who invade your home. 

More: Best ways to pay for home improvements | How to spot a scam