- 27
- Sep
The Department of Trade and Industry has made plans to allow customers the opportunity to cancel a purchase within seven days. The plan will also require firms to be more ethical and truthful about the full cost of a purchase and the customer’s ability to cancel unwanted goods. The DTI hopes this measure will make life uncomfortable for doorstep financial sales representatives and debt repair con men.
Fiona Bartosch, spokesman for the DTI, said: ‘We don’t want to hinder reputable firms from practicing, it is the con men that this is aimed at. It is often elderly people that become victims. We have examples where salesmen have preyed upon old peoples’ fears to sell elaborate security systems that they often don’t want or need, or have refused to leave until a contract has been signed.’
If you buy something from a door-to-door retailer under the current law there is a seven day cool off period, unless, the sales person made an appointment. This has driven doorstep loan sales representatives to call first and make an appointment. This removes the ‘cold-call’ tag, and the consumer’s right to cancel the purchase within seven days.
Gordon Lishman, director general of the charity Age Concern, said: ‘We have long-campaigned for a cooling-off period to be introduced for all sales completed in the home. We often hear very distressing stories about older people being bullied into buying expensive products in their own home that they do not need or cannot afford. This new legislation should stamp out bully-boy doorstep selling and give older people greater protection.’
The DTI hopes the plan will receive enough support to make it a criminal offence for sale’s representatives to use underhand sales techniques.
