Doorstep sellers and rogue traders

Doorstep seller We are working with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment's Trading Standards Service to make residents more aware of bogus callers and to reduce the number of people being taken advantage of.

Doorstep sellers typically turn up at homes, without advance notice, and offer to carry out building work, house repairs or garden landscaping.

But, while it might be tempting to agree to the attractive prices being offered on your doorstep, you should think twice before agreeing to any work. These traders often pressurise householders into having unnecessary repairs carried out and then charge highly inflated prices for very poor work.

Examples include callers who target older people about roofing repairs, or gangs of traders who carry out tarmacing of driveways and then charge excessive amounts for shoddy workmanship

It is very important that homeowners know who they are employing and are confident they will receive a good standard of workmanship. Word of mouth is therefore often the best form of recommendation.

You should not agree to building work, house repairs or any other services with people who 'cold call' to your door. Instead, always get a second opinion from someone you trust and do not pay for work up front.

Here are some more helpful tips if someone does cold call to your home: We're working with Trading Standards to investigate complaints about rogue traders carrying out home improvement works in Belfast. If you are concerned or have a complaint about doorstep callers, call Consumerline on 0300 123 6262 or visit www.consumerline.org

Role of Building Control

If you are considering having work done to your home, you will probably need to make a building control application.

Sometimes, so-called 'cowboy builders' will offer to carry out work at a cheaper price if you don't get the required building control approval, or else tell you that building control approval is not required.

Don't take a builder or contractor's word for this - not having building control approval can lead to sub-standard work and problems later on if you plan to sell your home.

Always call our Building Control service yourself on 028 9027 0432 to find out if you need to make an application.

We can also provide advice on how to choose a reputable builder. Our Consumer Advice Centre can also help if you have a complaint about building work. Call them on 028 9032 8260 for more information.

Useful numbers and websites