Consumers have been urged not to 'pour money down the drain' by hiring bogus workmen, after a pensioner was conned out of more than £7,000. Trading Standards issued the warning following an incident in east Belfast, where an elderly woman was targeted by rogue traders.
The woman was approached by conmen, who told her that a blockage in her drains needed to be urgently fixed because it was causing problems in another street. The victim later discovered that the problem did not exist and she had been duped out of her savings.
Mary McKeown from Trading Standards Services said: 'Rogue traders frequently pressurise householders to hand over cash by convincing them that their homes require urgent repair work. In this particular case the trader even lifted up a drain close to the lady's home to show her the alleged blockage.'
After paying the full amount, the elderly lady queried the price, as she thought it was too expensive. The workmen informed her that special parts were required, and implied that the job was cheap as they were already working in the area.
Ms McKeown urged householders not to feel pressured into agreeing to any alleged repair work with strangers who arrive on their doorsteps. She encouraged homeowners to research their consumer rights and always seek a second opinion from a trusted person.
'The law states that, where goods or services cost over £35, consumers are entitled to a seven day cooling-off period during which they can cancel the contract,' said Ms McKeown. 'If traders do not comply with these requirements, any contract agreed with a customer will not be legally binding.' Anyone who is worried they may have been conned should visit Consumerline or call 0300 1236262.
