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Doorstep Callers -
Know Your Rights

Trading Standards have produced a door or window sticker promoting the message
“Say NO to doorstep callers.”

These stickers can be applied for from trading standards or by contacting the chairman through the 'contact us' section.

Know your rights

If the goods or services you buy cost more than £35, and you did not invite the seller to call, then you can generally have seven days to change your mind and cancel the contract. Responding to an advertisement in the paper or a leaflet dropped through your door counts as inviting the seller to call.

If you agree to a visit after the seller rings you up or sends someone round to ask if he or she can visit, you still have the right to cancel within seven days.

By law, the seller must give you written details of your right to cancel (there are exceptions to this rule).

Failure to do this is a criminal offence, and the contract cannot be enforced against you.

The details of the right to cancel may be set out in the contract, or you may be given a separate form.

If you cancel the contract, you can get back any money you paid. If you have already received certain goods (e.g. perishables) or if certain services have been carried out (e.g. some home improvements), then you will have to pay for these despite having cancelled the contract.

If you cancel the contract, and goods have already been supplied to you, you must let the seller collect them and look after tem in the meantime.

If you contact a company yourself, you have no legal right to change your mind and cancel the contract once you’ve agreed to buy. There are two exceptions: firstly, if the contract says so; secondly, if you bought the goods or service on credit when you will generally have a five day cancellation period. However, if something is wrong with the goods, you may have other rights against the seller.

For further details of your rights when buying a home and other consumer rights see the advice for consumers on the Trading Standards website.  

National ‘’doorstep’’ cold calling protocol

Everybody, and particularly the most vulnerable are at risk from bogus callers and doorstep rogue traders. These problems are well documented and well known to investigative agencies such as trading standards and the police.

Throughout the country there are many excellent initiatives underway to educate householders, particularly the elderly to change their ways of doing things, for example:

Don’t keep unnecessary sums of money in the house

Use door chains

Don’t deal with unexpected ‘door callers’ 

Many callers do, from time to time need to make house calls, for example, meter readers, representatives from the utilities and local authority officers. One of the most important yet most difficult problems is knowing who to deal with and who not.

The following protocol, developed in conjunction with the Leeds Distraction Burglary Group is being promoted by the Trading Standards Institute and in partnership with many of the major utilities. This protocol puts the onus on the caller to take the necessary steps (whether requested or not) to prove to the householder that they are who they say and to put the householder at ease. 

National doorstep protocol 

Where possible representatives will have previously notified appointments. On the occasions where this is not possible the following procedure will be observed: 

The representative will physically hand their identification card to the householder and declare their name and organisation. They will request that the householder compares their face with the photograph on the card and explain that they will not enter until the householder does so.

The representative will carry a larger identification card for examination by persons with sight difficulties. This card will bear print of at least size/font 14 and enlarged photograph.

The representative will explain the purpose of his/her visit.

The representative will explain that the householder can check their identification by telephoning their organisation and that they can arrange for attendance of a third party e.g. neighbour if they wish.

The representative will make it clear that they will not enter the house unless the householder requests.

The representative will always be happy to return at a later pre-arranged date/time if the householder requests. 

The organisation will provide a landline telephone number, preferably free phone, to facilitate employee bona-fide checks. This telephone number must be a direct line to a person/people and not utilise automated call management systems. Where possible this number should also be listed in the public telephone directory and other company advertising material.