The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has warned consumers of the increase in rogue selling over the summer months. The public is particularly at risk of bogus traders who operate on the doorstep – they often offer services at attractive rates and use persuasive sales techniques to encourage people into making hasty decisions. In 2009, advice service Consumer Direct received more than 5,300 complaints about traders offering home maintenance work on the doorstep, a 16 per cent rise from the previous year, with complaints peaking in the summer months from July through to the autumn. Roofing jobs received the most complaints (28 per cent) during 2009, with tarmacing and paving close behind with 23 per cent. Other trades mentioned included insulation, general building and guttering.

Michele Shambrook from the OFT commented:

'It is not illegal for handymen to canvas for work in this way, but it is important that people are cautious and don't make hasty decisions about agreeing to have work done by traders who come directly to their doorstep. Rogue doorstep trading is an ongoing problem in the UK and work or service carried out can sometimes be unnecessary, of a poor standard, much more expensive than originally quoted or not done at all.”