A Review of Poole S No Doorstep Selling Zones

BOROUGH OF POOLE

ENVIRONMENT OVERVIEW GROUP

1 FEBRUARY 2007

REPORT OF HEAD OF ENVIRONMENTAL & CONSUMER PROTECTION SERVICES

A REVIEW OF POOLE’S “NO DOORSTEP SELLING ZONES”.

1. Purpose of Report

1.1.This report is further to that previously submitted to Members for consideration (minuted as item 5 of Environment Overview Group of 2 February 2006) in consideration of three pilot “No Doorstep Selling Zones”.

1.2.To inform Members of a review carried out into the effectiveness of 3 areas piloted as designated “No Doorstep Selling Zones” (the Zones) within the Borough, which were to be subjected to an increased degree of priority from E&CPS and Dorset Police with regard to doorstep crime and support to vulnerable residents in particular.

2.Decisions Required

2.1.That Members recommend to Cabinet the introduction of the 3 existing Zones on a permanent basis.

2.2.That Members support the introduction of additional Zones or Cold Calling Control Zones elsewhere in the Borough when available evidence (detailed at paragraph 6.4) suggests the area is at a higher risk of doorstep crime or is actively being targeted by rogue traders.

3.Background Information

3.1.This is an initiative to provide increased levels of support and protection to residents in targeted areas. The aim is to reduce crime and the fear of crime arising from doorstep callers, bogus workmen, high pressure salespeople, bogus officials and other distraction burglars.

3.2.Distraction burglary and rogue trading are interlinked and a comprehensive intelligence sharing network exists amongst persons who may be responsible for both types of activity.

3.3.Rogue traders are extremely transient and it is not uncommon for an itinerant tarmac or gardening gang to travel 100’s of miles to an area and carry out poor quality and over priced work as a result of unsolicited doorstep visits. The trader will move out of the area after a few days, leaving their customers with little or no redress and no means of contacting them.

3.4.Whilst doorstep crime can impact on anybody research shows that older people are particularly vulnerable, especially those without the support systems provided by neighbours, family, etc. The profile of a typical victim of doorstep crime is an 78 year old woman living on her own.

3.5.There is a continuing absence of effective legislative controls over rogue traders operating in this way. In its response to the “Public Consultation on Doorstep Selling and Cold Calling”, published in September 2006, the Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) rejected a recommendation by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to prohibit cold calling to offer repairs to property and related services, despite it receiving the greatest public support during the consultation period.

3.6.In response the DTI’s current emphasis is placed heavily on the provisions included in the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive (UCPD), which is to be fully implemented in late 2007. This will place a general duty on traders to ‘not trade unfairly’ and will set out certain practices considered unfair. Proposed sanctions have yet to be published but in any event doubts have already been expressed by the Trading Standards Institute (TSI) over the effectiveness of the UCPD in tackling rogue traders of an itinerant nature in particular. The Portfolio Holder & Head of Service have enlisted the support of the MP`s representing Poole constituents to express their concern.

3.7.Against this legislative background, Zones controlling doorstep selling are likely to play an increasing role in raising the profile of this type of crime in Poole, provide a early warning system to enforcement agencies and equip residents with the skills and confidence to deal with unwanted doorstep traders.

3.8.A more recent development are OFT/TSI supported Cold Calling Control Zones in which the resident’s awareness of the problems with doorstep callers is heightened but cold calling is allowed to continue although it is closely monitored. Each home within the zone would ideally be issued with door stickers so that residents can individually say “No Cold Calling” if they wish to.

3.9.These might be more suitable for areas where residents are requesting No Doorstep Selling Zones but where the evidence from the E&CPS/Dorset Police does not support such a robust approach. They may also be more suitable for larger areas where it would be impractical to canvass the views of every resident to seek agreement for a No Doorstep Selling Zone or where resources do not allow for the implementation of a full No Doorstep Selling Zone.

4.No Doorstep Selling Zones

4.1.In June 2005, a national campaign to role out community based schemes was launched to encourage residents to put up signs and use door stickers advising unsolicited doorstep traders that they were not welcome and that they would be reported to the authorities if they cold called in a clearly defined area. In Poole three zones were introduced in May 2006. Members are requested to note that the Zone’s still have no statutory status and it is not illegal for traders to continue to cold call within the area.

4.2.Fundamental to the success of the Zones are signs marking the areas boundaries which clearly say that it is a “No Doorstep Selling” area. Residents within the Zones are encouraged to report doorstep sellers directly to E&CPS or the Police who will respond to ensure the trader is complying with any relevant trading standards legislation and advise the trader they are unwelcome in the Zone.

4.3.E&CPS with the support of the Daily Echo engaged with residents who were asked to nominate their area if they wished it to be considered as suitable to trial a Zone. 20 residents initially nominated their street or road and were supplied with details of how the Zone would work and what was involved. They were asked to provide some benchmark information on the current levels of cold calling, previous experience with doorstep sellers, etc.

4.4. An assessment of the areas nominated to and recommended by Environment Overview Group resulted in 3 areas (totaling 9 roads) as being suitable for piloting the scheme;those aroundGorse Hill Rd, St Clements Rd and Conifer Ave, (maps are included as Annex A to this report).

4.5.Nearly 450 household within these areas were consulted on their experiences with doorstep traders and about whether they wished to participate in the trial, with a 96% support rate for the Zones among those who responded (42% response rate).

4.6.The Zones were official launched on 1 May 2006. E&CPS supplied materials to each household in the Zones setting out the current legal position regarding doorstep trading, their rights, tips on dealing with doorstep traders, materials to place on display if they did not wish to be cold called and contact numbers to report incidents both in and outside normal office hours.

4.7.There were limited capital costs involved in the setting up of the Zones mostly around printing costs and the purchase of street signs (less than £1500), E&CPS obtained matched funding for the Poole scheme through a BT grant.

4.8.By April 2007 it is estimated there will be are more than 1000 Zones operating nationally covering around 250,000 households. This figure is likely to increase substantially during 07/08 in light of the existing legislative shortfall.

4.9.The implementation of the Zones in Poole has been an excellent opportunity to have a positive influence on tackling doorstep crime regionally. These were the first Zones launched in the South West and Poole’s experience has been drawn upon by colleagues elsewhere in the region to assist the introduction of similar areas in a further 7 authorities which are expected to be implemented by April 07.

1. Zones Impact/Assessment

5.1.Recent research produced by Trading Standards Institute indicates that zones controlling cold calling elsewhere in the UK are proving very effective in reducing incidents of doorstep crime, other general crime in the area and crucially, the fear of crime.

5.2.Having trialled them over the summer (the busiest period for doorstep sales and itinerant trading) E&CPS carried out their own evaluation of the 3 Zones in Poole, six months after their launch. A sample of residents (30%) living in the Zones were contacted and asked to supply brief details of unsolicited doorstep traders calling on them since the launch and given an opportunity to comment on the success or otherwise of the initiative.

5.3.A summary of the results received (included as Annex B to this report) indicates that residents living in the Zones are overwhelmingly:

• More likely to complain to the authorities in the event of bad experience on the doorstep.
• More aware of their legal rights when dealing with doorstep traders.
• More likely to feel confident if they have to deal with doorstep traders.

5.4.It is difficult at this stage to directly compare levels of unsolicited visits in the Zones as the benchmark figure was for an annual period rather than the corresponding 6 months.(Annex C to this report gives a comparison of the levels of unsolicited traders calling).

5.5.Assuming that most cold calling visits are made during the spring to autumn period, it can be seen that there has been significant changes in unsolicited trading in the Zones e.g. there is a reduction of approximately 45% in the amount of households who were previously subject to cold calling 2-4 times year and a near 300% increase in residents who had not been cold called at all so far. It is clear that the Zones are acting as a deterrent to unsolicited doorstep traders in these areas.

5.6.Anecdotal evidence received from Neighbourhood Watch representatives in the areas indicate that the Zones are very popular with residents, particularly with more vulnerable householders who have been provided with an additional form of ‘validation’ in asking unsolicited callers to move on and leave them alone. This was supported by residents during the review process. Many respondents viewed the Zones as an excellent scheme that they felt would benefit others elsewhere in Poole and nationally. There were no respondents who indicated the initiative had not proved worthwhile.

1. Considerations
   
2. Operationally the Zones have not proven difficult to maintain and there is no indication through complaint levels that there has been an element of displacement to others areas in the Borough through their introduction.

6.2. There is still work to do in raising complaint levels within the Zones as it seems that even though there is a, albeit reduced, amount of cold calling happening most residents are not reporting these at the time they are happening. Officers from E&CPS were asked to respond on only 5 occasions during the summer;

• One, well known, itinerant tarmac gang were challenged by a resident and they left the area immediately. E&CPS officers attended but were unable to find them in the locality.
• A problematic, hard selling, property maintenance company had a sales team operating in the Zones. Again they were challenged by residents and E&CPS has now obtained agreement that the company will avoid the Zones in future and passed information to their local Trading Standards Service which is now considering obtaining an Enforcement Order under the Enterprise Act.
• A team of itinerant household goods sellers were asked to leave by a resident and left before officers could challenge them.
• Two other incidents were reported of a minor nature relating to regular roundsmen touting for business which did not require E&CPS attendance.

6.3.A very small number of concerns were raised by traders operating locally that use cold calling. These were addressed by officers who explained the nature of the Zones and there is no indication that local traders are ignoring residents wishes not to be cold called so far.

6.4.It is suggested that criteria for the consideration of future no doorstep selling zones are:-

• More than one serious incident of deliberate rogue selling
• Several minor incidents committed by legitimate but hard selling agents, and
• Where the demographic make up suggests the average age of residents is over 70 years, with a higher than average number living alone, or
• Where other agencies/groups wish to take the lead in establishing and administering a zone

6.5.Although proving successful elsewhere, efforts to control rogue trading of this nature through partnership working with residents is still under development in the South West region. In the absence of similar areas in Dorset there is still an opportunity to push the message through the media that the Borough will not tolerate rogue traders of this nature and to use the opportunity to raise the profile of the problem with the public.

Shaun Robson

Head of Environmental and Consumer Protection Services

Contact Officer: Jeff Morley X1710

Background Papers:Annex A - Maps of Proposed Areas.

Annex B - Summary of Residents Responses.

Annex C - Comparison of unsolicited trader visits.

Annex A – Maps of areas covered by trial No Doorstep Selling Zones

Gorse Hill Zone

St Clements Zone

Conifer Zone

Annex B - Summary of Residents Responses.

Annex C – Comparison of unsolicited trader visits.