Individuals promoting home maintenance services through letterbox drops or door-to-door visits should be regarded with caution, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has warned.
Earlier this month, National Consumer Fraud Week exposed a range of frauds and scams that are catching out around 1 in 20 Australian consumers each year.
While an increasing number of these schemes are internet-based, consumers should remain on their guard against scams that may occur through direct contact.
Home maintenance scams involve operators selling services such as pest control, roofing or garden maintenance.
Operators will sometimes turn up without a prior appointment or will gather appointments first by dropping leaflets in letterboxes.
They will lock consumers into paying for services that are either not delivered or are of a poor quality and will often charge for work that was not agreed to.
The ACCC also warns that some door-to-door scammers simply wish to gain access to your home in order to prepare for a subsequent break-in.
Consumers should be cautious of home service operators who arrive at their home later in the evening, those who ask for a deposit or full payment prior to commencing the work and those who refuse to accept cheques.
The ACCC recommends asking to see identification before you let any sales person into your home. You should also refuse to sign up for any offers on the spot.
If you are interested in what they are offering but have any reservations about their qualifications you can check with the Consumer Protection Division of the Department of Commerce to see if any warnings have been listed against them.
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