The new zone was created following an incident where a doorstep caller approached a resident offering to clean her driveway for £400. The men then pressured her into making cash withdrawals, escorting her to a local bank where they helped her withdraw two sums of money totalling £400. The driveway was only partially cleaned and dirt was deliberately sprayed over her property and vehicles.
The launch of this milestone zone takes place during Trusted Trader Week, which highlights the work Suffolk Trading Standards does to protect residents from rogue traders and promote vetted, reliable businesses through the Suffolk Trusted Trader scheme.
Councillor Steve Wiles, Suffolk County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Public Protection, said:
“Doorstep cold callers can often turn out to be unscrupulous people who prey on the elderly and vulnerable in their homes, the very place where they should feel safest.
“No Cold Calling Zones help deter such behaviour by making it clear that residents in that zone will not deal with traders who knock at their door uninvited.
“I applaud the hard work of the community, councillors, police and Trading Standards in bringing this milestone zone into place. These schemes are proven to have a deterrent effect, and I am proud that Suffolk now has 300 in operation.
"I urge residents that are looking to have work undertaken in their home to get quotes from two or three traders. Ask friends and family for recommendations of traders who have carried out work for them. You can also check Suffolk Trusted Trader for traders that have been vetted and approved by us.”
A ‘No Cold Calling Zone’ is a nominated area where residents collectively state they do not want uninvited traders calling at their homes. Zones are established in response to incidents of doorstep crime, distraction burglary, or where there is a community more vulnerable to such practices.
Residents in a nominated area are consulted and, with their agreement, receive an information pack, door sticker, and street signage to reinforce the message.
Since the first zone was launched in Ipswich in 2009, more than 14,300 properties across Suffolk are now covered.
Anyone wishing to nominate their road can visit the ‘No Cold Calling’ page on the Suffolk County Council website.
