Residents of Norwich-based sheltered housing schemes will have more comfort in their own homes when nine new No Cold Calling Zones were launched by Norfolk County Council Trading Standards on Tuesday January 22.
The zones take the total number of zones in the county to fourteen - and will be located at Fellowes Close, Custance Court, Silkfields, Meadowsweet, Ryrie Court, Millers Lane, Stone Road, Alfred Nichols Court and Seabrook Court.
Signs have been erected in these locations, to warn potential uninvited door-to-door callers that they are not welcome - with residents given information for their homes to help them to fully deal with any caller who ignores the warnings.
The County Council's Head of Trading Standards, David Collinson, will be launching all the schemes at 11.30am at Fellowes Close, Earlham - meeting residents and representatives of the various housing schemes.
David Collinson, Head of Norfolk County Council Trading Standards, said: "Research done with over 9000 consumers by the Trading Standards Institute showed that 96% of respondents do not want cold calling - something which is often used as a smokescreen for con men and criminals who prey on vulnerable households - particularly older people.
"No Cold Calling Zones support residents' ability and confidence to say no to unwanted cold callers and have been proven to reduce crime and ultimately provide an increased feeling of security for residents.
"The zones also provide Trading Standards with valuable information about traders operating in the area, which aids effective enforcement against doorstop crime."
In order for Trading Standards to support a location to become a No Cold Calling Zone, it has to meet a number of criteria.
These include the history of cold calling there, the number of incidents reported to Trading Standards and the Police, the residents' vulnerability, and the support of the local city, town or parish council all taken into consideration.
So, Fohki, you have been told. Don't get lawed, get wise. As I have told you all in the article “No Cold Calling Areas”, you don't go and call at the door; you leaflet. You all have cell phones (mobiles) nowadays, I am sure. And, for o Del's sake, don't sham for a change. Give a proper day's work for a proper day's lova. Don't ask £1,000 for a £100 job. That's how you ruin it for everybody.
Michael Smith (Veshengro), January 2008
