Dear Watch Member,
After Storm Dudley and Storm Eunice both wreaked havoc across the country many of us sustained damage to our properties and are now experiencing the stress of arranging for repairs to be undertaken.
Unfortunately, fraudsters will use these storms as an opportunity to exploit you by overcharging for repairs or claiming that whilst working at a neighbours’ property they noticed that your property has loose / missing roof tiles, broken guttering, blown-down fences or tree damage etc.
They will sometimes say that they can fix the problem immediately with surplus building materials whilst they are in the area. This can inevitably lead to unnecessary or uncompleted work of poor standard.
Fraudsters may use intimidation and pressure you into making a quick decision that could prove to be an expensive one. They may also insist that you pay them in cash immediately, put down a deposit, or if demanding large sums of money, instruct you to make a bank transfer or offer to take you to your bank to withdraw the money.
Please encourage your relatives, friends and neighbours to be vigilant to these tactics. It is always advisable to find reputable traders via recommendations from friends or family, or use websites such as Which? Trusted Trader which you can visit with this link: Find traders near you with Which? Trusted Traders | Which?
For comprehensive advice on how to protect yourself from fraudsters please read the attached Little Book of Big Scams.
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If you need to reply regarding this message, tap on this email address: [email protected]
Regards,
Lee O’Brien
Pinner Safer Neighbourhood Team
Email: [email protected]