Trading Standards and Police to host online Facebook chat event on rogue doorstep callers

19th March 2015

Highland Council Trading Standards and Police Scotland Highland and Islands Division are to host a Facebook chat event on the topic of rogue traders who call at your door offering to carry out works on your home. The event will take place on Tuesday 24th March at 6pm.

The chat involves Trading Standards Team Leader Mark McGinty and Detective Inspector Brian Mackay who will be on hand to answer questions and provide advice on how you can best avoid being conned by the doorstep rogue and what to do should one come calling.

Mark McGinty Trading Standards Team Leader said "Highland Council Trading Standards have been involved in previous online chats and I look forward to being on hand to answer any questions anyone has in relation to traders calling at their homes and offering to carry out works. Quite often we find that the caller isn't a real trade's person, the work is of a poor standard or non-existent, and this can cause problems to the household."

"I would encourage the public to use this opportunity to ask any questions they have about doorstep callers and rogue traders. Even if they don't want to ask any specific questions, they may get some useful tips from just viewing the conversation thread."

Speaking on the subject, Detective Inspector Brian Mackay said: "We have previously hosted a series of successful chat events on our Divisional Facebook page. This is an excellent opportunity to engage with thousands of people within the communities across our dispersed region. Working with Highland Council Trading Standards on this subject is of benefit to us all".

The chat event is being virtually held on the Highland Council Facebook page between 18:00 and 19:30 hours on Tuesday 24th March.