Issue Date:  -  Thursday, 1 August 2002

Itinerant traders on their way to Western Australia.

Consumers are being warned to be on the look out for door-to-door traders touting their services for cleaning and painting of roof tiles, carpet shampooing and applying asphalt to drive ways. It is suspected that itinerant traders that were recently offering these services in the Eastern states are headed towards WA.

Itinerant traders do not provide after sales service or guarantees like local traders. Consumers using an itinerant trader may not get what they pay for and may not have any recourse, as the traders rarely provide any form of identification then disappear.

“We have concerns about how they operate, because cash payments are usually demanded, and although they present initially as reasonable and perhaps even trustworthy, there have been reports of threats and intimidation when consumers have questioned charges or quality of work.

Consumers should always carefully consider their options when thinking about these types of home services which include; shopping around for the best price; getting quotes and comparing services; asking friends and neighbours for recommendations and checking on a trader’s registration with Consumer Protection”, Director of Industry and Consumer Services David Hillyard said.

WA suffered a spate of itinerant traders two years ago when smooth talking carpet cleaners who performed very poor quality work for top prices, targeted older people and residents of retirement villages.

Last year Consumer Protection prosecuted a Queensland man who was operating in WA. In one case he charged an elderly person over $3,000 for less than one hour’s work.

Anyone approached by itinerant traders should not have anything to do with them, and notify Consumer Protection of the trader’s details, vehicle type and registration number by telephoning 1300 30 40 54.

Itinerant traders have been known to work their way through country towns as well as the metropolitan area, moving on quickly to elude authorities.