Home maintenance tradies who have carried out dodgy roofing work without authority are approaching Perth home owners who are warned by Consumer Protection to avoid these itinerant traders.

The tradies, who are working for Quality Home Care and Maintenance Pty Ltd and sole Director William Joseph Delaney, are breaking door to door trading laws by ignoring a required cooling off period.

Apart from going door to door, the company also advertises its services on Gumtree and Quokka and distributes pamphlets in mail boxes. They use the address of a virtual office at the Subiaco Business Centre in Hay Street, a three-month arrangement which expired in September 2017.

Two complaints have been lodged with Consumer Protection by residents in Kardinya and Floreat, but it’s believed many more may have been approached with five phone enquiries also being received from consumers.

In the Kardinya case, a couple received a verbal quote for roof repairs and restoration when they were approached uninvited at their home by a man with a Scottish accent offering roof repairs. The quote for $2,000 included roof cleaning, ridge capping gaps filled, roof tiles re-sealed and a clean-up.

The couple were not given a written quote and said they would call the trader the following week after considering the quote and to set a date for commencement. Three days later the couple were unexpectedly awoken at 7am with the workers already starting work on their roof without proper authority.

The couple allowed the work to continue and paid the money in cash after a brief inspection indicated that they had completed the work. However, a closer inspection afterwards revealed that not all the work agreed to had been carried out and the work completed was of poor quality. Several attempts to have the workmen return to finish the job were unsuccessful.

In the Floreat case, a home owner was approached uninvited and given a $4,000 verbal quote for roof repairs and restoration. They later began the job without authority, but the workmen stopped work and left after the home owner said he had called Consumer Protection.

Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard said consumers should not allow itinerant traders to begin work without authorisation and without honouring the cooling off period.

“Don’t fall for high pressure sales tactics and, if tradies start work without your permission, demand that they stop immediately and leave your premises. If they continue, it’s trespassing and consumers can call the police for assistance,” Mr Hillyard said.

“Under unsolicited sales or door to door trading laws, consumers are allowed a ten business day cooling off period before work begins or money is paid. Itinerant traders who do the job and take the money during this period are breaking the law.

“Home owners should not deal with itinerant traders who just turn up out of the blue. Large jobs around the home require consumers to get several quotes and check out the track record of the company, so don’t make hasty decisions you might later regret.”

More information on consumer rights with regard to door to door traders is available on the Consumer Protection website www.consumerprotection.wa.gov.au. Home owners approached by itinerant traders who don’t abide by the conditions of the cooling off period should report them by emailing consumer@dmirs.wa.gov.au or calling 1300 30 40 54.

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Media Contact: Alan Hynd, (08) 6552 9248 / 0429 078 791 / alan.hynd@dmirs.wa.gov.au