Suspicious about a builder

[Rolyata]

A builder was today touting door to door, I'm not remotely interested in using him, but am suspicious about him and wonder if anybody here knows anything about him.

He trades under the name of M&S Harrison, he is Steve and his father is Mark, he has a quote form giving an 0800 phone number and a mobile number. The trading "address" in Bristol is very strange. There is no postcode, nor street. Merely an industrial unit number and a reference to 7 Beach, Bristol. There is also an equally vague address in Durham. When challenged about the lack of a postcode, he said that it's not needed as everybody there knows where it is.

I produced a Bristol A-Z and asked him to show me where he was based, but he said he wasn't very good with maps and declined. He explained that it was near the new Severn crossing. I assume that he claims he's located at Severn Beach, but I can't imagine that a local would confuse numeric 7 with the river Severn.

Google reports no other company operating from any industrial unit with a similar address and it shows no match for the two phone numbers.

He was touting for work in a very small town in Wiltshire, about 30 miles from Bristol, explaining that there is no work in Bristol.

Clearly, everything he says is totally unconvincing and points to him being dodgy.

Does anybody have any knowledge of this man ?

A pensioner along the road is quite taken with him and I'm concerned that she might be taken for a ride.

[Andrew Gabriel]

There was a program on TV about this just recently. I wasn't paying attention, but it sounds like you should inform your local Trading Standards. They might be able to pass back some warnings for you to feed to your neighbour, or even offer to become involved themselves.

[ben]

This is a good site for looking someone or some business up, but not always spot on if the buisness is not legal.

[chris_doran]

Has he come up with alarming stories about some minor but urgent work that needs to be done on your roof; so urgent that you don't have time to get another quote? This is the con men's usual entr=E9e. Don't let them on the roof, or they'll "find" bigger problems.

In any case, it all sounds so suspicious that, as Andrew says, you should contact Trading Standards. In addition, note their vehicle details (not just the number which may be false) and discretely take some photos if you can. Don't return any paperwork they've given you -- asking for it back "to get it typed up" is a way of hiding the evidence (which will also have fingerprints).

Chris

[s--p--o--n--i--x]

My elderly Mum was stood at the bus stop and a builders van pulled up:

Builder: "'Ello luv, glad we caught you. We are working on your neighbours house and noticed you need some tiles replacing".

Mum: "How do you know where I live?"

Builder "Errrr..let's go"

[Andy Hall]

Not specifically, but this sounds like a classical diddy operation.

Normally there is just a mobile number. THe 0800 number will just redirect to it.

The address is vague because there's a fair chance that next week they'll be moved on.

Work from this type of operation is always cash (to save the customer money), usually is of variable quality, more is found that "needs doing" and "if I do it now, it will be less than if I have to come back".

I would certainly warn the pensioner and also mention it to Trading Standards. Passing the contact details to the Inland Revenue would also be helpful.

[Andy Luckman (AJL Electronics)]

I think I have seen that van pulling into an illegal Gypsy site we have locally. I was taken by the apparent legit trading address and wondered how come.

[Lobster]

Absolutely - get on to TS pronto. It's likely the guy will have already taken others for a ride and that they will have complained to TS themselves. You've done well to get as much info about them as you have, and it may well be enough to get them tracked down.

David

[s--p--o--n--i--x]

I have noticed all sorts of traders vehicles at Gypsy sites. All quite presentable and professional looking, with proper sign written graphics etc.

People are far more likely to trust a trader if he has a "professional" looking vehicle.

sponix

[zikkimalambo]

Indeed. My brother in law also found it much easier to park a signwritten van when visiting places like universities. He'd bought it second hand, but it still had the signwriting of a carpet firm on the side.

[David Lang]

Was he wearing a Stetson hat and spurs?

Dave

[bigcat]

I vaguesly rememeber being told thats illegal, that the purchaser must remove or cover the signwriting before use. Anyone know?

NT

[Owain]

No genuine / reputable builder touts door to door. They are booked up from now until their next Caribbean cruise :-)

I know nothing of the individuals you describe. But there is a high risk that this is an attempt to do unneccessary and overcharged work, as others have said, or even an attempt to get inside the house and commit distraction robbery or case the joint and come back later...

I would report your concerns straight to the local Police.

You might also suggest that pensioner gets a door intercom system so she can tell such people to go away without having to open the door and face them. They are safer than a chain, as a chain can obstruct neighbour-with-a-key rendering assistance in an emergency.

Owain

[Andrew Gabriel]

It's often a requirement imposed by the seller who maybe concerned about where their company image gets displayed. Gypsy sites full of rusting Royal Mail and BT vans wouldn't do the images of those companies much good. It would be illegal to use it to pass off as someone else, but otherwise I can't see any issue.

Many of the artics you see driving around with large product images on them aren't full of Corn Flakes or whatever the image is -- that's simply an advert.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Any builder who has to do that is not worth employing.

[O.B.]

Sounds like a pikey. Avoid at all costs. Thieving toerags are illegally parked not far from where I live. Surprise, surprise the number of breakins has dramatically increased

[Alex]

You can get chains that are openable from the outside for such occurrences. Probably rather cheaper than an intercom.

alex.

[David Lang]

We had an infestation in the shopping centre car park a while ago. Transits & caravans parked all over the place, in disabled bays etc. Not a pay & display ticket in sight.

I rang the parking office and asked why they hadn't been given tickets. The reply?

They had to wait for the 'traveller liaison officer' to visit & report back.

I complained that if I had parked there without paying I would have been given a ticket. They couldn't apparently issue them tickets because they might become aggressive!

The mind boggles.

Dave

[Doctor Drivel]

I wonder if the new terrorist laws apply.

[Andy Hall]

Shoot to kill you mean?