Be wary of itinerant traders |
An itinerant trader approached Mary, an elderly resident, claiming that he´d passed her home and noticed her roof needed painting. He told Mary that he had some left over materials from a recent job and that he could start immediately.
After spending only three hours painting, he demanded payment. Mary said she would give him a cheque, but the painter said he preferred cash. He drove Mary to the bank and she paid him $400.
Two weeks later, Mary had a friend check the roof. He find found the paint peeling, with leaves and debris painted over. By this time, the painter had moved on and Mary had no way of contacting him and she could not get her $400 back. Mary´s friend helped her to find a licensed painter to repair the shoddy work and repaint the roof.
What could Mary have done to protect herself?
It is not illegal to trade door-to-door like this painter. However, there are restrictions on this sort of trade.
Mary should also have asked to see his licence (for example, painters must be licensed with the Queensland Building Services Authority (BSA)). If she was unsure if he needed a licence, she could have called the Building Service Authority.
If the job cost exceeds $100, itinerant traders cannot take any money (including deposits) or do any work within a 10 business day cooling-off period. If Mary is unsure of the trader's licensing requirements and the job in question exceeds $3,300 she should contact the BSA for advice.
Mary should have insisted on a written contract before hiring the painter. She should not have let the painter begin work or paid him any money inside the 10 business day cooling-off period.
Read more about door-to-door sales.
Report any suspicious traders to us.
Last reviewed 30/11/2011 |
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