Beighton Parish Council

Some parts of Beighton are now No Cold Calling Zones. Norfolk County Council Trading Standards have put up signs at all entrances to the relevant roads.

Hopefully you have received a welcome pack from Norfolk County Council which explains that the Zone is to discourage cold callers from calling uninvited at your door. Obviously the decision to accept cold callers is yours to make but, for many people, they are unwelcome and for a few they can be distressing.

There have been a few reports recently of salesmen calling at homes in the village, uninvited. They have said that they didn’t know about the Zone but then are believed to have called at more houses.

If this happens to you, please make a note of the company they claim to be working for, and phone Citizens Advice on 03454 04 05 06. This information will then be sent out to parish clerks in the area and to those who have signed up to alerts about scams and cold calling from: https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/business/trading-standards/scams

There is no law preventing cold calling.  However, by law, you have 14 days to cancel contracts signed at home or at your place of work for works costing more than £42.  The trader must give you a cancellation notice, allowing a 14-day cooling off period.  It’s a criminal offence if they don’t do this and Trading Standards may be able to take enforcement action.

Beighton and Moulton St Mary Residents

Are you fed up with people knocking on your door, uninvited, and trying to sell you dishcloths, or asking for donations to (possible) charities?  Beighton Parish Council would like to consider setting up No Cold Calling Zones in the village.

A No Cold Calling Zone can be set up for a road, or part of a road, and means that traders are not allowed to call at your house without an appointment. The scheme is supported by Norfolk County Council’s Trading Standards team.

No Cold Calling Zones are a deterrent to unscrupulous traders and bogus callers, who do not want to be recognised or ‘logged’ as working within an area.

Trading Standards support the collective wishes of the residents, so the majority of the people living in the area must want the zone to be created.

It’s also helpful to have support and agreement from the parish or town council and to have someone who can act as a local coordinator to help promote the zone.

No cold calling zones are suitable for areas where:

• There is evidence of a history of doorstep rogue trading/bogus calling
• The area has a strong community bond/spirit and desire for the zone
• The age and/or vulnerability of the residents causes them to be at greater risk through cold calling
• The area is considered to be attractive to doorstep rogue traders
• The area is distinct and can be clearly identifiable as a zone

We therefore need to find out if you support the scheme for your road. Please email the parish clerk, Pauline James, on [email protected] with details of your name and address, or write to Beech Farm, Marsh Road, Upton NR13 6BP letting us know whether of not you support the scheme. When we see what the response is we can approach Norfolk County Council for their help.

You can print this form off and hand it to neighbours and friends….

form for support