Cardiff Council Trading Standards, Licensing and Waste Enforcement Divisions teamed up with the Police and other agency partners this week to tackle rogue traders.
The exercise focused on stopping vehicles which maybe used in rogue trader activities and to identify rogue traders and bogus callers who particularly focus on the elderly and the vulnerable.
Operation Rogue Trader aims to target those who:
- Overcharge for unsatisfactory services or goods
- Charge for unnecessary work
- Damage property to obtain money
- Leave work unfinished
- Intimidate in order to extort money
As a result of the exercise thirty three vehicles were stopped and checked with three vehicles found to be overloaded.
Five traders were given advice on Doorstep Regulations and Cancellation Notices due to discrepancies in their paperwork.
One vehicle was stopped and the goods seized of potentially counterfeit tobacco, cigarettes and GHD hair straighteners
One person was found not to hold a relevant waste carriers licence and transfer notes for the load he was transporting.
12 vehicles being sold on the roadside were checked. 5 of these were being sold by traders and were advised of their rights under Cleaner Neighbourhood legislation.
Enforcement activities were also undertaken by the Councils’ Licensing Department resulting in 11 taxi drivers receiving warnings for various infringements including failure to display windscreen identification and not having their ID badges to hand.
Councillor Judith Woodman, Executive Member for Communities, Housing and Social Justice said: “We are determined to tackle the problem of rogue traders as they often target the elderly and most vulnerable people in our communities. I would urge anyone who may come across such operators to contact Trading Standards or the Police.
The Operation also enabled Cardiff Trading Standards to get their message across to both consumers and traders about the TrustMark scheme which is how consumers can find reputable and quality trades people and where good, quality businesses can advertise. Log onto www.trustmark.org.uk or contact Trading Standards for further details on 029 20 87 2059.
