No cold calling

One of the five pledges for Suffolk that has been made by the Conservatives ahead of the County Council elections in early May is to promote No Cold Calling Zones across the County.

These schemes are sponsored and organised by Trading Standards, and are really aimed at preventing unsolicited calls on the doorstep from tradesmen.  Signage displayed both in the street and on residents’ properties makes it clear that the neighbourhood has decided that it does not want to receive door to door uninvited callers offering goods and services.

Making an unsolicited call in a No Cold Calling Zone is not in itself a criminal offence,  However, Trading Standards will contact the perpetrator if asked to do so and request that residents’ wishes are respected.

Setting up such a scheme must be done through the County Council with co-operation from the Police and residents ‘groups such as neighbourhood watch.  In general a Zone will only be established if most of the people in the area agree.  An application form to start the process is available on the County Council website.

  

No Cold Calling Zone schemes have been proved to reduce crime, particularly distraction burglaries and fraud.  In addition, where a scheme has been adopted, people find it easier to say no if, despite the scheme, unwanted goods or services are offered to them on the doorstep.

One or two residents have commented that by knocking on their doors during the current campaign we are not practicing what we are preaching!  Personally, I do not knock on a door where someone is displaying a ‘No cold calling’ sign. In fact however No Cold Calling Zones do not apply to those who are undertaking political campaigning, religious groups, people carrying out market research, or people collecting for charity.