From: "John Reynolds" To: "Lolworth Parish Council" ; "Irish Nick-Dry Drayton" ; "Girton Website" ; "Girton Parish News" ; "Girton Parish Council" ; "Dry Drayton Website" ; "Binnie Harvey-Boxworth" ; "Bar Hill website" ; "Bar Hill Parish Council" ; "Bar Hill News" ; "Dry Drayton News" Subject: DON'T BE SADDLED WITH A COWBOY TRADER Date: 12 March 2008 21:06 DON'T BE SADDLED WITH A COWBOY TRADER Using a new list of approved and checked traders could prevent older and vulnerable residents being taken for a ride by cowboy companies. January and February 2008 saw 13 reports of actual cold calling and rogue trader incidents and 11 reports of attempted incidents. Rogue traders can take advantage of an older or vulnerable person if that person does not know who to trust for their DIY and home maintenance needs. Cambridgeshire's Trading Standards service has got together with local traders to promote the Registered Trader scheme, which exists to put older and vulnerable people in touch with reliable traders. The scheme means that older and vulnerable people will get a fair day's work for a fair day's pay. Cambridgeshire residents over 60 years of age or residents of any age with physical or learning difficulties are eligible to use it. All of the traders on the scheme have been checked with the Criminal Records Bureau and audited by Trading Standards before being allowed to join. The scheme can put people in touch with traders that will repair a broken fence, fit a washer to a leaking tap, put up a new TV aerial or even tidy up a garden. Rogue traders have been known to threaten older people until they pay over the odds for shoddy workmanship. Some residents have been left feeling frightened or too ashamed to tell anyone. A phone call to Age Concern Cambridgeshire will put customers in touch with local traders who can carry out a range of work in and around their home. More than 50 traders across the County have signed up to the scheme - from bricklayers and gardeners to dog walkers and window cleaners. Cambridgeshire County Councillor, Sir Peter Brown, Lead Member for Communities said: "This scheme plays a vital part in putting older and vulnerable people in touch with reliable traders that they can trust. Doorstep crime is a serious problem that can ruin lives, and not knowing whom to trust when you need work done on your home can increase your vulnerability. Having a scheme like this in place means that people know they can trust the traders they hire." The scheme is part of an initiative supported by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Rogue Trader and Distraction Burglary Task Force. If you would like to find out more about the scheme, or need to find a reliable tradesperson, contact Age Concern Cambridgeshire on 01354 696677 or 01354 696650, email regtrader@cambridegshire.gov.uk, or go to www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/business/regtrader John Reynolds