No to door-to-door salespeople
‘‘Do not knock’’ signs put out by homeowners to deter door-todoor salespeople are to be given legal standing backed by big fines.
Salespeople who ignore ‘‘Do not knock’’ signs could face fines of up to $10,000, and their employers fines of up to $30,000.
The ‘‘Do not knock’’ law is included in the Fair Trading Amendment Bill, which was introduced to Parliament yesterday. It is a victory for Consumer NZ, which successfully lobbied for it.
The bill seeks to outlaw unfair treatment of small companies by big ones.
If passed into law, it would ban large companies like banks, supermarkets and retailers from requiring the smaller companies they do business with to accept unfair and one-sided contract terms.
Small Business Minister Stuart Nash and Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Kris Faafoi said the aim was to better protect consumers and businesses.
Businesses found to have acted unconscionably when dealing with small suppliers would face fines of up to $600,000, Faafoi said.
The proposed law would also extend existing protections against unfair contract terms.
Consumer NZ chief executive Sue Chetwin with a ‘‘Do not knock’’ sticker designed to stop door-to-door salespeople.
‘‘The impacts of unfair business and commercial practices can be significant for small businesses and consumers,’’ Nash said.
Nash and Faafoi said they had heard of individuals being threatened, verbally abused and blacklisted after asking for payments they were owed from large companies.
They had also heard from suppliers to retailers like supermarkets being made to pay compensation for perceived losses after they ran promotions with rival retailers.
‘‘Unfair practices make it hard for New Zealand businesses to focus on what really matters,’’ Nash said.