Always say ‘no deal’ to these cold callers

Q I’ve just received one of those annoying automated phone calls – a woman droning on about “Green Deal Funding” to upgrade windows and doors. It explained I could get lower priced replacement windows and so on via this plan. What is this funding scheme and how do they get away with calling me like this? I thought recent legislation was supposed to stop nuisance calls. James B

A

there was a government green Deal scheme set up to help homeowners pay for doubleglazing, solid wall insulation, boiler upgrades, flat roof insulation and waste water heat recovery. People received a loan repayable from the projected savings on gas and electricity bills rather than the normal capital and interest on a mortgage or bank borrowing. But government funding ended in July 2015, so the object of the call you received is to get you to call a number which connects to someone touting for double glazing and home improvement work. You’ll be asked where you live and be told they have a “surveyor” in the area who can visit you that very day or evening. Very few of us know what the work should cost, so it’s very easy for the “surveyor”/salesperson to come up with a sum – say £10,000 – and then offer you “a discount if you sign up now”. You have 14 days to cancel any deal under the consumer contracts regulation, 2014 legislation replacing and extending the Doorstep selling regulations. But it’s best not to respond at all. regulation 19 of the Privacy and electronic communications regulations forbids automated marketing calls unless there is specific consent to receive this type of call from the sender. general consent is not enough – it must cover automated calls, and include the sender’s contact details and phone number. But the green Deal caller ignored this. if you have details, report the call to the information commissioners office (ico).