Top tips on being a savvy consumer

Local trading standards officers are urging Rochdale residents to be savvy consumers in 2013 after receiving 3560 complaints last year.

The service is providing top tips on how to avoid scams as they reveal the most complained about issues in 2012, which include problems with electrical goods, used cars, kitchens and bathrooms.

The team is urging people to be aware of the following scams in 2013:

Payment protection insurance: if someone contacts you trying to get you to pursue a claim, ignore it. These companies have no idea whether you have a claim or not and if you do, they charge a hefty fee which eats into your compensation. If you think you have claim, you can pursue it yourself by contacting the loan provider.

Email scams: you may be contacted via email by a ‘scammer’ trying to find out your bank details or wanting you to send money – just delete it and don't worry, as it is likely to be a random contact send to thousands of addresses.

Cold calling: You might be cold called at home by someone trying to sell you something you don’t need at an excessive price. Never deal with doorstep traders; display a notice on your door which says ‘No Cold Callers’, use a security chain to answer the door and never let salesmen into your home.

Getting work done on your home: Never trust a salesman who knocks on your door and says you need repair work doing. They tend to vastly inflate minor problems to justify charging a huge sum. If you do need work doing on your home, get recommendations from friends and relatives. Ask traders for testimonials and photographs to demonstrate work they have done before and also look out for people who are in a trade association. Never sign a contract without shopping around and remember that a reputable trader will always give you time to make up your mind.