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Friday, 3rd September 2010

Kenilworth man 's warning about rogue traders

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Published Date: 05 June 2009
Kenilworth man Tony Zhou is warning residents to be on their guard after falling victim to "malicious" rogue traders.
The Woodland Road resident was taken in by three men offering to take away scrap metal on a truck on Monday.

He gave them tubes from a climbing frame, and handed over £5 if they would take unwanted garden furniture to the tip.

The 43-year-old f
ather of two was horrified when his wife found the furniture dumped by the roadside only a few streets away.

Mr Zhou said: "I was disgusted by the way people abuse your kindness.
"I tried to help these people by giving them an opportunity to make a living, but they only wanted to take the money.

"I didn't know they were dumping it on the roadside. What they did really was malicious. It is anti-social behaviour and I hate that."

The former business reporter and translator went to fetch the furniture immediately and now plans to take it to the tip himself.

Mr Zhou described the men he spoke to as middle-aged. One had tattoos, one was wearing a vest and another was wearing no top.

He said the truck had visited Woodland Road, Leigh Close. Common Lane and Highland Road. The men were using a loudhailer to attract attention.

Mr Zhou did not notice the make of the truck but said it contained a microwave and freezer.

A Warwickshire County Council trading standards spokeswoman advised residents never to accept offers from people calling at the door.

She said: "Rogue traders are both unscrupulous and dishonest, but they can nevertheless be very convincing. Never accept offers of work from the first person who comes to your door, look instead for local reputable businesses.

"Householders are advised to research businesses carefully before they employ them to carry out work that can sometimes cost many hundreds or even thousands of pounds."

Warwick District Council is responsible for waste disposal in Kenilworth, Warwick and Leamington. Spokesman Richard Brooker explained that householders have a duty of care to make sure rubbish is disposed of appropriately.

He said that Warwick District Council offered a collection service for bulky refuse and the Environment Agency website listed other registered waste carriers.

He added that if anyone knocked on the door offering to collect rubbish residents should ask them to produce identification proving they were authorised to collect it.

Call Warwick District Council on 456339 or the Environment Agency on 08708 506506.

www.environment-agency.gov.uk



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  • Last Updated: 05 June 2009 5:22 PM
  • Source: n/a
  • Location: Kenilworth
 
 
 


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