A DRAIN company has been fined after its high pressure sales technique caused a stink.
It came after Bristol based Idrains Southern Limited charged a Wokingham customer a whopping £630 to carry out some non-urgent work.
The company than quoted a further £6,000 for the installation of a new soakaway telling the homeowner it would only deduct the initial £630 paid if they agreed to the additional work within 48 hours.
Officers from the Public Protection Partnership Trading Standards team ruled this practice was banned under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.
It claimed it was false to claim the service would only be available on particular terms for a very limited time in order to elicit an immediate decision and deprive consumers of sufficient opportunity or time to make an informed choice.
As a result, Idrains of Henleaze House, Harbury Road in Bristol, was fined £2,500 at Reading Magistrates’ Court following an investigation by officers from the Public Protection Partnership Trading Standards team.
Commenting on the case Sean Murphy, public protection manager, said: “The banning of time limited offers is an important protection for consumers. It is right that people do not feel pressured into making decisions.
“If any consumer feels they are being pressured into making decisions they should contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Line on 03454 04 05 06.”
The company failed to attend Court and in it was fined to £2,500, ordered to pay £170 victims’ surcharge and £3,715.50 toward prosecution costs.
The Public Protection Partnership is a shared service of Bracknell Forest Council, West Berkshire Council and Wokingham Borough Council and delivers trading standards, environmental health and licensing functions.