Legal News
Mobility Aids Con Artists Target the Elderly (4 October 2011)
Date: 04/10/2011
Elderly and disabled individuals are under threat from fraudsters offering stair lifts and other mobility aids, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has warned. The OFT has promised to crack down on unfair sales practices. The watchdog claimed to have received thousands of complaints about sales of mobility equipment, which included mobility scooters, adjustable beds, and special chairs. Many victims found their promised equipment failed to turn up.
88-year-old May Bell lost £1,800 following a visit from an unscrupulous tradesman. Miss Bell was left trapped on the ground floor of her home after having her old stair lift disconnected prior to the arrival of her replacement. Yet her promised stair lift failed to arrive. For five weeks, Miss Bell was confined to sleeping in a chair and using a commode. In July, the salesman who called on her, Shane Johnson of Nottingham Mobility, receive a one-year jail term for breaching consumer protection regulations. Miss Bell received a new stair lift from the manufacturer after the company heard her plight.
The OFT has promised increased enforcement activity to safeguard consumers. While consumers are unable to prevent cold callers, cold callers are required to show proof of identification and be honest in relation to who they are and what they are selling. All cold callers should ensure that they clearly state that they are selling a product or service and should not put consumers under any pressure to purchase a product or service.
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