Protect yourself from rogue doorstep callers is the appeal from OFTEC, representing the domestic oil and heating industry, during Scam Awareness Month.
OFTEC has joined forces with the Citizen’s Advice Bureau campaign as an official partner to help alert householders to the potential fraud and over-pricing tricks carried out by some unscrupulous callers.
The organisation recommends that when answering your door to any unexpected caller, to always take precautions and ‘Look for the Badge’ to prove the caller’s professional credentials.
David Blevings, OFTEC Ireland manager, said: “With approximately 600,000 domestic consumers using oil as their main heating source, we want to make sure that householders in Ireland remain vigilant and be on the lookout for unregistered or incompetent ‘cowboy’ installers.
“We run a competent person registration service which certifies technicians and provides them with identity badges with the OFTEC logo on it, to prove the technicians’ certification and membership. It’s always important to be confident that any professional who comes to your door is who they say they are and have all the statutory training, accreditation and registration to do the job in your home safely and fairly priced.”
OFTEC has been reminding its registered technicians throughout July to explain to their customers about their professional certification and why it was important to ask to see their technicians’ ID badge.
David stressed that as 85% of doorstep scams are carried out against people aged over 65 (according to National Trading Standards), it was recommended for elderly householders and their carers to known that OFTEC registered heating installers are competent to do the job.
“Our registered members in Ireland are all extremely professional and will do a safe and sound job of fixing, repairing, moving or installing heating systems,” he added.
To be OFTEC registered, technicians have demonstrated their competence through independent testing, have been tested on-site and carry full insurance.
There are a large number of OFTEC registered technicians across Ireland, which are endorsed by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). Householders can check through the organisation’s website to find out if their installer is registered or to find a registered technician to price a job.
To find your nearest OFTEC registered technical, visit: www.oftec.org.uk/Consumers/FindTechnician