Kirby vacuum cleaner scam

[TradingStandards]

Now I don't expect for a second that any of you wise people will fall victim to this but I'm hoping that you will spread the word and maybe bear it in mind for any older relatives/friends etc.

You are at home one day when there is a knock at your door. You open it and someone says something like 'we are a new company in the area, would you like to enter into a free prize draw to win a car? All you have to do is give me your phone number to help build up our database'. If you agree and provide your phone number, you are given a small card with a picture of a car on the front.

A few days later you receive a phone call and the caller says something like 'you have won a free carpet clean/carpet shampoo in our prize draw'. If you agree to receive it, an appointment is made for a later date. If the appointment goes ahead as planned, you will realise that the free carpet clean is really just a chance for a salesman to demonstrate a Kirby vacuum cleaner to you for 2 hours or more, all the while criticising your current vacuum cleaner, asking if you are happy to live in filth, putting the fear of God into you about fires caused by dust build-up etc. If you unfortunately succumb to the high-pressure sales pitch, you will find yourself out of pocket to the tune of at least £1,500 and your statutory right to cancel will be denied.

Please remember this and tell anyone you think appropriate - more people knowing about this means fewer people falling victim and the company will be forced to either deal honestly or close down.

[TradingStandards]

However it isn;t a [problem] (like pyramid selling) which will leave many high and dry.

 

Unfortunately, I beg to differ. It most certainly is a [problem]; the dictionary definition of [problem] is an illegal plan for making money and telling a consumer that you want to enter their home for one thing when your real intention is another is a criminal offence by virtue of the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008. It IS leaving many high and dry - I am currently dealing with over 40 complaints, hence my wish to inform the general public as per my OP.

 

What's next - legislation to prevent lying?

This has been in place for a while now. See the Fraud Act 2006, more specifically fraud by making a false representation (i.e. lying).

 

If they turn up uninvited...the consumer is protected. If they get invited...that protection is gone.

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Just to clarify, these Regulations changed in October 2008 - the Cancellation of Contracts Made in a Consumer's Home or Place of Work, etc Regulations 2008 give consumers a 7 day cancellation period when buying at home whether the visit was invited or uninvited.

 

FWIW, I agree with the comments re the Kirby being a quality product, there is no argument there. It is just the way that it is being sold to people in their own homes. I am just asking for businesses to be honest - if you want to sell something to someone, tell them that, don't tell them that you want to give them a prize and that there is no obligation just to get inside their home.