A no cold calling zone is a designated area where the resident community declare they no longer wish to accept traders calling at their homes without an appointment. The zone is designated via the installation of signs at the entrance and exit to the zone and residents are supplied with educational and advice information and door stickers.

Legal Position

There is no law preventing cold calling. However if a contract for goods or services arises from such an uninvited visit and is for more than £35 then the trader is generally obliged to give the householder a cancellation notice, allowing a 7-day cooling off period. If the trader fails to do so he commits a criminal offence for which Trading Standards may be able to take enforcement action (including prosecution).

National Picture
A national Trading Standards Institute survey involved feedback from 9000 randomly selected households. The results showed that nationally 96% of people did not want doorstep cold callers and nobody actually welcomed them. There are currently 427 No Cold Calling Zones nationally and many more planned.

Partnerships

No cold calling zones are the declared wish of the residents living there but they are supported actively by Trading Standards.
Norfolk County Council Trading Standards seeks also to include other partners such as the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships, Parish or Town Councils.

Norfolk County Council Trading Standards will supply suitable signs, residents’ packs containing advice and educational information and door stickers, and offer continued support to established zones.

The Effectiveness of No Cold Calling Zones

No cold calling zones are a deterrent to unscrupulous traders. Such traders and bogus callers do not want to be recognised or ‘logged’ as working within an area. If they believe work within a particular area or zone creates a risk of this occurring they are more likely to avoid it.

Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire have recently evaluated the success of their established zones. Cambridgeshire report an 11% drop in distraction burglary rates and Bedfordshire a drop of 23%.

Reporting of Cold Calling within an Established Zone

Trading Standards officers will follow up any reported incidents. This may be limited to discovering why such a declaration by residents has been ignored but may involve formal enquiries if the doorstep activity indicates it appropriate.

A clear contact number is supplied on signs and literature. Calls are notified to our partners at Consumer Direct. All information is passed to Trading Standards and urgent calls transferred immediately.

Norfolk’s First No Cold Calling Zone


Brewsters in East Harling is Norfolk’s first No Cold Calling Zone and was launched on the 15 December 2006. Doorstep rogue trader activity, combined with the nature of the properties, the age of residents there and the geographical location of the cul de sac means it is suitable for protection via a No Cold Calling Zone.