Door-to-door canvassing of the elderly has become a national sport, especially for unscrupulous companies and salespeople. Their main target:seniors.
Less suspicious, easier to convince because it is easier to make them lose track of their ideas by using particular commercial techniques, the elderly have every interest in learning not to be fooled by these canvassers. What is door-to-door canvassing? A few tips to avoid being fooled.
Door-to-door canvassing is very much regulated by the law of 17 March 2014 relating to consumption, known as the "Hamon law" or even the "consumer law", which it henceforth calls "off-premises sales". This law reinforces the rules of consumer protection and information.
Initially, the legislator defined what a direct seller is:"any natural or legal person, public or private, who acts for purposes falling within the scope of his commercial, industrial, craft, liberal or agricultural, including when acting in the name or on behalf of another professional ". The sales contracts concerned are also specified. They concern both goods and services such as the proposal to install a veranda, a door lock, to carry out a facelift, to sell kitchen units, jewellery, cleaning products, water softeners, vacuum cleaners, carpets, photovoltaic panels, fire extinguishers, alarm systems, mattresses or box springs, an aerial photo of your home, etc.
The main points to know and to respect in order not to be fooled by door-to-door canvassing according to the National Consumer Institute:
Before bringing anyone into their home for canvassing, a few simple rules should be followed to avoid being tricked. And if you are not at all interested in what is offered to you, know and dare to say no.
The first rule to follow is to verify the identity of the person who wishes to enter your home. Before opening the door, it is advisable to telephone the company or the community represented to find out if they actually organize door-to-door canvassing. Good to know:be aware that companies such as EDF, the Post Office, a town hall, a prefecture, etc., never send sales representatives to people's homes without having left a calling card.
If possible, do not bring an unknown person into your home who presents himself as a salesperson from any company or organization if you are alone at home. Ask him, if you are interested in the products he offers, to come back when you yourself have the opportunity to be accompanied.
If you conclude a sale with a door-to-door salesperson, you must demand that he give you beforehand, and in any case, after the sale, a contract indicating in an understandable and legible manner a set of elements:the characteristics essentials of the good or service; the price of the good or service; the date or deadline by which the trader undertakes to deliver the goods or perform the service; information relating to the professional's identity (postal, telephone and electronic contact details) and his activities; legal warranties; the conditions of execution of the contract; the price and terms of payment (forms and interest rates in the event of sale on credit); the conditions, deadlines and procedures for exercising the customer's right of withdrawal, with the withdrawal slip.
In any case, in terms of door-to-door sales, you have the possibility of exercising your right of withdrawal (except for certain contracts defined by law). You have 14 days to cancel your contract by registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt.
