Itinerant gardener lands in court
Latest news from Carmarthenshire Council’s press office - Itinerant gardener
An itinerant gardener who pressurised an elderly Carmarthen couple into paying hundreds of pounds for a few hours shoddy work has been prosecuted by Carmarthenshire County Council.
Peter Mark Roberts pleaded guilty at Ammanford Magistrates Court to two offences of failing to provide consumers with their cancellation rights, and of failing to carry out work with professional diligence.
Robert Edgecombe, for Carmarthenshire Trading Standards Services, told the court that Roberts, who is from Neath, had called on the couple in November 2008 and pressurised them into agreeing to pay him £300 for some general gardening work, which only took a few hours.
An earlier visit some months previously had resulted in a payment of £400 for work that also only lasted a few hours. The standard of workmanship was poor and not to the desired professional standard. The couple had not been told of their right to cancel the contract during a seven day cooling off period.
Mike Reed, for Roberts, said that despite pleading guilty there remained some dispute over the claimed agreement to do the work and the timescale. He now had the proper paperwork in place. He also claimed that the £90 paid to him was the total cost of the work done, and that he had never received £390 for the work.
Roberts was given an 18-month conditional discharge for both offences, and was ordered to pay £390 compensation and prosecution costs of £476.88.
The offences come under the Cancellation of Contracts Made in a Consumers Home Regulations 2008, and the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.
Council Trading Standards Services Manager Roger Edmunds said: “People should be aware of their legal rights and not be forced into any such agreement for people to carry out work. Reputable traders would be more than happy to provide quotes for work and give consumers time to consider their options.
“The new Unfair Trading Regulations also provide more general protection for consumers in that traders cannot now adopt any practice that fundamentally affects the economic decision of a consumer and also that the work must be carried out at an acceptable cost and to a professional standard.”
Executive board member for housing and public protection Cllr Hugh Evans said: “Trading Standards Services have over recent years developed No Cold Calling Zones and an Approved Trader Scheme for the county. Such traders are audited for quality and fair trading and are regarded as being reliable and trustworthy.
“Anyone requiring work to be done around their home are recommended to contact one or more of these traders and obtain comparative quotes for the necessary work.”
An itinerant gardener who pressurised an elderly Carmarthen couple into paying hundreds of pounds for a few hours shoddy work has been prosecuted by Carmarthenshire County Council.
Peter Mark Roberts pleaded guilty at Ammanford Magistrates Court to two offences of failing to provide consumers with their cancellation rights, and of failing to carry out work with professional diligence.
Robert Edgecombe, for Carmarthenshire Trading Standards Services, told the court that Roberts, who is from Neath, had called on the couple in November 2008 and pressurised them into agreeing to pay him £300 for some general gardening work, which only took a few hours.
An earlier visit some months previously had resulted in a payment of £400 for work that also only lasted a few hours. The standard of workmanship was poor and not to the desired professional standard. The couple had not been told of their right to cancel the contract during a seven day cooling off period.
Mike Reed, for Roberts, said that despite pleading guilty there remained some dispute over the claimed agreement to do the work and the timescale. He now had the proper paperwork in place. He also claimed that the £90 paid to him was the total cost of the work done, and that he had never received £390 for the work.
Roberts was given an 18-month conditional discharge for both offences, and was ordered to pay £390 compensation and prosecution costs of £476.88.
The offences come under the Cancellation of Contracts Made in a Consumers Home Regulations 2008, and the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.
Council Trading Standards Services Manager Roger Edmunds said: “People should be aware of their legal rights and not be forced into any such agreement for people to carry out work. Reputable traders would be more than happy to provide quotes for work and give consumers time to consider their options.
“The new Unfair Trading Regulations also provide more general protection for consumers in that traders cannot now adopt any practice that fundamentally affects the economic decision of a consumer and also that the work must be carried out at an acceptable cost and to a professional standard.”
Executive board member for housing and public protection Cllr Hugh Evans said: “Trading Standards Services have over recent years developed No Cold Calling Zones and an Approved Trader Scheme for the county. Such traders are audited for quality and fair trading and are regarded as being reliable and trustworthy.
“Anyone requiring work to be done around their home are recommended to contact one or more of these traders and obtain comparative quotes for the necessary work.”
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