Banning doorstep selling is an 'assault on people's liberty'

The man who speaks for Britain's 520,000 doorstep sellers yesterday gave the public vital tips to ensure they are not ripped off when they hear that tell-tale knock on the door.

The doorstep selling industry came under attack this week when the Trading Standards Institute (TSI) said the technique should be banned with regards to what it euphemistically called "property services". This includes offers of roof repairs and relaying garden paths, in many cases with stolen materials.

But Richard Berry, the director of the Direct Selling Association, which represents 72 per cent of the £2bn-a-year market, said: "The general advice is always to ensure, before committing yourself, that you are given the right to cancel your order. And you should find out from the outset whether the seller is working for a member of our association because they all have to adhere to our code of conduct."

That code insists on a 14-day cooling-off period, twice the legal minimum if the item in question is priced at more than £35. It also requires fair selling methods, says consumers must have a proper record of a transaction, respects consumers' rights and privacy and demands openness in disclosing the identity of a company and a direct-seller.

The problem highlighted by the TSI – and seized upon by the cowboy operators – is that building materials and repairs are one of the areas outside the scope of the law on doorstep selling. Another is the relatively new market in energy, which has sprouted a new breed of high-pressure sellers.

Ann Robinson, the chairman of the consumer watchdog Energywatch, said: "Consumers are fed up with the scandalous antics of energy sales agents. The TSI report is a wake-up call to energy suppliers."

But Mr Berry doubted whether banning the cowboys was the right way to stamp them out. He said: "If you do that, there is an enforcement problem and a resources problem. A lot of these characters aren't bothered about staying within the law anyway, so a ban would hardly trouble them. Most legitimate direct-sellers are women, usually selling to their friends and neighbours, so it is naturally self-regulated. That works well."

But people don't know until they have answered the door what someone is selling. So the more radical suggestion is an outright ban on uninvited doorstep calls, so that householders know where they stand. This would reinforce the growing habit by many people, of simply refusing to answer the door to any stranger.

However, Mr Berry said: "Banning cold calling altogether would be a greater assault on people's liberty, and would affect charities, party political workers and religious groups. It's a time-honoured way of making contact."