Getty ImagesA council has put up warning signs in two areas to help protect people from rogue traders and other doorstep criminals.
Cornwall Council said so-called “No Cold Caller Zones” were being introduced in the Penwinnic Parc and Middlegates area of St Agnes.
Residents have also been given stickers to put on their doors telling cold callers, individuals who make unsolicited sales pitches to houses, to “stay away”, the council said.
It said cold calling in one of the zones would be considered an aggressive practice under the Digital Markets Competition and Consumers Act 2024.
Cornwall CouncilIf prosecuted, offenders could be fined or sentenced to up to two years in prison.
The council said residents had welcomed the scheme.
Resident George Gall said he and his neighbours felt safer now their estate has been designated a No Cold Caller Zone.
“The fewer uninvited people looking for opportunities to defraud or steal from us, the better,” he said.
‘Heartbreaking’
Councillor Thalia Marrington, cabinet member with responsibility for community safety and public health, said the council often received complaints about cold callers targeting residents and pressuring them into making a purchase or agreeing to have work done.
“We know that criminals will often target vulnerable residents, especially older people,” she said.
“As well as losing money, victims can be left feeling embarrassed and scared to stay in their own home.
“These cases can be really heartbreaking, and we need to do all we can to protect people from this type of crime.”
The council said it was working alongside tri-service safety officers, Devon and Cornwall Police and its Trading Standards team.
The Trading Standards team said it would be rolling out other No Cold Caller Zones across Cornwall and would be consulting with residents in selected areas over the coming months.
