A HOME OWNER was almost convinced to sign his house over to conmen last month after they targeted homes in Waltham Forest.

Trading Standards have issued a fresh warning to people in the borough to be vigilant after a rise in the number of calls over suspicious visits.

The most shocking case occurred a matter of weeks ago when two men visited the home of an elderly man.

The duo posed as workmen and told him they were working on the next door property where damp was so bad it could be affecting his property.

As a result the resident agreed to have some work done, he was told about a new scheme giving him the opportunity of having works carried out on his property free of charge for the duration of his lifetime.

The catch was that the resident was required to sign over his property to the traders, to be transferred to them upon his death.

He was told he would not need to involve a solicitor and he would be taken to their offices based in Canary Wharf to discuss the scheme and sign the paperwork.

Thankfully, the man spoke to a neighbour who saw through the scam and contacted the council.

The trader called back and asked if the resident told anyone about the scheme, when he was told yes, he said the scheme was no longer available.

Trading Standards and the police launched an investigation and offered advice in respect of the tactics of rogue traders who engage in cold calling.

Elsewhere in the borough, a resident in her eighties was targeted when a man knocked on her door and stated that there was an issue with the drains in the area.

She let the man in and they went to the rear of the property and into the garden.

However, they were disturbed by the burglar alarm inside the house sounding and on re-entering the property they encountered another man emerging from upstairs. Both men appeared to be startled and left immediately without taking any property.

The resident and her son later discovered that the alarm wire upstairs had been cut and the fire alarm had been smashed.

Councillor Clyde Loakes, deputy leader and cabinet member for environment, said: “It’s a lesson to everyone that there are people out there looking to rip you off and you need to be on your guard.

“The advice we offer residents is to never agree to any work on your doorstep. Don’t be taken in by flashy brochures or professional looking invoices.

“Rogues will often use this as part of their pitch to make you think you are dealing with professionals.

“And ultimately if you feel threatened in any way call the Police immediately on 999 and report any rogue traders to Trading Standards for further investigation.”

Waltham Forest Council’s Trading Standards service can be contacted on 020 8496 3000 or by email at wfdirect@walthamforest.gov.uk