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The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has launched a campaign warning vulnerable people against traders offering home improvement and mobility aid products such as wheelchairs, scooters and stairlifts. The campaign urges caution before agreeing to purchase any products on the doorstep and aims to empower elderly or disabled consumers to make effective purchasing decisions. A new study report into mobility aids by the Office of Fair Trading says some disabled and older people are paying too much for their mobility aids. It accuses a “small minority” of firms of subjecting disabled and older people to unfair practices, such as high pressure and “misleading” sales practices. Consumer Direct, the OFT’s advice service, has received more than 4,000 complaints about mobility aids sales in each of the last three years. The OFT has launched investigations into two national mobility aids companies, one over unfair doorstep selling practices, and one over the company’s “terms and conditions” and the quality of its service. It is also investigating other “similar behaviour” which it said could lead to further action, including the possible removal of credit licences from “a number” of companies. But despite the concerns, the OFT has “provisionally” concluded that it is not necessary to refer the entire mobility aids market to the Competition Commission. The new report says as many as half of consumers could be paying too much for their equipment because they are failing to “shop around” – often due to poor mobility, lack of access to the internet or time pressure – with the price of one mobility scooter varying by as much as £3,000. About half of the websites and adverts the OFT checked failed to quote any prices. As well as launching the campaign the OFT is also supporting trading standards departments to target firms suspected of engaging in unfair sales practices. It has also secured an agreement from the British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA) to update its code of practice so all of its members display price information on their marketing material and websites.Office of Fair Trading
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