Last Updated on 17/06/2024 by Samantha Lewis
Sales Conducted in a Customer’s Home (Off Premises Sales)
All cold calling is unacceptable and this includes cold calling by telephone. Salespersons and or assessors must not visit without a mutually agreed appointment first being made. The purpose and intent of any visit must be made clear to the customer.
The customer must be provided with literature describing the products and services available, together with actual price examples, or where exact prices are not possible (for instance in a bespoke product) with price ranges. This information must be provided before the visit unless this is not feasible for practical reasons (for example if a visit is to be conducted the same day). Prices, pricing examples, or price explanations should be given on websites, to enable customers with Internet access to understand these ahead of the visit.
There should be no objection to the customer having a relative, friend, or other advisor/carer with them when the salesperson/assessor visits. In certain circumstances, this should be encouraged (for example if it is known that the customer has poor eyesight or that they struggle with paperwork).
Salespersons must not use high-pressure selling techniques, such as offering inducements to force a quick decision, or knowingly take advantage of vulnerable customers. (Examples of what might be high-pressure selling tactics are listed above in Pre-Contractual and Point of Sale Information).
Salespersons must comply with a customer’s request that they leave and no assessment or sales visit should normally last longer than three hours, other than in exceptional circumstances (for example, if a health services professional is present and is responsible for leading the assessment).
Distance Sales
When selling over the Internet, via mail order catalogue, or by telephone, information must be provided to the customer before they take the decision to buy, as required by, and set out in the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013.