Do Not Knock » do not knock

ACCC publishes door-to-door information in 15 languages

Daniel — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 23:49:39 +0000

To help you understand your legal rights with door-to-door salespeople, the ACCC has published a consumer’s guide to door-to-door sales information in 15 languages;

ACCC report gets wide spread media coverage

Daniel — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 00:50:47 +0000

New research from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has highlighted the prevalence of door-to-door salespeople in Australia. The ACCC’s research noted that 1.3 million sales are made at the door step each year and that of those, 1 million are energy sales.

Further details of the ACCC’s research can be found here: ACCC cracks down on door to door sales practices

The ACCC’s report was widely reported on in the media including:

Do not knock!
Breakfast with Spencer Howson, 612 ABC Brisbane, 23 August 2012, Spencer Howson

Do not knock
ABC TV News, 17 August 2012, Simon Palan

ACCC to crack down on door-to-door salespeople
ABC News, 17 August 2012, Simon Palan

Door-to-door deceit
Sydney Morning Herald, 17 August 2012, Graham Downie

Opportunity knocks . . . ACCC to target dodgy door-to-door brigade
The Australian, 17 August, 2012, Natasha Bita

Single mums, elderly preyed on by power price scammers
Herald Sun, 17 August 2012, Wes Hosking

Do Not Knock campaign lodges 100 door-to-door selling complaints with ACCC

Daniel — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 02:43:59 +0000

Over 100 complaints about door-to-door salespeople have now been lodged with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) since the national Do Not Knock campaign was launched in November. The most recent round of 18 complaints tells a familiar story with households complaining about pressure selling, misleading conduct and salespeople ignoring Do Not Knock stickers.

The complaints also show that energy retailers continue to worry households, making up over 60 percent of complaints.

‘We’re pleased that people are taking the time to visit www.donotknock.org.au to tell us their stories and register complaints, but we continue to be disappointed by energy retailers who are at the heart of complaints time and again,’ said Gerard Brody, Director of Policy and Campaigns with the Consumer Action Law Centre.

‘Energy retailers introduced their own marketing code of conduct back in January and we’d hoped that it would lead to an improvement in their door-to-door selling practices, but early signs suggest that problems are still rife.’

Australians have also been complaining about salespeople ignoring their Do Not Knock stickers, which Consumer Action believes amounts to trespass, as well as a potential breach of the Australian Consumer Law.

‘If someone has put up a Do Not Knock sticker their message to salespeople is clear – “leave me alone.” The fact that some salespeople are ignoring them shows a complete lack of respect for the household’s request and, in our view, this would be trespass.

‘If salespeople are going to continue to ignore the sticker we need to assign it greater legal standing under the Australian Consumer Law or introduce further consumer protections like a do not knock register or, if all else fails, an outright ban on contracting at the doorstep,’ Said Mr Brody.

Other businesses to feature in previous complaints, as well as in this most recent round are those selling pay TV and newspaper subscriptions. Consumer Action has written to these companies seeking information about their selling practices.

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Media Contact: Dan Simpson, 0413 299 567