A builder was today touting door to door, I'm not remotely interested
in using him, but am suspicious about him and wonder if anybody here
knows anything about him.

He trades under the name of M&S Harrison, he is Steve and his father is
Mark, he has a quote form giving an 0800 phone number and a mobile
number. The trading "address" in Bristol is very strange. There is no
postcode, nor street. Merely an industrial unit number and a reference
to 7 Beach, Bristol. There is also an equally vague address in Durham.
When challenged about the lack of a postcode, he said that it's not
needed as everybody there knows where it is.

I produced a Bristol A-Z and asked him to show me where he was based,
but he said he wasn't very good with maps and declined. He explained
that it was near the new Severn crossing. I assume that he claims he's
located at Severn Beach, but I can't imagine that a local would confuse
numeric 7 with the river Severn.

Google reports no other company operating from any industrial unit with
a similar address and it shows no match for the two phone numbers.

He was touting for work in a very small town in Wiltshire, about 30
miles from Bristol, explaining that there is no work in Bristol.

Clearly, everything he says is totally unconvincing and points to him
being dodgy.

Does anybody have any knowledge of this man ?

A pensioner along the road is quite taken with him and I'm concerned
that she might be taken for a ride.

In article . com,
writes:
A builder was today touting door to door, I'm not remotely interested
in using him, but am suspicious about him and wonder if anybody here
knows anything about him.

There was a program on TV about this just recently.
I wasn't paying attention, but it sounds like you
should inform your local Trading Standards. They
might be able to pass back some warnings for you to
feed to your neighbour, or even offer to become
involved themselves.

--
Andrew Gabriel

wrote:
A builder was today touting door to door, I'm not remotely interested
in using him, but am suspicious about him and wonder if anybody here
knows anything about him.

He trades under the name of M&S Harrison, he is Steve and his father
is Mark, he has a quote form giving an 0800 phone number and a mobile
number. The trading "address" in Bristol is very strange. There is no
postcode, nor street. Merely an industrial unit number and a reference
to 7 Beach, Bristol. There is also an equally vague address in Durham.
When challenged about the lack of a postcode, he said that it's not
needed as everybody there knows where it is.

I produced a Bristol A-Z and asked him to show me where he was based,
but he said he wasn't very good with maps and declined. He explained
that it was near the new Severn crossing. I assume that he claims he's
located at Severn Beach, but I can't imagine that a local would
confuse numeric 7 with the river Severn.

Google reports no other company operating from any industrial unit
with a similar address and it shows no match for the two phone
numbers.

He was touting for work in a very small town in Wiltshire, about 30
miles from Bristol, explaining that there is no work in Bristol.

Clearly, everything he says is totally unconvincing and points to him
being dodgy.

Does anybody have any knowledge of this man ?

A pensioner along the road is quite taken with him and I'm concerned
that she might be taken for a ride.

This is a good site for looking someone or some business up, but not always
spot on if the buisness is not legal.

http://www.b4u.co.uk/index.cfm?event...siness:Display

Andrew Gabriel wrote:
In article . com,
writes:
A builder was today touting door to door, I'm not remotely interested
in using him, but am suspicious about him and wonder if anybody here
knows anything about him.

There was a program on TV about this just recently.
I wasn't paying attention, but it sounds like you
should inform your local Trading Standards. They
might be able to pass back some warnings for you to
feed to your neighbour, or even offer to become
involved themselves.

--
Andrew Gabriel

Has he come up with alarming stories about some minor but urgent work
that needs to be done on your roof; so urgent that you don't have time
to get another quote? This is the con men's usual entr=E9e. Don't let
them on the roof, or they'll "find" bigger problems.

In any case, it all sounds so suspicious that, as Andrew says, you
should contact Trading Standards. In addition, note their vehicle
details (not just the number which may be false) and discretely take
some photos if you can. Don't return any paperwork they've given you --
asking for it back "to get it typed up" is a way of hiding the evidence
(which will also have fingerprints).

Chris

On 26 Jul 2005 00:44:16 GMT, (Andrew
Gabriel) wrote:

There was a program on TV about this just recently.
I wasn't paying attention, but it sounds like you
should inform your local Trading Standards. They
might be able to pass back some warnings for you to
feed to your neighbour, or even offer to become
involved themselves.

My elderly Mum was stood at the bus stop and a builders van pulled up:

Builder: "'Ello luv, glad we caught you. We are working on your
neighbours house and noticed you need some tiles replacing".

Mum: "How do you know where I live?"

Builder "Errrr..let's go" Drives off

On 25 Jul 2005 17:17:30 -0700, wrote:

A builder was today touting door to door, I'm not remotely interested
in using him, but am suspicious about him and wonder if anybody here
knows anything about him.

He trades under the name of M&S Harrison, he is Steve and his father is
Mark, he has a quote form giving an 0800 phone number and a mobile
number. The trading "address" in Bristol is very strange. There is no
postcode, nor street. Merely an industrial unit number and a reference
to 7 Beach, Bristol. There is also an equally vague address in Durham.
When challenged about the lack of a postcode, he said that it's not
needed as everybody there knows where it is.

I produced a Bristol A-Z and asked him to show me where he was based,
but he said he wasn't very good with maps and declined. He explained
that it was near the new Severn crossing. I assume that he claims he's
located at Severn Beach, but I can't imagine that a local would confuse
numeric 7 with the river Severn.

Google reports no other company operating from any industrial unit with
a similar address and it shows no match for the two phone numbers.

He was touting for work in a very small town in Wiltshire, about 30
miles from Bristol, explaining that there is no work in Bristol.

Clearly, everything he says is totally unconvincing and points to him
being dodgy.

Does anybody have any knowledge of this man ?

A pensioner along the road is quite taken with him and I'm concerned
that she might be taken for a ride.

Not specifically, but this sounds like a classical diddy operation.

Normally there is just a mobile number. THe 0800 number will just
redirect to it.

The address is vague because there's a fair chance that next week
they'll be moved on.

Work from this type of operation is always cash (to save the customer
money), usually is of variable quality, more is found that "needs
doing" and "if I do it now, it will be less than if I have to come
back".

I would certainly warn the pensioner and also mention it to Trading
Standards. Passing the contact details to the Inland Revenue would
also be helpful.





--

..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

In article . com,
wrote:

He trades under the name of M&S Harrison, he is Steve and his father is
Mark, he has a quote form giving an 0800 phone number and a mobile
number. The trading "address" in Bristol is very strange. There is no
postcode, nor street. Merely an industrial unit number and a reference
to 7 Beach, Bristol. There is also an equally vague address in Durham.
When challenged about the lack of a postcode, he said that it's not
needed as everybody there knows where it is.

I think I have seen that van pulling into an illegal Gypsy site we have
locally. I was taken by the apparent legit trading address and wondered how
come.

--
AJL Electronics (G6FGO) Ltd : Satellite and TV aerial systems
http://www.classicmicrocars.co.uk : http://www.ajlelectronics.co.uk

Andrew Gabriel wrote:
In article . com,
writes:

A builder was today touting door to door, I'm not remotely interested
in using him, but am suspicious about him and wonder if anybody here
knows anything about him.


There was a program on TV about this just recently.
I wasn't paying attention, but it sounds like you
should inform your local Trading Standards. They
might be able to pass back some warnings for you to
feed to your neighbour, or even offer to become
involved themselves.

Absolutely - get on to TS pronto. It's likely the guy will have already
taken others for a ride and that they will have complained to TS
themselves. You've done well to get as much info about them as you have,
and it may well be enough to get them tracked down.

David

On Tue, 26 Jul 2005 09:20:16 +0100, "Andy Luckman (AJL Electronics)"
wrote:

I think I have seen that van pulling into an illegal Gypsy site we have
locally. I was taken by the apparent legit trading address and wondered how
come.

I have noticed all sorts of traders vehicles at Gypsy sites. All quite
presentable and professional looking, with proper sign written
graphics etc.

People are far more likely to trust a trader if he has a
"professional" looking vehicle.

sponix

s--p--o--n--i--x wrote:


People are far more likely to trust a trader if he has a
"professional" looking vehicle.

sponix

Indeed. My brother in law also found it much easier to park a
signwritten van when visiting places like universities. He'd bought it
second hand, but it still had the signwriting of a carpet firm on the
side.

he has a quote form giving an 0800 phone number and a mobile
number. The trading "address" in Bristol is very strange. There is no
postcode, nor street. Merely an industrial unit number and a reference
to 7 Beach, Bristol. There is also an equally vague address in Durham.
When challenged about the lack of a postcode, he said that it's not
needed as everybody there knows where it is.



Was he wearing a Stetson hat and spurs?

Dave

wrote:
s--p--o--n--i--x wrote:

People are far more likely to trust a trader if he has a
"professional" looking vehicle.

Indeed. My brother in law also found it much easier to park a
signwritten van when visiting places like universities. He'd bought it
second hand, but it still had the signwriting of a carpet firm on the
side.

I vaguesly rememeber being told thats illegal, that the purchaser must
remove or cover the signwriting before use. Anyone know?


NT

wrote:
A builder was today touting door to door,

No genuine / reputable builder touts door to door. They are booked up
from now until their next Caribbean cruise :-)

A pensioner along the road is quite taken with him and I'm concerned
that she might be taken for a ride.

I know nothing of the individuals you describe. But there is a high risk
that this is an attempt to do unneccessary and overcharged work, as
others have said, or even an attempt to get inside the house and commit
distraction robbery or case the joint and come back later...

I would report your concerns straight to the local Police.

You might also suggest that pensioner gets a door intercom system so she
can tell such people to go away without having to open the door and face
them. They are safer than a chain, as a chain can obstruct
neighbour-with-a-key rendering assistance in an emergency.

Owain

In article . com,
writes:
I vaguesly rememeber being told thats illegal, that the purchaser must
remove or cover the signwriting before use. Anyone know?

It's often a requirement imposed by the seller who maybe
concerned about where their company image gets displayed.
Gypsy sites full of rusting Royal Mail and BT vans wouldn't
do the images of those companies much good.
It would be illegal to use it to pass off as someone else,
but otherwise I can't see any issue.

Many of the artics you see driving around with large product
images on them aren't full of Corn Flakes or whatever the
image is -- that's simply an advert.

--
Andrew Gabriel

wrote:

A builder was today touting door to door,

Any builder who has to do that is not worth employing.

Sounds like a pikey. Avoid at all costs.
Thieving toerags are illegally parked not far from where I live.
Surprise, surprise the number of breakins has dramatically increased

Owain wrote:
You might also suggest that pensioner gets a door intercom system so she
can tell such people to go away without having to open the door and face
them. They are safer than a chain, as a chain can obstruct
neighbour-with-a-key rendering assistance in an emergency.

You can get chains that are openable from the outside for such
occurrences. Probably rather cheaper than an intercom.

alex.

--
Alex Meaden
Technical Support Officer
Computing Service
University of Kent

"O.B." wrote in message
Sounds like a pikey. Avoid at all costs.
Thieving toerags are illegally parked not far from where I live.

We had an infestation in the shopping centre car park a while ago. Transits
& caravans parked all over the place, in disabled bays etc. Not a pay &
display ticket in sight.

I rang the parking office and asked why they hadn't been given tickets. The
reply?

They had to wait for the 'traveller liaison officer' to visit & report back.

I complained that if I had parked there without paying I would have been
given a ticket. They couldn't apparently issue them tickets because they
might become aggressive!

The mind boggles.

Dave

"David Lang" wrote in message
k...

"O.B." wrote in message
Sounds like a pikey. Avoid at all costs.
Thieving toerags are illegally parked not far from where I live.

We had an infestation in the shopping centre car park a while ago.
Transits
& caravans parked all over the place, in disabled bays etc. Not a pay &
display ticket in sight.

I rang the parking office and asked why they hadn't been given tickets.
The
reply?

They had to wait for the 'traveller liaison officer' to visit & report
back.

I complained that if I had parked there without paying I would have been
given a ticket. They couldn't apparently issue them tickets because they
might become aggressive!

The mind boggles.

I wonder if the new terrorist laws apply.

On Tue, 26 Jul 2005 19:07:29 +0100, "Doctor Drivel"
wrote:


"David Lang" wrote in message
. uk...

"O.B." wrote in message
Sounds like a pikey. Avoid at all costs.
Thieving toerags are illegally parked not far from where I live.

We had an infestation in the shopping centre car park a while ago.
Transits
& caravans parked all over the place, in disabled bays etc. Not a pay &
display ticket in sight.

I rang the parking office and asked why they hadn't been given tickets.
The
reply?

They had to wait for the 'traveller liaison officer' to visit & report
back.

I complained that if I had parked there without paying I would have been
given a ticket. They couldn't apparently issue them tickets because they
might become aggressive!

The mind boggles.

I wonder if the new terrorist laws apply.


Shoot to kill you mean?



--

..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

On Tue, 26 Jul 2005 11:07:24 +0100, Owain wrote:

I would report your concerns straight to the local Police.

Aye, the local constabulary are likely to act rather faster than
trading standards, after all if he hasn't traded TS can't touch him.

The Police on the other hand can look up the vehicle reg, see if it
matches the vehicle description, keep an eye out and ask lots of
questions when the find him, especially with the amount of information
you have got.

A good questioning from the Police may just put him off "working" the
area. He might just be a dodgy builder but distraction robbery or
casing a place to return later are distinct possibilties.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

wrote:
A builder was today touting door to door, I'm not remotely interested
in using him, but am suspicious about him and wonder if anybody here
knows anything about him.

He trades under the name of M&S Harrison, he is Steve and his father is
Mark, he has a quote form giving an 0800 phone number and a mobile
number. The trading "address" in Bristol is very strange. There is no
postcode, nor street. Merely an industrial unit number and a reference
to 7 Beach, Bristol. There is also an equally vague address in Durham.
When challenged about the lack of a postcode, he said that it's not
needed as everybody there knows where it is.

I produced a Bristol A-Z and asked him to show me where he was based,
but he said he wasn't very good with maps and declined. He explained
that it was near the new Severn crossing. I assume that he claims he's
located at Severn Beach, but I can't imagine that a local would confuse
numeric 7 with the river Severn.

Google reports no other company operating from any industrial unit with
a similar address and it shows no match for the two phone numbers.

He was touting for work in a very small town in Wiltshire, about 30
miles from Bristol, explaining that there is no work in Bristol.

Clearly, everything he says is totally unconvincing and points to him
being dodgy.

The fly by night builders/block pavers who've come round this way run
the same kind of scam using dodgy addresses and telephone numbers. They
have amber flashing lights on their cars, like motorway maintenance
vehicles, and wear those flourescent safety jackets to look
professional.

Plenty of people get suckered in. An old couple across the road used
them for a block paved drive and when it came down to the work
starting, 6 guys turned up including two kids who looked about 10/11
years old. They built the side walls with block paving and left all
sorts of shallows where water sits - a job well done!

David Lang wrote:
"O.B." wrote in message
Sounds like a pikey. Avoid at all costs.
Thieving toerags are illegally parked not far from where I live.

We had an infestation in the shopping centre car park a while ago.
Transits & caravans parked all over the place, in disabled bays etc. Not a
pay & display ticket in sight.


Not relevant to pikey builders, but I saw a car recently in a disabled bay
with a big sticker on the windscreen (facing inwards..)

"Being stupid is not a disability"

Alex wrote:
Owain wrote:
You might also suggest that pensioner gets a door intercom system so she
can tell such people to go away without having to open the door and face
them. They are safer than a chain, as a chain can obstruct
neighbour-with-a-key rendering assistance in an emergency.

You can get chains that are openable from the outside for such
occurrences. Probably rather cheaper than an intercom.

alex.

You are joking, right?!

Mathew J. Newton wrote:
Alex wrote:

Owain wrote:

You might also suggest that pensioner gets a door intercom system so she
can tell such people to go away without having to open the door and face
them. They are safer than a chain, as a chain can obstruct
neighbour-with-a-key rendering assistance in an emergency.

You can get chains that are openable from the outside for such
occurrences. Probably rather cheaper than an intercom.

alex.


You are joking, right?!

No, he's missing 3 words:
"with a key"

--
Spamtrap in use
To email replace 127.0.0.1 with blueyonder dot co dot uk

Chris Hodges wrote:
Mathew J. Newton wrote:
Alex wrote:

Owain wrote:

You might also suggest that pensioner gets a door intercom system so she
can tell such people to go away without having to open the door and face
them. They are safer than a chain, as a chain can obstruct
neighbour-with-a-key rendering assistance in an emergency.

You can get chains that are openable from the outside for such
occurrences. Probably rather cheaper than an intercom.

alex.


You are joking, right?!

No, he's missing 3 words:
"with a key"

Ah okay..