Summer is almost here, so you might hear the doorbell ringing a little more.
Whether it’s the 12-year-old who wants to wash your windows or a business that wants to replace your windows, door-to-door sales season is upon us, and you don’t want to be caught unaware.
“The biggest ones are typically pest control, alarm systems and solar,” said Katie Hass, the director of the Utah Division of Consumer Protection.
Hass always says the first part of being a “W.I.S.E.R” consumer is the W: Watching for red flags. And when it comes to door-to-door sales, there’s plenty to be on the lookout for.
“My biggest concern and the one that we see a lot of is solar,” said Hass. “These are major projects for your home that you should really slow down and take time and research and do, and not just go with the first kid who shows up at your door.”
Whether you’re familiar with the company represented on your doorstep or not, how do you know how reputable they are?
“Research those companies see if they’ve been cited before,” said Hass. “You can look at the Division’s website at dcp.utah.gov to see if they’ve been cited by us for their business practices, etc.”
WATCH: Utah Department of Commerce shares ‘WISER’ tips to help consumers avoid scams
Say you are interested, you do the research and the company or product seemingly checks out. The contract should be your next tell if you should sign or not.
“The cancellation policy is a really big one that you need to look at, the non-disparagement part of it,” said Hass. “Again, slow down, really read those, understand what it is you’re committing to payment-wise, how you can cancel if you wanted to cancel.”
Remember, if you preset a boundary that says, "I’m going to say no to anyone that comes to my door and take time to think about it," it is much easier to say no in that moment.
In the moment, it is more difficult to say no.
“Many of us these days are being asked to sign things on an iPad where the person who’s having you sign is literally scrolling through and saying, ‘I need your signature here.’ This is not okay. You should ask for all contracts in writing. Have them send them to you via email. It’s a great way to slow the process down,” said Hass.
