Is there a law that ...

[sherrardk]

In the dark recesses of my mind I seem to think that there is a law to stop retailers selling something that someone doesn't actually need (although it would improve the efficiency of the thing they are buying) by frightening them (by saying 'if you don't buy it, your children will die'). Anyone any ideas? Thanks.

[boxtops]

I would think that the Advertising Standards Authority would have something to say about that.... and advertising has to be true these days, so surely they wouldn't get away with that sort of thing?

[jackthehat]

The closest thing would be 'Demanding money with menaces'......but it doesn't usually occur in a 'retail' situation.

[sherrardk]

This is from someone going to a potential customers house and trying to get them to buy the extra thing (it is an expensive thing - £750+ that is not actually necessary but would improve efficiency of the thing they are buying).

[ubasses]

This would probably come under aggressive sales practices and is covered by the Office of Fair Trading

[NOX]

Yes anything sold to you in your own home usually has a cooling off period and there is a huge amount of legislation and guidelines around the practice of 'hard selling'.

[ABerrant]

It is an offence to mislead or aggresively market under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.

http://www.legislatio...08/1277/contents/made

[sherrardk]

Thank you all. My husband went to do a quote tonight (he fits wood burning stoves and the extra thing in question is having the chimney lined) and the customers told him that this is what another company had said to them when they quoted. (The other company in question is owned by the criminal who used to be in partnership with my husband but consequently ripped him off so anything I can find to dump him in the sh!t is all good news to me.)

[boxtops]

Is it not a good idea to have the chimney lined though, before you fit a stove? I thought it had to be done - so is trying to sell one such a bad thing (unless it's the method of selling which is objectionable).

[sherrardk]

Hi Box, it does make the stove more efficient and in an ideal world all the chimneys would be lined. But it is expensive and not necessary in this case. Also, saying to someone that your children will die if you don't do it is disgusting (just to make more money).

[boxtops]

I agree that the selling tactic is out of order, yes - and if not everyone has to have one, then yes to that too. It's a bit like the roofer saying that your tiles are all falling off - if you can't get up there, how would you know?