Many homeowners who have been victim to recent floods may not know where to turn for support in dealing with related issues.
Aberdeenshire Council’s Trading Standards team, in partnership with Citizens Advice, can provide help and advice on a range of issues following flood damage.
If your property or possessions are damaged as a result of flooding, or you incur extra expenses, you should make a claim on your insurance.
If this does not resolve matters or you end up in dispute with your insurance company, contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 03454 04 05 06 in the first instance.
They provide free, impartial advice on your legal rights in the event of a dispute and will refer complaints to trading standards for further help if required.
There is further useful advice about insurance problems on the Citizens Advice website at: http://bit.ly/1PNsKag
If you decide you need repair work carried out on your property which is not covered by insurance, here is some advice;
Get at least three separate written quotes from local, reputable traders and ask friends or neighbours for help in making a decision. Do not agree to on the spot house repairs without taking advice from other sources first.
- Research, or ask someone else to research, the companies: many rogue traders will use local telephone numbers and false addresses to appear local but are in fact itinerant traders.
- Be very wary of any special offers or warnings that your house is unsafe.
- Don't allow anyone to pressure you into agreeing to have work carried out. If you ask them to leave and they don't, contact the police.
Good neighbours can help stop rogue traders. If you suspect an elderly or vulnerable neighbour may be the victim of a rogue trader, contact Trading Standards as soon as possible.
Aberdeenshire Council’s Trading Standards Manager, Wilma Urquhart, said: “You should be wary of anyone cold-calling you offering home improvements.
“Having your home flooded is distressing enough as it is, please don’t make it worse by being ripped off.”