It will be illegal for traders in the Isle of Man to use cold calling as a sales technique from 1st June 2016. This move, which will protect consumers, is the result of an Order by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) bringing the Consumer Protection (Amendment) Act 2016 into full operation.

OFT Chairman David Quirk MHK explained:-

“The Act makes it illegal for a trader to enter into a contract for the sale of goods and services as a result of cold calling. The Act covers all forms of cold calling, including by telephone. At a practical level, the main impact and real benefit will be to disrupt the activities of those who use doorstep pressure selling techniques. During our consultation on the Act, the Manx public made it absolutely clear that they are fed up with being pestered by doorstep salesman.”

The OFT is advising consumers who are subjected to cold calling that they should close the door and immediately advise the OFT on 686500. Chief Inspector of Trading Standards John Peet added:

“Our enforcement priority will be those traders who use doorstep selling to persuade the vulnerable and elderly to buy goods and services which are not needed, or are exorbitantly priced; or often, both. Whilst we obviously hope that traders will comply with the new law, if they don’t we will not hesitate to prosecute.”

David Quirk concluded:

“This is a prime example of the OFT protecting the public.”