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Warning issued after cold callers target Ashfield social housing tenants

By Latifa Yedroudj, Junior Local Democracy Reporter

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Ashfield residents who live in council properties have been warned about a cold call operation targeting people who have outstanding repairs.

People posing as council workers and others encouraging people to sign legal documents have appeared on the doorsteps of several homes. 

One Ashfield resident, who asked not to be identified, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service two people turned up on her doorstep.

One woman showed up at her door on Tuesday, June 10 claiming to be a council worker sent to “speed up repair requests” in council properties.

A few hours later, another woman who claimed to be from a solicitor firm, asked the resident to sign a contract saying the firm planned to “sue the council over poor repairs”.

The resident, who doesn’t wish to be named, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “I do have a few things that haven’t been finished for months now by the council, and I didn’t question her claim at first.

“However, that afternoon another lady turned up.

“She didn’t speak English very well, so she used a translator application to communicate.

“She then said the first lady didn’t actually work for the council, and that the first woman was going to get into trouble for claiming she did.

“That immediately set off alarm bells for me.

“She then asked me to look at a document on her phone, which said they were solicitors suing Ashfield District Council for poor repairs, and that they would win my case based on the two incomplete jobs at my property.”

The resident refused to sign the contract – but said people showed up at her door on three more occasions.

She added: “I told her I wasn’t looking to sue the council and asked her to leave.

“She insisted I call her boss first to get all the information before making a decision, but I declined again and asked her to leave my property.”

Ashfield District Council has since issued the warning after several tenants reported similar incidents.

One other tenant was tricked into signing a contract by people who he thought were council workers carrying repairs on properties, the council said.

The authority said a legal case followed – which the man was not aware he would need to take part in – which the council won.

Cllr Andy Meakin, the council’s Executive Lead for Social Housing and Assets, said in a statement: “I do feel for the tenant as this is an awful situation to be put in. These cold callers can be very convincing and tenants are not always aware of what they are signing.

“These people are taking advantage of our tenants and it is not acceptable.

“Our Council officers will always carry ID with them and do not show up unannounced.

“If you have any concerns or problems with your Council property, then please contact our teams directly. They are here to help and advise you. If your home needs any repairs carrying out then we are here for that.”