Door-to-door sales, telemarketing and travelling traders
Your rights when dealing with door-to-door traders and telemarketers (telephone salespeople) are different to online or in-store shopping because they start off the contact—you don't seek out their business.
Door-to-door sales and telemarketing agreements are 'unsolicited consumer agreements', which apply when:
a business (or their representative/agent) approaches you without your invitation—this can be at your home or in a public place like the common area of a shopping centre, and
the transaction is more than $100 or has an unknown price.
Travelling (itinerant) traders might also approach you offering to do work at your home. There are also rules around how they can do business with you.
Door-to-door and telemarketer sales rules
Read the following rules to learn about your rights when dealing with door-to-door salespeople and telemarketers.
How to protect yourself in door-to-door or telemarketing sales
- Be firm and don't let salespeople talk you into something you don't want, need or can't afford—if you shop around you might find it cheaper somewhere else.
- Order a free Do-not-knock sticker or call us and we'll post you one—if you display it the salesperson must not approach your door.
- Ask the salesperson to leave—even if you don't have do-not-knock sticker, they must leave your property if you ask them to.
- Tell the telemarketer you’re not interested and want to go—telemarketers must end the call right away if you say this.
- Register your phone number for free with the Australian Government's Do Not Call Register to reduce the number of businesses phoning you.
- Ask for ID—don't employ anyone who doesn't have proper ID.
- Make sure you get a written agreement when buying anything over $100.
- Never sign a contract unless you're sure you want the product or service and you're clear about everything you'll have to do.
Travelling traders
Be wary of travelling (itinerant) traders who pretend to be genuine and licensed—they can use tricks to get you to hire their services.
For example, they may:
- pressure you into deciding on the spot with a special one-off or today-only deal—this is illegal as they must give you a 10-day cooling-off period to change your mind
- ask for cash up front and offer to drive you to the bank to get the money to pay them—it's illegal for them to take any payment or start work during the cooling-off period
- make you think you really need their service
- tell you a hard luck story.
If you accept offers from travelling traders you're taking a risk. You might be left with sub-standard work or an unfinished job, be unable to contact them once they've been paid, or have to spend more hiring a genuine tradesperson to repair their work.
How to protect yourself from travelling traders
If you're approached by a travelling trader:
- don't pay for anything upfront (even materials)
- demand a quote and a receipt showing their name and address
- ask to see their ID
- note their vehicle type and registration number
- check their company or business name with the Australian Securities and Investment Commission
- check they have an Australian Business Number
- ask to see their licence if the work would usually be done by a licensed tradesperson, or search for their licence online
- for building or construction work over $3,300—such as roof or fencing repairs—search the Queensland Building and Construction Commission register
- for electrical work—such as hard-wired smoke alarm repairs—search for an electrical license on the Electrical Safety Office website.
Make a complaint
You can make a complaint if a door-to-door salesperson or telemarketer doesn't follow the rules.
If you've been approached by a travelling trader please let us know.
More information
- Watch our video to understand your consumer rights for door-to-door or telemarketing sales.