Home » About Us » Sheffield Homes News » November & December 2006 » Bogus caller alert in Gleadless Valley
Bogus caller alert in Gleadless Valley
Sheffield Homes is warning customers to be on their guard after suspected bogus callers got into a woman’s home.
The two men called at an address in the Gleadless Valley area, one with what looked like an identity card and the other wearing a fluorescent workman’s jacket.
Sheffield Homes has been unable to identify either man as an employee of Sheffield Homes or Keepmoat, the contractor carrying out Decent Homes work in the area.
The massive council property modernisation programme currently transforming homes across the city involves hundreds of workmen and other personnel.
Sheffield Homes has long been aware of the increased opportunities for bogus callers whilst this work takes place and has repeatedly warned residents, as well as issuing guidance and advice.
All Sheffield Homes staff, surveyors and contractors carry identification cards.
The advice to customers is:
- Always ask to see identification before you let anyone into your home and don’t let them in if you have any concerns
- If you still aren’t satisfied after checking a caller’s ID card, contact your Customer Liaison Advisor (CLA) or local Investment Team
- For extra reassurance, set up your own security password for staff to use when visiting by contacting your local Investment Team
- If you think someone may be a bogus caller, phone the police straightaway
Customers whose homes will be improved under the Decent Homes programme will be contacted by their CLA before work gets underway. Once work starts, they will know the tradesmen working on their home and will be told if additional contractors are being brought in.
When the Decent Homes work is complete, the CLA will visit the customer and three months after completion, Sheffield Homes will carry out an after care check. Sheffield Homes maintenance officers complete random checks on a small percentage of properties, but they will always carry ID.
“With so many people involved in this programme, coming in and out of customers’ homes, it’s vital that we do all that we can to make sure people are aware of the danger of bogus callers and what they can do to protect themselves,” said Iain Allott, Decent Homes Programme Manager for Sheffield Homes.
“This programme is the biggest of its kind in the country and won’t be complete until 2010. Sheffield Homes and its contractors are working together to keep reminding people about the risk of bogus callers and help in any way we can to prevent incidents like this which, thankfully, are few and far between.”