Powys residents are being warned about scammers offering to Tarmac people’s driveways.

According to Powys County Council a team of rogue traders are in the county offering to tarmac people’s driveways claiming they have “surplus Tarmac left over from work they are carrying out for the county council”.

The warning has been issued by Powys County Council’s Trading Standards Service to ensure residents and businesses are not conned out money.

They report that there have been cold callers that are unqualified people charging “extortionate amounts of money for little or no work with prices also being very misleading”. 

They usually demand immediate payment while practice methods are aimed for not being traced.

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Councillor Richard Church, cabinet member for a safer Powys, said: “In these cases the work conducted is usually extremely poor.  Our advice is never to accept work from cold callers and remember the old saying that if it is too good to be true, it usually is.

“The best advice we can give householders or businesses is not to employ any unknown trader who cold-calls offering to carry out repairs or improvements to their property.”

If residents do decide to employ an unknown tradesperson, the council’s Trading Standards Service are advising that they check the traders' credentials, particularly any phone number given. To ask the trader for references and view an example of their work.

They also say people should ask friends or neighbours if they have heard of the firm, and if local, check to ensure their premises are where they say they are.

They are advise to ask for a written quotation before going ahead and make sure the trader's name and address is on it and that the price for the work is clear and to never part with money until the work is completed to your satisfaction and always try to pay by cheque or credit card.

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They also are reminding residents that “legislation requires cold callers to give consumers a ‘cancellation notice’, giving them 14 days to cancel the contract made for any work over £42.

The council added: "Failure to issue a cancellation notice in the correct manner is a criminal offence”.

Anyone who thinks they may be a victim or thinks someone they know may have been, should get in touch with Citizens Advice consumer helpline free on 0808 223 1133 or to contact a Welsh-speaking adviser call 0808 223 1144.