Raising the Standard: Consumer Vulnerability

Introduction

Looking out for the most vulnerable people in our community is something that most of us do without a second thought. We all have a family member, a neighbour or a friend whom we might consider vulnerable, and we would hate the idea of them being taken advantage of by an unscrupulous rogue trader or doorstep criminal.

As a member of Kent County Council’s Trading Standards Checked Scheme, you may have already come to the aid of a vulnerable consumer, and have possibly even been called on to rectify poor-quality work carried out by another party in the home of a vulnerable person.

“Stamping out the rogue traders who don’t play by the rules will help create a level playing field for everyone else”

Treating vulnerable consumers with an extra level of care and attention is likely already something you do. However, anyone can find themselves in a position of vulnerability at any time. It makes sense to talk about what consumer vulnerability actually is, how it can affect everybody at one time or another, and how it can be factored into your business practices.

Aside from wanting to do the right thing by looking after your vulnerable consumers, doing so will also give your business’s reputation a boost.

And stamping out the rogue traders who don’t play by the rules will help create a level playing field for everyone else, making Kent a better place to live and work.

“We all have a family member, a neighbour or a friend whom we might consider vulnerable”

Types of vulnerability

When we think about consumer vulnerability, most of us will have preconceived ideas of what makes a consumer vulnerable.

However, there are factors that can make a person vulnerable which aren’t always visible on the surface. According to Kent County Council Trading Standards Victim Safeguarding Officer Elaine Mount, who encounters vulnerable people every day, “It could be any number of things, and sometimes not always obvious things. There can be mental health issues; age can be a factor, or English not being their first language; or just being quite lonely or isolated.”

There are two distinct types of consumer vulnerability: situational vulnerability and marketplace vulnerability.

Situational vulnerability

It is important to remember that everyone can be vulnerable at certain points of life, and vulnerability is often brought about by changing personal circumstances. Someone who is going through a traumatic situation such as a divorce, a bereavement or a period of ill health for example, could be in a vulnerable position. Vulnerability can also originate from long-term personal circumstances, such as a permanent physical or mental disability.

“It’s about reflecting on your services all of the time and thinking, ‘what can we do differently here?’”

Marketplace vulnerability

This stems from a consumers’ unfamiliarity with the product or service they are buying. For example, a customer might find the terminology around a new home energy system confusing and be vulnerable to being misled or making a mistake as a result. In such situations it is important to ensure that you are confident that the consumer fully understands what they are paying for and has had the opportunity to ask questions.

Top tip Louise Baxter, a scams awareness expert, says that supporting vulnerable consumers should be built into your business’s processes from the ground up. “It’s about reflecting on your services all of the time and thinking, ‘what can we do differently here?’” she says. When it comes to communication, Louise says, “Ask your customers rather than making assumptions, especially when it comes to age-related vulnerability. There’s an assumption that older people are vulnerable and that is not strictly true. Age can be situational factor – but not all old people are vulnerable.”

Going the extra mile

While there are many aspects of customer service that are covered by consumer law, it never hurts to go above and beyond the minimum legal requirements when carrying out work for a vulnerable customer.

To ensure things go as smoothly as possible, there are some simple, straightforward steps you can take. For example, make sure any documentation you present a customer with is easy to read –perhaps written in a large font, with plenty of white space – and easy to understand. This is important for people with sight problems or people who speak English as a second language.

Scams awareness expert Louise

Baxter says: “Design your service or your product with the most vulnerable people in mind. You have to ensure that people get the information that they need.

“There are lots of ways to ensure that the decision the person is making is the right decision for them. It’s the right thing to do, and it minimises complaints and enhances your reputation.”

Allow extra time for vulnerable consumers to ensure they are comfortable with the agreement you make with them, and ask them what their preferred method of communication is.

It is also a good idea to make sure you have a policy in place for dealing with vulnerable consumers, in the same way you should have a policy for dealing with complaints. That way you and your colleagues will be able to deal with vulnerable consumers consistently.

Top tip KCC Trading Standards Victim Safeguarding Officer

Elaine Mount says: “If you’re going into the home of someone who’s vulnerable, allow plenty of time so you can explain things thoroughly and ask whether they’d like to have a family member or friend with them. That can help the trader as well as the customer, as it can avoid misunderstandings. Specify a time for your visit and if you’re not able to meet that time, let them know – when you’re vulnerable, you can get stressed about someone coming to do work in your home. Just little things like that can really help to make it a lot easier.”

“When you’re vulnerable, you can get stressed about someone coming to do work in your home”

What to do if you think a customer might be at risk

If you go into the home of a customer who you think may have been targeted by rogue traders, there are things you can do. For urgent matters where you suspect criminal activity, you should not hesitate to contact your local police.

In situations where you come across signs of poor-quality or unnecessary work that has been carried out recently, you should report it to The Citizens Advice consumer service on 0808 2231133.

Jackie Swan is one of Kent County Council’s Community Wardens, who frequently comes across rogue traders in the homes of vulnerable people. “If there are lots of scamming-style leaflets in a person’s home, it’s likely that they have responded to one of them, and has now been bombarded,” she says. “If a resident says that they give regularly to multiple charities, that’s another flag.”

“You can contact us anonymously and in confidence, and we would encourage traders to report any concerns about doorstep criminal-type traders”

It is important to respect a customer’s privacy and independence, and you should get their permission before getting others involved. However, in some cases you might be one of the few people to enter that person’s home in a while, so if you do spot something which raises concerns that they are at risk, it is right that you should express those concerns.

More information about Kent County Council’s Community Wardens, including how to get in touch, is available at: www.kent. gov.uk/leisure-and-community/ community-safety/communitywardens.

Top tip KCC Trading Standards Victim Safeguarding Officer

Elaine Mount says: “We would very much like to hear from anybody who has any concerns, either about somebody who has been at a house doing work, or about the resident themselves. You can contact us anonymously and in confidence, and we would encourage traders to report any concerns about doorstep criminal-type traders. However you want to do it –either to us, social services, Citizens Advice or the police.”

Further reading

Kent County Council’s Trading Standards Checked scheme provides information and support to its members, including podcasts, videos and information guides.

Kent County Council’s Community Wardens exist to safeguard local residents and can provide you with support and advice on dealing with vulnerable consumers.

Kent County Council’s Trading Standards Business Advice Team can offer a wealth of help, advice and support to Kent-based businesses. TS Checked scheme members can access this service

as part of their membership package.

The Business Companion site is a useful, free resource that covers a wide range of business topics. It sets out information in plain English, is written by experts and is constantly updated to reflect changes in legislation. It includes a section that deals specifically with consumer vulnerability. If you encounter an urgent situation in which you think a vulnerable Kent resident is being harmed or exploited, contact Kent Police.