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Door-to-door sales are when a salesperson comes to your home without being invited to sell you goods or services.
Dealing with pushy door-to-door salespeople
It's illegal for a salesperson to bully you or pressure you. But it can be hard to say no when someone comes to your house to sell you something.
Following these tips can help:
- Be clear: You can say, ‘no thank you, I am not interested.’ You do not have to explain why.
- Ask them to leave: If the salesperson gets pushy, tell them to leave. They have to leave straight away and cannot contact you again for 30 days afterwards.
- Take time to think it through: If you are interested, ask the salesperson for documents about the product. Say you will think about it.
- Keep good records: If you do buy something, make sure to read and keep all the documents and hold onto any receipts.
- Get help: If you're not happy with what you have bought, get help. Contact your state consumer affairs or fair trading office.
- Check if they are licensed: People selling financial products must have an Australian financial services (AFS) licence. You can check ASIC’s Professional Registers Search to see if the person or company holds an AFS licence. You can also phone ASIC's Indigenous Help Line on 1300 365 957.
Door-to-door salespeople might say special deals and discounts are only available if you sign up straight away. This can sound exciting, but take time to stop and think before buying. Ask yourself if it's something you really need. Even if it is, you might be able to get it cheaper somewhere else, so do your research before you decide.
To avoid being pressured by pushy door-to-door salespeople, put up a Do Not Knock sticker or make your own sign that says “No sales people allowed”.
If salespeople ignore the sticker or sign and knock anyway, you can report it to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) using their online consumer complaint form, by calling the ACCC Infocentre on 1300 302 502, or by calling the ACCC First Nations phone line on 1300 303 143.
Know your consumer rights
Understanding what your rights are when a salesperson comes to your door can help protect you.
If you have a Do Not Knock sticker, salespeople can’t ever make come to your house to sell you stuff – unless you ask them to.
Even if you don’t have a Do Not Knock sticker, door-to-door salespeople can only come to your house or call your phone during specific times. A salesperson is breaking the law if they try to sell you something:
- before 9am and after 6pm on a weekday
- before 9am or after 5pm on a Saturday
- at any time on a Sunday or a public holiday
If you do buy something, make sure the salesperson gives you a copy of the sales agreement. It should clearly tell you:
- how much you need to pay
- how often you have to pay
- when you will receive your purchase
If you are making the purchase with a loan or a credit product – for example using buy now, pay later products –, make sure you understand the repayments before you sign.
If you are worried about the finance or the way it was sold, contact ASIC's Indigenous Help Line on 1300 365 957.
It's ok to walk away
You can walk away from salespeople who make you feel uncomfortable.
Use the cooling-off period
When a salesperson is selling you a product, they have to tell you about the cooling-off period. This is usually between five and ten days, depending on which state you live in.
During the cooling-off period you can change your mind and ask for your money back.
Call or write to the company and tell them you have changed your mind. The company then has to refund any money you have already paid. You must return any goods you have within a reasonable time. If you can't return them, tell the company where to collect them from. If the goods are not collected within 30 days, you can keep them.
For more information, see cancellation rights ('cooling off') on the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) website.
Where to get help
- ASIC's Indigenous Help Line
You can contact ASIC’s Indigenous Help line on 1300 365 957 or email us at [email protected] if you are worried about door-to-door sales. - Do not call register
Add your phone number and address to the Do Not Call register. It is run by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) and can reduce the amount of telemarketing calls you receive. . - Fair trading
If you have been pressured into buying something or are unhappy with something you've bought, contact your fair trading agency. They can tell you whether or not you can get a refund. Find your local fair trading agency:
New South Wales
New South Wales Fair Trading
13 32 20
Queensland
Queensland Fair Trading
13 74 68
Western Australia
Consumer Protection WA
1300 304 054
Northern Territory
Northern Territory Consumer Affairs
1800 019 319
South Australia
South Australian Government
13 23 24
Australian Capital Territory
Access Canberra
13 22 81
Victoria
Consumer Affairs Victoria
1300 661 511
Tasmania
Tasmanian Consumer Affairs
1300 654 499
Maya cancels the purchase
Maya buys solar panels from a door to door salesperson with buy now pay later
A salesperson comes to Maya’s house and knocks on the door. They tell Maya they are selling solar panels and she doesn’t have to pay any money upfront, but only if she signs up today.
The salesperson says Maya can get the solar panels by using a buy now, pay later product which she helps Maya apply for. Maya likes the idea of reducing her power costs and signs up because she feels rushed and thinks it will save money.
Later, Maya realises she can’t afford the repayments for the cost of the solar panels. Maya was able to cancel the purchase of the solar panels within the cooling off period, and she is getting help from a financial counsellor to dispute the buy now, pay later debt.
The financial counsellor also assists Maya in reporting this conduct to ACCC for the solar panel sales and ASIC for lack of assessment by the provider of buy now, pay later.