Website aims to tackle Mobility Con Merchants and Rip Off Cheats

"Unfortunately, companies providing mobility solutions are in danger of being seen in the same suspicious light as double-glazing salespeople were some years ago as more and more instances are reported where people are suffering from "hard sell" techniques." That's the view of the Mobility Matters Network of companies. They have developed a brand new website which actually lists all the "Cons" that are catching people out these days and it makes for some frightening reading indeed.

The website, aptly named www.mobilityripoff.co.uk, contains a "horror chamber", which lists the ways in which unscrupulous salespeople are attempting (and in many cases succeeding) in ripping off unsuspecting older and less abled people. There is also a section where people who feel that they have been ripped off can tell their own stories too and warn others in the future.

The Mobility Matters Network is a group of independently run companies with many years experience dealing with all aspects of mobility problems. They all have showrooms that customers can visit. Between them they have over 70,000 customers. A spokesman for the group explained why the new website has been created. "Our members are seeing more and more instances where customers have been sold a product that isn't right for them, have been told a product is new when it isn't, have paid enormous amounts for a product they could have saved £100's on or have been pressurised into making the decision before they are ready. In many cases the salesperson has turned up on their doorstep and they have found it very difficult to get rid of them. We know that there are a number of techniques that the more "enthusiastic" companies and salespeople are employing and so we thought it was time that potential customers knew about them before they were exposed to them. Hopefully, it will help them make the right decision and save them some money. Good, experienced local companies are sick and tired of being tarred with the same brush as people who set up to supply mobility products with hardly any backup service, have little knowledge of the products they are selling, are just out to get what they can out of people and who have little intention of being around in a couple of years time if and when the product needs to be serviced. It's time that future customers understood just how badly conned you can be if you aren't careful"

One of the tips on the site is never to organise a demonstration from a company that won't give you a price for a product over the telephone. "The line that some of the companies use is that the products are all individually made and so it's impossible to quote a price. On the most part this is complete rubbish and it's easy to give a priceguide over the phone. The vast majority of products sold in the mobility marketplace are straight off a production line and there is nothing unique
about them at all. If a company will not give you any indication of a price, we would suggest that's because their prices are very much higher than you can find elsewhere. The message is to steer clear as there are plenty of locally based companies in Yellow Pages under "Mobility" that will happily give you a priceguide. Most will also have showrooms that you can visit too.

"It's very sad that it has come to this" Mobility Matters say, "But the fact is that it is a very complicated marketplace if you don't know what you are doing. Because of the vulnerability of some of our customers, some companies think that they can get away with all sorts of bad practise. We think that anything that helps to warn people before they make a mistake must be a good thing.

The Mobility Matters Network has also produced a Buyers Reference Guide, which explains why there can be such a massive difference in pricing. Mobility Matters say that it's worth reading if you are thinking of buying a product for the first time and that over 50,000 copies have been requested by customers so far. It's free by calling the 24 hour request line on 08705 134130.