The executive chairman of Saga Group is reminding elderly homeowners that it is their right to refuse entry to a bogus visitor after a survey revealed that over-75s are often subject to house calls from salesmen.
Andrew Goodsell said: “It is encouraging to see the bonds between neighbours remain strong, but the over-50s are wise to be cautious. We would advise to always ask to see identification before allowing a salesperson into your home.”
One in six people over 75 said they allowed a salesman to enter their house without providing any identification and over a quarter of over-50s believed that this type of visit was becoming more frequent.
However, another survey carried out by Simplyhealth, the health insurance provider, showed that people in general were less friendly to their neighbours and that 86 per cent would not offer to help another to carry their shopping bags.