It's now illegal to ignore 'Do Not Knock' stickers

Changes to the Fair Trading Act, which come into force today, mean door-to-door traders who ignore a ‘Do Not Knock’ sticker risk fines of up to $30,000.

In addition to imposing fines, the courts can also order the cancellation or variation of a sales agreement, as well as compensation if an uninvited seller ignores a sticker or a direction not to enter a property.

“This is a great win for consumers,” said Jon Duffy, Consumer NZ Chief Executive.

“We have been calling for these changes to the Fair Trading Act since 2014, when we first launched our campaign. Since then, we have distributed more than half a million stickers to consumers to keep unwanted sellers away,” he said.

“Over the years we have heard terrible stories of pushy salespeople hounding householders to buy products they don’t want or need. In some cases, people have even purchased products just to get rid of the seller.

“We’ve also heard stories of sellers ignoring the stickers, so it’s great ignoring a ‘Do Not Knock’ sticker or instruction to stay away will now have serious financial implications for the trader on the doorstep.”

You don’t need a sticker to benefit from these new consumer protections. If you tell a seller to stay away from your house, they must do as they’re told for two years. If they don’t do as they’re told, or they ignore your sticker, you can complain to the Commerce Commission.

How to get a 'Do Not Knock' sticker

• Consumer members can request a sticker through the form on Consumer’s website.
• If you’re not a Consumer member, you can get a sticker from any Resene ColorShop or store that sells Resene paints.
• Alternatively, you can make your own sign or download a printable version of the sticker.