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calt467 Asked October 2014

Is there any law that stops sales people from selling door to door to the elderly without anyone else there?

My mother had two salesman sell her some windows for way more than she had to spend and actually needed. I did not find out until after the 3 day federal law for cancellation. The company rep was very rude to me and told me that older people do not like family helping on these decisions. I told him I think that is what the company wants. Is there any law that requires a co-signature of a witness if the buyer is over a specific age. My mother has memory loss and did not even remember everything she bought.

Eyerishlass Oct 2014
I put up a NO SOLICITATION sign right above the doorbell. One day some kid came ringing the doorbell selling home improvements and I asked him if he saw the NO SOLICITATION sign and he said he didn't know what 'solicitation' meant. *eyeroll*

pamstegma Oct 2014
First a NO SOLICITATION sign, report offenders to the local Police. next to that a sign SURVEILLANCE CAMERA IN USE, next to an NRA sticker.

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freqflyer Oct 2014
It is difficult, example if you ban all door-to-door sales, then that also means the Girl Scouts with the cookies and school children who sell wrapping paper and candy. An elder can just as easily buy 50 boxes of Thin Mints, or 30 rolls of wrapping paper and 100 candy bars.

What needs to be done is to find a good way to keep Mom and/or Dad from answering the door when it is someone they don't know. For my parents, I have a certain series of doorbell rings so they know it is me or my sig other at the door. I know this probably wouldn't work for all elders.

For myself, I won't answer the door unless I first look to see if there is a car in the driveway.

JessieBelle Oct 2014
Isn't it strange that there are all kinds of laws in place to keep the family from abusing or stealing from an elder, but there are few laws in place to keep shady businesses from victimizing them?

JessieBelle Oct 2014
Ah, I just read your mother has dementia. At a certain stage she is not able to understand contracts or enter into them. If she was not able to understand what she was signing, then it is not valid. Would her doctor be able to write something to help?

MaggieMarshall Oct 2014
No, there is not. There ought to be.

JessieBelle Oct 2014
Get a No Solicitation sign for the front door.

Unfortunately, there are scumbag companies that target elderly people. They use scare tactics or special "deals" to lure them in. These are usually home improvement and medical services companies. "No Solicitation" signs will keep them away from the front door in most cases. I wish there was a way to put a scumbag filter on the phone. The Do Not Call list hasn't worked at all.

One thing you can tell the company is there is no money to pay them. Maybe that will make them cease and desist. It would be nice not to have to pay a lawyer, especially if the contract is not over $5K.

looloo Oct 2014
I WISH there was a law! That's how my mother got into her solar panel debacle last year. And like ba8alou said, we paid an attorney for a cease and desist letter. They hadn't installed anything yet, thank goodnes -- my mother had just signed all the contracts and agreed to financing (she understood NONE of this, but she "really liked" the salesperson). So luckily for us, the letter made the company go away permanently.

BarbBrooklyn Oct 2014
Have a lawyer write these scumbags a cease and desist letter and get your mom's money back.

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