Doorstep or cold calling is the act of making uninvited visits to your home with the intention of selling goods or services. It is not illegal and does not require a licence.

Certain parts of Walton-on-Thames and other areas are classed by the local council as “no cold calling zones”.

In these areas, all of the houses have warning signs on their front door or nearby that cold calling is not allowed and that cold callers should leave immediately. There are also signs on lampposts etc. to warn potential cold callers to stay away.  Walton is in Elmbridge which is not setting up any new zones but other councils are still doing so.

A number of other councils around the UK have set up some of these no cold calling zones in response to requests from citizens to do something about the nuisance of unwanted callers.

The councils work in conjunction with Trading Standards and the local police and information can be found at http://www.tradingstandards.uk/policy/doorstopperswelcome.cfm

Do these zones work?

The evidence is that there is a marked reduction in cold calling in the zones , so Yes it works.