Cowboy coal merchants on rise as cold brings soaring demand

ROGUE coal merchants are preying on householders throughout North Yorkshire as demand soars amid the coldest winter for nearly three decades.

Trading standards officers in the county have seen the number of complaints about short weights of solid fuel double compared to last winter.

North Yorkshire's households have proved rich pickings for the con artists; many rural communities remain reliant on solid fuel as they do not have access to gas supplies.

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Evidence has emerged that rogue traders from as far afield as Teesside and South Yorkshire have been travelling to the county to undercut the prices of bona fide merchants – while selling bags of coal below the legal weights.

Teams of trading standards officials are now planning to stage spot checks across North Yorkshire to make sure traders are complying with the law and delivering the full weight of coal.

North Yorkshire County Council's head of consumer services, Derek Smith, said: "Wherever a market develops, people will move in to try and exploit it.

"Many people do not have a clue how much a bag of coal should weigh, and they are being taken advantage of.

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"We would urge anyone who has fallen victim to these rogue coal merchants to contact us so that we can prevent other householders in the county being targeted."

Britain has been in the grip of the longest spell of freezing weather in almost 30 years, meaning that the financial pressures felt by many householders during the recession are being compounded by increasing bills for heating.

Under the Weights and Measures Act of 1985 solid fuel has to be sold in either 25kg or 50kg bags, but the rogue traders are often handing over sacks with a fifth less coal in them.

Householders believe they are getting a deal as the price is often a pound or two less than those being offered by reputable coal merchants.

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However, residents are unaware that they are actually being sold a short measure of coal.

North Yorkshire County Council's trading standards department has received more than 20 complaints since the start of December, although officers have stressed that scores more householders could have fallen victim without realising.

According to Mr Smith, the actual prices should range from about 11 for a 50kg bag of basic grade coal to about 18 for a 50kg bag of smokeless fuel.

Anyone caught trading in short measures faces prosecution and a fine of up to 5,000.

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Trading standards officers have stressed that bona fide coal merchants will have signs displaying the company's name across their vehicles.

The rogue traders have been buying up second Transit vans and flat-bed lorries to deliver coal without displaying any contact details on the side.

The county council's executive member for trading standards, Coun Clare Wood, said: "If the coal merchant can't be bothered to have a name and address displayed on the vehicle, then they are certainly not bothered about complying with the Weights and Measures Act.

"We will take a hard line against those who mislead consumers and fail to sell fuel in the proper quantities."

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Weather experts at the Met Office confirmed yesterday that the cold snap is expected to continue, with temperatures in Yorkshire expected to dip below freezing at night throughout this week.

The nation has seen the longest spell of freezing weather since December 1981.

Anyone with a complaint about a solid fuel supplier can get in touch with North Yorkshire's trading standards officers via Consumer Direct on 08454 040506.