Your right to stop door knockers
Changes to legislation offer more protections for residents approached by door-to-door salespeople.
The latest updates to the Fair Trading Act have come about to protect consumers against pushy, uninvited door-to-door sales people.
Recent changes to the act will make it an offence for any seller to ignore a sticker, or other written or verbal direction not to enter your property.
You now have the right to stop the salesperson from visiting without being invited by either telling them not to enter the property, or by asking them to leave when they are already there. This includes mobile traders ('truck shops') and anyone selling products or services door-to-door but excludes people visiting for other purposes (like requests for charitable donations) or to offers of goods and services under $100.
These directions may be given using a sticker or sign, such as a 'Do Not Knock' sticker on your gate or front door which tells salespeople that they cannot enter your property. You can also tell a specific salesperson or business not to visit face-to-face, through an e-mail or over the phone. If you give direction to a specific salesperson or business, then they cannot return for two years.
How to provide a direction to uninvited door to door sales people – Telemarketing and door-to-door sales
What you can do
Place a 'Do Not Knock' sticker on your letterbox, front door or any place where it’s visible to people entering the property.
Print out a sticker here [PDF](external link)
If you think a business has not met their obligations during an uninvited direct sale, you can report them to the Commerce Commission.
Make a complaint(external link) – Commerce Commission
Find out more about the changes to the law Fair Trading Act on the Commerce Commission website.
Changes to the Fair Trading Act(external link) – Commerce Commission