Have had a "young man" this afternoon, offering a FREE roof inspection with an infrared camera. All seems a little bit dubious, there's no such thing as a free lunch.

I agree.
My parents had major problems with roofing cowboys about 6 years ago.

If you are concerned you have a problem contact a reputable tradesperson known to you or a friend.

He didn't have red hair and an attitude, did he?

It was walls before, now its rooves. What next.

No red hair, and not much of an attitude, but we had a bloke ringing the doorbell and offering an inspection of our walls last night.

I politely refused, and he went on his way.

rooves?

'Rooves' was the plural I was taught back in the 1970s - like 'hoof' and 'hooves' - but I think 'roofs' is more common now.

I had a similar query. It was "Have you had the survey for a free something?"

I've just put up a No Cold Callers sign as I'm fed up with these uninvited gasbags wasting my time and disturbing my evening. If I want a service or product I'll look on the internet or go to the shops thanks

May I offer advice? DON'T OPEN YOUR DOOR to people you don't know. Its that simple; talk through an open window - or a closed one and politely say 'no thanks'. We get people asking for money for various causes and this is how I deal with them. I once got a very persistant girl begging (she said she was my neighbour from up the road and she had no change for the gas meter and her baby was cold. She said if I could give her ten pounds her boyfriend would be back from the cash-point in a minute). I said I couldn't open the door as my cat was on heat and that I didn't have any money. I think I might have been more intimidated if the door was open. I have a feeling her 'boyfriend' was waiting round the corner. Anyway, just do that. It does feel strange at first but you get used to it.

Was this the crackhead looking lady who begs around Brockley Rise/Honor Oak Park? Like something out of an 80's Spike Lee movie?

No, she was about 30 and quite well presented. She knocked on the door and when I went to the window she said "Hello" I said "Hello" and she said "Hello; I'm your neigbour from 132 (I'm no 51) !!" Looking at me expectantly me to open the door. Very confident. Must have done it before.

This is one of the many reasons Forest Hill SNT should be on this forum to ofer advice and gain local intelligence on crime patterns - it is very short sighted of the met to have a policy banning internet forums being looked at by officers on duty

Did you say "Hello" to her Marthasmum?

I did say Hello. I think we could have gone on all afternoon "Hello". "Hello". "Hello". "Hello". Funnily (or not) enough, I was given the advice (about the non opening the door) by a Crime Prevention Officer after a burglary. He told me that despite us thinking when someone knocks we should always open it; in actual fact we do not have to do any such thing. I so SO wish I had realised that when the hard-core Electricity salesmen came to call. They weren't the burglars but they tried really hard to rip us off, I was nearly crying in the end. My husband was actually cooking and started to serve dinner and STILL they wouldn't leave until we signed up...... And cancelled the agreement the next day. Never again.
I don't think there's a law against police officers looking at local websites outside work hours (I have a friend on FB). I guess the reason they can't do it at work is because like a lot of large organisations they are a bit backward thinking when it comes to Firewalls and the like. They're worried about viri. Is that a word - Viri?

I'm sorry to hear you thought it was a legal requirement to open the door when someone knocks

no it isn't a legal requirement to open the door!!!!!!!!!!!! In fact you should keep the chain on if it isn't someone you recognise/are expecting. If it is an official ask for id and NEVER let anyone in if you feel in the slightest bit uncomfortable about them.

Forest Hill SNT/Crofton Park SNT really need to distribute some crime prevention advice in the area pretty urgently judging by some of the posts on this site it is very worrying indeed that people think they should open the door to strangers.

"I don't think there's a law against police officers looking at local websites outside work hours (I have a friend on FB). "

probably not but they don't want to work unpaid when they are relaxing at home - and I imagine officers are never posted where they live for their and their families security. I wouldn't work unpaid so why should they? Looking at local websites should be park of their job and done in work hours -it should constitute open source intelligence

I've attempted a reply to this interesting question on the 'English usage' thread, Martha's Mum.

I'm from Oooop North. It is the law. And tea and biscuits are mandatory too.

I'm pretty sure that there has been an extensive thread on the East Dulwich Forum about the woman-and-imaginary-baby scammer that Marthasmum describes. From memory ,a lot of the features match: plausibly 'respectable' in demeanour, claims to live in the same street, needs money for utility (gas, electricity), baby referred to but not with her.

I couldn't find the thread but, if anyone's better at searching than me, they're welcome to have a go.