Sun worshipers aren't the only ones who surface in mass at the first hint of warm weather. The same is true for door-to-door solicitors.
"Each year, local business license offices receive numerous phone calls regarding the legitimacy of a particular door-to-door sales or promotion person," said Lesley Casaril, president, Utah Business License Association. "Some callers are concerned about overly aggressive sales tactics, some are anxious about the security to their homes. Some are simply frustrated about the constant interruptions to their daily routine."But most often, Casaril said, citizens just want to know if they are dealing with a reputable company that will deliver the products promised and won't leave them "high and dry" - a little poorer but a lot wiser.
Casaril, who is also license coordinator for Sandy City, explained how citizens can alleviate some of the problems in their community.
"Most persons or companies conducting door-to-door sales in your community must obtain a local business or solicitor's license," she said. "They should carry this license with them at all times."
The exception is non-profit organizations. They must have permits from the State Consumer Protection Office.
Casaril listed some simple rules residents can follow with a solicitor knocks on their doors:
- Do not give any money to the solicitor if he cannot produce a license, says the license has been lost or stolen, or produces a license for a different municipality. County licenses are for use only in areas not incorporated into a particular city or town.
- Contact your local business license office to verify if the business is licensed.
- Contact your local police if the person cannot produce a license.