A double glazing firm has been convicted for using illegal high-pressure sales tactics at Guildford Crown Court.

Zenith Staybrite Ltd was fined £80,000 and ordered to pay costs of £250,000 following a prosecution brought by Buckinghamshire and Surrey Trading Standards.

The firm pleaded guilty last year to ten offences under Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations following an investigation which began in Surrey and went on to involve residents around the South East.

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Five offences were engaging in an unfair commercial practice by quoting an initial inflated price before applying a number of discounts to give the impression of a bargain.

The other five were engaging in an unfair commercial practice by falsely stating that products would be available at a particular price for a limited time to persuade customers to make an immediate decision. More details can be found here.

Steve Ruddy, head of Buckinghamshire and Surrey Trading Standards, said: "Agents for Zenith Staybrite used high-pressure tactics to make sales such as applying a series of discounts to create the impression of a good price and concocting time limits on discounts to force on-the-spot decisions. As part of a two-year investigation around the South East, trading standards officers spoke to residents who were left distressed and angry after being rushed into signing on the dotted line and later regretting their purchases."

(CD/MH)