door to door fish Locked

[twice_as_nice]

yes, completely agree re putney_dad...seriously do these people think we're totally stupid?!?!

I'm sure annabel and her team will hopefully pick this up and remove if appropriate....

[Caferacer]

yes, completely agree re putney_dad...seriously do these people think we're totally stupid?!?!

I'm sure annabel and her team will hopefully pick this up and remove if appropriate....

I agree! If I wasn't convinced before I am now!

Ross

[Htheh]

The post was definitely a bit 'fishy'!!!! Almost as fishy as my freezer smelt for over a year after stupidly buying revolting fish from them. Never again...

[Calaya]

I agree with previous posts. Moxons and the fish stall on northcote road are great. Although if the guys on northcote could learn how to smile more often, that would not be a bad thing

[Annabel (admin)]

Well...I have to say it *looks* like a genuine post!

I can do a couple of things to check an account.

I don't want to go into too much detail about the checking I can do (as that might be a blueprint for businesses to register fake accounts and post reviews that look genuine) but there are three main checks and the poster passed all three.

I am the first person to remove fake posts but I think this one is a keeper!

[CHT]

The door to door people have made it to Wimbledon from time to time. I've never bought (genuinely having no freezer space, as well as preferring to buy and use fish fresh and as I want it), but a couple of neighbours have. They haven't reported it being off, just nothing special and not particularly cheap.

The fish van by Wimbledon Library is brilliant, BTW. Agree completely with the "use it or lose it" mantra.

[MrsOctober]

They were in our street on Friday. A neighbour got the hard sell as she was getting her kids into the car. When he suggested that she fill her freezer, she replied that she'd heard that their fish had already been frozen and knew someone who became ill from his fish. Far from acting shocked or concerned, or try to defend his business's good name, he walked away in a huff then shouted back something like 'I think your friend got that fish out of the Thames'.

A fish out of the Thames would be a darn sight fresher than their fish!

Please buy your fish from your friendly, local fishmonger, who has to pay his rent to survive. Then perhaps these characters would stop annoying us all. Even my big 'No Doorstep Salesmen' notice by the buzzer doesn't stop them.

[Caferacer]

By typing in 'Door to door fish scam' to Google - you will get dozens of results up and down the country - and dozens of warnings from various local Trading Standards organisations that you should never buy from them.

Here is good advice from one trading standards authority...

If you are approached by a fish seller, a few simple checks should keep you safe from these unscrupulous con-men.

Fish sold from fishmongers is covered by the Fish Labelling (England) Regulations 2010, and must be labelled with the true name of the fish, the production method, the catch area, and treatments and additives that must be declared.

There are additional labelling requirements for fish that has been
irradiated, previously frozen, smoked and/or contains any genetically modified material.

The fish should also have a weight marking, the unit price per kg and the selling price.

Before you buy:

 Check that the fish is labelled as required
 Is the van refrigerated and marked with the trader’s details?
 Does the trader have a price list of products? – ask for the specific amount you require and do not let them into your house.
 If you are at all uncertain ask for a price list and say you will think about it and telephone if you want to place an order – any reasonable trader will be happy to do this if it leads to regular custom

If any traders are not complying with the above or you have any suspicions report to Trading Standards via the Citizens’ Advice Consumer line on 08454 040506

[Putney_dad]

Hey Jen66 - Apologies if I sounded suspicious. The situation was that 'd just bought the fish, and decided to Google the firm to see what the general view was. To be honest I was rather shocked that everyone on this thread was negative, and given that I'd actually had a positive view I thought I'd contribute. I was even more shocked to see my post described as 'suspicious'!!! If anything I rather suspected that some of the posts already on here had been placed by local fishmongers! I guess all the bad press may have steamrollered somewhat - as you know people who have a good experience are far less likely (unfortunately) to raise awareness versus those that don't. I also thought the accusation that the fish chap was a bully given that he was completely charming to me. I AM a genuine Putney dad, who is fortunate enough to work from home and enjoy a work/ life balance with my young family, and certainly not some Geordie fishmonger masquerading as such...LOL! I also have an extensive career in healthcare and medicine and most certainly wouldn't recommend a service if I thought it unhygienic or potentially dangerous (aka rotten fish!!). Interesting to note the last post though, and I guess these chaps need to get their labels sorted out in order to fall within the proper regulations. FYI we've now eaten the fish and it was great.

Yours,

Shawn (NOT a fishmonger of any kind)

[Putney_dad]

..and oh yes - I've just messaged Northumberland Fisheries via their contact page (see http://www.northumberlandfisheries.co.u ... ct-Us.html) telling them that they need to sort out their labelling under the 2010 regulations. I suggest that if you have had a bad experience you also utilise this page to tell them about it. Always best to be straightforward in my opinion, and now that they know what they should be doing they can't complain if they don't conform and subsequently fail to sell any more fish!!

Yours,

Putney dad (STILL not a fishmonger!!!)

[Annabel (admin)]

Hi
I wanted to give everyone an update on the identity of Putney Dad.

We've exchanged a few emails and he has kindly opened up his full name, linkedin profile, telephone number and more.

I can say, with almost 100% certainly, that unless the door-to-door fish guys have employed James Bond style efforts in creating a false identity, he is certainly real and does not work in the fish industry at all

So...thank you Putney Dad for using the forum and for your efforts in this area.

And I just wanted to reiterate that he is, most definitely, a real person.

I also believe it is healthy that as a forum we feel we CAN challenge people as when we get answers like these it only reinforces everyones belief that NappyValleyNet is genuine!

[Putney_dad]

Thanks Mungo - Much appreciated! Not put off so far thanks - I guess a bit of controversy at least indicates that someone is reading my posts

Hats off to Annabel too for being so helpful, and confirming that I'm not a Fishmonger in disguise!

I received a call from the Geordie Fish Chaps this afternoon. They were as charming as ever and they are apparently on the case vis-à-vis addressing the requirements for door to door sales.

[NorthFish1510]

Hi my name is Claire from Northumberland Fisheries we received an e mail from Putney Dad today letting us know what was being posted on this site.
And we would like to say we have a new chiller van all sign written with phone number, e mail address etc all staff wear uniforms and hand leaflets to all customers. We also have a website. Alan my husband is small with fair hair no perma tan or wrinkles. We have our suspicions that someone is calling in the areas mentioned saying they work for us when they do not.
Alan is extremely polite and would not bully or force his way into peoples houses.
We offer single packs to freezer packs and tell customers the price before they even see a packet of fish.
Our fresh fish does come from North Shields as we have a small chiller van which we use as a runner to deliver the fish.
We are a small family business and find these comments extremely hurtful and would like all the posts that are untrue and not about us removed Regards

[juliantenniscoach]

How do you tell which posts are true and which aren't? There are a few negative posts that mention your company specifically, are you saying they are all untrue?

Cafe Racer also raised some good points about prices lists etc. Do you display them? Lastly what's the lead time from wholesale market to door to door selling?

[Jen66]

My apologies Putney Dad - happy to be proved wrong