Neighborhood Solicitors

Kate McCarthy · Post by **Kate McCarthy** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 4:50 pm

While home sick today I was visited twice by people supposedly collecting for some charity while flashing a solicitor's license. What is Lakewood's policy on door to door solicitation? I recall an earlier post that said a claim of a solicitor's license is completely bogus.

DougHuntingdon · Post by **DougHuntingdon** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 4:53 pm

Why does the city need a policy on this? Just slam the door on them George Jefferson - style if they don't go away. Call the LPD if they get out of hand. Maybe get a NO SOLICITATION sign on your door, although that often does not deter them--they will still walk up onto your porch while you point at the sign repeatedly until they get the hint

Doug

Jeff Endress · Post by **Jeff Endress** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 6:47 pm

I've got a foolproof method of dealing with them. I let Guinness answer the door. Something about 150 lbs of Newfie dog flesh seems to put off the solicitors.....

In the absence of a large dog, don't feel you have to be civil to an uninvitred solicitor who gets you out of your sick bed. Cough at them, and shut the door (if you made the mistake of opening it in the first place).

Jeff

Kate McCarthy · Post by **Kate McCarthy** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 8:38 pm

I have no trouble telling a solicitor I'm not interested. I was more interested in finding out if the claim of a solicitor's license was bogus or not. They actually would have been easier to ignore if they had not lingered so long at my front door, sending my dogs into a barking, growling frenzy. He rang the bell, knocked, rang the bell. I was worried the dogs were going to leap through a front window to get at this persistent person. And the presence of two large dogs did not seem to deter him. When the second solicitor appeared I decided it wasn't worth getting my dogs all worked up again and sent him off as soon as he appeared.

Again, is a claim of a solicitor's license bogus or not?

dl meckes · Post by **dl meckes** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 9:04 pm

Kate-

This was the last code the City has posted online. I cannot vouch for whether or not it is actually the latest code.

http://www.lkwdpl.org/city/code/ch741.htm

This certainly indicates that a license may be issued, however, in my experience, none of the people flashing a license has one.

Kate McCarthy · Post by **Kate McCarthy** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 10:44 pm

Thanks dl.

Next time a group of "charity" solicitors descends upon my neighborhood I will definitely call the non emergency Lakewood police number. The license that was flashed at me expired in 2009 and given the shelf life of a building permit I would be very annoyed to find out you could get a two-year license to annoy for only $25. Also, given the exception for charities, an actual license would not be required. The group would only have to register with the safety director.

Maybe because I was home sick and trying to rest that this really bugged me. But I'd really like to learn who's behind these organized charity scams. They never feel legitimate to me.

Jim O'Bryan · Post by **Jim O'Bryan** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 10:48 pm

Kate McCarthy wrote:Thanks dl.

Next time a group of "charity" solicitors descends upon my neighborhood I will definitely call the non emergency Lakewood police number. The license that was flashed at me expired in 2009 and given the shelf life of a building permit I would be very annoyed to find out you could get a two-year license to annoy for only $25. Also, given the exception for charities, an actual license would not be required. The group would only have to register with the safety director.

Maybe because I was home sick and trying to rest that this really bugged me. But I'd really like to learn who's behind these organized charity scams. They never feel legitimate to me.

Almost always bogus.

Nearly impossible to get the process done.

.

Shawn Juris · Post by **Shawn Juris** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 4:00 pm

This application looks pretty clear cut. Am I missing something? Apparently the example of the solicitor that had a license valid until 2009 was bogus since it says that they are only good for a year. I don't see anything that would be that difficult to obtain a permit though. Other business owners have told me about door knocking campaigns in outer suburbs. With no call lists and the decrease in land lines, I guess it could be a reasonable way to promote a business. I suppose it can be annoying but with all the longing for the old days why is this an exception? Afterall, isn't the door to door salesman part of the Norman Rockwell, tight night neighborhood with both old ladies on the porch and lemonade chillin.