Warning Over Dirty Used Mattresses Found on the Street Being Re-sold As New

Salespeople across England and Wales are selling dirty, used mattresses after theyve been thrown away.Councils are now warning people against buying mattresses from door-to-door sellers, saying some are scam traders.As well as selling dirty beds, others are importing them without the proper safety certificates.

The mattresses are then repackaged, usually in branded wrapping, and customers are sometimes told a local hotel is selling them after ordering too many.Simon Blackburn, chairman of the Local Government Associations Safer and Stronger Communities board, told the : These fly-by-night sellers dont care about the risks these mattresses pose, they just want to make a quick buck and leave you with phoney details so they cant be traced.These mattresses may be described as memory foam but are carefully wrapped so you have no idea what you are buying.

They generally fail fire safety tests and are often worn-out, dirty and unhygienic items destined for the tip.Anyone offered a cheap mattress on their doorstep should not buy one.