Are you looking for consumer information?

From this page you can go to our guidance notes. If you are a Highland trader or resident, we can send you leaflets, including those produced by other organisations such as the Office of Fair Trading and the Department of Trade and Industry.

It is also possible to search the notes and leaflets for a relevant word or words. Check latest news for updates

Do you need advice or help with a consumer problem?

Consumer advice and information is now provided in partnership with Consumer Direct Scotland. You can contact them by telephone or online or, alternatively, personal visitors are welcome at our office in Inverness.

Consumer Direct is supported by local authorities in Scotland, and by the Department of Trade and Industry

• How to contact us
• Our consumer advice policy
• Safety warnings
• Guidance notes and leaflets
• Office of Fair Trading
• Other useful contacts

How to contact us

By phone

To speak to a Consumer Direct Scotland adviser, please call

• 08454 04 05 06
• 08451 28 13 84 (for Minicom users)

Online

Personal visitors :

Visit us at :

• Trading Standards Unit
  38 Harbour Road
  Inverness
  IV1 1UF

We are open during normal office hours ( Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm). No appointments are necessary and personal callers will be seen with a minimum of delay.

• Via Service Points
  We  can also be contacted via the Council's extensive network of Service Points. Click here
  
   

Our Consumer advice policy

Our aims
We aim to provide a high quality, accessible consumer advice service in Highland to ensure that consumers are well informed, and, where appropriate, to conciliate between consumers and traders with a view to assisting in the resolution of consumer disputes.

Who we can help
The Consumer Advice Line service is available to Highland residents and customers of Highland businesses.
All consumers are treated equally and fairly.

Confidentiality and privacy
Information you give to us will be treated as confidential. Meetings with you will be held in conditions of privacy, usually in a dedicated interview room.

What it will cost
There is no charge for the consumer advice service.

How we can help
We will give you clear and accurate information on the consumer law relating to your problem and will give you practical advice on pursuing your complaint yourself.
If, after following our advice, you are unable to resolve the problem yourself we may be able to assist by contacting the trader and attempting to resolve the complaint by conciliation.
We can give you information about pursuing your complaint via the relevant court or arbitration system.

What we can't do
We have no powers to force traders to give refunds or provide replacements, or take other actions to resolve your complaint.
We cannot take civil court action for you.

If we can't help you
If your problem is outwith the scope of our service (for example, you live outside Highland or it is not a consumer matter), we will try to direct you to the agency best able to help. 

If you're not satisfied
We aim to provide a high quality service, but if you're not satisfied with how we dealt with you, complain to us and we will investigate

Guidance notes and leaflets

Either go to listing

• Our self-help advice sheets
• Guidance notes and leaflets you can order from us

Or search the advice sheets and leaflet titles

This search will return all pages which match any of your selected words. Searching for 'food health' will find pages which include the words 'food' OR 'health' but will not find part words, for example, a page containing the word 'heal'. The search is not case sensitive.