Consumer Advice

Last year our advisers dealt with more than 2000 consumer complaints from North Somerset residents as well as many hundreds of enquiries regarding shoppers rights and other issues. This web site is designed to provide information and advice 24 hours a day to help North Somerset consumers solve their own problems.

Things we can and cannot do

• give impartial advice on consumer law and your rights
• suggest action you can take
• advise on civil court procedure
• investigate complaints to determine whether criminal law has been breached
• investigate the activities of 'rogue' traders

• close businesses down
  
• automatically obtain a refund for you
  
• mediate on your behalf (other than in very exceptional circumstances)
  
• tell you which businesses to avoid
  
• recommend businesses
  
• tell traders what to charge for goods or services
  
• take action when the criminal law has not been broken
  

How to write a letter of complaint

Have you received faulty goods or poor service? Do you want to write a letter of complaint but aren't too sure what you need to write?

Why not make use of our simple
complaint letter templates to put your complaint in writing?

Do you know what's in your food?

Try this simple test - if you don't know the answer to at least 4 of the following questions then you could be putting your wallet (and your well-being) at risk:-

• Is "Lightly salted" the same as "Low salt"?

• Did you know that ham can legally contain up to 10% added water without your knowledge?

• What is the difference between "Chocolate flavour" and "Chocolate flavoured"?

• Do you know what all those 'E' numbers are and why food producers put them in?
  
  For example: Did you know that "E300 L-ascorbic acid" is simply vitamin C?

• Is "low fat" the same as "reduced fat"?

• "Orange juice" contains 100% juice, but ....
  
  .... how much real juice is in an "Orange juice drink" - 100%, 60% , 40%, 20%, 10% ? You may be surprised at the answer.

If you would like to know the answers to these and a host of other questions about your food check out the CHEWONTHIS website.

The website is produced by the Food Commission, a non governmental organisation that is totally independent of the food industry. Although it is designed for independent use by secondary school students the website will also be of great interest to anyone who is concerned about how our food is produced and it's effect on our health and the environment.

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Food Alerts

From time to time the Food Standards Agency issues warnings regarding foods which they consider pose a risk to health.

These alerts can be viewed at: Food Alerts

Financial advice

Two million households in the UK are living on a financial knife-edge, susceptible to an economic downturn, a Financial Services Authority (FSA) survey suggests.

A further half million UK households are already having difficulty paying bills and meeting debts, the report found.

The FSA identified a lack of consumer knowledge, particularly amongst the 18-40 age group, as key to low levels of saving in the UK.

The FSA (in conjunction with the BBC) has developed a Financial Healthcheck and Debt Test. These are available on the
Money Made Clear website.

General advice and guidance about all things financial can be found on the FSA home page

Mine's a Pint

It's well known that a one pint or half pint beer glass or tankard, bears a mark, put there by a Trading Standards Officer (Weights & Measures Inspector). The mark proves that the glass has been individually tested to ensure it can hold the stated amount.

The format of these marks has recently changed and we have produced a poster for businesses and consumers to show what the new marks look like.

To download a copy of the "Mine's a Pint Poster" or to see see the new marks click here

Shopping across Europe and on-line

ECC United Kingdom is a website delivered by the
Trading Standards Institute to provide free
information on consumer rights across Europe
and assists in cross-border disputes.

The aim is to make consumers feel as confident when shopping in another country as they do at home.

The following is just a sample of the subjects included:-

• Air travel: advice on what to do if your flight is cancelled, delayed or overbooked or your baggeage is lost or delayed.
• Internet auction sites: what are your rights when buying and what are your obligations when selling.
• Package holidays: What to do if your holiday is cancelled or the price increases and how to complain.
• Cars: What are your rights when buying a car from mainland Europe - what are the problems and hidden costs.

To access this invaluable website click here.

Consumers' rights when buying goods online across Europe can be checked out at the EYOU website - a European Union initiative.

Small Claims Court

The County Court now has an online facility for making claims. The "Money Claim Online" (MCOL) is Her Majesty's Courts Service Internet based service for claimants and defendants.

Money on line is a simple way to make a claim against an individual or company, if the amount claimed by yourself is a known fixed sum.

For example an unpaid invoice, a full or partial refund or the cost of damages are all the types of claims that can be made using this service.

When preparing to make your claim on line you must have the following information available:-

• Full name and address of the person(s) you wish to make a claim against
• Amount you wish to claim
• Facts relating to the claim, e.g. dates, times, events, invoice numbers etc.

To access Money Claim Online click here

The European Small Claims Procedure started operating on 1 January 2009

The County Court in Weston super Mare has it's own webpage containing contact details and other useful links.

Weekly Consumer Quiz

Test your consumer skills with our weekly on-line quiz

Guidance notes and leaflets

From this page you can go to our self-help advice sheets which you can view on-line and download if you wish.

If you are a North Somerset resident we can send you leaflets - often including those produced by other organisations such as The Office of Fair Trading and The Department of Trade and Industry.

Contact us for further information

Either go to ....

• Self-help advice sheets which you are welcome to view, download and print off, or

• Guidance notes and leaflets which you can order from us

The OFT's interactive guide.

Report a Scam

To report a scam please go to the Consumer Direct Report A Scam web page and complete the simple on-line form.

No Univited Doorstep Sellers Zones

For the latest information on No Unvited Doorstep Sellers Zones (also known as No Cold Calling Zones) click here

More information can be found on the BIS website

A copy of the new regulations can be downloaded here.

A copy of the OFT's advice leaflet, sent to 70,000 businesses in September 2008, can be downloaded here.

The Home Credit Comparison website is an independent resource, established following a report by the Office of Fair Trading into home credit companies.

More data will be added to it until, by October 2008, it should contain comprehensive data on the loans available to consumers in their area.

The web site will provide home credit customers with information about the price of home credit loans and loans from other providers, including credit unions. They will be able to search for loans available in their own post code area, making it easier to shop around and compare offers from different lenders.

The website has come into being as a result of the Home Credit Market Investigation Order 2007, which:

• requires all relevant lenders to publish prices on lenderscompared.org where customers can compare the prices and terms of loans on offer;

• requires all lenders to include the above web site address in all advertisements and payment books and to indicate in advertisements delivered to individuals and payment books the right (after October 2008) to free quarterly statements;

• makes early settlements more favourable to the consumer.

More information can be obtained via the OFT website.

For more information vist the Government's Home Information Packs website.

North Somerset Council, Trading Standards Service, Somerset House, Oxford Street, Weston super Mare, Somerset, BS23 1TG
Telephone: 01275 884118    Fax: 01275 888683
Electronic Mail: trading.standards@n-somerset.gov.uk