North Somerset Council - Trading Standards and Consumer Protection information for the UK

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		Consumer Advice - Helpful Contacts On this page you will find a list of helpful consumer contacts. Click on the type of organisation you require for full details. For North Somerset Council Trading Standards' contacts, please go to our About Us page. Citizens advice bureaux Office of Fair Trading Community Legal Service Direct Consumer Focus Other consumer contacts Neighbouring Trading Standards Departments Citizens advice bureaux Citizens Advice Bureau, North Somerset Branch Roselawn Walliscote Grove Road Weston super Mare BS23 1UT Telephone: (01934) 621908 Citizens Advice Bureau, North Somerset Branch Office of Fair Trading (OFT) Office of Fair Trading Fleetbank House 2-6 Salisbury Square London EC4Y 8JX Telephone: (020) 7211 8000 Fax: (020) 7211 8800 Office of Fair Trading (OFT) Community Legal Service Direct Community Legal Service Direct provides a way for people to get help with their civil legal problems. Launched by the Legal Services Commission on 14 July 2004, it offers free, high quality information and advice for everyone and help with civil legal cases for those who qualify for legal aid. Telephone: (0845) 345 4 345). Community Legal Service Direct Consumer Focus A new consumer champion was launched on 1 October 2008. Consumer Focus is the new statutory organisation campaigning for a fair deal for consumers in England, Wales, Scotland, and, for postal services, Northern Ireland. It was created through the merger of three consumer organisations – energywatch, Postwatch and the National Consumer Council (including the Welsh and Scottish Consumer Councils). The new approach allows for more joined-up consumer advocacy, with a single organisation speaking with a powerful voice and able to more readily bring cross-sector expertise to issues of concern. For more information go to the Consumer Focus website. Other consumer contacts Doorstoppers Website, operated by the North of England Trading Standards Group, offering on-line advice regarding doorstep crime. Doorstoppers.com Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) Ministerial Correspondence Unit Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform 1 Victoria Street London SW1H 0ET Telephone: 020 7215 5000 Fax: 020 7215 0105 Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) The Food Standards Agency Aviation House 125 Kingsway London WC2B 6NH Telephone: 020 7215 5000 Food Standards Agency OFWAT (The water industry regulator) City Centre Tower 7 Hill Street Birmingham B5 4UA Telephone: (0121) 625 1300 OFWAT OFCOM (The communications industry regulator) Export House 50 Ludgate Hill London EC4M 7JJ Telephone: (0171) 634 8888 OFCOM OFGEM (The gas and electricity industries regulator) Stockley House 130 Wilton Road London SW1V 1LQ Telephone: (020) 7828 0898 OFGEM Security Industry Authority (The authority responsible for the licensing of wheel clampers, door supervisors and security guards) PO Box 9 Newcastle upon Tyne NE82 6YX Telephone: (08702) 430100 SIA Phonepay Plus (Regulator of the premium rate telephone line industry) Fourth Floor Clove Building 4 Maguire Street London SE1 2NQ Telephone: (020) 7940 7474 Phonepay Plus The Law Society (Professional body for Solicitors in England & Wales) The Law Society's Hall 113 Chancery Lane London WC2A 1PL Telephone: (020) 7242 1222 Fax: (020) 7831 0344 e-mail: info.services@lawsociety.org.uk Law Society Office for Supervision of Solicitors (Organisation set up by the Law Society to deal with complaints about solicitors in England and Wales) Victoria Court 8 Dormer Place Royal Leamington Spa Warwickshire CV32 5AE Telephone: (0845) 608 6565 Minicom: (0845) 601 1682 Office for the Supervision of Solicitors Safe. Home. Ordering. Protection. Scheme. (SHOPS) (The National Newspaper Mail Order Protection Scheme) 18a King Street Maidenhead Berks SL6 1EF Telephone: (01628) 641930 Fax: (01628) 637112 S.H.O.P.S. Companies House (The government agency responsible for the registration of companies) PO Box 29019 21 Bloomsbury Street London WC1B 3XD Telephone: 0870 333 3636 Companies House Ask About Games (ELSPA - Entertainment & Leisure Software Publishers Association) Advice regarding computer games ELSPA Ltd 167 Wardour Street London W1F 8WL Telephone: 020 7534 0580 Fax: 020 7534 0581 Ask About Games Federation of Master Builders(Find a builder who is a member of the Institute) Gordon Fisher House 14-15 Great James Street London WC1N 3DP Telephone: 020 7242 0296 Federation of Master Builders Telephone Preference Service Stop those unwanted telephone calls! DMA House 70 Margaret Street London W1W 8SS Telephone: 020 7291 3300 Telephone Preference Service Mailing Preference Service Stop junk mail DMA House 70 Margaret Street London W1W 8SS Telephone: 020 7291 3310 Mailing Preference Service Credit Unions Information regarding alternative credit If you have difficulty obtaining credit have you considered joining a credit union? Credit Unions are financial co-operatives owned and controlled by their members. They offer savings and loans plus they are local and ethical. Each Credit Union has a "common bond" which determines who can join it. The common bond may be for people living or working in the same area, people working for the same employer or people who belong to the same association, such as a church or trade union. Further information on Credit Unions is available from: ABCUL (The Association of British Credit Unions) Holyoake House Hanover Street Manchester M60 0AS Telephone: 0161 832 3694 E-mail: ABCUL Association of British Credit Unions There is a local credit union for people living and working in Weston-super-Mare. Their contact details are: Weston-super-Mare & District Credit Union Ltd 13 Orchard Street Weston-super-Mare BS23 1RG Telephone: 01934 429573 E-mail Weston super Mare Credit Union Institute of PLumbing Find a plumber who is a member of the institute 64 Station Lane Hornchurch Essex RM12 6NB Telephone: 01708 472791 Institute of Plumbing Vehicle MOT Authentication Check whether the MOT Certificate accompanying a vehicle you have bought is genuine or not Vehicle & Operator Services Agency Telephone: 0870 33 00 444 MOTInfo.gov.uk Parkers Guide A guide to new and used car prices. A must for anyone buying, selling or trading in a used car Parkers online A host of other useful consumer links can be accessed via the Trading Standards Central website. Neighbouring Trading Standards Departments Bath & North East Somerset Trading Standards Service 9-10 Bath Street Bath BA1 1SN Tel (01225) 396753 Fax (01225) 396142 Bristol Trading Standards Service Brunel House St Georges Road Bristol BS1 5UY Tel (0117) 922 3444 Fax (0117) 922 3803 Somerset County Trading Standards Service County Hall Taunton TA1 4DY Tel (01823) 581993 Fax (01823) 356119 South Gloucestershire Trading Standards Service The Calibration Centre 20 Marsh Common Road Pilning Bristol Tel (01454) 634001 Fax (01454) 632519 Wiltshire Trading Standards Service County Hall Trowbridge Wiltshire BA14 8JD Tel (01225) 713557 Fax (01225) 713987 North Somerset Council Trading Standards 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					Quality of our service Your views Schools