Trading Standards

stugib

Takoda wrote: »

Yeah and I think this is the root of the problem so far on this thread. Tozer and I have direct experience of TS and were not impressed.

YOU (from what you have posted so far here) are relying on second or third hand information from another poster.

Christ all bloody mighty. I'm not giving any opinion on the quality of TS or CD or anyone. Tozer asked a question. I asked him if he was seeking opinions on TS or CD because from the layman's point of view the replies he got might not know there's a difference when they ring up asking for advice.

You seem to want a gold star for having dealt with Trading Standards - have one; big deal - but I've seen nothing you've posted that puts you in the same level of knowledge or respectability as Tozer. Now I know you were 'Honeydog' previously, it's a lot clearer where your argumentative nature comes from.

bingo_bango

Takoda wrote: »

I have equally low expectations of social workers based on my dealings with them in a work capacity.

Now that's just unfair lumping TSS in with them

And before the Social Workers come on to flame me, I post that in jest only. Honest guv!

bbelt

i think TSS do a good job.

they have no power in civil disputes and cant force action from traders.

they cant help that though.

if you want that changed, complain to your MP and say you want new legislation passed that will give them the powers!

every civil dispute i have made them aware of has resulted in a favourable outcome all the same, and there has been a few.....

suppose every local authority is different and has varying success rates

Takoda

stugib wrote: »

Christ all bloody mighty. I'm not giving any opinion on the quality of TS or CD or anyone. Tozer asked a question. I asked him if he was seeking opinions on TS or CD because from the layman's point of view the replies he got might not know there's a difference when they ring up asking for advice.

You seem to want a gold star for having dealt with Trading Standards - have one; big deal - but I've seen nothing you've posted that puts you in the same level of knowledge or respectability as Tozer. Now I know you were 'Honeydog' previously, it's a lot clearer where your argumentative nature comes from.

<yawn>

And your point is?

Tozer asked a question. I answered it. Simple.

You on the other hand didn't. Don't know why not. Only you know that.

You assumed (like you ALWAYS do ) that everyone reading MSE is thick and felt OBLIGED to point out the difference between TS and CD to them. :rolleyes:

Welcome to ignore. *plonk*

Tozer - I'm sorry that I argued on your thread. That wasn't fair. He's on ignore now so that's the end of the matter. I've deleted a couple of my unnecessary posts which don't really add anything to the debate but I've left the ones that got thanked.

Regards,

Takoda

Coupon-mad

When I rang Trading Standards I was redirected to Consumer Direct. They took note of all the details but I don't know if anything was ever done.

My complaint was about the sales tactics of Southern Electric who were knocking on doors spouting any old rubbish to entice people to change electricity supplier. When I asked the sales guy for the name or number of his boss - as I wasn't happy with what he was saying to people - he refused to give the details to me and completely denied saying what he had just said...:mad:

I thought it was a TS issue but apparently not. What exactly DO TS have any clout over, I wonder?

downright_mean_with_money

well I will back them up, and I'd say if your having a go at trading standards why not have a go at other departments of goverment such as the nhs (sorry that's the americans!)

I have had a couple of experiences that required contacting TS and were dealt with effectively...note they only gave me advice based on my particular case. That was all it required

Later on the trading standards developed the Consumer direct website to help with the many hundreds of regular daily niggles of ..consumers...

If a matter is serious enough then the trading standards will get involved..they are doing a difficult job with laws created decades ago....

teresaevans_2

Tozer wrote: »

I often see on this thread references to "take things up with trading standards".

I've never been very impressed with either the quality of advice or service received from trading standards departments - including in situations where the legal position would have presented an open and shut case for them.

Anyone had any different experiences?

I should add that I am sure they are understaffed and overworked and all the rest of the excuses that they may care to offer...but I'm still not impressed.

Totally agree with you. Seems that TS need to accrue a file on an illegal trader in order to take action in some circumstance, so if other people dont complain, then they assume that some cases are isolated incidents and do nothing

bendaw

I was swindled over a car by a dealer, AMI International Ltd, and Citizens Advice told me to contact Consumers Direct. They said I had a solid case and put me on to Trading Standards. Two and a half years later the firm stopped trading and I was told by TS they could do nothing further. They had issued a caution to the dealer but said they could not threaten legal action as they didn't have funds for that.
I have lost £7,500 and am faced with £3000 storage charges.
Trading Standards may be good for pirated goods and service scams but it seems they are worse than useless for individual complaints - a toothless watchdog!

bingo_bango

bendaw wrote: »

I was swindled over a car by a dealer, AMI International Ltd, and Citizens Advice told me to contact Consumers Direct. They said I had a solid case and put me on to Trading Standards. Two and a half years later the firm stopped trading and I was told by TS they could do nothing further. They had issued a caution to the dealer but said they could not threaten legal action as they didn't have funds for that.
I have lost £7,500 and am faced with £3000 storage charges.
Trading Standards may be good for pirated goods and service scams but it seems they are worse than useless for individual complaints - a toothless watchdog!

Sigh....

As discussed above, TSS do NOT deal with civil issues. They enforce criminal legislation but do not have the power to order a refund in related civil matters.

Would you expect the Police to get your money back for you? As they have the same remit as TSS. They enforce particular criminal legislation only.

I will agree that there appears to be a lack of clarity about what their role is, but public expectation alone cannot change that role.

[Deleted User]

My experience of TS this year has been bad.

In the New Year sales I reserved and then made a specific 55 mile round trip to a branch of a well know shop to buy laptop. (My local branch had sold out).

Upon trying to actually buy the item in store, the store tried to charge me £100 more. I already had the internet advert and all the details and it was clearly stated as an 'in store' price.

The staff would not accept their own advert - nor ring head office so I left without buying it.

I later found out - via a different websiste that many other people across the country had also been similarly affected, with some stores honouring the price and others not.

I contacted my local TS and provided all the evidence.

Fast forward to now - my local TS has simply ignored this since sending it off to the TS who covers the area of the Head Office of the store - and having tried on one occasion to find out anything from my local TS I was astonished to be spoken to by someone who could barely string a sentence together and just kept umming and aahing and (it later transpired) actually lied to me about when the officer dealing was next at work. My local TS has already agreed their own level service has been poor. But now the other TS for the head office the store have gone one step further.

I have now been told, that despite providing all the evidence, as I was the only person to make a complaint, TS do not consider it worth pursuing, even though there are clear offences relating to advertising the price and not honouring it. This was not a mistake where something clearly worth much more was advertised for a few pence as sometimes happens - but it was advertised as a sale price - clearly saying £100 off etc... The shop simply refused to honour it because their tills were still scanning it at the pre-sale price and they even refused to confirm the sale price with their H.O.

I am not looking for compensation - just an investigation as to why the item was increased in price despite the clear advert - (I have never been able to find out from the store).

Meanwhile TS seem more than happy to prosecute market traders for selling apples by the pound or people at boot sales for flogging pirate DVDs - yet give them the evidence and ask them to investigate a major well known store over what appears to be a clear breach of advertising the wrong price - and you may as well whistle in the wind.