Greenwich Trading Standards Help and advice for consumers The Role

							   Greenwich Trading Standards - Help and advice for consumers

The Role of Trading Standards

Greenwich Trading Standards is responsible for enforcing consumer criminal law and also
gives help and advice on consumer matters.

Anyone who has a problem with consumer goods or services may therefore find it helpful
to involve Trading Standards. Please contact us through Consumer Direct (details at the
end of this leaflet).

Enforcing criminal law

Trading Standards departments are responsible for ensuring that local traders do not
contravene any of the consumer criminal law. If a trader does break the law Trading
Standards can bring a prosecution against her/him.

Trading Standards are not obliged to bring a prosecution, even if it is clear that an offence
has been committed and that a conviction would result. Trading Standards may decide to
take no action or simply to warn the trader. We try to ensure our action is fair,
reasonable and in proportion to the offence committed. We are also not obliged to
inform the person who has complained about what action we have taken, although in
practice we usually do.

If Trading Standards decide to prosecute, the person making the complaint may be
required to give evidence in court against the trader.

Even if Trading Standards bring a successful prosecution against a trader, this will not
necessarily benefit the person making the complaint. The court may, as part of the
sentencing of the trader, award compensation to the complainant but does not have to do
so if, for example, the trader does not have the means to pay. Courts would not normally
award compensation in excess of the value of the goods or services about which the
person is complaining. Some courts take the view that they do not have the necessary
experience to assess the loss suffered.

Advising on consumer problems

Consumer advice to Greenwich residents is now provided in partnership with Consumer
Direct. This is a telephone and online consumer advice service, supported by the Office of
Fair Trading (OFT).
Consumer Direct works in partnership with Local Authority Trading Standards Advice
Services and Consumer Support Networks, providing first level advice and information on
a wide range of consumer problems.

More complex problems or complaints requiring further investigation or assistance are
referred to Trading Standards or other advice services.

Dealing with recurring problems

Trading Standards have powers under the Enterprise Act to action against traders whose
conduct is detrimental to consumers. This means the trader must make promises to stop
the practice(s) of which complaints are made. Trading Standards also work closely with
the OFT.

Trading Standards can also collect evidence about credit licensing to refer to the OFT.
The OFT can remove or refuse credit licences for credit-related offences and where
there is evidence that a trader is involved in deceitful, oppressive or otherwise unfair
business practices, whether lawful or not. For example, many car dealers need a credit
licence to operate. If there is evidence that, for example, they are discouraging buyers
from examining vehicles or implying that a car has been checked by a motoring
organisation when it has not, the OFT could remove the dealer's credit licence which
would mean s/he could no longer carry out her/his business.

To contact Consumer Direct

Please call 08454 04 05 06 (Minicom users should call on 08451 28 13 84). To email
Consumer Direct, please visit the Consumer Direct website at
www.consumerdirect.gov.uk.

This information can be provided in alternative formats such as large print,
Braille, disk or on audio cassette on request.