Consumer rights Advice and information on rights

Consumer rights Advice and information on rights when shopping for goods and services and dealing with faulty goods, on

Please Check: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/Yourrightsandresponsibilities/DG_10015892?cids=Google_PPC&cre=Government_Citizens_Rights

scams and rip-offs.
Shopping rightsConsumer Direct
The Consumer Direct website gives help and advice for consumers in Great Britain. There is advice on topics such as holidays, buying electrical appliances and using estate agents; information on particular situations or issues like buying on credit, counterfeit goods and doorstep selling; and practical help with how to complain.

Consumer Direct Opens new window Office of Fair Trading (OFT)
The Office of Fair Trading publishes a range of consumer advice for shopping in the high street, shopping from home and shopping over the internet.

It provides advice on specialist areas such as buying a computer, secondhand cars, extended warranties, pawnbroking, ticket agencies and internet auctions.

Consumer advice from the OFT Opens new window Trading standards
Local authority trading standards also issue consumer advice. Many will provide individual advice for people living in their area.

Their site also provides contact details for all trading standards departments around the UK.

Local authority trading standards Opens new window Sale of Goods Act - faulty goods
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has a useful factsheet on the law and faulty goods.

DTI factsheet on the Sale of Goods Act and faulty goods Opens new window Find advice to consumers
The following link will let you enter details of where you live and then take you to your local authority website where you can find out more.

Find advice to consumers Opens new window Scams and warningsScams
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) publishes information on recent internet, postal and doorstep scams.

OFT advice on scams Opens new window Rip-off tip-off
Rip-off tip-off was set up by local trading standards to encourage members of the public to report traders who may be running a scam. These include cowboy builders, doorstep traders, counterfeit product sellers, loan sharks, bogus homeworking schemes and bogus competitions.

Rip-off tip-off Opens new window Financial scams
The Financial Services Authority (FSA) issues the latest news about scams and swindles as well as alerts about the most important issues facing consumers in the world of financial services.

Information on finance-related scams and swindles from the FSA Opens new window Product recalls
The Trading Standards site lists recent product recall and product safety notices issued by manufacturers when they discover faults or problems with their goods.

Safety warnings and product recalls Opens new window Report illegal street trading
The following link will let you enter details of where you live and then take you to your local authority website where you can find out more.

Report illegal street trading Opens new window Financial servicesFinancial products
The Financial Services Authority (FSA) publishes consumer information on financial planning, financial advertising, insurances, pensions, mortgages, investments and savings.

Their website also has a Budget calculator, a mortgage payment calculator and comparative tables of commercial financial products such as savings accounts, ISAs, endowments, pension annuities and many others.

FSA comparative tables of commercial financial products Opens new window Financial Services Authority consumer advice Opens new window Claims management

Since April 2007 it's been an offence for those offering claims management services in areas such as personal injury and endowment mis-selling to work without authorisation or an exemption - check the 'Claiming compensation' link below to see if providers are authorised and to report complaints about those working inappropriately. The Ministry of Justice has produced a guide to the regulations called 'Claims Management Regulation: what you need to know'.

Claiming compensation: authorised providers Opens new window Claims Management Regulation: what you need to know Opens new window Credit and debt
The FSA explains issues such as credit scoring and repair and answers general questions and borrowing and debt.

FSA advice on credit and debt Opens new window Debts and arrears (money, tax and benefits section) Food safety
The Food Standards Agency publishes advice on food safety, food labelling and health eating on its websites.

Food Standards Agency's Eatwell website Opens new window Food Standards Agency Opens new window Water and sewerage
The Consumer Council for Water website has details of your rights and responsibilities regarding water and sewerage services.

Consumer Council for Water

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/Yourrightsandresponsibilities/DG_10015892?cids=Google_PPC&cre=Government_Citizens_Rights