Category: consumer protection

Banif Plus Bank Zrt v Csipai and another – WLR Daily

Posted February 26th, 2013 in consumer protection, EC law, law reports, loans, unfair contract terms by sally

Banif Plus Bank Zrt v Csipai and another (Case C-472/11); [2013] WLR (D) 76

“A national court, in order to fulfil its obligation pursuant to articles 6(1) and 7(1) of Council Directive 93/13/EEC, to assess of its own motion whether a contractual term in a consumer contract was unfair and to establish all the consequences arising under national law of such a finding, was not obliged before giving its ruling to wait for a consumer, who had been fully informed of his rights, to submit a statement requesting that that term be declared invalid.”

WLR Daily, 21st February 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Advertising bodies loosen rules on price comparisons and on displaying VAT-exclusive prices – OUT-LAW.com

Posted February 20th, 2013 in advertising, consumer protection, news, VAT by sally

Businesses will be given more freedom to compare the price of their products to those of rivals under changes made to the UK’s advertising rules.

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 20th February 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Supreme Court upholds FSA’s power to regulate extended warranties – OUT-LAW.com

Posted February 18th, 2013 in consumer protection, contracts, financial regulation, insurance, news, warranties by sally

“The Financial Services Authority (FSA) was within it rights to close down two unauthorised extended warranty schemes, regardless of whether the cover involved the payment of money to customers, the Supreme Court has confirmed.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 15th February 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

LSB recommends regulation of will-writing activities – Legal Services Board

Posted February 15th, 2013 in consumer protection, legal services, Legal Services Board, news, wills by sally

“The Legal Services Board is today [13 February] recommending to the Lord Chancellor that will writing activities should be made subject to regulation, so that the significant risks consumers currently face when using these critical services is reduced.”

Full story (PDF)

Legal Services Board, 13th February 2013

Source: www.legalservicesboard.org.uk

LSB warns regulators over mis-selling risk with damages-based agreements – Litigation Futures

Posted February 15th, 2013 in consumer protection, costs, damages, fees, legal services, news by sally

“The Solicitors Regulation Authority, Bar Standards Board and other regulators must consider whether action is needed to ensure that damages-based agreements (DBAs) are not mis-sold to consumers, the Legal Services Board has warned.”

Full story

Litigation Futures, 15th February 2013

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Letting agents: new laws needed to protect tenants and landlords, says OFT – The Guardian

Posted February 15th, 2013 in consumer protection, landlord & tenant, news by sally

“The government should consider new laws for lettings agents to improve the rights of tenants and landlords, the Office of Fair Trading has said.”

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The Guardian, 14th February 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Horsemeat scandal: ‘Tougher testing’ by retailers ordered – BBC News

Posted February 11th, 2013 in consumer protection, food hygiene, fraudulent trading, news by sally

“Retailers have agreed to carry out ‘more and tougher testing’ of beef products in the wake of widespread horsemeat contamination, the environment secretary says.”

Full story

BBC News, 9th February 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Commission unveils plans for expanded cyber breach notification regime – OUT-LAW.com

Posted February 11th, 2013 in computer crime, consumer protection, data protection, EC law, internet, news by sally

“A range of businesses across the financial services, energy and technology sectors are among those that would be subject to new cyber security and breach notification rules under new legislative plans outlined by the European Commission.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 8th February 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Extra measures to tackle PPI claim pests – Ministry of Justice

Posted February 8th, 2013 in claims management, consumer protection, insurance, news by sally

“A specialist team created to crackdown on bad practice in the Payment Protection Insurance (PPI) claims market has helped tackle more than 200 rogue firms and is being strengthened to monitor even more companies.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 8th February 2013

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

FSA orders tests of processed beef after horsemeat is found in Findus lasagne – The Guardian

Posted February 8th, 2013 in consumer protection, food, news by sally

“The Food Standards Agency has ordered companies to test their processed beef products after analysis of lasagne made by Findus found up to 100% of the meat came from horses.”

Full story

The Guardian, 8th February 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

OFT rules out petrol prices inquiry – The Guardian

Posted January 30th, 2013 in consumer protection, news, statistics, unfair commercial practices by sally

“Rising petrol prices will continue to be a headache for cash-strapped motorists after the consumer watchdog concluded there is no evidence of unfair marketing or trading between oil companies and retailers.”

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The Guardian, 30th January 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Gift vouchers ~ Can consumer protection be tightened? – 11 Stone Buildings

Posted January 28th, 2013 in consumer protection, insolvency, news by sally

“The selling of gift vouchers by distressed retailers such as Comet, Jessops and HMV, in the run up to going into administration has been the subject of much adverse comment in the media in recent weeks. Consumers always seem to be pulling the short straw. Why is this and can anything be done to protect their position better?”

Full story

11 Stone Buildings, January 2013

Source: www.11sb.com

Simplify complaints procedures, OFT tells profession – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted January 28th, 2013 in alternative business structures, complaints, consumer protection, legal profession, Legal Services Board, news by sally

“The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has urged the legal profession to simplify its complaints procedures, following the publication of research showing that only one in eight dissatisfied customers goes on to make a formal complaint.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 28th January 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Amazon Marketplace purchases not covered by Consumer Credit Act – The Guardian

Posted January 21st, 2013 in consumer credit, consumer protection, electronic commerce, joint liability, news, sale of goods by sally

“If you pay Amazon and it passes the money on to the retailer, a loophole could leave you without redress.”

Full story

The Guardian, 19th January 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Swift (trading as A Swift Move) v Robertson – WLR Daily

Posted January 18th, 2013 in consumer protection, contracts, deposits, law reports, ultra vires by tracey

Swift (trading as A Swift Move) v Robertson: [2012] EWCA Civ 1794;   [2013] WLR (D)  11

“Where a contract between a consumer and a trader for the supply of goods or services was made during a visit to the consumer’s home the Cancellation of Contracts made in a Consumer’s Home or Place of Work etc Regulations 2008 applied, irrespective of whether there had been earlier negotiations between the parties at the consumer’s home.”

WLR Daily, 15th January 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

 

OFT to investigate workplace pensions market – The Guardian

Posted January 17th, 2013 in competition, consumer protection, news, pensions by sally

“An investigation into whether millions of members of workplace pensions are getting good value for money has been launched by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).”

Full story

The Guardian, 17th January 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

OFT to act on unfair gym membership contracts – The Guardian

Posted January 14th, 2013 in consumer protection, inquiries, news, ombudsmen, unfair contract terms by tracey

“At the end of what is always the busiest month of the year for gyms, the OFT is expected to announce that it will outlaw contracts that last longer than 12 months or do not contain a get-out clause for members who, for example, lose their job or sustain an injury. The move follows a year-long investigation into a number of gym chains, believed to include LA Fitness, Fitness First and Bannatyne’s. The OFT is also understood to be looking at debt collectors that some reports say use aggressive practices in chasing money owed to gym groups.”

Full story

The Guardian, 12th January 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

LSB responds to consultation by revising plans for regulation of special bodies – Legal Services Board

Posted December 10th, 2012 in consultations, consumer protection, legal services, Legal Services Board, licensing, news, Solicitors Regulation Authority by sally

“Special bodies – including not-for profit agencies and community interest companies –
providing reserved legal activities will not become licensed under the Legal Services Act 2007
until at least April 2015, the LSB confirms today [5 December].”

Full story (PDF)

Legal Services Board, 5th December 2012

Source: www.legalservicesboard.org.uk

Government backs reform to regulatory appeals proposes – The Guardian

Posted December 7th, 2012 in appeals, budgets, competition, complaints, consumer protection, media, news by sally

“The ability of big companies to use armies of lawyers to prevent regulators from introducing consumer-friendly measures will be curbed after the chancellor’s autumn statement promised to make appeals quicker and easier.”

Full story

The Guardian, 6th December 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

FCA’s temporary product ban powers “approval by another name”, says expert – OUT-LAW.com

Posted December 5th, 2012 in banking, consumer protection, financial regulation, news by sally

“The Financial Services Authority (FSA) is consulting on a new power that will enable regulators to ban financial products without consultation in certain circumstances.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 5th December 2012

Source: www.out-law.com