Office of Fair Trading v Abbey National plc and Others – Times Law Reports

Posted April 29th, 2008 in banking, consumer protection, contracts, law reports by sally

Office of Fair Trading v Abbey National plc and Others

Queen’s Bench Division

“Terms in standard form contracts between bank and customer providing for relevant charges were not exempt from assessment as to fairness.”

The Times, 29th April 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.

Office of Fair Trading v Abbey National plc and Others – WLR Daily

Posted April 25th, 2008 in banking, consumer protection, contracts, law reports by sally

Office of Fair Trading v Abbey National plc and Others [2008] EWHC 875 (Comm); [2008] WLR (D) 128

Terms in standard form contracts between bank and customer providing for relevant charges were not exempt from assessment as to fairness under reg 6 of the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999.”

WLR Daily, 25th April 2008

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

Psychics foresee big trouble over new laws – Reuters

Posted April 18th, 2008 in consumer protection, fraud, news, psychics by sally

“Fortune-tellers, mediums and spiritual healers will march on Downing Street on Friday to protest against new laws they fear will lead to them being ‘persecuted and prosecuted’.”

Full story

Reuters, 18th April 2008

Source: www.reuters.com

Cosmetic surgeons fear laser rule change is risk to patients’ health – The Times

Posted March 26th, 2008 in consumer protection, health, special report by sally

“Government plans to drop the regulation of lasers used by beauty salons for cosmetic treatments, such as the removal of wrinkles, hair and tattoos, would pose a serious risk to patients’ health, doctors said yesterday.”

Full story

The Times, 26th March 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Wrong bottles cost winemaker £30,000 – The Times

Posted March 25th, 2008 in consumer protection, EC law, food, news by sally

“An award-winning winemaker whose wares are sold at the royal palaces is facing a £30,000 bill after European bureaucrats ruled that he was using the wrong-shaped bottles.”

Full story

The Times, 25th March 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Waitrose in row over meat-labelling – ‘mongrel meat’ labelled as rare native breed of pig – The Times

Posted March 25th, 2008 in consumer protection, food, news by sally

“Supermarket meat that is labelled as coming from a rare native breed is little more than ‘mongrel meat’, say breeders who have complained to trading standards officers.”

Full story

The Times, 24th March 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Third of online shops undermine consumer rights, says OFT – OUT-LAW.com

Posted March 12th, 2008 in consumer protection, internet, news by sally

“Nearly a third of retail websites surveyed by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) are breaking laws designed to protect shoppers.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 12th March 2008

Source: www.out-law.com

Drugs law to be tightened as Seroxat firm is rebuked – The Independent

Posted March 10th, 2008 in consumer protection, medicines, news by sally

“Ministers promised to strengthen laws to protect patients after a drugs company was criticised for withholding information about clinical trials showing links between its anti-depressant drug and possible suicides among teenagers.”

Full story

The Independent, 7th March 2008

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Consumer regulators face inquiry over profits – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 7th, 2008 in consumer protection, news by sally

“Ministers have hit out at Britain’s consumer regulators as an official review is launched to investigate why people have not been protected from alleged profiteering by utility firms, banks and rail companies.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 7th March 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Unfair commercial practices law won’t ban the term ‘free’, says BERR – OUT-LAW.com

Posted March 6th, 2008 in advertising, consumer protection, news by sally

“The Government has denied that the term ‘buy one get one free’ is under threat from new legislation, despite a major retail industry body warning that it was about to be outlawed.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 5th March 2008

Source: www.out-law.com

Ofcom acts on ‘unfair’ telephone charges – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 29th, 2008 in consumer protection, news, telecommunications by sally

“Telephone companies should stop landing their customers with ‘unfair’ charges, the industry regulator announced yesterday.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 29th February 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

UK media companies sign up to online content guidelines – OUT-LAW.com

Posted February 26th, 2008 in consumer protection, internet, news by sally

“Some of the UK’s biggest media and internet companies have agreed to warn users when they publish material that some might find offensive. A series of guidelines has been brokered which will see online material tagged for suitability.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 26th February 2008

Source: www.out-law.com

Consumer group claims software licences are unfair – OUT-LAW.com

Posted February 25th, 2008 in consumer protection, contracts, news by sally

“Software licences are obscure, unbalanced and unfair, according to the National Consumer Council (NCC), which has filed a complaint with the Office of Fair Trading (OFT). It wants the OFT to force software publishers to use clearer licences.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 25th February 2008

Source: www.out-law.com

Lawyer-free consumer compensation plans – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 19th, 2008 in compensation, consumer protection, news by sally

“New compensation laws will allow consumers to claim back just a few pounds from rip-off shops and websites without the need of a lawyer.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 19th February 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Ofwat confirms record £20.3m Southern Water fine – The Guardian

Posted February 8th, 2008 in consumer protection, news, water by sally

“The owners of Southern Water are £20.3m worse off today after water industry regulator Ofwat confirmed that it has hit the company with its biggest ever fine.”

Full story

The Guardian, 8th February 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Bank rules written in ‘different language’ – The Times

Posted January 30th, 2008 in banking, consumer protection, news by sally

“The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has accused banks of writing its contracts in a ‘different language’ that consumers do not understand, while giving evidence in the ongoing bank charges case.”

Full story

The Times, 29th January 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

MP calls for law to force online shops to verify age – OUT-LAW.com

Posted January 26th, 2008 in bills, children, consumer protection, internet, news by sally

“A bill has been introduced in Parliament which would force online retailers to check customers’ ages before selling goods that cannot be sold to children.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 24th January 2008

Source: www.out-law.com

Porn bill firm opens new front – The Guardian

Posted January 24th, 2008 in consumer protection, internet, pornography, special report by sally

“MBS’s disruptive popup billing software continues to cause angst, says Michael Pollitt. But is the Leeds-based company finally taking on board some of the concerns?”

Full story

The Guardian, 24th January 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Watchdog criticises credit advert – BBC News

Posted January 9th, 2008 in advertising, consumer protection, news, women by sally

“A leaflet produced for a fashion and home catalogue has been criticised by the advertising watchdog for encouraging women to get into debt.”

Full story

BBC News, 9th January 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

FSA rejects call to name and shame firms using misleading advertising – The Times

Posted November 29th, 2007 in advertising, consumer protection, news by sally

“The Financial Services Authority came under fire yesterday after refusing to name 19 firms that were preying on consumers with misleading online advertising.”

Full story

The Times, 29th November 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk