Half a million complain about tricky traders ripping them off

Citizens Advice has called for retailers to display consumer rights information at checkouts after over half a million people complained to Citizens Advice about being sold shoddy products and services worth £3.5 billion.

The new figures from the Citizens Advice consumer service released ahead of World Consumer Rights Day - Friday 15 March, reveal the biggest consumer problems faced by people in England and Wales between April 2012 to February 2013.

Used cars bought from an independent dealer consistently remains the largest headache for consumers as over 45,000 people complained about their run-ins with dodgy dealers - 76% of which were about faulty motors. *

Mobile phone contracts notched up the second largest amount of complaints with 12,000.  Almost half (5,300) were about poor service and a further 1,500 about misleading claims.

Citizens Advice Bureaux dealt with a further 370,000 consumer problems in 2012. 1.6 million people sought consumer advice online last year with five times as many people coming to the consumer web pages this February compared to last.

Citizens Advice wants the Government to do more to ensure consumers get what they are legally entitled to when something goes wrong by introducing new rules for retailers to provide a standard set of information on what people’s consumer rights are. This would be displayed in store by the till, at the online check-out and given over the phone for telephone purchases.

This will help people challenge businesses who aren’t upholding their rights and make it very clear what traders legally can and can’t do.

Citizens Advice Chief Executive Gillian Guy said:

“It is outrageous that businesses are taking advantage of customers who don’t know their rights.  

“For many people, money is so tight right now that it is a real set back if the trader refuses to replace faulty goods or give refunds.

“A quick reminder of your rights displayed at every in-store and online checkout, and said over the phone, would stop arguments at the till between confused customers and poorly informed salespeople. And it will help people tell which traders they can and can’t trust.”

On World Consumer Rights Day Citizens Advice is also reminding people what their consumer rights actually are and recommends that anyone who is unsure of their rights can check online at www.adviceguide.org.uk or call the consumer service before they go shopping, like over 30,000 people did in the last 11 months.

Your consumer rights

Everything you buy must:

• be of satisfactory quality – in good working order when you buy it
• match the description – if an item is sold as being 24 carat gold or HD ready, then this has to be the case
• be fit for their purpose - if you checked with the retailer that software is compatible with your computer but it isn’t, you can return it

If not you’re entitled to either your money back, a repair or a replacement.

You don’t have the right to return something if you just don’t want it

Some shops do allow customers to swap unwanted or unsuitable items, but if you buy it from a shop unless it’s faulty or not described properly you aren’t normally covered by consumer law.

Armchair shoppers get a seven day cooling off period

When you buy items online, over the phone, through a catalogue or TV shopping channel it is called ‘distance selling’ because you don’t deal with anyone face to face.  You haven’t been able to check out the product yourself and are relying on a picture or description so you normally get a seven day cooling off period (from the day after it’s delivered), to change your mind and send it back.  

What armchair shoppers can’t return

You can’t return things that you’ve bought online (or by phone or post) that have a short shelf life like flowers or food because they won’t be usable by the time they arrive back with the trader. And for CDs and DVDs you can only return them if they haven’t been opened - if the security seal is broken or any cellophane has been torn off etc you will not be able to use your seven days distance selling cancellation rights.  

You have the same rights when you buy things on sale as you do with full-price goods. But if there is a fault which is pointed out to you, then you can’t return it for that reason.

If you used a credit card to buy goods you may have extra rights

’Section 75’ of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 gives you rights that if your goods cost more than £100, the credit card company has the same responsibilities as the trader, so you can get your compensation from them directly. It’s usually used when traders go bust or the consumer is unable to resolve their problem directly with the trader.

Your rights are with the seller, not the manufacturer

In the first place you should always return faulty products to the seller, and question them if they try and get you to go to the manufacturer instead.  But in some cases it might be more beneficial for you to claim directly from the manufacturer under their guarantee or warranty if this looks like a better deal in the circumstances.

Notes to editors:

1. The Citizens Advice service comprises a network of local bureaux, all of which are independent charities, the Citizens Advice consumer service and national charity Citizens Advice. Together we help people resolve their money, legal and other problems by providing information and advice and by influencing policymakers. For more see the Citizens Advice website.
2. The advice provided by the Citizens Advice service is free, independent, confidential, and impartial, and available to everyone regardless of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, age or nationality.
3. To find your local bureau in England and Wales, visit citizensadvice.org.uk. You can also get advice online at adviceguide.org.uk
4. You can get consumer advice from the Citizens Advice consumer service on 03454 04 05 06 or 03454 04 05 05 for Welsh language speakers
5. Citizens Advice Bureaux in England and Wales advised 2.3 million clients on 5.4 million problems from October 2013 to September 2014. For full 2013/2014  service statistics see our quarterly publication Advice trends
6. Citizens Advice service staff are supported by more than 21,000 trained volunteers, working at over 3,000 service outlets across England and Wales.