Smart device security guidelines ‘need more teeth’ – BBC News

Posted March 7th, 2018 in consumer protection, data protection, internet, news by sally

‘The UK government has announced guidelines to make internet-connected devices safer to use following a spate of security breaches.’

Full Story

BBC News, 7th March 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

BSB agrees approach to improve transparency for clients of the Bar – Bar Standards Board

Posted February 26th, 2018 in advertising, barristers, consumer protection, fees, legal services, press releases by tracey

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has set out a revised approach to improve transparency standards for clients of the Bar. This responds to the recent Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) market study of legal services and takes full account of responses to a recent BSB consultation.’

Full press release

Bar Standards Board, 23rd February 2018

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Online gambling firms urged to raise standards on terms and conditions for bonus promotions – OUT-LAW.com

Posted February 5th, 2018 in advertising, consumer protection, gambling, internet, news by sally

‘Standards committed to by three gambling operators on the terms and conditions applied to “bonus promotions” set a benchmark that the rest of industry must also meet, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and Gambling Commission have said.’

Full Story

OUT-LAW.com, 2nd February 2018

Source: www.out-law.com

Gambling companies must end misleading ‘free bet’ offers, competition watchdog warns – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 2nd, 2018 in competition, consumer protection, gambling, news by sally

‘Gambling companies must end misleading online ‘free bet’ offers or face action, the competition watchdog has warned.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 1st February 2018

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Government accused of “pulling its punches” over PI cold-calling ban – Legal Futures

‘The government was accused yesterday of “pulling its punches” and “shilly shallying” over introducing a ban on cold-calling for personal injury (PI) claims.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 23rd January 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Government introduces new product safety office – BBC News

Posted January 22nd, 2018 in consumer protection, fire, health & safety, news, select committees by sally

‘The government is creating a new Office for Product Safety and Standards to help manage large-scale product recalls and identify risks to consumers.’

Full Story

BBC News, 21st January 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Consumer panel warns SRA that latest Handbook reforms are recipe for “consumer confusion” – Legal Futures

‘The Legal Services Consumer Panel (LSCP) has warned that the second phase of reforms to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) Handbook would “compound existing complexities” and could further confuse consumers.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 9th January 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Timeshare Contracts & Consumer Regulation – A Brief Introduction by David Partington – Park Square Barristers

Posted December 8th, 2017 in consumer protection, contracts, news, time sharing, unfair contract terms by sally

‘In this article I shall introduce the basics of deploying consumer law to timeshare contracts. Before I do that, I need to recap or explain two matters. One is the central “mischief” of timeshare contracts. The second is the mechanics of such contracts.’

Full Story

Park Square Barristers, 29th November 2017

Source: www.parksquarebarristers.co.uk

New payment services must gain consumer trust through sound data security practices to succeed – OUT-LAW.com

Posted December 8th, 2017 in consumer protection, electronic commerce, news by sally

‘Without the trust of consumers, third parties requiring consumer consent to use new rights of access to bank and payment account data will struggle to make an impact in the market.’

Full Story

OUT-LAW.com, 7th December 2017

Source: www.out-law.com

Forcing law firms to publish prices could make consumers focus just on cost, Law Society warns – Legal Futures

Posted December 7th, 2017 in consumer protection, fees, law firms, news, publishing by sally

‘Forcing law firms to publish prices could “bias” clients in favour of choosing their solicitor on price rather than quality or consumer protection, the Law Society has warned.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 7th December 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Ticket resale sites could face court over consumer law concerns – The Guardian

Posted November 29th, 2017 in competition, consumer protection, internet, news by sally

‘Secondary ticketing firms could be fined or taken to court after a year-long investigation by the UK competition regulator uncovered “widespread concerns” about breaches of consumer law.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 28th November 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Goods Mortgages Bill ready to write off unfair law on logbook loans – Law Commission

Posted November 24th, 2017 in bills, consumer protection, loans, mortgages, press releases by tracey

‘The Law Commission has today published a new draft Bill to put the brake on unfair rules on logbook loans and usher in a new era of better protection for consumers.’

Full press release

Law Commission, 24th November 2017

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk/

City watchdog to regulate ‘addictive’ binary trading after scammers net £60m – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 15th, 2017 in consumer protection, financial regulation, gambling, news by tracey

‘The Financial Conduct Authority is to police firms offering “binary options” following complaints of large losses by consumers and the prevalence of scams.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 14th November 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Compensation for customers of failed investment firms to rise from £50,000 to £85,000 – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 31st, 2017 in compensation, consumer protection, financial regulation, news by sally

‘Investors who lose out when their firms go bust could now receive up to £35,000 more compensation under plans unveiled by the City watchdog.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 31st October 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Competition watchdog probes high-pressure tactics of hotel booking sites – The Guardian

Posted October 27th, 2017 in competition, consumer protection, hotels, internet, news by sally

‘Britain’s competition watchdog is to investigate hotel booking sites over concerns that consumers are being misled, pressured, and prevented from finding the best deals.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 27th October 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Government called on to let data breach victims force compensation – The Guardian

Posted October 24th, 2017 in bills, compensation, consumer protection, data protection, news, victims by sally

‘Consumer organisation Which? is calling on the government to create new rights for people who have been the victims of a corporate data breach.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 24th October 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Hip implant patients sue manufacturer – BBC News

Posted October 17th, 2017 in consumer protection, health, news, prosecutions by tracey

‘Hundreds of people who received allegedly faulty hip replacements are suing the manufacturer at the High Court. The hearing is thought to be one of the largest product liability group actions ever heard in the UK.’

Full Story

BBC News, 16th October 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Warning over fake lipstick after trading standards find level of lead could cause severe health problems – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 6th, 2017 in consumer protection, counterfeiting, news, poisoning, trading standards by tracey

‘A warning has been issued over fake lipstick after a court heard that the level of lead in counterfeit products can cause severe health problems. Paul Lamerton sold fake lipsticks on eBay and Facebook with 300 times the legal level of lead, and magistrates in Plymouth, Devon, were told that if used regularly the cosmetic could result in high blood pressure, cardiac, reproductive and neurological problems.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 5th October 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

BSB proposes targeted approach to CMA disclosure recommendations: focuses on consumers who would benefit most – Bar Standards Board

Posted October 3rd, 2017 in barristers, competition, consultations, consumer protection, fees, news by sally

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has today published a new consultation outlining its proposed response to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) recommendations for more transparency about legal service providers’ fees, services and rights of redress for consumers.’

Full Story

Bar Standards Board, 2nd October 2017

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Revealed: BSB set to expand price transparency obligation beyond public access to referral Bar – Legal Futures

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) will say today that new rules on publishing prices should extend to referral barristers as well as those handling public access work.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 2nd October 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk