UK framework on IP rated one of the worst for serving consumer interests – OUT-LAW.com

“The UK’s intellectual property (IP) framework is one of the worst in the world in terms of serving the interests of the public, a new report has said.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 27th April 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Writing a will with confidence – Legal Services Board

Posted April 23rd, 2012 in consumer protection, Legal Services Board, news, wills by sally

“The LSB is today announcing proposals to deliver greater protection to consumers of the legal services of will-writing and estate administration. These would see the services brought within the scope of legal services regulation, regardless of who provides them.”

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Legal Services Board, 23rd April 2012

Source: www.legalservicesboard.org.uk

Homeserve ruling: now cold-caller silence could be golden for victims – The Guardian

“Homeserve, fined £75,000 by Ofcom, is offering consumers compensation if it is the source of nuisance marketing calls.”

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The Guardian, 21st April 2012

Source:www.guardian.co.uk

Will writing: call for industry-wide regulation – The Guardian

Posted April 23rd, 2012 in administrators, consumer protection, Legal Services Board, news, wills by sally

“All firms offering will writing and estate administration should be regulated to protect consumers from falling victim to fraudsters and cowboy companies offering badly drafted documents, according to latest research.”

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The Guardian, 23rd April 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

OFT warns over ‘misleading’ business names – BBC News

Posted April 20th, 2012 in consumer protection, news, trade names by sally

“A regulator has warned businesses to avoid using ‘misleading or undesirable’ trading names.”

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BBC News, 20th April 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

HomeServe fined £750,000 over silent calls – The Guardian

Posted April 19th, 2012 in consumer protection, fines, insurance, news, telecommunications by tracey

“Home insurance and repairs company HomeServe has been fined £750,000 by the telecoms regulator for making an excessive number of silent and abandoned calls.”

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The Guardian, 19th April 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

BA fuel surcharge fine halved by OFT – The Guardian

Posted April 19th, 2012 in airlines, consumer protection, fines, news, price fixing by tracey

“The Office of Fair Trading has more than halved a £121.5m fine levied against British Airways for colluding with Virgin Atlantic in a fuel surcharge scam. The consumer watchdog reduced the fine to £58.5m to reflect new guidelines for financial sanctions and BA’s co-operation with the inquiry. Virgin Atlantic escaped any penalty because it blew the whistle on the collusion over setting fuel surcharges between 2004 and 2006.”

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The Guardian, 19th April 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Government to give consumers control over smart meter data amidst privacy concerns – OUT-LAW.com

Posted April 12th, 2012 in consumer protection, data protection, energy, news, privacy by sally

“Third-party companies will not be able to access data recorded in consumers’ smart meters unless consumers choose to let them see it, the Government has said.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 12th April 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Energy regulator to get augmented powers – The Guardian

Posted April 10th, 2012 in consumer protection, energy, fines, news by sally

“Energy companies guilty of overcharging households will be forced to compensate consumers by a beefed-up industry watchdog under government proposals to be published this week.”

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The Guardian, 9th April 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

‘As seen on TV’ claims cannot be made in ads for products that appeared only as unbranded props, CAP says – OUT-LAW.com

Posted April 10th, 2012 in advertising, consumer protection, news by sally

“Companies cannot claim that the product they are advertising is ‘… as seen on TV ‘ or ‘… as seen in’ certain publications if those products merely featured as unbranded props in programmes or in paid-for ads in those mediums, an ad body has said.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 5th April 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Protecting Consumers from Scams and Rip-offs – Law Commission

Posted March 28th, 2012 in compensation, consumer protection, fraudulent trading, news by sally

“Consumers exploited by misleading and aggressive traders will have a clear and easy route to redress under reforms being proposed by the Law Commission and the Scottish Law Commission.”

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Law Commission, 28th March 2012

Source: lawcommission.justice.gov.uk

Regina v Scottish and Southern Energy plc – WLR Daily

Posted March 22nd, 2012 in appeals, consumer protection, law reports by sally

Regina v Scottish and Southern Energy plc [2012] EWCA Crim 539; [2012] WLR (D) 89

“It was possible to prosecute more than one person or entity for the same alleged offence of engaging in a misleading commercial practice contrary to regulation 9 of the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.”

WLR Daily, 16th March 2012

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Groupon guilty of ‘widespread’ breaches of consumer protection laws – The Guardian

Posted March 16th, 2012 in advertising, consumer protection, news, unfair contract terms by tracey

“An Office of Fair Trading investigation has found Groupon guilty of ‘widespread’ breaches of consumer protection laws, relating to issues including the pricing, advertising and unfair terms attached to its daily deals.”

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The Guardian, 16th March 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Ofcom acts to protect mobile users from ‘bill shock’ – The Guardian

Posted March 12th, 2012 in consumer protection, contracts, news, ombudsmen, telecommunications by sally

“Watchdog sets deadline for mobile operators to introduce maximum liability caps for phone contracts.”

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The Guardian, 9th March 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012 – legislation.gov.uk

Posted March 9th, 2012 in consumer protection, disclosure, insurance, legislation by tracey

Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012 published

Full text of Act

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

OFT pulls the plug on Yes Loans – The Guardian

Posted March 9th, 2012 in consumer credit, consumer protection, loans, news by tracey

“The Office of Fair Trading is revoking the consumer credit licence of one of the UK’s largest unsecured credit brokers for ‘deceitful and oppressive business practices’. If successful, it will put payday loans broker Yes Loans out of business – but the firm has 28 days to appeal and can continue arranging new loans in that time due to limitations in consumer credit regulations.”

Full story

The Guardian, 8th March 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

EDF to payout £4.5m to customers following Ofgem investigation – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 9th, 2012 in consumer protection, energy, news by tracey

“Ofgem’s investigation found that EDF Energy’s processes led to breaches of its marketing licence conditions. The energy giant has now offered to pay a £4.5 million package to help vulnerable consumers and its actions mark an important step forward by the company in improving consumers trust.”

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Daily Telegraph, 9th March 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Mars Rio Ferdinand and Katie Price Twitter advert cleared – BBC News

Posted March 7th, 2012 in advertising, consumer protection, internet, news by sally

“A Mars marketing campaign has been cleared by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in its first investigation involving Twitter.”

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BBC News, 7th March 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Consent’ may not count for malware-infected apps, regulator says – OUT-LAW.com

Posted February 29th, 2012 in consent, consumer protection, news, telecommunications by tracey

“The premium rate phone regulator might disregard consumer consent for paid-for mobile applications if those apps turn out to contain malicious code, the premium rate services (PRS) regulator has said.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 29th February 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Ombudsman sets out relationship with new Financial Conduct Authority – OUT-LAW.com

Posted February 27th, 2012 in bills, complaints, consumer protection, financial services ombudsman, news, ombudsmen by tracey

“The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) has set out how it intends to co-operate with new regulator the Financial Conduct Authority .”

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OUT-LAW.com, 24th February 2012

Source: www.out-law.com