Traders Standard of Service

The Trading Standards Service has a range of responsibilities which focus on promoting a fair and safe trading environment for businesses and their customers. Much of this is based on actions to ensure compliance with legislation about the quality, quantity and safety of goods and services and the truth of descriptions, advertising and marketing claims about products.

Information and Advice
If you would like to know more about our services or have a copy of any of the leaflets referred to in this publication, please visit our website or contact our Duty Officer at:

Leicestershire County Council
Community Services Department
Trading Standards Service
County Hall, Glenfield
Leicester LE3 8RN

Tel: 0116 305 8000
(calls to this number may be recorded for accuracy of information)
Fax: 0116 305 7353
E-mail: tradingstandards@leics.gov.uk

Give You Clear Information and Help
We publish general guidance leaflets to help you comply with legal requirements which we enforce. These cover such areas as labelling and composition of food and textile products and the safety of consumer goods. We can also provide more detailed advice for individual enquiries. If your business activities extend beyond Leicestershire you may wish the Service to act as the point of contact or “Home Authority” for you for matters raised by other Trading Standards Authorities relating to your business. More detailed information on this service is available on request.

Ensure Open Decision Making by Us
In providing guidance and advice, or in respect of any of our dealings with you, our staff will always be willing to discuss details of your particular case and the reasoning behind their decisions. Where there are obligatory requirements this will be made clear to you to distinguish it from advice on “good practice”. The advice will always include a reference to the relevant legislation under which it is given.

Adopt a Professional Approach to You
We operate a formal quality management system accredited to BS EN ISO : 9001 : 2000. Our staff are trained and have experience in enforcing legal requirements. When they visit you, or you contact them, they will always give their name and carry out their work in a polite and helpful manner. All our staff carry authorities, which identify them and their powers and/or identity cards which they will produce to you if you ask to see them.

Consult Our Customers
We work closely with trade associations and professional bodies and will follow advice about interpretation of the law given by Central Government Departments or through the Local Authorities Co-ordinators of Regulatory Services (LACORS). We invite comments about our service plan and on the quality of service provided to businesses through satisfaction surveys.

Give Value for Money
Much of the service we provide is free of charge. However, where we do make charges such as those for the testing or hire of weighing or measuring equipment, you will be advised in advance of the costs. Our charges are agreed and published annually by the County Council. See our schedule of fees for business.

If you have a complaint or you are not satisfied with any aspect of the work of the County Council Trading Standards Service in Leicestershire, then let us know so we can, if appropriate, take action to put matters right. Where you feel this has not happened then contact the Head of Regulatory Services with details of your complaint and the reasons for your dissatisfaction. The County Council has a formal complaints procedure which may be invoked in these circumstances. Alternatively, if you prefer, you may contact the Chief Executive at County Hall.

Responding to You
We aim to answer telephone calls within 12 seconds. If you write to us we will acknowledge receipt of your letter within three working days on 90% of occasions.

Giving Advice and Guidance on Legal Requirements
If you ask us for general information we will respond within three working days on 90% of occasions. If you require a detailed response to a specific enquiry about the law's application to your business we will try to reply within 20 working days (we aim to deal with 90% of such enquiries within this time). If your enquiry is likely to take longer to answer you will be told this and also who is dealing with your enquiry and the anticipated date of completion.

Testing and Certifying Your Weighing and Measuring Equipment to Legalise its Use in Trade
When you ask us to come to your premises to verify your equipment we will arrange to do the work within five working days unless a longer period is agreed. If you choose to submit the equipment to our office for verification we will complete the work within five working days unless otherwise agreed with you.

Testing Your Weighing and Measuring Equipment for Other Purposes
If you submit equipment to our office for us to test and certify its accuracy we will agree a completion date with you. Where necessary we will endeavour to complete the work within ten working days. If you require us to come to your premises for these purposes, within two working days of receipt of your request we will contact you to arrange an appointment to do the work.

If You have to Complain about Us or Our Services
If you have cause to complain about us or our services, we will, within two working days acknowledge receipt of your complaint and tell you the name of the officer who will investigate it. At the same time we will give you information about how your complaint will be dealt with under the County Council's procedure for handling complaints

If you are dissatisfied with the service we provide, please contact the Head of Regulatory Services at: