Standard of Service for Consumers
What are we here for?
We enforce a wide range of Trading Standards laws to help make sure that you receive a fair deal.
Our work includes making sure that:
- Weighing and measuring equipment in trade use is accurate
- Goods are of correct weight or measure
- Goods and services are correctly described and safe
- Compositional and labelling requirements for food are complied with
- Correct prices are displayed and any 'bargain offer' claims associated with them are not misleading
- Credit deals are properly advertised and documented
- Farm animals are free from disease and treated humanely at markets and whilst in transit
- Laws relating to underage sales such as the sale of tobacco products are complied with
How do we do it?
- We advise customers on their rights
- We advise business to help them comply with the law
- We carry out spot checks on all kinds of consumer products and business premises
- We investigate complaints from consumers and traders on a variety of Trading Standards matters
- We mount campaigns on specific issues which relate to our enforcement activities for example on home working schemes, various safety issues including the overloading of goods vehicles
Our promises to you
We try to provide quality services which meet your needs. We have a Quality Management System accredited to EN ISO 9001 : 2000 and our commitment to developing our staff has been recognised by the achievement of the Investors in People Award.
Here are some of our promises to you:
- If you telephone us we will endeavour to answer your call within 12 seconds.
- When you write to us, we will respond to 90% of your letters/e-mails/faxes within three working days from receipt. If this response does not finalise your enquiry it will indicate the name of the officer who will be dealing with it.
- We will try to conclude the matter within twenty working days but in any event we will inform you of the likely time scale for completion.
- If you telephone us or call at our office, we will, whenever possible, give you on the spot advice
- If we cannot advise you immediately we will answer your query as quickly as possible
- We will help whenever we can but the law is complex and our powers do have limitations so there may be good reasons why we cannot take the course of action you wish. We will always try to explain these reasons to you
- If our investigation takes time (which some cases can) we will keep you informed of progress at regular intervals
- We will let you know the name of the officer with whom you are dealing. All staff will carry identification and produce it upon request
- All members of staff will be courteous and polite in their dealings with you. We will respect privacy, dignity, religious and cultural beliefs and comply with the County Council's Equal Opportunities Policy
- We will ensure that our Service is accessible to all - we will do our utmost to ensure that those with special needs are catered for, for example by providing access for those with restricted mobility and producing information in other languages
- We will publish key facts and figures about performance
Our Commitment to Consult
We believe that consulting our customers is essential to developing a quality service
At regular intervals we will continue to conduct surveys of our customers, both consumers and traders. The surveys invite comments on our existing service provision and ideas for improvement
The format of surveys is regularly reviewed to reflect current issues
We make public our findings
Monitoring our performance & dealing with complaints
We will regularly monitor our response times and other matters referred to in this document
Where practicable we will check to see whether compliance with the law improves as a result of our efforts
Whilst we make every effort to provide high quality services it is possible that there will be the odd occasion when things go wrong. If this happens please tell us - we will do our utmost to put matters right. However, the County Council does have a widely publicised Corporate Complaints, Comments and Commendations Procedure which you may use if you wish. A leaflet explaining the Procedure is available on request
Help us to help you
Give us detailed information, including relevant documents, relating to your enquiry
If it is possible that your enquiry could lead to a prosecution please be prepared to give us a written statement and be prepared to attend Court as a witness
Trading Standards Contact Points
Consumer Direct is the dedicated consumer advice line for Leicestershire residents. Consumer Direct advisers can tell you of your rights and advise you of the remedies available to you. They will also take details of any possible criminal matters.
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Telephone Consumer Direct
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08454 04 05 06 The opening hours of the telephone advice service are: - 8.00am to 6.30pm Monday to Friday
- 9.00am to 1.00pm Saturday
- Closed on bank holidays and public holidays
Calls to the Consumer Direct 0845 numbers are charged at no more than four pence per minute from a BT landline. Call charges from other landline providers or mobile phones may vary. Please check the rate with your phone service provider.
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Minicom
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08451 28 13 84 Calls to the Consumer Direct 0845 numbers are charged at no more than four pence per minute from a BT landline. Call charges from other landline providers or mobile phones may vary. Please check the rate with your phone service provider.
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Online and e-mail
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www.consumerdirect.gov.uk
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After your call to Consumer Direct your complaint or enquiry may be referred to Leicestershire Trading Standards Service if appropriate.
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