Consumer Direct
Consumer Direct is a the government-funded telephone and on-line service offering information and advice on consumer issues in the UK. Consumer Direct is funded by the Office of Fair Trading and delivered in partnership with Local Authority Trading Standards Services.
Consumer Direct:
- Provide pre-shopping advice before you buy goods or services in the UK.
- Explain your consumer rights.
- Advise you if you have a problem or disagreement with a trader.
- Help you make a complaint about a trader that you believe has done something wrong.
- Provide general advice on how to avoid unscrupulous traders or "cowboys".
- Explain consumer-related issues such as warranties, buying on credit, Internet shopping, refunds and replacements etc.
- Provide advice on avoiding trading scams and rip-offs.
- Direct you to a regulator or other organisation if it is better suited to assist you.
- Refer your case to your local authority Trading Standards Services or similar agency if they are better suited to assist you.
Consumer Direct will deal with each caller's problems or questions individually. They provide an honest, impartial assessment of the situation and where possible will recommend a clear course of action to follow. They can only provide information and advice and they cannot intervene directly in consumer matters, such as taking action against a trader.
They can be contacted on 0845 04 05 06
http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/
The Consumer Direct service is no longer available. Advice on your rights as a consumer when buying goods and services within the UK is now provided by the Citizens Advice Consumer Service.
