Trading Standards

About the service we offer:

The aim of the Trading Standards Service is to ensure a fair and safe trading environment for residents, businesses and visitors to Islington. We do this by:

• investigating complaints where criminal consumer protection legislation may have been broken
• carrying out inspections of premises
• carrying out projects on issues affecting consumers and businesses in Islington
• enforcing the law in relation to age-restricted products such as alcohol, cigarettes and fireworks

As well as investigating complaints brought to us about traders in the borough, the service also advises traders on how to comply with the law. You can download an outline of some of the legislation enforced by the Trading Standards Service at the bottom of this page.

Types of consumer complaints

Consumer complaints will fall into two categories, civil or criminal:

• a civil complaint relates to where your statutory rights have been breached in relation to goods or services you have purchased. For example a pair of shoes that have fallen apart after a few days' use or a washing machine that has stopped working soon after delivery.
• a criminal complaint will be where certain trading laws may have been broken. For example, you may have purchased a toy that you think is dangerous, or the trader that you purchased goods or services from misled you in some way

Consumer Direct

Clear, practical advice for consumers in Islington is provided by Consumer Direct, who can help sort out problems and disagreements with suppliers of goods or services. Consumer Direct is a telephone and online advice service, supported by local authorities in London and by the Office of .Fair Trading

Consumer Direct works in partnership with:

• trading standards services at local authorities
• consumer support networks

These partners provide first-level advice and information on a wide range of consumer problems. Contact details for Consumer Direct can be found by selecting the link on the right.

Criminal complaints

The Trading Standards Service records complaints about businesses concerning breaches of any criminal consumer protection legislation. If the business is within Islington and/ or the transaction was made in the borough, Trading Standards can investigate.

If an officer feels an investigation is appropriate, the end result could be advice to the trader to rectify the breach, alternatively legal action may be taken. Complainants referred to Islington Council by Consumer Direct may be asked at an early stage if they are willing to attend court as a witness.

Complaints are also taken from businesses, other local authorities, the Police, other outside organisations and government departments.

Business advice

We also offer advice to businesses based in the borough as well as to individual consumers. All current consumer protection legislation that affects business is covered. We can advise on all aspects of the law applicable to various trading activities. In this respect we also operate the home authority principle, recognised by government and trade alike as good practice.

Contact

Trading Standards Service
Public Protection Division
Islington Council
222 Upper Street
London N1 1XR

Tel: 020 7527 4028
Fax: 020 7527 3038
Email: trading.standards@islington.gov.uk

Consumer Direct
Tel: 08454 04 05 06
Minicom users: 08451 28 13 84