Trading Standards - what use are they.

[shas]

Re: Trading Standards - what use are they.

I am also dealing with hfc, marlins, phoenix, carvel & any other name they wish to call themselves. Great arent they!

[frisp]

Re: Trading Standards - what use are they.

Yeh like a pain in the arse is gr8, I sometimes think we need to look at capturing the data we have on here regarding how many of the members have complained to TS, FOS et al and cross reference against who then present the whole bundele to the OFT.

wot a good idea - HEY TOOLS any ideas how we could get this started, managed and then delivered ;0)

[enquirer]

Re: Trading Standards - what use are they.

I worked for TS in the late 1970's and early 80's, when they were still proper Weights and Measures. Nowadays, Trading Standards are largely concerned with protecting big business from counterfeits (big business, rather than the consumer, you note).

With the advent of the national helpline some departments actually refuse to deal directly with the public at all. As far as the man in the street is concerned, they are now next to useless.

[teaboy2]

Re: Trading Standards - what use are they.

Enquirer. No offense, but the last post on this thread was over 2 years ago, the thread is dead and their was no real need to post. Bringing up older posts pushes newer more recent posts/threads down the list under the section "Recent Posts" on the forum home page, that i and many of this forums contributers use for spotting new threads that people have created looking for help. So bringing up older threads like this could result in in a thread belonging to someone in desperate need of help not actually getting the help they need if it is push of the bottom of the recent post section on the home page.

[enquirer]

Re: Trading Standards - what use are they.

Enquirer. No offense,

Actually, the tone of your post is quite offensive.

Observing that the thread was still visible, I assumed it to be current. That is was still visible says a great deal.

[teaboy2]

Re: Trading Standards - what use are they.

Actually, the tone of your post is quite offensive.

Observing that the thread was still visible, I assumed it to be current. That is was still visible says a great deal.

Enquirer, my post was not meant to offend and certainly was not offensive, as in no way did i make any personally offensive remarks. I simply pointed out the thread was dead (as you can see by the date of the last post before yours) and what happens when an older dead thread is brought up. Just because it is still visible on a particular section of the forum, it does not mean the thread is still alive.

If you found the "TONE" of my post offensive, then may i remind you that you yourself decide the "TONE" on words when reading them. In otherwords you simply did not like my pointing out to you and others reading this thread that you had brought up an old post and the possible consequences of doing so, and you therefore may have felt embarrassed by it and took offense as a result. But thats not my problem, so please don't go around accusing me of being offensive towards you when i was not offensive towards you at all.

[enquirer]

Re: Trading Standards - what use are they.

What happened to the subjective view? But than as a legal advisor, you knew that, didn't you?

[teaboy2]

Re: Trading Standards - what use are they.

Enquirer, your perfectly entitled to have your own view and personal feelings in relation to someones posts, but do not go around accusing people of making offensive posts towards you just because it may have hurt your feelings or slightly offended you, especially when i made it clear i did not intend to offend you, hence the statement "no offense" in my original post. Also remember that the person making his/her post also has the same entitlment and will likely defend their post when one wrongly accuses them or their post of being something that it was not.

Anyone reading this thread will probably think your making a big deal out my post and wrongly making it out to be something it was not.

And your right i did know that - Hence why i made the statement about the "tone" of my post being the "tone" (i.e. opinion or existing in your mind) you gave it when you read my post. But the tone you gave it is not the tone i gave it when i wrote it, therefore it was not meant to be offensive or cause you any offense at all.

[Angry Cat]

Re: Trading Standards - what use are they.

I worked for TS in the late 1970's and early 80's, when they were still proper Weights and Measures. Nowadays, Trading Standards are largely concerned with protecting big business from counterfeits (big business, rather than the consumer, you note).

With the advent of the national helpline some departments actually refuse to deal directly with the public at all. As far as the man in the street is concerned, they are now next to useless.

In the past I have had some dealings with TS. I must say that it was an uphill battle but at least they did appear to listen and subsequently investigated my valid concerns. Of course, they ultimately would not take enforcement action due to lack of funding and various other excuses.

It would appear now though that TS will only enforce criminal legislation, which turns some purported debt disputes into civil matters!

I had occasion to log a complaint with Consumer Direct recently, who eventually attempted to pass the complaint to my local TS.
TS, in turn informed Consumer Direct that they would not/could not assist as they viewed the complaint to be a civil matter.

In short, the General Consumer is left with nowhere to go for help other than Court.

Clearly the subject of this thread is not dead!

[labman]

Re: Trading Standards - what use are they.

Fortunately for me, my dealings with them could not have been more different. They came out to my house, looked at evidence and offered to prosecute another government funded, very public organisation for me. On me saying see how they handle my official complaint first, they said, if it doesn't turn out as you want, or any other problems in the future, let us know and we'll pursue the prosecution.

Circumstances were, admitedly, serious, but while I may have been lucky, it does show they do do some good!:beagle:

[Angry Cat]

Re: Trading Standards - what use are they.

Fortunately for me, my dealings with them could not have been more different. They came out to my house, looked at evidence and offered to prosecute another government funded, very public organisation for me. On me saying see how they handle my official complaint first, they said, if it doesn't turn out as you want, or any other problems in the future, let us know and we'll pursue the prosecution.

Circumstances were, admitedly, serious, but while I may have been lucky, it does show they do do some good!:beagle:

Nice to hear that labman.

However, TS will now only enforce criminal legislation!

[labman]

Re: Trading Standards - what use are they.

That may well be true. Fortunately (or unfortunately) mine was criminal.

[teaboy2]

Re: Trading Standards - what use are they.

Clearly the subject of this thread is not dead!

The subject (Trading standards) of the thread may not be dead, but there was a good 2 year cap between the last post and first post made by enquirer, so the thread itself was dead regardless of the subject. If it had been me i would have made a newer thread about it rather than bring up an old and dead thread. Though i accept that enquirer had thought the thread was alive and hadn't realised the last post was so long ago. Though it does not excuse him/her of accusing me of being offensive in my first post when i was not.

[Angry Cat]

Re: Trading Standards - what use are they.

That may well be true. Fortunately (or unfortunately) mine was criminal.

Mine was also;
at the time in question.

However, even though I pressed my local TS to prosecute the party concerned, they found every excuse under the sun not to!

Now we are left in a situation that is far from satisfactory, to say the least

[Angry Cat]

Re: Trading Standards - what use are they.

The subject (Trading standards) of the thread may not be dead, but there was a good 2 year cap between the last post and first post made by enquirer, so the thread itself was dead regardless of the subject. If it had been me i would have made a newer thread about it rather than bring up an old and dead thread. Though i accept that enquirer had thought the thread was alive and hadn't realised the last post was so long ago. Though it does not excuse him/her of accusing me of being offensive in my first post when i was not.

Probably, but the old thread is relevant...

One should really put aside any imagined (or not) slights, as the topic is current,very.

Personally speaking, I have never been impressed by the TS Service and am even less so now.