my OFT experience

[hume]

I called the office of fair trading a while ago and was advised to call community legal services. I recently called them again and was told to contact my local trading standards. trading standards has a 5 day call back. this is the 4th day so i opted to call them. even before i got through to their offices, i was diverted to consumer direct whose representative was fluent in doublespeak and obfuscation.
I asked the rep to give me a status update on my complaint. he told me since he didn't work in that particular office he was unable to do so.
I then asked how could i contact them direct, to which he said there were a number of ways. though tried to reassured me they would call back.
when i told him i tried calling them but was diverted to consumer direct, it took him an age to inform me they sometimes handle calls for trading standards.

the last time i encountered someone as unhelpful as this i was talking
to the ombudsman.

who else has experienced problems with these agencies?
are they really as worthless as the aforementioned ombudsman?

[Mrs James]

Re: my OFT experience

I called the office of fair trading a while ago and was advised to call community legal services. I recently called them again and was told to contact my local trading standards. trading standards has a 5 day call back. this is the 4th day so i opted to call them. even before i got through to their offices, i was diverted to consumer direct whose representative was fluent in doublespeak and obfuscation.
I asked the rep to give me a status update on my complaint. he told me since he didn't work in that particular office he was unable to do so.
I then asked how could i contact them direct, to which he said there were a number of ways. though tried to reassured me they would call back.
when i told him i tried calling them but was diverted to consumer direct, it took him an age to inform me they sometimes handle calls for trading standards.

the last time i encountered someone as unhelpful as this i was talking
to the ombudsman.

who else has experienced problems with these agencies?
are they really as worthless as the aforementioned ombudsman?

I made a complaint about telephone harassment to Trading standards about the calls Philips are making (36 since the 21st January) Trading Standards passed me over to Consumer Direct. I had a reply from Consumer Direct telling me they are passing it over to Trading Standards, which I admit was confusing at the time, but bear with them, because they have helped me. The calls have stopped and I got a call from Trading Standards saying they are looking into my case and would get back to me. I hope you can resolve your issues.

Read more at: Philips - Page 2 - Legal Beagles Consumer Forum

[hume]

Re: my OFT experience

I made a complaint about telephone harassment to Trading standards about the calls Philips are making (36 since the 21st January) Trading Standards passed me over to Consumer Direct. I had a reply from Consumer Direct telling me they are passing it over to Trading Standards, which I admit was confusing at the time, but bear with them, because they have helped me. The calls have stopped and I got a call from Trading Standards saying they are looking into my case and would get back to me. I hope you can resolve your issues.

Read more at: Philips - Page 2 - Legal Beagles Consumer Forum

it bothers me that trading standards would pass you over to consumer direct and consumer direct would pass you back again. it would appear that neither department know their role in regards to a complaint, or worse don't want to accept responsibility for it.

in regards to my case i want for consumer direct or trading standards to kick my complaint upstairs to the OFT, where i hope they'll investigate the company i'm in conflict with and prosecute them under uk competition law (chapter 11/article 102 prohibition).

how long was it from first contact to trading standards calling you?

[EXC]

Re: my OFT experience

[quote=hume;200603

in regards to my case i want for consumer direct or trading standards to kick my complaint upstairs to the OFT, where i hope they'll investigate the company i'm in conflict with and prosecute them under uk competition law (chapter 11/article 102 prohibition).

[/quote]

The problem is that the OFT don't have the power to investigate individual complaints.

[Mrs James]

Re: my OFT experience

it boths me that trading standards would pass you over to consumer direct and consumer direct would pass you back again. it would appear that neither department know their role in regards to a complaint, or worse don't want to accept responsibility for it.

in regards to my case i want for consumer direct or trading standards to kick my complaint upstairs to the OFT, where i hope they'll investigate the company i'm in conflict with and prosecute them under uk competition law (chapter 11/article 102 prohibition).

how long was it from first contact to trading standards calling you?

Hi,

I contacted TS on the 2nd February, they passed me over to CD. On the 7th February I had an email from CD telling me they were passing me over to TS, I also had another email from CD on the same day answering a query I raised. Then on the 9th February I had call from TS stating they were looking into my case and would get back to me in the next few weeks.

[MIKE770]

Re: my OFT experience

Pass it to me and I will send it to Wendy, that way we all get dissy.

[hume]

Re: my OFT experience

after chasing trading standards for the best part of 2 weeks they've informed me my complaint is a civil court matter and they won't look into it.
talking to their representative was like pulling teeth without anesthetic.
at one point the rep said i would need evidence and when i told them, they said it wasn't enough. but in the next breath said they didn't know enough about the nature of the thing i was complaining about.

their advice was to complain to the charity commission, though one look at their website suggest they aren't in the business of actually doing anything.
how do i know? it says so on the welcome page.

i admit my complaint is nuisanced but it's not beyond the realms of fathomablity to comprehend. the whole experience has left me feeling the whole process was a waste of my time.

[leclerc]

Re: my OFT experience

What exactly is the complaint about more or less?