New bill will strengthen consumer rights
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Issued
on 19 September 2011 - BIS
Edward Davey has today
announced a new Consumer Bill of Rights, which will streamline
confusing and overlapping legislation and regulation, and provide
stronger consumer protection.
The Bill will update the law for goods and services and for
digital content, clarify the law on unfair contract terms, consolidate
consumer powers for Trading Standards, and provide much stronger
protection for vulnerable customers targeted by misleading aggressive
sales practices.
Consumer Minister Edward Davey said:
“Consumer law in the UK comes from a variety of Acts and
regulation, making it complex and confusing. This is bad for consumers
and bad for business as people don’t know their rights and the cost of
compliance for business is higher than necessary.
“The Consumer Bill of Rights will consolidate, clarify and
strengthen the consumer laws already in place, which will make it
easier for everyone to understand and consumer rights in the UK will be
stronger than ever. This Bill will give everyone a single place to find
all their consumer rights.”
Current aggressive practices include:
- implying a connection with social services or an old age
charity;
- preying on the elderly person’s fear of losing their
independence;
- writing out cheques or an order form for the victim; and
- salespersons refusing to leave the premises until they have
secured a sale.
We will be proposing that victims should have a clear time,
extending beyond the default cancellation period currently in place, in
which to unwind the contract.
The Bill will bring together consumer rights currently found
in 12 Acts or Regulations and the incoming European Consumer Rights
Directive. It will be in simple English, making it easier for consumers
and businesses to understand what is a complex and inconsistent area of
law.
By consolidating consumer rights we will substantially reduce
red tape for businesses, which will in turn help us to create the right
conditions for sustainable economic growth.
Notes
1. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills’ (BIS)
intention to consolidate, clarify and strengthen consumer law in July
was a key response to the Retail Red Tape Challenge. BIS also set out
that it would implement the Consumer Rights Directive in a Consumer
Bill of Rights in the BIS Business Plan (s.9). You can find these on
the BIS website here: www.bis.gov.uk
2. This Bill will complement a number of consumer initiatives
from BIS, including the streamlining of the consumer advice and
enforcement landscape, and the Consumer Empowerment strategy.
About the Author
© Crown Copyright. Material taken from the BIS Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. Reproduced under the terms and conditions of the Click-Use Licence.
