For initial advice and assistance call consumer direct on  08454 04 05 06

The Trading Standards Service of Angus Council provides free, impartial advice on a range of consumer protection issues, focusing on the customer needs of local people. This advice will be based on an assessment of the rights and obligations of both the consumer and business concerned, with the aim of:

• increasing consumer confidence

• Improving consumer awareness

• Improving consumer protection

• Improving consumer safety

• Promoting a safe environment

• Promoting the concept of 'fair trading'

This will be achieved by providing information, education, advice and assistance, on consumer issues; investigating complaints; seeking prosecution of any breaches of criminal trading law; .proactively monitoring trading practices; and taking civil action against prohibited trading practices. Because we work closely with the police - especially in areas such as doorstep crime - Trading Standards has a statutory duty to advise on a wide range of both civil and criminal consumer protection laws

The Trading Standards Service provides the following services:

• Pre-shopping advice - to enable consumers to make more informed choices, we will provide advice before you purchase goods or services. Advisors cannot, however, divulge the number or nature of complaints received against specific businesses or recommend particular traders. Some of the information help by the service is also restricted by data protection legislation and some obtained using statutory powers cannot be passed on.

• General Consumer Advice - the service will answer general queries on consumer law and provide advice to consumers who have purchased substandard goods or services which will enable them to complain more effectively to the business concerned. Advisers will explain consumers' legal rights and the remedies that are available in law, as well as the practical steps that they can take to resolve their complaint. A wide range of advisory leaflets is also provided free of charge.

• Advice and Information - the service will help consumers resolve civil complaints and, by providing the relevant advice and information, empower consumers to resolve problems themselves.

• Education and Promotional Activity - as and when resources allow, the service will provide consumer education to interested organisations and promote the work of the Trading Standards by:

• Regular press releases to the media.
• Talks to, and involvement with community groups.
• Publication and distribution of in-house and nationally produced leaflets.

• Advice to Business - it is also important to advise businesses of their right and obligations when supplying goods and services to their customers. Therefore seminars and training sessions are provided to trade organisations. Businesses can also suffer from breaches of Trading Standards legislation - either directly or indirectly - by being disadvantaged by competitors who cut corners

• Weights and Measures - Trading Standards routinely inspect business such as public houses, filling stations and supermarket for weights and measures.

• Investigating Criminal Complaints - advice on criminal consumer protection law is an integral part of the service's overall consumer advice provision. The investigation of criminal complaints is also subject to our Enforcement Policy which sets out the various courses of action that can be taken by officers in the events of justified complaints.

.It is also our statutory duty to investigate criminal complaints. Accordingly, the service will investigate all allegations of criminal nature committed in Angus, regardless of who makes the complaint. Where the collective interests of consumers are being adversely affected, some action can also be taken in the civil courts.

• Consumer safety - a priority for the service. Any goods that could cause injury will be checked and tested then, if necessary, removed from sale by Trading Standards Officers.

Trading Standards standard of customer service

We're just a strict about our own standards of customer service, as we are with any business operating in Angus. As such we have a list of guidelines all staff must adhere to. They are:

• All staff will respond to consumers in a courteous, helpful and positive manner and will make their identity known to the consumer.

• We will ensure that where the service is not authorised to deal with an enquiry we will try to direct the consumer to the correct agency.

• We will ensure that consumers are clearly advised, if in our opinion, no action is possible by anyone.

• If a home or other private visit is required a suitable appointment will be arranged.

• Ensure that complaints will be allocated to a named officer who will, whenever possible, handle that complaint from start to finish.

• We will endeavour to provide legal advice in writing on request.

• We will inform consumers of the outcome of their complaint once it has been fully investigated.

If you need the advice and assistance call consumer direct on 08454 04 05 06 or visit http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/ to email your request to an advisor.