Press releases
14 September 2006
Two Million Calls
Consumer Direct takes two million calls in two years.
Consumer Direct, the government-funded helpline, has responded to over two million calls in just two years of service, helping British consumers resolve complaints worth an estimated £138 million.
Since February 2006, Consumer Direct North East's 16 specially trained advisers have clocked up around 12,000 hours on the phone, giving consumers information about their rights, and advice on how to gain redress when things go wrong. Current demand for the service stands at 6,500 calls per month. Consumer Direct North East has saved customers in the North East over £2m.
Nationally, the top five most common consumer complaints to Consumer Direct are about home maintenance, second hand cars, furniture, telecoms and audiovisuals.
The Consumer Direct service is managed by the Office of Fair Trading and delivered through 11 contact centres throughout Great Britain, in partnership with local authority Trading Standards. Consumer Direct delivers first tier advice, allowing Trading Standards and others to focus on more difficult cases.
Jeff Bell, Chair of North East Trading Standards Association said:
'Now that Consumer Direct has become a national service, its value to Trading Standards is starting to show its true worth. It frees us up to concentrate on the more complex consumer enquiries, and, crucially, it is also our eyes and ears. All who contact CD with a genuine complaint add to a database of intelligence that is beginning to help us focus on the most appropriate targets.'
Consumer Direct is available on 08454 04 05 06 or online at www.consumerdirect.gov.uk.
