2006
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.
13 September 2006
Consumer Direct Wales has taken more than 192,000 calls since its launch in 2004. Specially trained advisors service 22 local authorities giving consumers information about their rights, and advice on how to gain redress when things go wrong. Advice given has helped Welsh consumers to save around £1.3 million.
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 the UK, in partnership with local authority Trading Standards. Consumer Direct delivers first tier advice, allowing Trading Standards and others to focus on more difficult cases.
John Fingleton, Chief Executive of the OFT said:
'We are delighted that Consumer Direct has proved to be such a popular and useful service. It is giving people the confidence to exercise their consumer rights, which is in turn encouraging businesses to raise their game. Consumer Direct is at the heart of the OFT’s mission to make markets work well for consumers. The information that Consumer Direct collects helps Trading Standards and the OFT to focus our resources and concentrate our enforcement efforts in the most appropriate way.’
Craig Woolcock, Contact Centre Manager at Consumer Direct Wales said:
'Consumer Direct is proving a real success in helping Welsh consumers to have the confidence to resolve disputes and make informed buying decisions.'
Consumer Direct is available on 08454 04 05 06. A Welsh-speaking Consumer Direct service is available on 08454 04 05 05.
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NOTES
1. Consumer Direct is a telephone and online consumer advice service managed by the Office of Fair Trading. It offers consumers clear, practical and impartial advice and information.
2. Consumer Direct has around 350 highly trained advisers in 11 centres based in London, the South East, the South West, the East of England, the West Midlands, the East Midlands, Wales, Yorkshire and the Humber, the North West, the North East and Scotland.
3. The information and advice helpline is available on a single low-cost national telephone number - 08454 04 05 06 from 0800 – 1830 Monday to Friday, and 0900 – 1300 Saturday, excluding bank holidays and public holidays.
4. Minicom users should call 08451 28 13 84.
5. Calls cost a maximum of four pence per minute from a BT landline. Calls from mobiles or other networks may vary. Your service provider may charge a minimum cost per call.
MEDIA enquiries:
Jody Keogh: 029 2087 1484. jkeogh@cardiff.gov.uk
Photos are available on the GNN website.
