LOSS OF TRADING STANDARDS

Julie Shrive made this Freedom of Information request to Office of Fair Trading This request has been closed to new correspondence. Contact us if you think it should be reopened.

The request was refused by Office of Fair Trading.

Dear Sir or Madam,
Why are there no Trading Standards anywhere ?They all go on to an advice agency Consumer Direct who give advice that wastes time and often can't take up as admin in the Courts also maladministrating . They wind you up, log as abusive so it looks as if have tried to help.
Years ago I found Trading Standards so ethical and helpful who would often sort out problems with a quiet word .They also knew their patch .Now they leave it up to Visa and Call centres on remits to deliberately wind up if involves discretion who do not consult .They believe everything that is written down is the truth siding with the biggest bank account. If you are elderly or disabled you have had it.
No wonder there is a credit crunch?

Yours faithfully,

Julie Shrive

Phil Simpson, Office of Fair Trading

Dear Ms Shrive,

I write in response to your email sent to the OFT Information Access
Team on the 28 May 2009, a copy of which is below.

Phil Simpson| Service Integration and Development Manager, Consumer
Direct | Office of Fair Trading
Fleetbank House | 2-6 Salisbury Square | London EC4Y 8JX | T: 020 7211
5910 | F: 020 7211 8926 www.oft.gov.uk

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Phil Simpson, Office of Fair Trading

Phil Simpson would like to recall the message, "Freedom of Information
request - LOSS OF TRADING STANDARDS".

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Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
recorded for legal purposes.

Phil Simpson, Office of Fair Trading

Dear Ms Shrive,

I write in response to your email sent to the OFT Information Access
Team on the 28 May 2009, a copy of which is attached below.

Your enquiry has been passed to me for response as you raise some
concerns regarding the way in which the Consumer Direct (CD) service is
structured and delivered. In reading your email, I understand that you
are questioning the apparent loss of Trading Standards Services (TSS)
and the level of service provided to you by Consumer Direct.

CD is a government funded consumer advice service which provides clear,
practical consumer advice. This is provided both online and via a
telephone advice service. CD was set up in 2004 to act as a frontline
service for TSS and is managed by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT). CD
provides initial guidance and next step advice for callers. TSS still
exist and provide a service within each of their local authority
boundaries; they are able to maintain a sound knowledge of their local
area and are able to take local enforcement action as required.

CD has established robust protocols with TSS to ensure that all cases
are passed to them for their information. Issues that are identified by
CD as being complex, a breach of criminal legislation or involving a
vulnerable consumer are referred to TSS for their consideration and
possible further action. It is for the local authority TSS, and not CD,
to decide whether to take further action in a particular case, however.

The creation of the CD service has increased national access to consumer
advice from members of the public and in turn, has enabled each local
authority TSS to access a greater volume of intelligence, supporting
more cohesive and effective action at a local level. The OFT also uses
the information collected by CD to support action taken at a national
level where appropriate.

I note your concerns about the level of service you received when
contacting CD. I am sorry to hear that you feel the advice was neither
helpful nor provided any advice which you found useful. If you can
provide me with a reference number for your call, I will happily look at
the case details to review how your case was handled.

I trust this email has explained the relationship between CD and TSS.
If you would like me to review your case, please send me your reference
number in response.

Your sincerely,

Phil Simpson

Service Integration and Development Manager
Consumer Direct

Phil Simpson| Service Integration and Development Manager, Consumer
Direct | Office of Fair Trading Fleetbank House | 2-6 Salisbury Square |
London EC4Y 8JX | T: 020 7211 5910 | F: 020 7211 8926 www.oft.gov.uk

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Dear Phil Simpson,

Dyspraxic . Must have called every time there is a problem over 20 x because Courts throw documents back with no access & if dyspraxic very disconcerting.

Visa do not investigate properly as haven't ability LA have not given me Social Services & registered me mentally rather than physically disabled so could cover backs when raised OFFICIAL COMPLAINT re:: discrimination of the elderly and disabled with no assistance or access to social services, trading standards
This was basis of MA 2003 which had to extend a year because of all problems[ snaspshot] found on this website .

I am fed up be caused criminal fraud to with no assistance often public organisations deliberately maladministrating especially Consumer Direct, the Banks, Regulators and Police .

This has enabled them to ignore, maligne[ libel] and neglect.At moment I have a Snapfish [ Tru-print ] faulty goods issue and an Amazon water heater that doesn't heat as well as Virgin Trains not registered with Consumer Direct because put you off , collude with LA .None of their Call centre wants to know & Visa says can't charge back .Should they be getting away with ?

You can't administer Customer and public services with call centres set up by accountants to protect their employers interest. When Charities and hospitals do this it is a health & safety risk.

Need a Meeting -

Trading Standards in the past were marvellous & controlled their patch informally often sorting out in 5 min flat . Now they don't exist or not contactable.

Yours sincerely,

Julie Shrive

Julie Shrive (Account suspended) left an annotation ()

It is no good advising if the system corrupt with no substance. There are too many ineffective enquiry/correspodence lines following procedures on remits. Playing the wind up pass you on game at taxpayers expense. Nobody is resolving very serious issues.And what is COMPLIANCE is it some kind of torture?

Phil Simpson, Office of Fair Trading

Dear Ms Shrive,

Thank you for your further correspondence.

I understand that you are still not happy with the level of service that
you received when contacting Consumer Direct. If you can provide me
with the case reference number (or numbers) I will look at the case
details to review how your case was handled.

Alternatively, if you can tell me the area in which you live, I can
source the details from the relevant Consumer Direct contact centre
which you have been in contact with.

As mentioned in my previous email, Trading Standards Services do still
exist and Consumer Direct advisers pass them a copy of every contact
made to the service for their information. If you can let me know the
area in which you live, I will have a better understanding of the
Trading Standards Service that would have recieved a copy of your case.
Consumer Direct has no ability to pressure a specific Trading Standards
Service to contact a consumer, however.

Yours sincerely,

Phil Simpson

Phil Simpson| Service Integration and Development Manager, Consumer
Direct | Office of Fair Trading
Fleetbank House | 2-6 Salisbury Square | London EC4Y 8JX |
www.oft.gov.uk

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Dear Phil Simpson,

Because I am an individual paying your wage why should you ignore in ademocracy?
Islington Council, complied with by you and all regulatory bodies ,registered me dishonestly as mentally disabled so it does not have to address issues of discrimination since 2001 or OFFICIAL COMPLAINTS . What do you intend doing about this ??!!

Yours sincerely,

Julie Shrive

Phil Simpson, Office of Fair Trading

Dear Ms Shrive,

Thank you for your email.

As previously requested, if you can provide me with a Consumer Direct
reference number or let me know the area in which you live, I will be
happy to review the case details of your contact to Consumer Direct.

Should you choose not to provide this information, I'm afraid that I
will be unable to enter into further correspondence with you.

Yours sincerely,

Phil Simpson

Phil Simpson| Service Integration and Development Manager, Consumer
Direct | Office of Fair Trading
Fleetbank House | 2-6 Salisbury Square | London EC4Y 8JX |
www.oft.gov.uk

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Dear Phil Simpson,

Islington LA refuses to address my problems as is abusing its powers. In 2001 before MA with DSA recorded me wrongly as mentally rather than physically disabled to protect their own backs and nobody public private lawyer/ Minister/ PM wants to know NB site here evidence . I do have expert witness BA/MA who will confirm she is also receiving same unethical behaviour from most authorities inluding MP ??!!!I therefore request a meeting if you are in a position to sort problem out at the root.
I would like you to address MOTOBILITY disability charity who refused assistance as had backlog of 3 months and needed urgent assistance as had been hoodwinked online over a disability scooter .There are also a number of further problems put iinto VISA and yourselves you refused to RECORD not assisting telling what to do which is the maladministrated by Courts . Also dyspraxic . Would like a meeting with an Official who can sort out structure , my LEGAL expert witness who cannot litigate experiencing same problems.Also Dyspraxic numbers, sequencing and location find how you deal with matters very confusing.

Yours sincerely,

Julie Shrive

Dear Phil Simpson,

Why do they not give numbers? So you can get away with not investigating their lack of substance or ability to resolve .So I request a meeting with someone not on a remit or contract to address issues of fraud that you ,police and visa are allowing to happen. They will have maligned and written down any old thing as incapable of taking messages correctly ??!!

Yours sincerely,

Julie Shrive

Phil Simpson, Office of Fair Trading

Dear Ms Shrive,

Thank you for your email.

I'm afraid we will not be able to meet with you. We do not have the
facilities to accommodate external visitors.

I understand that you are unable to provide me with a reference number
for your call to Consumer Direct. If this is the case, I would require
either the name of the company that you are complaining about, or the
area in which you live in order to find and review your case details. If
you decide not to provide this information, I am afraid I will not be
able to assist you further.

Yours sincerely,

Phil Simpson

Phil Simpson | Service Integration and Development Manager, Consumer
Direct | Office of Fair Trading
Fleetbank House | 2-6 Salisbury Square | London EC4Y 8JX |
www.oft.gov.uk

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Dear Phil Simpson,

Islington refuse to communicate ,going onto Consumer Direct who comply with the illegal , using false facts blaming.
As automate with strings of numbers find more & more difficult & stress has directly caused cardiac arrest.If had social worker system wouldn't dare do??!! Or is this reason don't want to do? The LA
registered me dishonestly as mentally disabled rather than physically in order not to address official complaint Discrimination many areas of LA - trading standards was one.
Dyspraxia diagnosed 2002 on MA . DSA given during these years BA ,without assistance.Also most organisations using DATA PROTECTION inapprtopriately NB have legal expert witness working collaboratively receiving same rudeness & blaming .
Have lost £1000s due to fraud complied with by trading standards, Courts & VISA & Police - call centres ??? LA has no social services accessible use the unqualified to illegally assess [] no discretion]

Used to find Trading Standards marvellous as knew their patch had managers with authority discretion & knew right and wrong.

MOTOBILITY CHARITY - DLA refusing to assess or give assistance as backlog & needed urgent help . Same happened with CH heating GRANTS & boiler with design fault[NB WATCHDOG] & Insurance company neglecting over 2 weeks in freezing cold refusing to pay in retrospect with Charities Commission complying using marketting call centre approach .

VIRGIN cancelled tickets re Private Health care canceling operation after moving to Manchester then couldn't find tickets [ India refused to address] - DYSPRAXIC - LOCATION When found still ignored . Involves carers ticket too from Leeds .

FINANCIAL PROBLEMS at moment

NATIONWIDE & VISA Call centre rigid approach of CALL CENTRES keeping DEBIT & CREDIT separate when have more than enough in DEBIT & need insurance factor of the credit. Not recognising FRAUD or able to investigate competently siding with biggest bank account/
Bank registered 2 cheques as a result gave accomodation when took money back weeks later.If have to go to legal person need compensation for time taken and costs.

LATEST
INTERNET
AMAZON water heater that didn't heat - refused to register
SNAPFISH/TRUPRINT - VISA not recognisiung faulty goods issue defrauding with them.

HANDYMAN COMPANY - sending in DEBT COLLECTORS £!7 when did not sort problem .Had to replace toilet only 3/4 yrs old by another workman . paid half as had come out.Told what to do when Courts say not presenting properly [ dyspraxic] and throw out. Wasting hours contributing to cardiac arrest .

So request Internal Review with Official not on remit or contract with authority.& expert witness to prove as still left in very stressful position now not daring to call as most so rude waste of time.

Yours sincerely,

Julie Shrive

Julie Shrive (Account suspended) left an annotation ()

This person is not going to address fairly as on a remit/contract following procedures they maladministrate in a call centre colluding with the villains . Is this what tax payers want??!! All call centres now disregard disability - decent- democratic?

nutty (Account suspended) left an annotation ()

As the applicant is dyspraxic, perhaps it would be a good idea to get her 'legal expert' to compose her FOI requests for her.

Julie Shrive (Account suspended) left an annotation ()

Are you going to pay or do you think it is funny having no disability assistance in a democracy. Your nickname is so apt. Maybe you need a brain overhall so your understanding is not tainted .

nutty (Account suspended) left an annotation ()

It's a suggestion made politely. Why the personal abuse?

Angel left an annotation ()

Julie

I think you should take Nutty's suggestion: Ask someone to help you rewrite your request so it is more structured and based on facts.

You appear to be taking out your frustrations on people who are trying to help you resolve your query.

Phil Simpson, Office of Fair Trading

Dear Ms Shrive,

Thank you for your email of 30 June 2009.

From this further correspondence, I understand that you are seeking an internal review. To clarify, as you do not appear to have made a request for information to the OFT, your case is not being handled under the Freedom of Information Act. Therefore, an internal review is not appropriate in this instance.

However, in reading your email, I do note that you still require some assistance in relation to a number of problems that you have encountered. These relate to a mobility charity, Virgin, Nationwide, Amazon, a local handyman company and some financial problems. If I understand correctly, I believe that you may have contacted Consumer Direct on some of these issues, but not all of them. I note that some of these issues are outside of the remit of Consumer Direct and I understand that you are now seeking a face to face meeting to discuss all of these problems in person.

Consumer Direct is a Government funded national telephone and online advice service providing clear, practical consumer advice. The service is set up to offer first action and next step advice to consumers. The service does not offer face to face advice. Instead, face to face advice is provided by partner services which include Trading Standards Services (TSS) and Citizen's Advice.

If I understand the situation correctly, I am sorry to learn that Islington TSS are not willing to meet with you in person. Consumer Direct has no power over any TSS to force them to meet with an individual member of the public. If Islington TSS have decided that they will not meet with you, I am afraid we will not be able to influence their decision.

In looking to help you resolve your problems, I note that you would prefer to speak with someone face to face to gain advice and support. As Islington TSS are not able to provide that service to you in this instance, may I suggest that you consider talking to your local Citizen's Advice Bureau instead. Citizen's Advice are able to provide face to face advice to members of the public on a wide array of issues including all of the problems that you are currently experiencing. It would appear that contacting your local Citizen's Advice bureau may be the best course of action for you to get the face to face advice that you seek.

In order to help you contact your local Citizen's Advice bureau, I have provided a link to the Citizen's Advice website for you (below). On the website home page there is an option to search for your local bureau. I have also provided the Dalston Citizen's Advice bureau details for your reference; as I believe they may be the nearest bureau to Islington that provide a face to face advice service.

Citizen's Advice website: http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/index.htm

Dalston Citizen's Advice details:

Dalston (East End) Citizen's Advice Bureau,
491 - 493 Kingsland Road,
Hackney,
London, E8 4AU.
Tel: 0844 499 1195
http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/bureau_...

I trust that this information may prove useful to you in resolving the problems that you are facing at this time.

Yours sincerely,

Phil Simpson

Phil Simpson | Service Integration and Development Manager, Consumer Direct | Office of Fair Trading
Fleetbank House | 2-6 Salisbury Square | London EC4Y 8JX | www.oft.gov.uk

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