Trading Standards
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Jan-Feb 2001 July-Aug 2001	What do Trading Standards do ? What service can be expected from the Consumer Advice Centre ? What can the Trading Standards Enforcement Section do ? Your Checklist for dealing with Trading Standards. Where can Trading Standards be contacted ?
	What Trading Stadards do The Trading Standards Service consists of two sections. The first section, and the one that most of our customers will contact first, is the Consumer Advice Centre. The second section is the Trading Standards Enforcement Section.
	The service you can expect from the Consumer Advice Centre The Advice Centre is staffed by two Fair Trading Officers and a receptionist. The role of the Fair Trading Officer is to offer advice to consumers and traders alike regarding the laws relating to the sale of goods and supply of services. They deal with civil law such as the Sale of Goods Act. The Fair Trading Officers cannot take Court action for you but they can advise you regarding your rights and what action you can take. If there appear to be breaches of criminal law, the Fair Trading Officers can refer your complaint to the Trading Standards Enforcement Section. In addition to the above, the Fair Trading Officers can give talks about their work to interested groups and can offer an education initiative to primary schools within Salford.
	What the Trading Standards Enforcement Section can do. The Enforcement Section can investigate your complaint and, where appropriate, prosecute offending traders. They cannot guarantee to gain financial compensation for you. To gain financial compensation, you would have to take a successful action in the Civil Law Courts. In cases where prosecution is not appropriate, they can offer advice to traders in an attempt to prevent further breaches of the law.
	Your Checklist for dealing with Trading Standards. We can:- Give advice to consumers and traders alike Provide you with guidance leaflets on a range of subjects Provide you with specimen letters for you to copy and send Write to a trader on your behalf and provide you with copies of those letters, if you request them Give you advice about the types of independent evidence you will need to help you prove your case Prosecute traders who break criminal laws We cannot:- Force traders to refund your money. Take action on your behalf in the Civil Law Courts.  Recommend traders to you.  Tell you how many complaints we have received against a particular trader. Pay for any independent evidence you may need to pursue a claim, where there is no evidence of a criminal offence.
	Contacting Trading Standards If you require advice from one of our Fair Trading Officers or feel that there has been a breach of criminal law, both the Advice and Enforcement Sections can be contacted, either in writing or by phone, at:-
	Environmental Services Crompton House 100 Chorley Road Swinton M27 6ES Tel: (0161) 793 2022 Fax: (0161) 793 2197 Monday - Friday, 8.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.	message forums
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