Consumer
Organizations
If you
need further advice or help on online ordering you can call
Consumer Direct in the UK on 08454 04 05 06.
There are also international
bodies that could become involved if you have a problem when
buying from abroad. Please let them know if you do have a
complaint - it might also help other people in the future.
European Consumer Infocentres
A total of 13 infocentres provide advice and assistance on
how to resolve EU cross-border consumer complaints. You can
find infocentres in France, Luxembourg, Spain, Ireland, Austria,
Germany, Finland, Belgium, Sweden and Portugal. In the UK,
the infocentre service is provided through the Citizens
Advice Bureau.
European Extra-Judicial Network
(EEJ Net)
This network for settling unresolved consumer disputes out
of court will make it easier for consumers to seek redress
in disputes with suppliers from another country in the European
Union, as well as in Norway and Iceland. The pilot phase of
the EEJ Net
was launched on 16 October 2001.
Each participating country -
including the UK - has set up a central contact point, or
clearing house. Here, consumers can obtain information and
assistance in accessing existing out-of-court alternative
dispute resolution (ADR) systems in another participating
country. Please note that if you take your complaint to an
alternative dispute resolution body, you may not later be
able to go to court if you are unhappy with the outcome. Check
before you formally refer your dispute to the ADR body.
The UK clearing house is the
National Association
of Citizens Advice Bureaux. Tel: 01902 310 568.
International Consumer Protection
and Enforcer Network (ICPEN)
The Office of Fair Trading
is a member of the ICPEN, a global network of national consumer
protection agencies. Although the ICPEN does not usually help
individual consumers, it has set up a system to help the voluntary
settlement of relatively small cross border disputes. Where
the supplier is based outside the European Union, it is possible
for the Office of Fair Trading
to pass on suitable individual consumer complaints (a special
complaint form is available) to the relevant overseas agency.
The complaint form will then be forwarded to the business
in question for a response.
Office of Fair Trading
International & UK Liaison
Consumer Regulation Enforcement Division
Fleetbank House
2-6 Salisbury Square
London EC4Y 8JX
Econsumer.gov
A complaint about an overseas internet business can be registered
at econsumer.gov, an international consumer complaint database
maintained by the US Federal Trade Commission. Your information
can help the authorities to crack down on dishonest internet
traders in the future. Your complaint will be accessible to
participating government law enforcement agencies. Most participating
agencies cannot take up individual complaints - you should
carefully read how they might use your details. The site also
provides general information about consumer protection in
all participating countries and contact information for consumer
protection bodies in those countries.
The countries involved are Australia,
Canada, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway,
South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, the USA and the UK. The
econsumer site is only intended for cross-border complaints.
If your complaint is about a UK online business, you should
contact either the OFT or your local trading standards authority.
Internet service provider
If you made the link to the seller via an internet service
provider (ISP), you could ask them for help. Check that your
ISP is a member of the Internet Service Providers Association
(ISPA). The ISPA is a trade association representing approximately
85 per cent of internet services providers in the UK. ISPA
has developed a code of practice that all ISPA members must
comply with. It addresses service quality and illegal material
on the Internet.
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