 Trading Standards - What we do
The overall objective of the Trading Standards team is to protect the public and maintain a fair and safe trading environment within the London Borough of Wandsworth.
Our staff routinely visit and inspect trading premises in the borough to ensure that the various fair trading laws are complied with, they also follow up complaints made by the public. Any inspections and actions taken are carried out in accordance with our enforcement policy.
How to contact us
Phone: 020 8871 7720 (9am to 5pm)
Fax: 020 8871 7702
Visit (for consumer complaints and enquiries): www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/contact?action=complain
Email (for other matters): tradingstandards@wandsworth.gov.uk
Write to:
Trading Standards Office,
Environmental Services and Community Safety Division
PO Box 47095
London, SW18 9AQ
Chief Trading Standards Officer: Les Eames
Email: leames@wandsworth.gov.uk
Admin. Co-ordinator: Kathryn Leighton-Johnson
Phone: 020 8871 6160
Enforcement
Legislation enforced by the team covers the following areas of activity.
- Weights and measures
- Misdescriptions of goods and services
- Product safety
- Misleading price indications
- Consumer credit
- Under-age sales of goods, e.g. cigarettes, videos, fireworks
- Counterfeiting and trade marks infringements
- Licensing and registration of sex shops, and premises storing fireworks or poisons
Business advice
We recognise that most businesses want to comply with the law. We therefore take care to help businesses meet their legal obligations without unnecessary expense.
By means of a large range of Trader Guidance Notes and other leaflets we aim to provide information and advice in plain language on the laws we enforce. You may find these leaflets useful to your business, and they can be downloaded and printed free of charge by visiting the website of the London Trading Standards Authorities.
 Consumer complaints and enquiries
Advice and support for consumers in Wandsworth is now provided by Consumer Direct London.
Consumer Direct is a telephone and online consumer advice service, which is supported by local authorities in London and by the Office of Fair Trading.
Consumer Direct provides clear, practical consumer advice to help consumers sort out their problems and disagreements with suppliers of goods or services. From overcharging to faulty goods, and dodgy workmanship to reporting dishonest traders and scams, Consumer Directs' trained advisers are ready to offer individual solutions for individual problems. Consumer Direct works in partnership with Trading Standards and with Consumer Support Networks, providing first level advice and information on a wide range of consumer problems. And what's more, the advice is free.
Where a complaint relates to criminal legislation enforced by Trading Standards then Consumer Direct will refer details of the complaint to Trading Standards for further investigation.
To speak to a Consumer Direct adviser, please call 08454 04 05 06. (Minicom users should call on 08451 28 13 84).
Please visit www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/contact?action=complain to contact Consumer Direct via the Consumer Direct website.
A wide range of consumer information and advice is also available online from the Consumer Direct website at www.consumerdirect.gov.uk.
 TrustMark is a new scheme supported by Government, the building industry and consumer groups to help you find reliable and trustworthy tradespeople to make improvements and repairs to your home. Visit www.trustmark.org.uk to search for trade associations and other organisations that have been approved. They can supply you with reputable builders, electricians, roofers, heating engineers and other tradespeople that meet certain standards the Government has set.
If you wish to tip us off about a con operating locally then you can report it to us, anonymously if you wish, by visiting the Rip-off Tip-off website at www.ripofftipoff.net.
Another site, www.ConsumerRightsExpert.co.uk, provides expert advice on your rights as a consumer on a wide range of topics.
 Illegal money lending
In order to tackle the problems of illegal money lending across London a specialist team has been set up to target loan sharks. They normally target the elderly, and those on a tight budget. Failure to pay may lead to harassment, threats and intimidation. The Illegal Money Lending Team will help combat such activities and also ensure that victims can receive access to appropriate financial and advice support services. To contact the team, in confidence, phone 020 7364 6886, or e-mail sharkbait@lotsa.org.uk, or text: Shark Bait (+ your message) and send to 60003.
 Trading Standards is also able to offer consumers and tourists to London advice on a range of topics which can be obtained by visiting the website of London Trading Standards Authorities at www.lotsa.org.uk
LoTSA has also produced a toolkit for community groups to help tackle problems which are of particular concern to vulnerable consumers, who often turn to the local community for vital help and advice on consumer issues. This toolkit, which consists of several fact sheets about consumer rights and what to do in the event of a problem, can be viewed by downloading the pdf below.
 LoTSA consumer toolkit (2.7 mb)
We also stock a number of consumer advice leaflets which are available on request.
 View a list of available leaflets
Links to other web sites
Further useful information on consumer issues may be found on the following sites:
- Consumer Direct
To obtain clear, practical consumer advice, or to register a consumer complaint.
- London Trading Standards Authorities
The website for all Trading Standards sections across Greater London with useful advice leaflets and other online services.
- Trading Standards Central
Find your nearest Trading Standards office.
- Rip-off tip-off
Tip off Trading Standards to cons operating in your area.
- ConsumerRightsExpert
A central resource for advice on consumer rights and how to use them.
- Adviceguide
The website of the Citizens Advice Bureaux for up-to-date independent advice on a wide range of issues.
- Community Legal Advice
The website of Community Legal Advice. The organisation aims to ensure that people in England and Wales can get impartial information and advice about their legal rights and help with enforcing them.
The site is published in a range of languages to ensure access to the whole community.
- Age Concern
Website providing support for all people over 50 in the UK.
- Advertising Standards Authority
- Office of Fair Trading
- LACORS
Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services. |
