Consumer complaints continue to rise

Complaints about substandard goods and services are rising according to Consumer Direct.

The Government-funded consumer advice service, managed by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), said it received more than one and a half million calls last year and logged 874,171 consumer complaints.

This is a rise of seven per cent on 2007. Although the majority concerned goods and services bought at trader’s premises, complaints about online purchases (11 per cent) are up; as are telephone purchases.

But Consumer Direct’s research is only the tip of the iceberg. Research published by OFT in April 2008 found that people in the UK experienced more than 26 million consumer problems a year.

Michele Shambrook, Operations Manager for Consumer Direct said: “Many millions of people are losing out financially from substandard goods and services but very often consumers do have routes for redress. Finding out about your rights is the first step to claiming the refunds, repairs and replacements you may be entitled to.'”

Most complaints received by Consumer Direct concerned second-hand cars bought from dealers.

But mobile phone service agreements came a close second with 31,267 complaints, followed by problems with TVs (up nearly three per cent at 20,313). Complaints about internet service providers were up over five per cent on 2007 with 14,246 cases logged.

Each case recorded by Consumer Direct, which has offices in England, Wales and Scotland (Northern Ireland has its own service called ConsumerLine on 08456 00 62 62) helps build a picture of the areas causing most concern to consumers.

This data is then used by local authority Trading Standards Services and the OFT.

Complaints to Consumer Direct in 2007 2008 Percentage calendar years 2007 and 2008 difference

Second hand cars purchased from 41,880 47,019 12.27%
independent dealers

Mobile Phones (service agreements) 34,679 31,267 -9.84%

TVs 19,744 20,313 2.88%

Mobile Phones (hardware) 17,760 20,159 13.51%

Car repairs and servicing from 15,253 16,176 6.05%
independent garages

Second hand cars purchased from 13,322 15,230 14.32%
franchise dealers

Upholstered furniture 14,024 14,530 3.61%

Women's clothing 11,732 14,390 22.66%

Internet Service Providers 13,536 14,246 5.25%

Leather furniture 11,567 12,979 12.21%

Total complaints 819,815 874,171 6.63%

NB: Information captured by Consumer Direct is provided as given by
the consumer. No opinion on the truth or verification of facts has
been made by the Consumer Direct service.

www.consumerdirect.gov.uk