London,
10
September
2018
|
12:18
Europe/London

Consumer protection highlighted in London-wide Trading Standards week

Camden Council’s Trading Standards are joining forces with London Trading Standards (LTS), the body that represents the capital’s 33 local trading standards services, to undertake a weeklong consumer protection campaign in the borough.

Starting on Monday 10 September, the aim of the project is to raise awareness among consumers and businesses.

Councillor Richard Olszewski, Cabinet Member for Finance & Transformation
“This campaign will focus on a range of issues that that can be found in Camden, and further afield across the capital.

“With the breadth of work conducted by Trading Standards teams in London, each day of the campaign will showcase different areas of work including product safety, scams, second-hand goods, housing, and under-age sales.

“In Camden, Trading Standards officers will be highlighting three particular local priority areas of work; scams and doorstep crime, ‘rogue’ letting agents and protecting young people from harm.”
Councillor Richard Olszewski, Cabinet Member for Finance & Transformation

In 2017, the council launched Camden’s first No Cold Calling Zone, in Haverstock. The zone was set up in partnership with the police and the local communities on target roads, which had been the target of rogue traders, pressure sales tactics, and distraction burglaries.

As part of the week’s event, the council will be giving a talk about its work to protect vulnerable residents at Age UK, along with the police and Victim Support. This will take place at 11am, Tuesday 11 September at Great Croft Resource Centre, Cromer Street WC1H 8LF, and is open to all.

Another local priority issue that Camden will be highlighting, is the work taken to tackle non-compliant ‘rogue’ letting agents. Camden has more than 600 letting agents operating in the borough, which the council work with to ensure fair and proper practice is in place. However, there are some landlords who still fail to comply with the laws and Camden is the most active council in London when it comes to taking action against rogue landlords and letting agents.

For this day’s theme Camden are promoting a new poster (Pat’s Flat) explaining tenants’ rights.

The final Camden theme of the week showcases Trading Standards role in protecting young people from harm. This is undertaken by carrying out underage sales enforcement for products such as knives, alcohol and tobacco (including illegal tobacco).

The team work closely with Public Health and the council’s licensing team to share intelligence, with enforcement work leading to reviewing and revoking licences, as well as outright prosecution, and will be out and about in the borough, attempting to buy related products (test purchases) using a trained and accompanied minor.

Councillor Richard Olszewski, Cabinet Member for Finance & Transformation
“This week is just a snapshot of some of the excellent work that our trading standards officers do to protect consumers.

“For a small team, that has more than 200 Acts to enforce, they demonstrate successfully by working together with other partners, that they are an effective team across the wide range of areas that they cover.” 
Councillor Richard Olszewski, Cabinet Member for Finance & Transformation