Generally consumer information in the UK is gleaned from articles in newspapers, magazines and in the public social media. In fact it is very easy to find ‘how to’ advice in video format on just about any subject these days. So if the instructions with any article purchased are not quite clear enough, there will be help available on a video platform. However, if something goes wrong and you have problems with the unit, if the supplier fails to address the issue, the manufacturer should be consulted for their expert advice. If after these consultatons, the response is not helpful, then the only recourse is to find the nearest Citizens Advice bureau. These are small offices, usually in the local high street or town hall, manned primarily by volunteers who are specifically trained to be able to answer a variety of questions concerning consumer law. They can advise on how to approach the supplier again or the manufacturer and if these still don’t work, then they can help with taking the company to court. Depending on the price of the item, this could involve the small claims court and the citizens advice staff will have information on how to start a claim. They will also advise the would be claimant to first check whether their household insurance policy has legal protection as one of the benefits of cover. This will make all the difference to a claim, as having the services of a legal team to check whether the problem would stand up in court, and therefore be worth their time and expenditure in supporting it through to setttlement or a win, will obviously be beneficial.
