Published: 11 May 2012
Consumer Focus, the UK postal watchdog, is calling for improvements to the new Post Office Local (PO Local) model, if it is to work better for consumers. The call comes as a new report from the watchdog – ‘Open all hours’ – shows that while the new model has potential benefits, there are unresolved problems [...]
Published: 13 July 2009
The Government must end the uncertainty hanging over the postal sector following the shelving of the Postal Services Bill, Consumers Focus Post said today.
Published: 7 July 2009
Response to Business and Enterprise Select Committee report on the future of the Post Office Network
Published: 14 May 2009
Consumer Focus Post has today welcomed the Finance Minister, Nigel Dodd’s plan to provide rate relief for post offices in Northern Ireland. This proposal will see post offices in Northern Ireland benefit from a similar rate relief scheme that is already in place in other areas of the UK.
Published: 6 May 2009
Debate over private stake in Royal Mail
Published: 23 April 2009
News article on Post Office current account
Published: 27 January 2009
A new consumer champion is set to be revealed today at Parliament Buildings. Consumer Focus Post will represent all postal consumers across Northern Ireland to ensure that they receive a fair deal.
Published: 16 December 2008
Consumer Focus Post response to Hooper Review
Published: 14 November 2008
Consumer Focus Post welcomes POCA decision as step in the right direction
Published: 10 November 2008
Consumer Focus Post in Northern Ireland, response to government report on POCA
Published: 1 October 2008
Press release regarding Consumer Focus’ new complaints powers
Published: 26 September 2008
A welcome message from Consumer Focus’ Chief Executive, Ed
Published: 23 May 2012
Energy Secretary Edward Davey has today published practical advice for energy consumers looking to get a better deal on their gas and electricity deals through ‘collective switching’, and guidance for organisations wanting to launch their own collective energy purchasing schemes. Businesses, consumer groups, local government groups, housing organisations, charities and energy regulator Ofgem also attended [...]
Published: 22 May 2012
Commenting on the Office of Fair Trading’s action against Wonga regarding its debt collection practices, Sarah Brooks, Director of Financial Services at Consumer Focus said: ‘Payday loan company marketing is very good at presenting the products as being easy, simple and transparent. This action by the OFT shows that beneath all the gloss, when things [...]
Published: 22 May 2012
Adam Scorer, Director of Policy and External Affairs at Consumer Focus, said: ‘Customers will clearly have had very high expectations of any firm that dubbed itself the “fifth emergency service” and Homeserve must live up to its promises. ‘It is very welcome that the FSA is investigating the accusations Homeserve faces of misselling. Homeserve has [...]
Published: 22 May 2012
Sarah Brooks, Director of Financial Services at Consumer Focus said: ‘A record increase in complaints to the Ombudsman and the high number of upholds show consumers clearly need improvements in how they are being treated by banks and insurers. Outside of PPI it is disappointing that the number of banking complaints only fell by one per [...]
Published: 22 May 2012
Commenting ahead of the publication of the draft Energy Bill today, Audrey Gallacher, Director of Energy at Consumer Focus, said: ‘The Government has a difficult and complicated challenge ahead of it in getting the Energy Bill right. It must walk a fine line between balancing the need to make our energy supply more secure and [...]
Published: 10 May 2012
Consumer watchdog sets out moves needed to make post office changes work better for customers Consumer Focus Scotland is calling for improvements to the new Post Office Local (PO Local) model, if it is to work better for consumers. The call comes as a new report from the watchdog – ‘Open all hours’ – shows [...]
Published: 11 April 2012
Responding to moves announced by the Deputy Prime Minister today (Weds 11 April) to help customers to get the best deal from their energy supplier, Trisha McAuley, Deputy Director of energy watchdog Consumer Focus Scotland, said: ‘There are some good ideas here. For example transferring customers to the best deal when their contract comes to [...]
Published: 10 April 2012
Scotland’s consumer watchdog says Community Benefit Funds from renewables can help tackle fuel poverty and improve energy efficiency Hundreds of thousands of pounds paid by renewable energy developers to local communities could be invested in improving energy efficiency and helping take thousands more Scottish homes out of fuel poverty. In a report published today, Reaping [...]
Published: 27 March 2012
Responding to the news of stamp prices announced today, Trisha McAuley, Deputy Director at Consumer Focus Scotland, said: ‘This is not great news for consumers in Scotland. I doubt anyone is going to think about the challenges facing Royal Mail when they are paying 60p for a first class stamp. Unfortunately, the economics of Royal [...]
Published: 15 March 2012
Rural residents ready for ‘switch’ to renewables 21st century heating in rural homes [Includes West Highland Housing Association Case Study] People living in rural Scotland are being encouraged to install renewable heating devices in their homes if they are not connected to the gas grid. Research by Scotland’s consumer watchdog, Consumer Focus Scotland, is to [...]
Published: 21 May 2012
Our recent research shows there is a need for change within the private rented sector, and it is pleasing to see that this need has been identified by the Welsh Government in their housing White Paper.
Published: 26 April 2012
Consumer Focus Wales is calling on park homes site owners and their representatives to work with them to help improve living conditions for residents. The consumer champion has spoken to every local authority and more than 250 park home owners across Wales. Now they are asking for site owners and [1]industry bodies to participate in [...]
Published: 11 April 2012
New proposals for changes to the consumer landscape were announced today by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. The Citizens Advice service will take on responsibility from Consumer Focus for representing consumers’ interests in unregulated sectors across Wales and England. This will leave a new, technical Regulated Industries Unit working with the energy and [...]
Published: 27 March 2012
‘There have been great strides in food safety, with the Welsh Government promising to make it law for the mandatory display of food hygiene ratings on food business premises. But we are disappointed that a year on from our last report, the Food Standards Agency food law enforcement review, commissioned by the Welsh Government, has yet to be published. It is 12 months overdue – this simply isn’t good enough for consumers in Wales.
Published: 27 March 2012
‘This is not great news for consumers... Unfortunately, the economics of Royal Mail meant that something had to give to maintain the Universal Service Obligation (USO).'
CF Labs, Consumer Focus’s online innovation department, has developed the StayPrivate website to help consumers stay in control of junk mail and cold calling. Registration is free and quick.
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