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: 12 September 2010
Having problems reading this email? Click here to view it in your browser Financial jargon deadline extended / Estyniad i ddyddiad cau dryswch geiriol ariannol The deadline to send your examples of financial jargon to our panel has been extended to September 24. Consumer Focus Wales is asking consumers to tell us about their experiences [...]
Published: 7 September 2010
Wales’ first Welsh Language Commissioner will only succeed if they are a good listener – that’s the warning from Consumer Focus Wales, as they launch a new report looking at consumer attitudes to Welsh language services. Gwasaniaithau: Consumers and the Welsh Language looks at the attitudes of Welsh speaking consumers towards the services they receive in both the public and private sectors and makes a series of recommendations for the proposed Welsh Language Commissioner.
Published: 2 September 2010
Strictly embargoed until 00.01 hours Thursday 2 September 2010 Welcoming today’s announcement by Ofgem of an investigation into doorstep and telephone energy sales practices by four of the ‘Big Six’ energy suppliers, Ceri Williams, Senior Policy Advocate at Consumer Focus Wales, said: ‘This is a welcome step by Ofgem to address years of customers getting [...]
Published: 5 August 2010
Having problems reading this email? Click here to view it in your browser Support our campaign for safer food / Cefnogwch ein ymgyrch am fwyd diogelach Consumer Focus Wales has launched a campaign to call on the Food Standards Agency to issue guidance to food businesses to make sure that they always use separate equipment [...]
Published: 3 August 2010
‘Our research shows there may be a ‘ticking time bomb’ in terms of people’s ability to cope financially over the coming months. There are already signs that consumers might be overstretching themselves.’
Published: 30 July 2010
Consumers are being put at risk because the law is unclear on whether food businesses can use the same equipment for preparing raw and ready-to-eat foods Consumer Focus Wales has warned. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is asking for people’s views on new draft guidance to make it clear to food businesses that they must [...]
Published: 29 July 2010
Welsh energy consumers who take more than ten days to pay their bills face being penalised by more than £100 a year by a leading supplier – Consumer Focus Wales has learned. Wales’ Consumer champion is challenging ScottishPower –the main electricity supplier in North Wales – to change its ways, after learning that consumers are being [...]
Published: 26 July 2010
Consumer Focus Wales is calling on consumers to tell us about their experiences of financial gobbledygook in a bid to pressurise banks and other financial providers to make life easier for consumers. A survey for Consumer Focus Wales shows that almost two-thirds of people in Wales (65 per cent) admit they find the language used in [...]
Published: 20 July 2010
A new code of conduct for heating fuel suppliers could go a long way to tackling some of the disadvantages faced by people whose homes aren’t connected to the Gas network, according to Wales’ leading consumer organisation. New research by Consumer Focus Wales shows that people who live off the gas network face higher costs [...]
Published: 13 July 2010
Consumers off the gas network in Wales / Defnyddwyr oddi ar y rhwydwaith nwy yng Nghymru Energy consumers who are not connected to the mains gas network face a series of disadvantages. They tend to pay more to heat their home and so are more likely to find themselves in fuel poverty. Consumer Focus [...]
Published: 23 May 2012
In a new report Consumer Focus argues that credit union services should be expanded by offering them through the UK’s post office network. The watchdog’s research1 shows a third of consumers (34 per cent overall and 40 per cent of those on lower incomes) would be interested in joining a credit union, but two-thirds of [...]
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: 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: 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: 30 April 2012
A new report ‘A front office for government services’ by Consumer Focus Post, the postal consumer champion in Northern Ireland (NI), says post offices could and should be providing more key government services. This would have dual benefits of improving access to services for consumers and increasing the sustainability of the post office network that [...]
Published: 27 March 2012
Responding to the news of stamp prices announced today, Kellin McCloskey, Head of Postal Policy at Consumer Focus Post said: ‘This is not great news for consumers. 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
A new report published today by Consumer Focus Post – called ‘Letter Lockout’1 - explores the nature and extent of mail delivery problems experienced by consumers living in flats across Northern Ireland. While most residents of flats express high levels of satisfaction with their postal service provided by Royal Mail, the new findings also reveal [...]
Published: 9 March 2012
Responding to Post Office Limited’s plans for a network transformation programme which will turn 6,000 branches across the UK, including Northern Ireland, into Post Office ‘Locals’ and ‘Mains’1, Kellin McCloskey, Head of Postal Policy, Consumer Focus Post said: ‘The Post Office network needs to be put on a firm footing for the future, so it [...]
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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