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A Surrey County Council investigation has uncovered a market in deadly car seats that can kill a child at just 30mph. The council’s trading standards team is warning families of young children not to buy the illegal seats, which are imported from China and fail all UK safety standards. Crash testing done by Britax shows … Continue reading
A Surrey pensioner scammed out of more than £200,000 over 56 years has been dubbed a national hero for speaking out to help others. Sylvia Kneller hit the headlines in January after revealing she paid around £100 a week in deposits for phoney prizes to lottery or horoscope tricksters until Surrey County Council trading standards … Continue reading
The number of Surrey victims of websites overcharging for documents like passports has trebled in half a year. Between January and May, more than 150 people in Surrey paid unnecessary fees to official-looking copycat websites. In the whole of 2013, around 50 Surrey residents were duped. Surrey victims have paid £19,000 to copycat websites so … Continue reading
Potentially life-threatening cosmetics have been seized by Surrey County Council as part of one of the UK’s largest-ever hauls of its kind. The 752-kilo cargo taken by trading standards officers at Heathrow Airport includes more than 1,000 cosmetic items, from creams to lotions, containing a skin bleaching ingredient – hydroquinone – that is banned in … Continue reading
Scammers and con artists targeting Surrey and Buckinghamshire residents face a stronger crackdown under proposals to team up the counties’ trading standards services. Both county councils’ trading standards services are developing proposals to team up to protect the public even more against consumer rip-offs and to support local businesses. If the plans are approved by … Continue reading
The county council’s trading standards team has linked up with a national body to simplify rules for local shopkeepers and encourage economic growth. For more information, click here to visit the Association of Convenience Stores press release.
Surrey County Council Trading Standards will feature on ITV’s Hunting the Doorstep Connmen programme tomorrow night (30 July). The programme, which airs on ITV1 between 9pm and 10pm, follows Raith Bennett as he goes about his work. In June, Surrey’s consumer champions revealed they had prevented unsuspecting victims being conned out of almost £40,000 in … Continue reading
Steve Playle from Surrey County Council Trading Standards gives his reaction to the news that energy company SSE has been fined £10.5 million by energy regulator Ofgem. You can read a statement on the subject from Surrey County Council Trading Standards here.
Steve Playle, Surrey County Council Trading Standards Investigations and Enforcement Manager, said: “We’re pleased Ofgem has finally taken action, but as far as we and consumers are concerned this is two years too late. “Surrey County Council Trading Standards made history in May 2011 when we won a landmark prosecution against SSE for using misleading … Continue reading
A healthy eating scheme aimed at promoting nutritious food when dining out has welcomed its 150th member. The Cafeology at Godalming Leisure Centre, was named as the latest recipient of Surrey County Council Trading Standards’ Eat Out Eat Well award. The eatery was honoured during a presentation at the cafe on Wednesday, 6 February, by … Continue reading
Surrey County Council has taken action to protect young people from skin cancer, as NHS figures reveal the county is a malignant melanoma hotspot. According to the NHS’s latest Surrey health profile, cases of malignant melanoma in the county are ‘significantly higher’ than the UK average with 168 incidents in the county each year. Surrey’s … Continue reading
Surrey County Council’s efforts to protect vulnerable people from doorstep crime have been adopted nationally. As part of National Consumer Week (November 12 to 18), the Trading Standards Institute launched its ‘no cold calling super sign’ which tells doorstep callers to leave and not return. The sign is based on Surrey County Council Trading Standards … Continue reading
An elderly dementia sufferer pressured into paying £7,000 on a 15-year contract for a ‘free’ burglar alarm has got her money back, thanks to consumer champions at Surrey County Council Trading Standards. Nesta Hollis, 77, from Esher, Surrey, was recovering from two strokes when she became one of the hundreds of thousands of people a … Continue reading
Older and disabled people can now avoid the cowboys and find care firms they can trust to provide support at home thanks to a Surrey County Council scheme. The council’s adult social care service and trading standards team have launched a Support with Confidence initiative with the Surrey Independent Living Council. It is being run … Continue reading
A crack team of consumer champions has stopped conmen ripping off unsuspecting victims to the tune of £1.25 million since it was formed. In the last financial year alone, Surrey County Council Trading Standard’s rapid action team (RAT) prevented victims handing over almost £120,000 to rogue traders. The team is on standby to provide a … Continue reading
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