Trading Standards

The Trading Standards Service offers advice and assistance on consumer problems and ensures that traders and businesses comply with the law.

Advice on consumer issues is provided by the Citizens Advice online advice guide which contains sources of advice and guidance on a wide range of comsumer issues.

You can also get advice via the Citizen's Advice Consumer Helpline which can be reached by email or by phoning 08454 04 05 06.

Citizen's Advice handle all queries and comments regarding traders in Rotherham.  In most cases they will be able to resolve your query, however on occasions they may need to pass your request onto specialist officers in the Council's Trading Standards team. Should this happen, the officers will get in touch with you directly as soon as possible.

For more information on a variety of service standards please see our Service Standards download area.

The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations (CPRs)

The CPRs came into force on 26 May 2008 with the aim of preventing businesses that are unfair to consumers. The regulations replace a lot of consumer protection legislation including Part III of the Consumer Protection Act 1987 (which dealt with misleading prices), the majority of the Trade Descriptions Act 1968 and the Control of Misleading Advertising Regulations 1988. The CPRs cover commercial practices between traders and consumers.

For further information on the regulations, please refer to the Trading Standards website.

The purpose of the legislation we enforce is to protect consumers from fraudulent and unsafe practices and responsible businesses from unfair competition. The main aims of the service are:

• To promote and maintain a fair and safe trading environment
• To encourage confident and knowledgeable consumers through the provision of advice, information and education
• To promote and maintain the quality and competitiveness of goods and services produced by local business

What we do

The key areas covered by Trading Standards are:

• Civil Advice
• Product Safety
• Weights and Measures
• Retail
• Fair Trading

Below are some areas we cover in Trading Standards that also link wth the work of the Council's Licensing section and other regulatory bodies.

• Auction Premises
• Car Boot Sales
• Credit
• Motor Salvage Operators Guidance
• MOT Testing
• Non Medicinal Poisons
• Nursing Agencies
• Lotteries
• Petroleum Filling Stations
• Second Hand Goods
• Storage of Explosives
• Sex Establishments
• Street Trading

Other ways we can help

We have gathered together a list of useful links to helpful consumer organisations.

We enforce in a firm and fair way, embracing the principles in our General Enforcement Policy which takes into consideration the Code for Crown Prosecutors.

Last update: 31/01/2013