Consumer rights CHECK YOUR ENGLISH VOCABULARY FOR LAW

CHECK YOUR ENGLISH VOCABULARY FOR LAW

Consumer rights

Many countries have legislation in place to protect the rights of consumers. In Britain, they are protected by laws such as the Sale of Goods Act, the Supply of Goods and Services Act, the Distance Selling Regulations, the Consumer Protection Act and the Consumer Credit Act. Exercise 1: Here is a summary of some of the key points from these laws, and some other information which consumers might find useful. Complete the paragraphs with words and expressions from the box. 1. accurate description 2. as described 3. cooling-off period 4. credit card fraud 5. credit voucher 6. defective 7. delivery arrangements 8. fit for purpose 9. give a refund 10. guarantee or warranty 11. opt out of 12. proof of purchase 13. receipt 14. responsibilities and liabilities 15. satisfactory quality 16. unsolicited mail 17. unsolicited telemarketing 18. wear and tear 19. within a reasonable time 20. written confirmation Providers of goods and services (including credit providers and hire companies) all have ____________ towards the customer which are aimed at protecting the customer and his / her rights. When you buy goods, they must be of ____________: the condition they are in should match your expectations based on the price you paid. They should also be '____________' (in other words, they must match the description made by the provider and / or the manufacturer), and they must be '____________' (they should do what you expect them to do). All goods must carry a ____________ in case they go wrong or do not meet your expectations. If you need to return goods a shop or other supplier, you should do so ____________: many shops and suppliers specify their own limit, usually 28 days, and can refuse to do anything if there is evidence of unreasonable ____________ (signs that the goods have been used more than is normal or for a purpose for which they were not designed). If you take goods back to a shop, they are entitled to ask for ____________, such as a ____________, a credit card slip, etc, that shows you actually bought the goods from them. Many shops may refuse (illegally, if the product you have bought is faulty or ____________) to ____________, and instead of returning your money will offer you a ____________ to use in that shop at a later date. Where goods or services are ordered on the Internet, on-line shops should offer their customers a ____________ after they have ordered them, in case the customer decides to suddenly cancel their order. On-line shops should give the customer an ____________ of the goods being sold, and clearly state the price, ____________ and options (how and when the customer can expect to receive their goods, whether there is an extra charge for postage, etc). On-line shops should also protect customers against ____________, and should allow customers to ____________ receiving further information and ____________, ____________ or unsolicited email. They should also send the customer ____________ of their order (often in the form of an email sent after the order has been placed). Exercise 2: Instructions as above. 1. claim for compensation 2. claim form 3. County Court 4. in your favour 5. issue the proceedings 6. make a claim 7. poor workmanship 8. preliminary hearing 9. reasonable care and skill 10. reasonable charge 11. received satisfaction 12. serves the claim 13. Small Claims 14. specified period If a service is being provided (for example, a mobile phone contract), and there is a ____________ for the contract, this must be clearly stated by the provider. If you buy faulty goods with a credit card, and those goods cost over £100, you have an equal ____________ against the seller of the goods and the credit card company. Where a service such as the repair of a car is being provided, it should be done with ____________ (an unsatisfactory standard of work or general ____________ should not be accepted by the customer) for a ____________ (the customer should not have to pay an excessive amount of money) and within a reasonable time. If you need to ____________ against a shop, company or other provider, because you have not ____________ from that shop, company, etc, you can do so through the ____________. For claims of less than £5,000 the ____________ procedure should be useful. The process is very simple: after completing a ____________, you ask the court to ____________. The court then ____________ on the company or other provider. Assuming the company responds within the specified time limit, there will be a ____________. Later, there will be a main hearing where hopefully the judge will decide ____________.

 

ANSWER KEY

Consumer rights (pages 11 – 12) Here are the completed paragraphs: Exercise 1: Providers of goods and services (including credit providers and hire companies) all have responsibilities and liabilities towards the customer which are aimed at protecting the customer and his / her rights. When you buy goods, they must be of satisfactory quality: the condition they are in should match your expectations based on the price you paid. They should also be 'as described' (in other words, they must match the description made by the provider and / or the manufacturer), and they must be 'fit for purpose' (they should do what you expect them to do). All goods must carry a guarantee or warranty in case they go wrong or do not meet your expectations. If you need to return goods to a shop or other supplier, you should do so within a reasonable time: many shops and suppliers specify their own limit, usually 28 days, and can refuse to do anything if there is evidence of unreasonable wear and tear (signs that the goods have been used more than is normal or for a purpose for which they were not designed). If you take goods back to a shop, they are entitled to ask for proof of purchase, such as a receipt, a credit card slip, etc, that shows you actually bought the goods from them. Many shops may refuse (illegally, if the product you have bought is faulty or defective) to give a refund, and instead of returning your money will offer you a credit voucher to use in that shop at a later date. Where goods or services are ordered on the Internet, on-line shops should offer their customers a cooling-off period after they have ordered them, in case the customer decides to suddenly cancel their order. On-line shops should give the customer an accurate description of the goods being sold, and clearly state the price, delivery arrangements and options (how and when the customer can expect to receive their goods, whether there is an extra charge for postage, etc). On-line shops should also protect customers against credit card fraud, and should allow customers to opt out of receiving further information and unsolicited telemarketing, unsolicited mail or unsolicited email. They should also send the customer written confirmation of their order (often in the form of an email sent after the order has been placed). Exercise 2: If a service is being provided (for example, a mobile phone contract), and there is a specified period for the contract, this must be clearly stated by the provider. If you buy faulty goods with a credit card, and those goods cost over £100, you have an equal claim for compensation against the seller of the goods and the credit card company. Where a service such as the repair of a car is being provided, it should be done with reasonable care and skill (an unsatisfactory standard of work or general poor workmanship should not be accepted by the customer) for a reasonable charge (the customer should not have to pay an excessive amount of money) and within a reasonable time. If you need to make a claim against a shop, company or other provider, because you have not received satisfaction from that shop, company, etc, you can do so through the County Court. For claims of less than £5,000, the Small Claims procedure should be useful. The process is very simple: after completing a claim form, you ask the court to issue the proceedings. The court then serves the claim on the company or other provider. Assuming the company responds within the specified time limit, there will be a preliminary hearing. Later, there will be a main hearing where hope