Trading with a consumer

Published: January 0001

Pages: 11

BESA Product Code: LC 42

The law for companies trading with consumers has recently undergone a simplification. Most member consumer (domestic) contracts will now be regulated by three important series of provisions: The Consumer Rights Act 2016, The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 and the Alternative Dispute Regulations (ADR) 2015. This simplification makes it easier for consumers to enforce the provisions of this act.
When a consumer contracts with a BESA or ECA member/Trader “member” for works to be carried out, the member is required to formally notify the consumer that any resulting contract will benefit from a 14 day-cooling-off cancellation period. If the consumer and member fall into dispute, the member is required to formally advise the consumer that they can refer the matter to a low cost means of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).

 The Forms and documents referred to in this are available from both the Associations’ websites.