Trading standards

What we do

• Advise consumers via Consumer Direct about their legal rights
• Advise traders about their legal responsibilities
• Make regular routine visits to trading premises to check on compliance with current law and check weighing and measuring equipment for accuracy
• Investigate complaints concerning trading practices which may offend against the law
• Monitor the marketplace for dangerous products and illegal trading methods
• When necessary, pursue breaches of criminal legislation through the Courts.

Advice leaflets

We have a number of information leaflets, which are available free of charge. They will provide you with vital information about the goods and services you buy and use. All the trading standards advice leaflets are available on the Southend Trading Standards website.

Need to know about your shopping rights?

The Office of Fair Trading produce several useful leaflets for consumers, these include:

• A Shopper's Guide - information about faulty goods and services, and what to do when things go wrong.
• Home Improvements - this publication explains about simple contracts when you want work done at home, and lists the various organisations that can be of assistance.
• Buying a Used Car? - this booklet is a must if you intend to purchase a second hand car, either from a dealer or by private sale.
• Doorstep selling - know where you stand with the do's and don'ts about buying from doorstep sellers.
• Shoppers factsheets - which can give assistance on buying and repairing shoes, buying by post, paying in advance, using a pawnbroker, buying on the Internet.

You can download these leaflets from the Office of Fair Trading website.