Trading Standards is urging householders, particularly the elderly and vulnerable, to be on their guard for rogue traders who might try to cash in on the damage caused by recent storms.
At the end of last week and over the weekend Devon, Plymouth, Torbay and Somerset was hit by a series of storms which damaged homes and property.
Now the Heart of the South West Trading Standards Service is urging householders to always reject offers of goods and services from cold callers, which could include people claiming to be tree surgeons or roofers, and other tradespeople who call...
Trading Standards has seized illegal tobacco worth more than £31,000 from six shops across Devon, Plymouth, and Somerset.
Supported by Avon & Somerset Police and Devon and Cornwall Police, officers from T he Heart of the South West Trading Standards Service used specialist detection dogs to find the tobacco in a series of raids last month (December).
Some of the tobacco was found concealed beneath floor tiles and above ceiling panels. In one instance, the tobacco was hidden in a void which lowered from the ceiling by way of a hydraulic ram platform system, operated...
Trading Standards has been nationally acclaimed for a ground-breaking project which focuses on farmers' mental health and strengthens links with rural communities.
The Heart of the Southwest Trading Standards Service (HotSW TS) covers Devon, Plymouth, Somerset, and Torbay and was awarded the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) Hero Award for best project in London this week.
On behalf of the CTSI, Exeter MP Ben Bradshaw presented the award to Nikki Rattenbury, Rebecca Barker and Samantha Younger for the Mental Health & Wellbeing in farming communities’...
Private tenants such as students looking for new digs ahead of the autumn semester are being warned not to get caught out by costly rental fees which have now been banned.
The warning, from the Heart of the Southwest Trading Standards Service, which covers Devon, Plymouth, Somerset, and Torbay, follows a recent audit carried out by the Service, of 81 lettings agents across the service area.
The Service worked in partnership with The Property Ombudsman and found that 70 per cent of the letting agents checked failed the audit because of a range of issues relating to tenant...
Devon, Plymouth, Somerset and Torbay Trading Standards Service has launched a new campaign to help prevent renters in the region being caught out by fees that have now been banned.
The law on what landlords and letting agents can charge tenants when beginning, ending or changing their contracts has changed.
It means renters can no longer be asked to pay extra for things like professional cleaning and having pets, or charged for references and credit checks.
The changes mean that there is only a limited number of fees which are still allowed by law.
Trading standards is advising online consumers in Devon to only buy from ‘reputable’ traders, and to refer to a new advice video if they experience any problems.
The new advice video has been commissioned by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) ahead of ‘Black Friday’ (Friday 27 November) and ‘Cyber Monday’, (Monday 30 November), the two big pre-Christmas shopping days this month. The COVID-19 lockdowns have led to a rise in consumer spending online and 87 per cent of UK consumers are estimated to have purchased a product online.
Devon, Somerset and Torbay Trading Standards Service is reminding residents to ‘stay home, stay safe and stay scam aware’, as new coronavirus (COVID-19) related scams continue to emerge.
Since the outbreak there has been a rise in scams exploiting the uncertainty surrounding coronavirus (COVID-19). These include medical kits that claim to prevent or cure the disease, counterfeit or unsafe medical supplies, such as hand sanitizer and swabbing kits, and financial scams, including phone calls claiming to be from your bank or mortgage provider.
Almost all accommodation providers in Devon, Somerset and Torbay have stayed shut over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend.
On March 23 the Government announced that, with very few exceptions, all hotels, bed and breakfasts, hostels, holiday rentals, campsites and boarding houses must stay closed until further notice.
Last week Trading Standards appealed to owners to follow the lockdown rules to stem the spread of coronavirus.
And despite the weekend being one of the warmest of the year so far, trading standards officers have confirmed that most accommodation...
Devon, Somerset and Torbay Trading Standards is reminding owners of guest houses, campsites and restaurants to remain closed this Easter to help combat coronavirus.
On March 23 the Government ordered hospitality businesses to close and said that people should stay at home and only essential travel is permitted.
With very few exceptions all hotels, bed and breakfasts, hostels, holiday rentals, campsites and boarding houses should be closed for commercial use until further notice.
Additionally, all restaurants, public houses, wine bars, cafes, canteens and other...
Devon, Somerset and Torbay Trading Standards Service have warned that the outbreak of COVID-19 has seen an increase in scams and doorstep traders who are trying to exploit fear and uncertainty during this difficult time.
Individuals and communities are urged to keep safe and vigilant in the current environment and look out for scams in their neighbourhood, which often target elderly and vulnerable people.
How to stay safe:
If you need help, try and use people you know and trust. If you cannot do this, always ask the person for ID, preferably in the form of
