Category: Consumer Contracts Regulations

Companies continuing to use expensive numbers (in breach of regulations)

15/8/2014

We today publish an updated briefing on cases of companies that appear to remain in breach of the Consumer Contract Regulations two months after they came into force on 13 June 2014.

The briefing identifies prominent examples of how alleged compliance may be mistaken.

traders_in_breach_15_august_2014.pdf
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Prohibition of use of expensive telephone numbers - the big failure

4/8/2014

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The fair telecoms campaign has long been pressing for prohibition of the use of expensive numbers in a number of areas, where such regulation is possible. Some success has been achieved:

Use by government departments and other public sector services
Cabinet Office Guidance has been published and achieved a high degree of compliance from central government departments. Many local government and other public bodies have however not yet moved to follow this guidance.
Use by businesses for contact from existing customers
Many businesses have moved to comply with regulations that came into force on 13 June 2014, although there are some notable exceptions.
Use by the financial services sector for customer contact
It was hoped that the financial services sector would be covered by parallel regulations to those which came into effect on 13 June, however the Financial Conduct Authority failed to achieve this. It is planning to introduce some form of regulation in 2015. Some banks have announced an intention to switch away from expensive numbers, but generally have not (yet) put this into effect.

THE BIG FAILURE - Use by NHS GPs and NHS bodies
GP contract changes were introduced and guidance was issued to NHS bodies in 2010. This should have led to the end of use of expensive numbers to access NHS services in England and Wales no later than 1 April 2011. Compliance has however been very poor and enforcement action non-existent.

gps_140717.pdf
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This briefing gives details of the 350 English GP surgeries still advertising “illegal” telephone numbers on the NHS Choices system.

gps_140717_supplement.pdf
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The supplement suggests that the number actually in breach is far greater.

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The end of expensive numbers for customer calls

6/6/2014

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“Traders still using expensive telephone numbers -
only one week left before they are breaking the law!”

Only one week before the implementation of regulations prohibiting use of expensive numbers for calls from customers (except for those to financial services companies) we highlight 50 well known traders that have not yet complied, nor declared an intention to comply by Friday, 13 June.

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Companies continuing to use expensive numbers (in breach of regulations)

Prohibition of use of expensive telephone numbers - the big failure

The end of expensive numbers for customer calls

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