New law boost for consumers
Tuesday 9th September 2008, 3:00PM BST.
THE rights of Jersey consumers took a big step forward yesterday following the passing of a law to protect against rogue traders.
For the first time, Islanders will be legally entitled to refunds or replacements of shoddy or broken goods. The landmark move sees Jersey come up to speed with the UK and other jurisdictions and answers years of lobbying by the JEP’s Fair Play team and other consumer campaigners.
The Supply of Goods and Services law will give consumers more rights than ever before. Traders will also have new responsibilities.The provisions of the law include:
• Goods must correspond to any description of them.
• They must be of satisfactory quality and reasonably fit for purpose.
• Suppliers of services must use reasonable skill and care.
• Services must be carried out within a reasonable time.
The new rights, set down in the Draft Supply of Goods and Service (Jersey) Law which the States approved yesterday on a standing vote, mirror UK provisions. The law, which was taken to the States by Economic Development Minister Philip Ozouf (pictured) has also been welcomed by the head of the Jersey Consumer Council, Deputy Alan Breckon.
Read the full story in the Jersey Evening Post. Click here for subscription details. Individual editions are also available online.
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Whilst this is very welcome news, it is rather a coincidence that we’ve had to wait for over 20 years for this Law that the people of Jersey have been crying out for to be enacted and it finally gets passed just before the elections.
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Jeremy,
Whilst you are right about this, look out for others coming in VERY soon too. The nursery places for instance but ignoring the obvious U turn regarding GST on food.
The main thing to remember is that Ministers are clearly concerned for their political futures and want the electorate to see them as caring human beings. But we should focus on why we have been in dire straits even longer than Mark Knopfler!
The economic focus has been slanted towards the finance market and wealthy residents, at the cost to the ordinary working people of Jersey and when voting, this should be uppermost in our minds.
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This is long overdue and light years behind the rest of the British Isles. The States really have nothing to crow about and should be ashamed that it took so long to start to sort our rogue traders in the island.
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about time
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Unfortunatly this is to little to late. This again unfortunatly is political spin to try and hide the fact that they have made a lot of unpopular discissions. If they really cared about the voters why is it that since i have been on the island (11 years now) they have talked and planned the Millenium park in Gas Place, but over those years a million one bedroom flats that are not needed have been planned, passed and built. The Park was meant to be for the people to mark the entering of the millenium but i suppose as there is no profit to be made from it then the developers want nothing to do with it. At the last elections politians stated they would push this though like they stated they disagreed with GST. All we have had is lies and now we need to all vote for who we would like to stand for us. At least then if we get who we want then we can not moan! Elephants never forget and we are the Elephants of Jersey.
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Great news, as im sure we have all been had at one time or another.
This is particulaly important for those wanting to purchase a used car from a garage like i did that had defective stearing, brakes and tyres.
Still i was one one of the luckier ones as one gentlemen purchased a car which was a used Porsche i believe,and the wheel sheared off!
The garage was displaying that it was a member of the Jersey motor trades association which after investigation turned out not to be the case.
Hopefully garages like these will now be brought to justice as is with the present system you can litteraly get away with murder.
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The incoming law is nothing new. Jersey has always had consumer rights as a matter of contract at customary law. The chap with the car mentioned above would have had redress for breach of contract.
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I agree with Sid Cynic. Perhaps a list should be compiled to show how many ‘wonderful and popular’ decisions have suddenly been made by our esteemed (cough) leaders in the very recent past.
Their timing is so blatant it is an insult to our intelligence.
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Another better late than never policy. What do the States do all day? Hopeless.
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Will this protect against companys charging full UK price?
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