Consumer enforcement
This page contains general information about the application and enforcement of Part 8 of the Enterprise Act 2002 (EA 2002) and the legislation that it covers. It provides guidance to help businesses comply and information for business and consumers about current and completed consumer enforcement work and the outcome of formal and informal legal action.
The OFT's enforcement role is changing
From 2 April 2013, under changes to the consumer landscape introduced by Government, there will be a greater role for the local authority Trading Standards Services in the enforcement of consumer protection law at national level. The OFT will retain all of its current consumer enforcement powers but will tend to use them where breaches of consumer protection law point to systemic failures in a market. This means cases will more often be taken against a number of firms in a market, rather than cases against individual firms, unless changing the behaviour of one firm would set a precedent or have other market-wide implications.
The OFT will also retain its leadership role for the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999 although the Trading Standards Services will have equal enforcement powers.
Guidance on consumer regulations
The Office of Fair Trading recognises the importance for business, enforcers and consumers to be able to access information about Part 8 of the Enterprise Act 2002 (EA 2002) and subsequent enforcement action. Use the links below for further information.
What's new
- OFT investigates free children's web and app-based games (12 April 2013)
- Three gyms improve contract terms following OFT action (8 March 2013)
Focus on
- Internet enforcement team
- Chargeback letter - October 2010: OFT writes to UK consumers advising them of their chargeback rights in relation to goods purchased online from a US company.
- The full provisions of the Enterprise Act 2002
- The enforcement of consumer law under Part 8 of the Enterprise Act 2002
- Legislation relating to Part 8 of the Enterprise Act
- Enterprise Act 2002 publications
- Consumer credit guidance and information
Work
The OFT's work in enforcement and consumer law
Consumer enforcement current work
Find information on current consumer enforcement cases being carried out by the OFT.
-
Investigation
into free children's web and app-based games
Start date: April 2013 -
Investigation
into business practices in the energy efficiency
sector
Start date: October 2012 -
Investigation
into suspected fraud in property sales
Start date: September 2012 -
Investigation
into Olympic ticket selling to consumers
Start date: 21 June 2012
-
Investigations
into unfair practices in the mobility aids sector
Start date: April 2011 -
Prosecution of
eleven individuals involved in an alleged unlawful pyramid
scheme
Start date: September 2009 -
Investigation
into prize draw promoters Purely Creative Limited, Strike Lucky
Games Limited, McIntyre & Dodd Marketing Limited and The
Winners Club Limited
Start date: April 2008 -
Investigation
into health and fitness clubs contracts
Start date: January 2012
Consumer enforcement completed work
Use this section to find completed consumer enforcement cases carried out by the OFT.
-
Retirement
homes - investigation into exit fees
Case closed: April 2013 -
Compliance
review of mileage correction businesses
Case closed March 2013 -
Investigations
into health and fitness clubs contracts
Case closed March 2013 -
Investigation
of provider of secondary ticket services
Case closed December 2012 -
Retail food
pricing and promotional practices
Case closed: November 2012 -
Investigation
and conviction of provider of illegal mileage correction
services
Case closed: November 2012 -
Investigations
into the deceptive online selling of government
services
Case closed: November 2012 -
Incentive
Leisure Group Limited, Personal Travel Group Limited and other
traders
Case closed: September 2012 -
Fairhold
corporate group transfer fee terms
Case closed August 2012 -
Investigation
into online defamation threats
Case closed August 2012 -
Investigation
into Optimum Care Mobility Limited under Part 8 of the Enterprise
Act 2002
Case closed July 2012 -
OFT
investigation into airline payment card surcharges
Case closed July 2012 -
Investigation
into Friedrich Mueller prize draw mailings
Case closed April 2012 -
Investigation
into inadequate disclosures in respect of Affiliate Marketing
businesses
Case closed April 2012
-
Investigation
into certain domestic bulk LPG suppliers
Case closed March 2012 -
Investigation
into Vital Beauty and Swiss Home Shopping prize draw
mailings
Case closed: March 2012 -
Investigation
into the trading practices of MyCityDeal Limited (trading as
Groupon UK)
Case closed: March 2012 -
Adaptive
Affinity: Investigation into alleged unfair practices by an online
trader offering credit score and discount reward membership
subscription schemes to consumers
Case closed: October 2011 -
CC Automotive
Group Limited: Investigation into alleged unfair practices by a
national second hand car dealer
Case closed: October 2011 -
Investigation
into the transparency of heating oil distributors
websites
Case closed: 9 September 2011 -
Investigation
into Ashbourne Management Services
Case closed: 12 August 2011 -
Shop4Tek -
Investigation into an online retailer relating to non-delivery of
orders and failure to provide refunds
Case closed: 23 June 2011 -
We Buy Any Car
investigation
Case closed: 28 March 2011 -
Investigation
into bait advertising and unfair commercial practices in relation
to an online sale
Case closed: 10 March 2011 -
Goldpost - Five
investigations into the purchase of gold from consumers by
post
Case closed: 14 February 2011 -
Investigation
into an online retailer relating to non-delivery of orders and
erroneous contact details
Case closed: 8 February 2011
Consumer enforcement case archive
This section contains a chronological archive of completed consumer enforcement cases and work carried out by the Office of Fair Trading between 2006 and 2011.
View the Consumer enforcement case archive
Published undertakings and court action
The result of an investigation under consumer legislation may be an undertaking given by the trader, or a court order (or other action) which has been imposed. These reports are freely available to the public from this area of the site, and it is the Office of Fair Trading's intention to publish and make available the outcome of investigations as and when these reports become available.
Traders - published undertakings and court action
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