Cars and phones top complaints list (From This Is Wiltshire)

Cars and phones top complaints list

4:30pm Wednesday 14th May 2008

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USED cars and mobile phone service agreements are the bane of Wiltshire residents' lives, according to new figures from Consumer Direct South West.

The Government organisation has revealed the county's top 10 for complaints received by them from local consumers.

In the last year to the end of March 2008, Consumer Direct South West received nearly 120,000 calls from people seeking information about their consumer rights and advice on how to resolve disputes with shops and traders.

During the year across the region, the highest number of recorded calls concerned telecommunications, followed by second hand cars and home maintenance.

Every complaint to Consumer Direct is logged using over 450 different product and service codes.

This information is then used by Trading Standards Services and other enforcement bodies to help them identify which areas and which companies are causing the most consumer concern.

In Wiltshire, used cars topped the complaints list with 445, followed by mobile phones (227) and car repairs at independent garages in third.

Clive Kenyon, manager for Consumer Direct South West said: 'The 120,000 calls we took over the last year is really just the tip of the iceberg.

"There are many more complaints that we don't hear about, but if people find out where they stand, they have a much better chance of resolving their problem."

Further information and advice is available by calling Consumer Direct South West on 08454 04 05 06 or by visiting www.consumerdirect.gov.uk

Wiltshire top 10

• Purchased from independent dealer (Used Cars) 445
• Mobile Phones (service agreements) 227
• Independent Garage (Car Repairs) 185 Telephone services (land line) 137
• TVs 137
• Mobile Phones (hardware) 130
• Upholstered furniture 130
• Internet Service Providers 120
• Lotteries 112
• Beds and Mattresses 109

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