York residents encouraged to ‘Know Your Rights’

PrintAs part of this year’s National Consumer Week, 2 to 8 November, the York Council’s Public Protection team is raising awareness of new rights for consumers when purchasing goods and services.

The Week, themed ‘Know Your Rights’, aims to give consumers more information about the Consumer Rights Act which came into force on 1 October 2015. The act clarifies how long consumers have to reject goods and limits traders to just one attempt to repair goods. For the first time, it includes specific rights when digital content, such as computer programs, are faulty.

The new Consumer Rights Act states that services must be carried out with reasonable care and skill and within a reasonable time for a reasonable price (where this has not been agreed beforehand).

Goods must now be:

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  • as described and the same as an sample or model shown beforehand
  • of satisfactory quality, meaning fit for all usual purposes, safe and reasonably durable
  • fit for any particular purpose made known
  • installed correctly, for example in the case of fitted kitchens.

Consumers may now:

  • reject faulty or mis-described goods for a full refund within 30 days of purchase or delivery, or ask for a free replacement or free repair when outside of the 30 days 
  • require goods to be re-installed correctly for free 
  • reject goods which remain faulty after a single repair is attempted, or chose to keep them and obtain a reduction on the purchase price 
  • request a repeat performance of the service 
  • reduce the price of the service to reflect the non-performance.

The Council said: “The new Consumer Rights Act offers more protection to consumers and it is important that they are aware of their rights which will help them to obtain the quality of goods and services they require.

“The council’s Public Protection service also provides support to local businesses to help them understand the implications of the Act and comply with the new legislation.”

For more advice on consumer rights or to find out more about the support which can be given to local businesses contact the Public Protection team on 01904 551525 or email public.protection@york.gov.uk

Further information about the act is also available for businesses at www.businesscompanion.info and consumers at www.citizensadvice.org.uk

Gale Lane care home slammed by Care Quality Commission

Rated as inadequate and now in “special measures”

South Park care home report

An inspection of the South Park care home took place in August.  It was the first since concerns were raised following an inspection in 2014. Then several breaches of regulations had been found. By August these had mostly been addressed but 6 more issues were discovered.

The care home has had a chequered history

The report can be read here

The report says, “The service was not safe. There were insufficient numbers of suitably qualified, skilled and experienced persons employed in the service to meet people’s needs. The registered provider had employed a number of agency staff to fill the staff vacancies, but people who used the service said they did not feel safe when these workers were on duty and we observed some unsafe care practices during our inspection”

It goes on to say, “.We found problems with the cleanliness and hygiene within the service. In particular there was a significant and unpleasant odour in three bedrooms, two sluices and a number of bathing facilities on both units”

The full report ca be downloaded from here .

The South Park facility accommodates 80 residents.

South Park has 6 months in which to make “significant improvements” and will be inspected again shortly

Another home, Haisthorpe House on Holgate Road, was also rated as inadequate by Inspectors

What’s on: Do-ings in the Yorkshire Museum

roman-coin

Date: Tue 3 Nov
Time: 2.00pm – 3.00pm
Cost: £10

Coin hoards from Roman York : more

Date: Sat 14 Nov
Time: 10.30am – 3.30pm
Cost: £30

Yorkshire’s Beginnings: how it was formed, why it looks like it does : more

Date: Sat 14 Nov
Time: 3.30pm – 4.30pm
Cost: Free

Join the Museum’s book club to discuss a novel linked to the collections : more

Date: Sat 28 Nov
Time: 10.30am – 3.30pm
Cost: £30

Explore the Museum’s collections of Roman coinage : more

What’s on: Cakes and cookery

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Date: Tue 3 Nov, Wed 4 Nov, Sat 14 Nov, Tue 1 Dec
Times: Evenings and weekends
Costs: From £35
Venue: Huntington School

Course for cake lovers, cake decorators, and maybe just cake eaters.

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Date: Tue 10 Nov for 4 weeks
Time: 7.00pm – 9.00pm
Venue: Fulford School
Cost: £45 plus ingredients

Can cook course, for beginners and the cooking shy.

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Date: Thur 19 Nov
Time: 7.00pm – 9.00pm
Venue: Joseph Rowntree School
Cost: £50

Travel through the far east on our Oriental Vegetarian Cookery course.

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