St Helens Glass Ltd gives undertakings to the OFT

30/06 16 February 2006

Window and conservatory supplier St Helens Glass Limited (SHG) has given undertakings concerning the goods and services it will provide, following action by the OFT.

The case was referred to the OFT after dissatisfied customers mainly in the north of England contacted their local Trading Standards Services about the company. The complaints ranged from customers being concerned about poor installation of windows and conservatories, to the length of time it took for the work to be completed.

After working with St Helens Trading Standards Service, the OFT decided to seek undertakings from SHG, mainly covering breaches of the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982.

On the basis that it does not admit any liability, SHG has given the OFT undertakings addressing its future conduct. SHG has undertaken that it will not:

supply goods which are of unsatisfactory quality or not reasonably fit for their purpose such as to harm the collective interests of consumers
fail to carry out services with reasonable care and skill such as to harm the collective interests of consumers
fail to deliver and/or install goods or parts of goods within the time agreed, unless it can show that any delay was due to circumstances genuinely beyond its control or, where no time has been agreed, fail to deliver and/or install goods within a reasonable time such as to harm the collective interests of consumers.

If any of these undertakings are breached, then the OFT may go to court to seek an Enforcement Order.

St Helens Glass Ltd is based in Merseyside and has an annual turnover of around £15m.

Christine Wade, Director of Consumer Regulation Enforcement said:

'We are pleased to have been able to work with St Helens Trading Standards to obtain better protection for consumers across the North of England. Suppliers must provide consumers with satisfactory goods and carry out services with reasonable care and skill. The OFT or Trading Standards can take action if necessary to ensure that suppliers meet their legal obligations and that consumers can deal with them with confidence.'

NOTES

1. The OFT sought undertakings under Part 8 of the Enterprise Act 2002 which came into force on 20 June 2003. The Enterprise Act improves consumer protection by giving enforcers strengthened powers to obtain court orders or undertakings against traders that breach a range of consumer legislation; controlling activities such as misleading advertising, misleading price indications, lotteries, sale of goods and services, underage sales, estate agency, misleading health claims, trade descriptions, mock auctions, timeshare, unfair terms in consumer contracts, doorstep selling, distance selling, package travel and consumer credit.

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