What we do

Our work is diverse and covers many trading areas, these include:

• Fair Trading
  Fair Trading checking on price indications, descriptions of goods, textile labelling, counterfeit goods , consumer credit, property misdescriptions and package travel.
  
  
• Community and Product Safety
  Testing the safety of all consumer goods including toys, electrical equipment, unroadworthy cars, furniture, and undertaking proactive enforcement in relation to underage and doorstep sales.
  
  
• Buy Wise - Be Safe
  SWERCOTS (Trading Standards Partnership in South West England) has produced this video and support material to raise awareness of the issues associated with the purchase and use of essential equipment for babies and toddlers. Community-based education programmes involving parents and practitioners are known to be an effective way of raising awareness of safety issues.
  The DVD and support materials are designed to give advice and help to parents, carers and all those involved in early years childcare regarding:
  
  • Choosing and purchasing new safety equipment.
  • Making an informed choice about whether second-hand safety equipment is suitable for your needs.
  • The safe use of equipment in the home, car and out and about.
  
  Contact us to receive a Buy Wise Be Safe DVD and Information Pack.
  
  
• Animal Health & Welfare
  Enforcing the law dealing with movement, licensing and welfare of livestock.
  
  
• Metrology
  Checking the accuracy of weighing and measuring equipment in use for trade.
  
  
• Information & Advice Consumers:
  Providing help to consumers about their rights under trading laws. See Consumer Direct

Traders Advice and Information

Whether your business is already established in Torbay, or you are thinking of starting-up a new venture, we can help you to 'get it right' first time, by providing you with invaluable advice on your responsibilities under current trading laws. The advice is confidential and free, and it could save you a lot a money and a great deal of inconvenience. We also respond to enquiries from other Trading Standards Services about Torbay traders for whom the Service acts as 'Home Authority'.

If your business is based outside of Torbay and you need advice contact your local Trading Standards Service. If you are not sure where it is, visit Trading Standards Central and enter your postcode in box provided.

If you require other legal services, for example immigration, family law or housing, the Legal Services Commision has produced a useful directory of legal services, to access this visit their website.

If you contact us for advice we aim to give you a response, within 5 working days, and at the very least, tell you who is dealing with your enquiry. If you would like advice on a trading matter or one of our leaflets, please contact the Trading Standards Department.

Business: providing help to businesses about their rights and responsibilities under trading laws. See Trader Advice and Information

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Advice and Guidance to Business Customers and Traders

Torbay Council’s Trading Standards Service has a range of responsibilities which focus on promoting a fair and safe trading environment for consumers and traders alike. Much of this involves ensuring compliance with legislation about the quality, quantity and safety of goods and services. One method of achieving this is by providing advice and guidance to Torbay’s traders, particularly those businesses whose activities have impact outside the Council’s borders and for whom the Service acts as ‘Home Authority’.

Provision of Advice and Guidance

The Service will offer advice and provide guidance as a result of routine inspection of traders’ premises and respond to individual enquiries from traders. We will also respond to enquiries from other Trading Standards Services about Torbay traders (“Home Authority” referrals). Where there are obligatory requirements this will be made clear to distinguish it from advice on “good practice”. The advice will always include reference to the relevant legislation under which it is given.

If you are setting up a new business we would like to hear from you.

Obligations of traders and other Trading Standards Services

Many trader enquiries and Home Authority referrals involve complex technical and legal issues. For accurate and prompt advice to be given the Service must therefore receive in writing all relevant details concerning the nature of the enquiry or referral.

Home Authority Principle

The Trading Standards Service supports the Home Authority Principle (H.A.P.) as promoted by the Local Authorities Co-ordinators of Regulatory Services (LACORS). If a business' activities extend beyond Torbay then it may wish the Service to act as “Home Authority”. This will allow the Service to act as the first point of contact for enquiries from other Trading Standards Authorities and a single point for advice and guidance to the business customer on trading standards matters. The H.A.P. promotes a more consistent and efficient approach to enforcement and has important advantages for businesses and enforcement authorities alike.

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To view any published Related Documents for this service you will require the appropriate software. To download this software please see our documents help page. All links to documents will open in a new window. To request documents and files in an alternative format please contact us using the contact information provided on this page.

Related Documents

Schedule of Fees for Verification Services

To view any published Related Documents for this service you will require the appropriate software. To download this software please see our documents help page. All links to documents will open in a new window. To request documents and files in an alternative format please contact us using the contact information provided on this page.