Consumer law

The Financial Ombudsman Service consulted on charging Claims Management Companies and other professional representatives is now open. 

The consultation followed changes Parliament has made to the Financial Services and Markets Act and our earlier consultation on whether to introduce a fee.

 

The Financial Ombudsman Service consults annually on its proposed plans and budget for the financial year ahead. These consultations provide those closely interested in its work, and those who pay directly for it, with the opportunity to feed back on how it delivers and funds its service. 

This year's consultation closed on 30 January 2024.

The Financial Ombudsman has set proposed changes to its fee structure, following the introduction of legislation in Parliament and is inviting responses on the proposals.

Scottish Government - Funeral director licensing scheme for Scotland consultation, sought views to introduce a licensing scheme for funeral directors in Scotland.

Payment Systems Regulator consultation – CP 23/6: APP fraud: Excess and maximum reimbursement level for FPS and CHAPS.

The consultation sought views on what the levels of reimbursement for FPS and CHAPS should be.

CMA Investigation into will-writing and other legal services to protect consumers following complaints about unregulated will-writing, online divorce and pre-paid probate services.

 

This consultation sets out how the FCA plan's to incorporate aspects of its Tailored Support Guidance (TSG), introduced during the pandemic, into its Consumer Credit (CONC) and Mortgages and Home Finance: Conduct of Business (MCOB) sourcebooks and withdraw the TSG. The FCA also proposes targeted additional changes to support consumers in financial difficulty.

The consultation sets out OFCOM's proposals to help broadband customers make more informed choices about their broadband service.

The Call for Evidence sought views on what environmental information should be provided to people when they are looking for and booking flights, and how that information can be presented in a way that is meaningful and enables people to make informed choices about their travel options.

The consultation sought views and comments on the government's proposed legislation that will bring certain exempt interest-free credit agreements into Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulation.

The consultation seeks reform the regulatory regime based around the CCA will modernise and simplify consumer credit and consumer hire regulation, and transfer parts of the CCA out of legislation into the regulatory framework of the Financial Conduct Authority.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has set out their policy statement which sets out their final rules, guidance and standards for when the pre-paid funeral plans sector enters their regulation.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) consulted on rules to secure an appropriate degree of protection against excessive charges by claims management companies (CMCs).

The Law Commission of England and Wales and the Scottish Law Commission are undertaking a far-reaching review of the UK’s legal framework for automated vehicles, and their use as part of public transport networks and on-demand passenger services.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has issued a consultation on guidance for firms on the fair treatment of vulnerable customers in order to provide regulatory clarity for firms involved in the supply of products or services to retail customers who are actually, or are potentially, vulnerable.

The UK Government has issued a consultation on the Regulation of pre-paid funeral plans

The UK Government has issued a consultation on Smart Data: Putting consumers in control of their data and enabling innovation.

 

 

The UK Government has issued a consultation on the Online Harms White Paper.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has issued a consultaton to review and report on the requirements of the Consumer Contract Regulations 2013, and whether their objectives have been achieved.

 

 

The Law Commission of England and Wales and the Scottish Law Commission are undertaking a far-reaching review of the UK’s legal framework for automated vehicles, and their use as part of public transport networks and on-demand passenger services.

The Scottish Government has issued on draft statutory guidance on funeral costs for local authorities, burial and cremation authorities and funeral directors.

The Scottish Government has issued a consultation on the proposals for a new consumer body, called Consumer Scotland.

The UK Government has issued a consultation on taking action against directors that breach electronic marketing regulations.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has issued a consultation to set out how it proposes to regulate claims management companies when the responsibility for regulating this sector transfers to the FCA in April 2019.

The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy has issued a consultation on how to ensure that our regulatory, competition and enforcement regimes are suitable for the modern economy and the modern consumer.

The House of Lords Communications Committee has issued an inquiry to explore how the regulation of the internet should be improved, including through better self-regulation and governance, and whether a new regulatory framework for the internet is necessary or whether the general law of the UK is adequate.

The European Commission has issued a consultation on possible targeted legislative changes in some key EU consumer law directives.

The European Commission has issued a consultation on the application and performance of the Directive on liability for defective products.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has issued a consultation seeking views on high-cost credit, including overdrafts, and on the high-cost short-term credit price gap.

Consumer Law Sub-Committee

Our expert group on consumer law.

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Consumer Law Sub-Committee

Our expert group on consumer law.

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Influencing the law and policy

One of the main functions of our policy team, along with our network of volunteers, is to analyse and respond to proposed changes in the law.

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