Emma Cooke, CTSI Joint Lead Officer For Property & Lettings; NTS Estate and Lettings Agency Team Policy & Information Manager
What has been your main area of focus over the past six months?
For the past six months – indeed over the past two years – my focus has been on improving material information in property listings which are listed on portal websites, agents’ own websites and agent publications. I set up a steering group made up of attendees from the main portals; Rightmove, Zoopla and On The Market, as well as PropertyPal from Northern Ireland. Other steering group members include The CMA, as well as representatives from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC).
This project is a game-changer in the industry. It will better protect consumers by giving them information that they need to know, in order to make an informed transactional decision, upfront at the point of listing. This in turn will likely prevent fall-throughs, reduce transaction times and reduce the financial and emotional detriment that they bring to consumers.
Are there any emerging issues where you are?
There are a variety of projects that the National Trading Standards Estate and Letting Agency Team (NTSELAT) is going to be looking at this coming financial year; they include continuing with Tenant Fees Act training, as well as looking at evolving areas of development in the sector; alternative deposit schemes; rent to rent/guaranteed rent; and property sourcing agents.
Intelligence is crucial for us; it helps us shape guidance for enforcement officers and industry, as well as helping us feed back to DLUHC to help shape policy and legislation going forward.
We have announced two operation names for work relating to alternative deposit schemes and rent to rent: Operation Ceres relates to alternative deposit schemes and Operation Pluto relates to rent to rent. I would love for officers to keep an eye and ear out for complaints relating to these areas and to record it onto IDB, or even contact our team directly at estate.agency@powys.gov.uk, using the respective operation names so that we can gather as much evidence as possible.
Our team is looking to continue with our webinars this financial year, which have been positively received and cover a variety of topics and legislation. We also have our Khub group which has close to 1,000 members.
We are always looking at the bigger picture, analysing data from multiple sources, keeping up to speed with legislative development and consultation. We endeavour to pass this information on to our colleagues, whether they be in trading standards, environmental health or housing.
What are the obstacles to tackling these issues?
Knowledge of, and confidence in, enforcing legislation can be a problem. Capacity can also be a problem – local authorities are being asked to do more with less. Authorities need to ensure that their enforcement policy is up to date and regularly reviewed, and that legislation requirements match authorisations. However, collaboration with colleagues in housing and environmental health is crucial. Without joined-up working and improved communication, consumers can be let down.
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Richard Knight, Specialist Trading Standards Officer (Product Safety), Essex County Council
What has been your main area of focus over the past six months?
I have been focused on the ongoing management of Essex’s part in the OPSS Product Safety at Ports and Borders programme, concentrating on preventing unsafe and non-compliant products entering the UK market via Stansted Airport freight hubs. It’s the work I am most proud of in Essex that makes a difference nationally.
For ‘inland’ work, I’ve played my part in East of England (EETSA) market surveillance projects on the safety of eScooters and telescopic ladders, with both initiatives leading to product recalls and withdrawals from the market. In the case of telescopic ladders, I worked with our EETSA Chair in liaising with The Ladder Association, OPSS and HSE in contributing to a joint report that draws on evidence of widespread non-compliance.
Are there any emerging issues where you are?
I am noticing a concerning rise in local reports of under-age sales of disposable vapes. These environmentally unfriendly electronic nicotine inhaling products are cheap relative to tobacco, appeal to younger people, and can pack a punch in terms of nicotine content. In addition there are a lot of non-compliant variants about that don’t meet the strict regulatory rules that apply to them.
What are the obstacles to tackling these issues?
Local human resources are always a challenge for us when planning to tackle any issues such as disposable vapes that compete with other policy areas needing our attention. OPSS support in the form of training, information sharing infrastructure (e.g. the PSD), and funding for product testing are all welcome, but none of these things tackle head-on a lack of trained personnel on the ground in local authorities.
In terms of disposable vapes I would like to see a greater effort by OPSS to target these products at the border to remove more illegal devices at point of entry, so that LATSS aren’t reduced to chasing them at corner shop level, and then having to trace back to importers. Regionally in our EETSA Product Safety Group we are considering a safety project in this area later in the year.
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Judith Gough, Area Inspector, Northern Ireland Trading Standards Service
What has been your main area of focus over the past six months?
We have recently recruited nine Trainee Trading Standards Inspectors. As part of their training they must complete the Laboratory Equipment – Metrology module, which is specifically for NI candidates. As the Area Inspector of the UKAS Accredited Mass Calibration Laboratory it has been my responsibility to mentor them throughout this module and organise the practical elements of their training. I have also taken on the role as assessor of the Lab Module portfolio, providing feedback regularly to the trainees.
This is the first year of the module and it has been a learning curve for myself as well as the Area Inspector and Deputy Chief Inspector in charge of the trainees. I see this module as an exciting opportunity to develop expertise in the laboratory environment and help improve the service we provide to our customers.
Are there any emerging issues where you are?
The cost-of-living crisis has raised a number of issues for the Trading Standards Service, particularly relating to metrology matters within the energy sector. A large proportion of consumers within Northern Ireland have oil-fired central heating, as well as a high number using fires as a secondary heating source. Therefore a focus on the oil and coal industry is extremely important to ensure consumers are protected at a time of unprecedented price hikes across the market.
As a result, a major focus for our service going forward is pro-active work relating to the accuracy of deliveries, clear and transparent pricing practices, and ensuring compliance in relation to pre-packed goods. With increasing prices for consumers across various sectors, more and more issues will likely emerge.
What are the obstacles to tackling these issues?
Our major obstacle is the number of qualified Inspectors able to carry out metrology work. Although we are in an excellent position with the addition of new trainees, it will be a while before they are fully qualified and can carry out this work independently. However, this pro-active work and the number of metrology projects for the year ahead presents great learning opportunities.
Legal Metrology will continue to be a big focus in NI due to Brexit, the NI Protocol and the divergence between NI and GB.
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Mohammed Tariq, Senior Trading Standards Officer, Ealing Council Trading Standards
What has been your main area of focus over the past six months?
Importation and supply of unsafe and counterfeit goods and consumer fraud have been the main area of focus. Ealing Trading Standards Officers were Involved in Operation CeCe with tobacco detection dogs for the seizure of illicit tobacco, and Operation Flash, which is a self-storage project. (See more on page 10).
Are there any emerging issues where you are?
We have seen a trend in referrals regarding unsafe vape products, along with the importation of counterfeit goods such as mobile phone accessories and household items. Dishonest traders will seek to exploit consumers when such goods are in great demand.
What are the obstacles to tackling these issues?
Staffing and resources are always an obstacle, but this does not stop our Officers, who continue to work tirelessly to protect the public and will not hesitate in prosecuting anyone selling illegal items as part of our commitment to making Ealing safer.
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