Trading Standards Bullies?

[BenJacobs]

I had an email today via my website from an 'enforcement officer' at the Trading Standards for my local council. They emailed to say that they had become aware that I was trading as an estate agent without membership to the ombudsman. That I must immediately cease all trading unless I subscribe to an ombudsman. That I can be fined £1,000. That they may report me to someone else to look at putting suspensions on me in this sector, etc. I haven't even started trading yet. I'm setting the website up, and putting what I need in place. They didn't even ask or probe - they just came in full shunt making accusations and threatening me. I'm really angry at it - getting upstarted is hard enough without these tossers hanging around trying to level accusations and their threats. The website has barely been online a couple weeks. I've not traded - and told them that in my email back. I'm well within my rights to have a website up whilst I'm working on it before beginning trading, and before needing to pay for an ombudsman (which is payable for 12 months in advance - and I'm not going to start that membership until needed so I'm not paying for something that's not needed). How the heck do these people get your details so quickly?! And more, who would I go to, to report them for their bullying? The email was VERY bullish and blunt, and I really do not appreciate it from them. They're there to serve businesses, not just consumers. I'm not just going to let it lay. What actions can I take to complain? What are your thoughts on these people in general, any experiences? Thank you.

 

[MBE2017]

Normally most complain TS have very little teeth.

Are you sure the email is legit?

 

[BenJacobs]

Normally most complain TS have very little teeth.

Are you sure the email is legit?

It seemed legit, gave his full name and email address that was related to the local council. Checked his name online and all matched, so, looks legit.

 

[alan1302]

And more, who would I go to, to report them for their bullying? The email was VERY bullish and blunt, and I really do not appreciate it from them.

You've told them that you are not trading now and so don't need to do anything - time to move on...there has been no bullying...if they are bullish and blunt you know where you are with them.

 

[BenJacobs]

You've told them that you are not trading now and so don't need to do anything - time to move on...there has been no bullying...if they are bullish and blunt you know where you are with them.

I'd have to disagree. The tone of the email was extremely accusatory and threatening. Extremely unnecessary, and made me feel like I'd been doing something wrong. Completely unacceptable way to go about their role, and I'm not accepting it as okay. There's a line of questioning they could have taken to have got the same information - and this went way, way beyond that.

 

[intheTRADE]

I get how you are feeling right now but the most valuable lesson I have learnt in life (personal and business) is to focus my energy on things that matter.

What do you expect to achieve from pursuing this other than it causing you wasted time and unnecessary frustrations.

You've responded to them. If the tone of the email was off let that be their problem.

Laugh it off, move on and focus your energy on creating a successful business.

 

[MOIC]

Could it be a competitor that's trying to stick the knife in? That's where I would look at.

If you're not doing anything wrong, concentrate on starting up and trading and let others worry about your business.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

If your not happy with him or her get on the phone to him or her and tell him or her

Just because somebody told them they are important . It does not mean that they are They are certainly not as important as @BenJacobs . So tell them to wind their neck in !

 

[Mark T Jones]

Chances are that you were reported by another estate agent.

In truth, if you saw a competitor breaking the law you'd probably report them too - and you'd expect trading standards to take action.

You've put the record straight. If it helps, make a formal complain about the nature and tone of the email.

Then move on to getting your business up and running

 

[WaveJumper]

I have to say I agree with @JEREMY HAWKE stop wasting your energy getting worked up about this and deal with it head on. Pick up the phone speak to the person and then move on.

And I am tempted to think someone is trying to stitch you up before you get off the ground did you happen to work in this industry before going solo

 

[Frank the Insurance guy]

Although you are not trading - what does your website say? As its a "live" website, they had no idea that you are not trading.

I suggest you take the site offline until you are ready to go live (Or have a "Coming Soon" landing page to make it clear, otherwise you can expect to get some more issues (especially if a competitor is going for you!)

Trading Standards may well request you take the site down until you are trading (and have ombudsman membership). I think this would be reasonable, if your website implies that you are trading.

As has been said - no point in taking the matter up with Trading Standard - you need to concentrate and focus your efforts on getting the business off the ground.

 

[Fagin2021]

Before you go in with guns blazing - and possibly make things worse - it would be wise to check the authenticity of the email.

You say you received it via your website - which implies a contact form. Anyone can fill in a contact form with any details they like, so the fact they appear genuine means nothing.

A contact form on a website seems an unusual way for an official to communicate - as does the tone of the communication.

Here's a suggestion...

Telephone your trading standards office. Say you wish to report a message from someone masquerading as as TS officer. If they say 'it wasn't us,' fine. If they confirm it was them, express astonishment (not anger) at the tone. Then you can tell them you're not trading etc without getting into a heated argument.

 

[fisicx]

It’s somebody messing about. Trading Standards can’t close you down, all they can do is restrict your activities. And they can’t find you directly. And they will write to you not send an email.

Ignore and carry on as you were.

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

1 - When will you start trading?
2 - Do you need to be registered?
3 - If 2= yes, are you in the process of registering?

 

[WaveJumper]

Just a thought have you also checked to see if you need to register with the ICO if you are collecting peoples data you don't want to be falling fail of GDPR regs. You can do a self assessment here to double check
https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/data-protection-fee/self-assessment/

 

[Deleted member 59730]

Think yourself lucky. In the USA they are armed along with food inspectors, building inspectors etc.

 

[BenJacobs]

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate your thoughts and your input on it. I totally get that it's a better use of energy to direct it towards ploughing on - just sometimes things like this really get your back up when you're working so hard to make something happen, and there comes a point where you have to start biting back. I've called them this morning and left a message asking for the person who wrote the message to call me back, and take it up with him directly. Let's see how that goes. In the meantime, thanks so much and I'll continue as I was before receiving it.

 

[fisicx]

I've called them this morning and left a message asking for the person who wrote the message to call me back, and take it up with him directly.

They didn't send the email! Somebody is messing about with you. Trading standards do not fill in contact forms on websites. They write a letter to you.

 

[nelioneil]

They didn't send the email! Somebody is messing about with you. Trading standards do not fill in contact forms on websites. They write a letter to you.

Agreed this is most likely a competitor doing this.

 

[paulears]

Looking up the various background, I see repeated references to qualifications being required - typically a Level 4 for a Director. This sounds pretty time consuming to get, it's not a few days and a 'stifficate' - it's a real transferable qualification. It mentions some staff might be able to get away with Level 3 - but that's A Level standard so again, not easy to get.

 

[Alan]

Bit of an error having a website publicly visible before trading. So simple to set it as not generally accessible, e.g. behind a password or a coming soon screen.

 

[SillyBill]

They're there to serve businesses, not just consumers. I'm not just going to let it lay.

As is often trotted out..."The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help".

Perhaps you deserve to not get riled up further by me but I have long since classified the Local Authority and the government as agents of hindrance in respect of doing business. It is why my politics is in part shaped as it is (smallest State as feasibly possible please), I don't much like being told what to do by these clueless cretins. The most shocking instances of "service" I've had are all interactions with the civil service (to the point where they couldn't stand in the private sector as there would be no business)...planning permissions, tariff/trade queries, regulatory matters, tax etc. Woeful, woeful, woeful.