Useful Contacts

[JOSH_IOU]

Can a mod sticky this thread?



Advertising Advisory Committee
The Advertising Advisory Committee advises CAP (Broadcast) on any changes it makes to the Codes. The Advertising Advisory Committee is wholly comprised of independent/lay members who can represent the interests of consumers in relation the requirements of Section 3 (1) of the Communications Act.
Advertising Advisory Committee



Advertising Archives
The Advertising Archives has a unique archive of over 1 million images, dating from 1850 to the present day, consisting of press ads, magazine covers, TV stills and various cultural ephemera. It operates as a picture library primarily servicing publishing and TV clients but also offers an image supply service to students, academics and interested members of the public.
The Advertising Archives - About Us, Buy and Sell, Gallery, Links, FAQs, Contact Us



Advertising Association
Advertising Association - The Information Centre is particularly useful for business and students with information on gender, children, shock tactics and financial statistics about the advertising industry.
Advertising Association



asbof
asbof - The Advertising Standards Board of Finance collects and distributes the levy on non-broadcast advertising and direct mail that funds the ASA's non-broadcast work as well as the Mailing Preference Service.
The Advertising Standards Board of Finance.



basbof
basbof - The Broadcast Advertising Standards Board of Finance collects and distributes the levy on broadcast advertising that funds the ASA's broadcast work.
The Broadcast Advertising Standards Board of Finance.



British Board of Film Classification
British Board of Film Classification - responsible for classifying cinema films and videos.
bbfc - the official website of the bbfc. classification for entertainment, movies and video games



Business Link
Business Link is an easy to use business support, advice and information service managed by the DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) aimed at small to medium sized companies. It includes information on how SMEs can market themselves and advertise along with the rules and regulations they need to follow.
Business support, information and advice | Business Link Business Link guide to advertising and marketing



CAM Foundation
Communication Advertising and Marketing Education Foundation (CAM) - CAM is an industry led educational body that awards qualifications in advertising and marketing.
CAM Foundation - Home Page



Citizen Advice Bureaux
Citizens Advice Bureaux - CAB aims to improve individuals' knowledge of their rights and responsibilities and the services available to them, and to help them express their needs effectively. The CAB websites offer advice on civil and consumer rights.
Citizens Advice corporate website - Home Adviceguide from Citizens Advice



Clearcast
Clearcast, previously the Broadcasting Advertising Clearance Centre, operates a clearance system for TV advertisements before they are screened.
Clearcast » Home



Commercial Breaks and Beats
Heard a song or piece of music in an ad and want to know who it's by? You may find the answer on this website.
Commercial Breaks and Beats :: The UK TV Advert Music Database



Committee of Advertising Practice
Committee of Advertising Practice - the self-regulatory body that devises and enforces the British Code of Advertising, Sales Promotion and Direct Marketing (The CAP Code) that is administered by the ASA
Committee of Advertising Practice



Consumer Direct
Consumer Direct - Consumer Direct is a telephone and online advice and information service for consumers in Great Britain, supported by the Department of Trade and Industry
Consumer Direct



Department of Health
Department of Health - The DH's aim is to improve the health and well-being of people in England. Its website includes the latest on the Department's work, as well as health and social care guidance, publications and policy.
DH home : Department of Health



Equality and Human Rights Commission
Equality and Human Rights Commission was established under the Equality Act 2006 to eliminate discrimination, reduce inequality, protect human rights and to build good relations, ensuring that everyone has a fair chance to participate in society; it can use its enforcement powers where necessary to guarantee people’s equality. It also has a mandate to promote understanding of the Human Rights Act.
Equality and Human Rights Commission - home page



European Advertising Standards Alliance
European Advertising Standards Alliance - a co-ordinating body for 28 self-regulatory organisations within Europe. It co-ordinates and administers a cross-border complaints procedure.
EASA: The European Advertising Standards Alliance



Financial Services Authority
The Financial Services Authority is an independent body that regulates the financial services industry in the UK. It's Money Made Clear website gives impartial consumer advice on financial services.
Financial Services Authority Home page : FSA Money made clear



Food Standards Agency
The Food Standards Agency is an independent Government department set up to protect the public's health and consumer interests in relation to food.
Food Standards Agency - Homepage



History of Advertising Trust
History of Advertising Trust - encourages the study of advertising and related fields. HAT holds a collection of advertising material from 1800 to the present day.
HAT History Of Advertising Trust



Institute of Practitioners of Advertising
Institute of Practitioners in Advertising - The IPA is the trade body and professional institute for leading agencies in the UK's advertising, media and marketing communications industry.
IPA



Local Government Association
Local Government Association - The LGA represents all local authorities in England and Wales. The LGA's priority is to put local councils at the heart of the drive to improve public services and to work with government to ensure that the policy, legislative and financial context in which they operate, supports that objective
www.lga.gov.uk




Mail Order Traders Assocation
Mail Order Traders Association - MOTA operates a Code of Practice on behalf of its member companies and their customers.
MOTA - the Mail Order Traders' Association of Great Britain



Mailing Preference Service
Mailing Preference Service - permits any member of the public to have their name deleted from or added to a mailing list.
MPS online



MHRA
MHRA - the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Authority regulates the standards of saftey in medicines and healthcare products and grants marketing licenses to manufacturers.
MHRA – Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency - Home page



National Group on Homeworking
National Group on Homeworking - offers advice and support for homeworkers, and those employing homeworkers in the United Kingdom. Advice & Information Line 0800 174 095 (Monday to Friday, 10am to 12.30pm and 1pm to 3.30pm)
NGH | National Group on Homeworking UK



Ofcom
Ofcom - the regulator for the UK broadcast and telecommunications industry. Ofcom deals with television and radio programme and sponsorship matters.
Home page | Ofcom



OFT
Office of Fair Trading - aims to protect the consumer by encouraging competition among businesses and ensuring fair trading practices. Acts as a legal backstop to the ASA via the Control of Misleading Advertisements (Amendment) Regulations 2000.
The Office of Fair Trading: making markets work well for consumers



Otelo
Otelo - The Office of the Telecommunications Ombudsman (Otelo) looks at complaints made against telecommunication companies that are members of the Ombudsman scheme. The Ombudsman has powers to act after consumers have given the company in question a chance to resolve any dispute.
Office of the Telecommunications Ombudsman - Home



PCC
Press Complaints Commission - independent body founded to oversee self-regulation of the press. Deals with complaints about the editorial content of British newspapers and magazines, and the conduct of the press.
Press Complaints Commission >> Welcome



PhonepayPlus
PhonepayPlus is the organisation that regulates phone-paid services in the UK - the services and goods that can be bought by charging the cost to mobile phone bills and pre-pay accounts. These include helplines, competitions, downloads, TV voting, news alerts, charitable donations and interactive games.
PhonepayPlus - welcome to the PhonepayPlus home page



RACC
Radio Advertising Clearance Centre - Commercial radio's advertising clearance body. Administered by the industry's trade body, the RadioCentre, and funded by the commercial radio stations. The RACC clears radio advertisements and sponsorhip credits to provide easy use of an otherwise complex medium for both advertisers and agencies.
Website: RACC Redirect E-mail: adclear@racc.co.uk



SHOPS
National Newspapers Safe Home Ordering Protection Scheme (SHOPS) - provides compensation to readers of national newspapers when the consumer buys directly from advertisements and catalogues inserted in national newspapers.
SHOPS Homepage



Skillset Careers
Skillset Careers - a specialist careers information, advice and guidance service for broadcast, film, video, interactive media and photo imaging, offering a range of services including helpline, free e-mail advice and individual guidance sessions delivered by experienced media practitioners.
Careers - Skillset



Trading Standards Central
Trading Standards Central - contains useful information on consumer rights under the law and a search facility to find contact details for your local trading standards department.
Trading Standards Central - Trading Standards and Consumer Protection information for the UK



WebTraderUK
The WebTraderUK scheme is designed to encourage consumer confidence in the online shopping environment.
www.webtraderuk.org.uk

	The Financial Ombudsman Service For the most part, don't bother. The Ombudsman is an industry arranged service which is under-resourced, takes too long, lacks clear transparency. You have no idea what evidence the FOS has received from the bank or how your complain has really been handled. The FOS is the preferred complaints route for the banking industry. The county court is to be preferred by consumers for its speed, openness, the quality of its awards and also because it will award 8% interest on top of any damages won by you. The Ombudsman should normally be used to solving little technical difficulties or customer service problems which you have expereinced with your bank.

	PhonePayPlus Follow this link to PhonePayPlus which is the independent body which has been set up to deal with premium rate phone and text scams. Read their Code of Practice and complain directly to them. They are likely to be more interested and more enthusiastic than your mobile telephone service provider.

[zootscoot]

Thread stuck and moved to general consumer forum.

Thanks James

[legalpickle]

Don't know why but there are a few missing:

Advertising Standards Authority
The ASA makes decisions on if an advert is misleading or should be barred for whatever reason.
Advertising Standards Authority

Communications & Internet Services Adjudication Scheme (CISAS)
CISAS is the other Alternative Dispute Resolution [ADR] scheme [besides for Otelo] that covers telecoms companies. All telecoms companies must belong to either CISAS or Otelo.
CISAS: Communications & Internet Services Adjudication Scheme

Financial Ombudsman Service
The FOS is the complaints body for all companies that offer financial services.
Financial Ombudsman Service

Law Society
The Law Society is the body for all Solicitors. This together with the Solicitors Regulation Authority & Legal Complaints Service comprise the 3 main bodies relating to Solicitors. Their site is very useful for searching for a Solicitor across England & Wales.
The Law Society - Home

Legal Complaints Service
The Legal Complaints Service is the body for complaints about Solicitors. If you feel you have been overcharged or have been provided with an unsatisfactory service by a Solicitor, then these are the people to contact.
LCS: Legal Complaints Service home

There are many more relevant organizations that are useful contacts. A full list would take hours to compile. I will edit this post as and when I have time. If anybody wishes to PM me other bodies that are not in the post of 'JOSH_IOU' or in my post, I'd be happy to add them.

Contacts that are relevant are - in my humble opinion - Ombudsman, ADR & Adjudicator schemes, Regulatory bodies of services that affect the average citizen and Sites of organizations that assist consumers and small businesses.

It would be appreciated if people did not add loads of posts to this thread as it would confuse it for anybody else visiting. I will be happy to add any relevant contact to my post if I receive a PM.

	The Financial Ombudsman Service For the most part, don't bother. The Ombudsman is an industry arranged service which is under-resourced, takes too long, lacks clear transparency. You have no idea what evidence the FOS has received from the bank or how your complain has really been handled. The FOS is the preferred complaints route for the banking industry. The county court is to be preferred by consumers for its speed, openness, the quality of its awards and also because it will award 8% interest on top of any damages won by you. The Ombudsman should normally be used to solving little technical difficulties or customer service problems which you have expereinced with your bank.

[JOSH_IOU]

Not quite certain as to what you mean by "a few missing".

This is simply a list of useful contacts

[legalpickle]

Originally Posted by JOSH_IOU

Not quite certain as to what you mean by "a few missing".

This is simply a list of useful contacts

For a list to be considered a list that is really useful it must contain contacts that are really useful, and as many of those as possible.

I hardly think that asbof, basbof and some others are "useful" for most of the population unless you in the very very small population that deal with Advertising Regulation and such like

[JOSH_IOU]

There usful if you need them.

Just like the council.

[legalpickle]

Originally Posted by JOSH_IOU

There usful if you need them.

Just like the council.

Josh: CAG is "Consumer Action Group", it is for consumers and to assist consumers. Putting a list of every possible contact in the UK would be too long. To save consumers time and to give a list of useful contacts, it is recommended to give a list contacts that people are likely to need.

Any councils contact details are frankly more useful than those of asbof and basbof. More consumers and even businesses would need to contact any council in the UK than those two put together.

Any contact is useful [not usful] if you need them. So why didn't you include the millions of other contacts on the face of this planet. The responsible thing to do would have been put a disclaimer at the end of your post like mine.

May I ask what you work in, that you find asbof and basbof "useful"?

[starteasycareer]

Hi Josh,

Thank you for sharing this useful contacts here...

[jenny_adams]

Thank you for sharing those!...