Councillor Bill Fernie Endorses Support To Charities After Televisions Siezed

16th September 2016

A number of televisions seized by Trading Standards have been sent to a local charity for recycling.

The televisions were amongst several items that Trading Standards Officers have seized over recent months. Other items include generators, power washers, welding and cutting equipment, and mattresses.

All of the items seized have been as a result of on-going community safety operations with Police Scotland to tackle the problem of doorstep crime in the Highland Council area. Trading Standards and Police Scotland jointly act when members of the public call to express their concerns over itinerant trading.

The items were found to either fail to meet safety standards or were falsely described; all were seized from itinerants found to have the items in their vehicles whilst travelling around the area.

Typical of the equipment seized was a failure to comply with the strict legal safety requirements, with falsely applied CE marks, inadequate or missing instructions and safety warnings, and without the necessary documentation to verify that the equipment had been designed and manufactured to a safe standard. In some instances the equipment had been altered to circumvent the fuse function.

Trading Standards Team Leader, Mark McGinty said "It's good that we can help a local charity and that these goods will be broken down and put to some good use. It's important that members of the public are aware that goods sold in this manner are very likely to involve goods that could present safety risks or at the very least not be what they appear to be. Wherever possible we will take the opportunity to permanently remove such good from the market."

Chairman of the Resources Committee, Councillor Bill Fernie, said "The role of our Trading Standards Team in removing such items from circulation is vital, this work protects consumers from harm, protects legitimate business from unfair competition, and quite rightly tackles those who chose to trade illegally. I am pleased that charities can benefit from our dealing robustly with rogue traders in the Highland area."

Members of the public who are approached by anyone selling such items are advised not to purchase such items, the goods could be dangerous and your money could be wasted. Consumers are urged to report any such activity to Trading Standards on 01463 228700 or Police Scotland on 101.