Using Services, including Utility Companies, Builders & Garages
When you engage the services of a company, then you have engaged in a contract, regardless of whether or not anything was received in writing.
The legal principles which apply to service providers are broadly similar, whether the service involves the provision of something tangible (such as a builder building an extension) or something intangible, such as broadband or repairs to your car.
Whatever form the service being provided takes, it will be covered by the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982. If you arranged the service using the telephone or the internet, then the Consumer Contracts Regulations may also apply.
The basic legal principles which apply are that services must be carried out with reasonable skill and care and be completed within a reasonable time. Obviously, what is reasonable will differ greatly depending on the type of contract in question. A reasonable timescale for the delivery of a takeaway meal is obviously different from the timescales involved in renovating a house!
If the service being provided comes with goods (including parts or equipment such as a broadband router or a carburettor), they must be of satisfactory quality and fit for the specified purpose.
Common reasons for suing garages include:
- Overcharging
- Delay
- Defective repairs/servicing
- Damage to your car while it is in the Garage
Common reasons for suing service providers (phone, broadband, gas, electricity and water companies) include:
- Contract disputes
- Delay in installation or repair
- Defective service (such as poor broadband speed or no network coverage)
- Damage to property during maintenance/installation
If any of the above applies to you, we can help. Joanne Lezemore is well known for her work as a consumer champion.
Joanne has worked for more than 10 years with one of the country’s leading consumer organisations, being recognized internally and externally across broadcast media as the “Consumer Champion” and appearing on television and radio, both recorded and live. Many radio shows were not only live, but also had phone-ins, so the advice had to be accurate and immediate. These include MoneyBox, Don’t Get Done Get Dom, regional radio and The Wright Stuff.
Contact J L Lezemore Consumer Advice Solicitors covering Hertfordshire and Essex
You can choose how you would like to receive your consumer legal advice, when you want it and how you access that advice. We offer services in person, in writing or by video conference – at a time most suitable to you.
We offer a flexible and modern service outside traditional 9-5 hours, meaning you can choose when and how to contact us.
Please visit our contact page for more information.
