Trading standards to have to give 48 hours notice of routine inspections

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (DBIS) said the move would save business £4.1m per year.

However, Trading Standards teams will still be able to carry out unannounced inspections where they suspect illegal activity.

Alongside other enforcement bodies, they will also be given more flexibility to seek redress for consumers who have been victims of breaches of consumer law.

The move is part of a wide-ranging package of measures as the Government seeks to consolidate and simplify eight major pieces of legislation into one Bill.

Key provisions in the Bill will see consumers have rights to: get money back after one failed repair of faulty goods; demand that substandard services are redone or failing that get a price reduction; and a set 30-day time period to return faulty goods and get a full refund.

DBIS claimed that the legislation would mean consumers and businesses “will find it easier to resolve problems with faulty goods, substandard services and, for the first time, corrupted digital downloads”.

Businesses will see a reduction in ongoing training costs, the Department argued. “[They] will spend less time understanding their obligations or considering different scenarios when training staff.”

DBIS said generic consumer law investigatory powers currently in around 60 pieces of legislation would be repealed and set out in one place.

Consumer Minister Jenny Willott said: “For far too long consumers and businesses have struggled to understand the rules that apply when buying goods and services. That is why the Consumer RIghts Bill sets out in one place key consumer rights for goods, services and, for the first time, digital content.”

Information on the Bill can be viewed here.