ARLA/CLUSTER: Reino Unido dá a conhecer as novas regras da Ofcom para a protecção dos consumidores

[João Costa > CT1FBF]

New Ofcom rules to better protect consumers come into force on 1 October

Consumers will be better protected against nuisance calls, and vulnerable
customers treated more fairly, when new strengthened rules are introduced
on Monday 1 October 2018.

Last year, Ofcom completed a comprehensive review of the General Conditions
<https://ofcom.cmail19.com/t/i-l-nqhjjy-wklhtkyut-u/> – the regulatory
rules that all communications providers must follow to operate in the UK.

The aim of the review was to update our rules to ensure that consumers have
the protection they need against sharp practices, and to support Ofcom’s
enforcement work.

The resulting changes place tougher requirements on all UK communications
providers, in a range of areas including nuisance calls, complaints
handling and the protection of vulnerable customers.

In summary, the new rules will:

Help to better protect people against nuisance calls

   - Phone companies will be banned from charging customers for caller
   display, a service which helps people to screen unwanted calls;
   - Telephone numbers displayed to people receiving calls must be valid
   and allow a person to call the number back;
   - Phone companies must take steps to identify and block calls which
   carry invalid numbers – a feature of many nuisance calls – so they don’t
   get through to consumers in the first place; and
   - Ofcom will be able to take back blocks of numbers from communications
   providers if they are found to have been systematically used to cause harm
   or anxiety to people, such as to make nuisance calls or perpetrate scams or
   fraud.

Require telecoms companies to treat vulnerable customers fairly

   - Communications providers must introduce policies for identifying
   vulnerable customers – such as people with learning or communication
   difficulties or those suffering physical or mental illness or bereavement –
   to ensure they are treated fairly.

Help ensure that complaints and customer requests are handled appropriately

   - All communications providers must ensure that customer concerns are
   dealt with promptly and effectively;
   - Customers must be kept informed about the progress of their complaint
   and be allowed faster access to dispute resolution services in cases where
   the matter cannot be resolved by their provider; and
   - Ofcom is issuing new guidance to providers on handling customers’
   requests to cancel their contract. This should include allowing customers
   to cancel by phone, email or webchat, and ensuring incentive schemes for
   customer service agents do not encourage poor behaviour.

Lindsey Fussell, Ofcom’s Consumer Group Director, said: “It’s important
that our rules keep pace with developments in the communications market,
and continue to give consumers the protection they need.

“Our strengthened rules will help to protect people against nuisance calls
and support our work to identify and punish those companies responsible.
“We’ve also introduced special protections to ensure that vulnerable people
are fairly treated and that customer complaints are dealt with promptly and
effectively.�
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