... from allowing a trader to give carte blanche to his or her obligations, to allowing them to trade in the same way as previously with minimal penalties from past trading offences. In response to this, in 1999 the DTI launched its White Paper, Modern Markets: Confident Consumers. Its purpose was to outline the changes that the Government felt were needed in consumer legislation to afford proper recourse for people harmed by rogue traders and to extend the powers of enforcement by the OFT, Trading Standards plus other consumer groups. In recent years the OFT and Trading Standards have become increasingly busy in dealing with complaints by consumers. For some time the OFT and Trading Standards used their powers freely and unhindered. Amongst the powers they enjoyed was that to search premesis and seize property if they had reasonable suspicion to believe that offences were taking place. In Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council ...

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