Unless a crime has been committed or someone is in immediate danger, the police are unlikely to intervene in civil disputes. However, we’ll put you in touch with the groups and organisations who can help. Complete the sentence below to get the advice you need to resolve your dispute as quickly and amicably as possible.

I’m having a dispute with a shop or vendor about a missold or unsatisfactory item

If a vendor tells you that a perfume is Chanel, sells it to you as the genuine article, charges you a reasonable price and you later find out that it's not Chanel, you should contact your local Trading Standards office. They'll take up the complaint on your behalf.

Although the vendor could be said to have obtained your money by fraud, Trading Standards are the best people to deal with these matters.

This principle applies to most consumer purchases. As a rule, we'd recommend buying such products from reputable stores to avoid potentially harmful counterfeit products.



This information is provided courtesy of Ask the Police.