Consumer advice information

This guidance is for England, Scotland and Wales

If you are in dispute with a trader and the trader is a member of a trade association or is regulated by a professional body, you may be able to get advice or assistance from the relevant association or body.

There are trade associations and professional bodies in all sectors - for example, the building industry, motor vehicles, electrical goods, holidays, estate agency, lettings and financial services.

WHAT IS A TRADE ASSOCIATION?

A trade association is an organisation that works in the collective interests of its members in a particular industry.

DOES A BUSINESS HAVE TO BE IN A TRADE ASSOCIATION?

For some 'regulated professions', such as doctors and architects, it may be required but generally there is no obligation for a business to be in one.

HOW CAN THEY HELP ME?

Some trade associations provide a dispute resolution scheme as part of their service so if you have a complaint against one of their members, they can assist in resolving it. In some cases, they will be able to provide experts to examine work / products if the cause of the problem is in dispute.

A selection of trade associations are listed below. The list is not exhaustive; there are many others. If you cannot find an appropriate one, contact the Citizens Advice consumer service, which may be able to assist you.

WHAT IS THE APPROVED CODE SCHEME?

The Approved Code Scheme, which is run by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI), was set up with a view to increase consumer protection and improve customer service standards by helping trade associations to regulate themselves. CTSI approves and promotes codes of practice, sets out the principles of effective customer service and requires traders to have robust alternative dispute resolution schemes. You can search for approved code members on the site.

For a full list of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) bodies, visit the ADR section of the CTSI website.

LIST OF TRADE ASSOCIATIONS AND REGULATORY BODIES

Please note that the inclusion of an organisation in the list below does not imply any approval or warranty as to the standing or capability of that organisation by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute.

A number of the organisations listed are not trade associations. These are marked * and are mostly regulatory bodies, which may be of use to consumers.

ADVERTISING

Advertising Standards Authority (ASA)*
Castle House, 37-45 Paul Street, London, EC2A 4LS
Tel: 020 7492 2222
asa.org.uk (online complaint form)

BUILDING

Federation of Master Builders (FMB)
David Croft House, 25 Ely Place, London, EC1N 6TD
Tel: 0330 333 7777
fmb.org.uk (online complaint form)

National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC)
31 Worship Street, London, EC2A 2DY
Tel: 020 7638 7663
nfrc.co.uk

National House Building Council
NHBC House, Davy Avenue, Knowlhill, Milton Keynes, Bucks MK5 8FP
Tel: 0800 035 6422
nhbc.co.uk

TrustMark
Arena Business Centre, The Square, Basing View, Basingstoke, RG21 4EB
Tel: 0333 555 1234
trustmark.org.uk (online contact form)

COMMERCIAL SERVICES

Association of Plumbing and Heating Contractors (APHC)
12 The Pavilions, Cranmore Drive, Solihull, B90 4SB
Tel: 0121 711 5030
aphc.co.uk

British Association of Removers (BAR)
Tangent House, 62 Exchange Road, Watford, Hertfordshire, WD18 0TG
Tel: 01923 699486
bar.co.uk

Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE)
64 Station Lane, Hornchurch, Essex, RM12 6NB
Tel: 01708 472 791
ciphe.org.uk (online complaint form)

Fair Trades
Station View, Guildford, Surrey, GU1 4AN
Tel: 0800 131 0123
fairtrades.co.uk

Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF)
40 Rushworth Street, London, SE1 0RB
Tel: 020 7939 9100
ggf.org.uk

Hetas
Severn House, Unit 5 Newtown Trading Estate, Green Lane, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, GL20 8HD
Tel: 01684 278170
hetas.co.uk (online enquiry form)

National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting (NICEIC)
Warwick House, Houghton Hall Park, Houghton Regis, Dunstable, Bedfordshire, LU5 5ZX
Tel: 0333 015 6625
niceic.com

Oil Firing Technical Association (OFTEC)
Unit 25, Riduna Park, Statin Road, Melton, Woodbridge, IP12 1QT
Tel: 01473 626298
oftec.org (online enquiry form)

Scottish and Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers' Federation (SNIPEF)
Bellevue House, 22 Hopetoun Street, Edinburgh, EH7 4GH
Tel: 0131 556 0600
snipef.org

COMMUNICATIONS

Office of Communications (OFCOM)*
Riverside House, 2a Southwark Bridge Road, London, SE1 9HA
Tel: 0300 123 3333
ofcom.org.uk (option to submit online complaint)

ELECTRICAL GOODS

Radio, Electrical and Television Retailers' Association (RETRA)
1st Floor, Woburn Court, 2 Railton Road, Woburn Road Industrial Estate, Kempston, Bedford, MK42 7PN
Tel: 01234 269 110
retra.co.uk (online contact form)

FINANCE AND CREDIT

Companies House*
Companies House, Crown Way, Cardiff, CF14 3UZ
Tel: 0303 1234 500
gov.uk/government/organisations/companies-house

Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)*
12 Endeavour Square, London, E20 1JN
Tel: 0800 111 6768 (Freephone) or 0300 500 8082
fca.org.uk

Financial Ombudsman Service
Exchange Tower, Harbour Exchange, London, E14 9SR
Tel: 0800 0234 567
financial-ombudsman.org.uk

Insolvency Service*
4 Abbey Orchard Street, London, SW1P 2HT
Tel: 0300 678 0015
gov.uk/government/organisations/insolvency-service

FURNITURE

(including beds, cabinets, carpets and other floor coverings, bathrooms, bedrooms, kitchens and upholstery)

The Furniture Ombudsman
Premier House, First Floor, 1-5 Argyle Way, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG1 2AD
Tel: 0333 241 3209
thefurnitureombudsman.org

HEALTH SERVICES

General Dental Council (GDC)
37 Wimpole Street, London, W1G 8DQ
Tel: 020 7167 6000
gdc-uk.org

General Optical Council (GOC)
10 Old Bailey, London, EC4M 7NG
Tel: 020 7580 3898
optical.org

HOLIDAYS, TRAVEL AND TRANSPORT

Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA)
30 Park Street, London, SE1 9EQ
abta.com (online dispute form)

Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO)
18 Bridle Lane, Twickenham, Middlesex, TW1 3EG
Tel: 020 8744 9280
aito.co.uk (online contact form)

Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)*
Aviation House, Beehive Ringroad, Crawley, West Sussex, RH6 0YR
Tel: 0330 022 1500
caa.co.uk

Office of Rail and Road (ORR)*
25 Cabot Square, London, E14 4QZ
Tel: 020 7282 2000
orr.gov.uk

Transport Focus
RTEH-XAGE-BYKZ, Transport Focus, PO Box 5594, Southend on Sea, SS1 9PZ (no stamp needed)
Tel: 0300 123 0860
transportfocus.org.uk (online enquiry form)

INSURANCE

Association of British Insurers (ABI)
One America Square, 17 Crosswall, London, EC3N 2LB
Tel: 020 7600 3333
abi.org.uk

LEGAL SERVICES

Legal Ombudsman
PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton, WV1 9WJ
Tel: 0300 555 0333
legalombudsman.org.uk

Solicitors Regulation Authority
The Cube, 199 Wharfside Street, Birmingham, B1 1RN
Tel: 0370 606 2555
sra.co.uk

MAIL ORDER

Direct Marketing Association (DMA)
Lynton House, 7-12 Tavistock Square, London, WC1H 9LT
Tel: 020 7291 3300
dma.org.uk

Mailing Preference Service*
Tel: 020 7291 3310 (online enquiry form)
mpsonline.org.uk
The MPS website also has links to the Telephone, Fax and Baby Mailing Preference Services

MOTOR VEHICLES

Motor Ombudsman
71 Great Peter Street, London, SW1P 2BN
Tel: 0345 241 3008 (option 1)
themotorombudsman.org

National Conciliation Service
PO Box 6562, Rugby, CV21 9QP
nationalconciliationservice.co.uk (online case reference form)

Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Ltd (SMMT)
71 Great Peter Street, London, SW1P 2BN
smmt.co.uk (links to The Motor Ombudsman)

Scottish Motor Trade Association (SMTA)
Palmerston House, 10 The Loan, South Queensferry, EH30 9NS
Tel: 0131 331 5510
smta.co.uk

PROPERTY

Propertymark
Arbon House, 6 Tournament Court, Edgehill Drive, Warwick, CV34 6LG
Tel: 01926 496 800
propertymark.co.uk

Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA)
66 Portland Place, London, W1B 1AD
Tel: 020 7307 5355
architecture.com

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)
12 Great George Street, London, SW1P 3AD
rics.org/uk (online contact form)

Safeagent
Cheltenham Office Park, Hatherley Lane, Cheltenham, GL51 6SH
Tel: 01242 581712
safeagents.co.uk

The Property Ombudsman (TPOS)
Milford House, 43-55 Milford Street, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP1 2BP
Tel: 01722 333306
tpos.co.uk

UTILITIES

Consumer Council for Water
23 Stephenson Street, Birmingham, B2 4BH
Tel: 0300 034 2222
ccwater.org.uk

Office of Gas and Electricity Markets - Glasgow
Commonwealth House, 32 Albion Street, Glasgow, G1 1LH
ofgem.gov.uk

Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (OFGEM)*
10 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf, London, E14 4PU
ofgem.gov.uk

Office of Water Services (OFWAT)
Centre City Tower, 7 Hill Street, Birmingham, B5 4UA
Tel: 0121 644 7500
ofwat.gov.uk

Ombudsman Services: Energy
PO Box 966 Warrington, WA4 9DF
Tel: 0330 440 1624
ombudsman-services.org

Last reviewed / updated: October 2023

Key legislation

• there is no key legislation for this guide

Please note

This information is intended for guidance; only the courts can give an authoritative interpretation of the law.

The guide's 'Key legislation' links may only show the original version of the legislation, although some amending legislation is linked to separately where it is directly related to the content of a guide. Information on amendments to legislation can be found on each link's 'More Resources' tab.

For further information in England and Wales contact the Citizens Advice consumer service on 0808 2231133. In Scotland contact Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 164 6000. Both provide free, confidential and impartial advice on consumer issues.

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The county council is not responsible for this information.