At this current time online shopping has never been so popular and in this digital age we are encouraged to make any enquires about purchases or complaints about goods by email or online chat boxes. However if you choose to try to speak to a real human being over the telephone you may be paying a premium rate for such a service. It is best to check the small print before you call.
If you find that you have been charged at a premium rate then help is at hand in the form of the Consumer Contract Regulations ( Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013/3134)
Section 41 of these Regulations entitles the consumer to claim back from the trader any telephone charges they may have incurred which are over the basic rate.
41.— Help-line charges over basic rate
(1) Where a trader operates a telephone line for the purpose of consumers contacting the trader by telephone in relation to contracts entered into with the trader, a consumer contacting the trader must not be bound to pay more than the basic rate.
(2) If in those circumstances a consumer who contacts a trader in relation to a contract is bound to pay more than the basic rate, the contract is to be treated as providing for the trader to pay to the consumer any amount by which the charge paid by the consumer for the call is more than the basic rate.
Should you require advice in relation to consumer contracts please contact our Dispute Resolution Team.
