About Trading Standards

Trading Standards Team

We enforce criminal laws that encourage fairer trading. This includes the:

• quantity, price or description of goods or services
• safety of goods

We achieve this by:

• advising local businesses on how to comply with the law
• investigating complaints
• working in partnership with other agencies such as the police
• working on projects to protect people including honest traders
• taking appropriate action - we prefer to advise, but we will prosecute if we need to

Make a complaint about goods or services

If you have a complaint about goods or services, or a business, or require advice to help resolve your consumer issue, please contact Citizens Advice who can provide you with free, confidential, and impartial advice:    

• telephone: 0808 223 1133
• Use the online consumer query form. The online consumer query form is only available 5pm Fridays to 9am Mondays.

Citizens Advice handles consumer complaints on our behalf and where applicable they will send information about reported traders to us.

Business advice

You can find advice about the laws that affect you at the Business Companion website. 

If you can't find what you need there, or if it’s unclear:

• telephone 020 7361 3002
• email [email protected]

Product safety

We provide information about product recalls.

Read more about product safety page.

Auctions, animal feed and mail forwarding

Auction

Premises within the borough that are used to hold an auction must register with us, even if that is not the main business.

Register a premises.

Animal feed

If you produce or import animal feed you need to register your premises with us. This includes recycling waste food as feed.

To register a premises, please email: [email protected]

Mail forwarding

You must also register with us if you run a business which forwards mail, even if it is not your main business.

To register a premises, please email: [email protected]

Landlords, letting agents and property managers

Recent legal changes are affecting these businesses.

Read more about landlords, letting agents and property managers.

Inspections and enforcement policy

We aim to:

• inspect all businesses that we consider as a high risk at least once a year
• reply to service requests and justifiable complaints within 24 hours
• respond to complaints about our services within 28 days

Sometimes we need to take action against traders who don’t comply with the law.

Enforcement Policy

Primary authority

Primary authority allows businesses to form a legal partnership with one local authority. It then provides assured and tailored advice on complying with:

• environmental health
• trading standards
• fire safety regulations that other local regulators must respect

If you are interested in partnering with us, get in touch: [email protected]

Contact us

If you need further guidance please contact us:

• email: [email protected]
• telephone: 020 7361 3002
• post: Trading Standards, PO Box 66532, London W8 9GL
• in person: call 020 7361 3002 to make an appointment

Privacy Notice

Read our Privacy Notice for Trading Standards.