Tag Archives: Kevin Grix

News

Resolver founder joins Board at Ombudsman

James Walker joins as independent Non-Executive Director at Dispute Resolution Ombudsman.

The Dispute Resolution Ombudsman, incorporating the Furniture & Home Improvement and Rail Ombudsman, has today announced that tech entrepreneur and consumer rights champion, James Walker has joined their Board of Directors as part of the Executive team.

As founder of the UK’s leading consumer complaints and resolution tool resolver.co.uk, Walker helped over 23 million consumers resolve over £4.5billion of issues with UK companies and organisations. Under his leadership, Resolver successfully partnered with Martin Lewis’ MoneySavingExpert to be the only 3rd party to carry its branding by way of endorsement. Walker currently advises the UK and Scottish Government on consumer rights and was nominated as Social Entrepreneur of the Year in 2018.

Deep routed in innovation and change, Walker’s career spans across previous roles including head of innovations at B&Q and Kingfisher, in addition to his recent appointment as CEO at both JamDoughnut a service to help reward consumer loyalty and Rightly, the only UK online service to help consumers police and manage their personal data that companies and organisations hold. He is also a member of the Consumer Expert Panel for the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), which provides independent advice to help the ORR fulfil its role as the railways’ safety, economic consumer and competition regulator.

For more than a quarter of a century, the independent, not-for profit and government approved Ombudsman has offered a range of services to its members and their customers including independent alternative dispute resolution, training and advice spanning across sectors including retail, rail, furniture and home improvement. The Ombudsman helps to provide consumers with additional peace of mind and supports businesses and their customers in finding solutions when disputes occur, without the need for costly and lengthy litigation.

Announcing the appointment, John Peerless, Chair of the Board of Directors at the Dispute Resolution Ombudsman said, “I am delighted to welcome James Walker to our Board as he has thorough knowledge of the consumer and Ombudsman landscape as well as technological innovations in Alternative Dispute Resolution and brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the role. As with other sectors, we’ve had to work in resilient and transformative ways to carry out efficient, modern and accessible ways of resolving disputes as we emerge out of a worldwide pandemic.

“As we look forward to the future, we would like to extend a warm welcome to James on behalf of myself, our CEO and Chief Ombudsman Kevin Grix and staff.”

For more information, visit www.disputeresolutionombudsman.org.

News

Cox & Cox joins Ombudsman as Sales Soar

Online homeware store invests in consumer protection as strong growth continues.

Homeware retailer Cox & Cox has joined the Furniture & Home Improvement Ombudsman (FHIO) as it’s reported sales growth of +74.5% year on year for its financial year ended January 2021. As this ‘extraordinary’ growth continues whilst people across the UK continue to spend more time at home and embrace a hybrid working culture, Cox & Cox has demonstrated their ongoing commitment to raising standards and promoting consumer confidence by joining the Ombudsman scheme.

For more than a quarter of a century, the independent, not-for profit and government approved Ombudsman scheme has offered a range of services to its members and their customers including alternative dispute resolution, training and advice. The Ombudsman helps to provide consumers with additional peace of mind and supports businesses and their customers in finding solutions when disputes occur, without the need for costly and lengthy litigation.

Launched in 2001, Somerset based Cox & Cox ‘arose from a desire to create a unique collection of homeware products that couldn’t be found elsewhere, with customers encouraged to find their own style and to love every corner of their home.’

By joining the FHIO scheme, Cox & Cox demonstrate a commitment to raising standards by signing up to a Code of Practice and promoting consumer confidence in the sector in which they operate, adding another layer of protection for their customers.  In addition, membership underlines industry best practise and an undertaking to manage complaints formally and at a level that is higher than the law prescribes. Access is provided to an established City & Guilds learning and development programme, and a dedicated Ombudsman team who are have expertise in dispute resolution and consumer law.

Equally, consumers benefit as they will be able to raise a complaint with the Ombudsman for free, if they are unable to resolve the complaint through existing channels or internal procedures.

Kevin Grix, CEO and Chief Ombudsman, the Furniture and Home Improvement Ombudsman said, “Knowing that a business subscribes to an Ombudsman helps to provide an additional layer of protection and reassurance to customers and businesses alike. Customers like to feel confident when they’re spending and they want to know that if something goes wrong, there is a mechanism in place to help put it right. Consumers want to know that the business they are buying from is committed to getting it right for them.

“For years businesses have improved and learnt from the Ombudsman and Cox & Cox have now demonstrated a very tangible commitment to raising standards. By joining the Ombudsman, they are serious about their responsibilities to consumers and we’d therefore like to commend them as new members of our independent, government approved scheme. “

Audrey Huot, Head of Customer Experience from Cox & Cox said, “We are delighted to join the Ombudsman and look forward to the additional training and support that accompanies membership. Customer satisfaction and peace-of-mind has always been at the heart of what we do, and this next step signifies best practise and an ongoing commitment to protecting consumers’ rights.”

To find out more, visit www.fhio.org.

 

 

 

 

News

Guaranteed in Time for Christmas?

With the festive season upon us, and only six weeks to go until the big day ‘Guaranteed in time for Christmas’ is a phrase which consumers usually expect to see on promotional materials.

Retailers are likely to be careful about any sweeping statements, for example in advertisements that they make about Christmas delivery this year in light of lockdown 2.0 and the closure of all but essential shops; as 2020 has seen supply chains in the retail and furniture industries experience major disruptions and delays due to lockdown restrictions both at home and abroad. However, the internet will remain a sales channel to which many of us will turn for our Christmas purchases.

With many of us working from home and unable to travel internationally, home improvement projects and furniture purchases will remain at the forefront of consumer focus as we contemplate a different festive season. We expect, therefore, that even beyond the festive period, consumers will be looking to apply their usual holiday budgets to home improvements.

When using online channels to purchase furniture, especially when consumers are not used to online shopping, it is always worth double checking specifications, perhaps asking for fabric swatches and dimensions to be certain that the item is what they wanted and that it will fit into their property. There are rights to return goods that are enhanced for distance purchases (as outlined below), but checking first will avoid disappointment later.

What are the legal consequences of late delivery and what can we do to ensure that goods ordered will arrive in time?

Whether customers can rely on statements made in advertising, depends upon what is said and how detailed those statements are. Consumers are advised to check carefully to make sure the promise relates to the specific item that is being ordered and notify the retailer of any requirements that they have in relation to their order.

In the event of items not arriving in time for Christmas, if that was promised by a retailer, there are several things that a customer can do. If the item was ordered online, then there is a 14 day right to cancel which starts on the day after goods are received or alternatively there may be a the right to withdraw; but that’s not much use if the order was a gift for someone else, or if their dining table has already been given away to charity.

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, goods should be delivered within 30 days of the order being placed, unless agreed otherwise. This can sometimes be in the terms and conditions or specified on the order documentation. Often with large items of furniture otherwise known as ‘big ticket’ items, there can be a longer lead-time because the item is being made to fulfil an order, or parts may be shipped from abroad. Particularly at the moment, it is very important for consumers to check these lead times and ask the retailer for details of anything that might cause a delay.

At the Ombudsman, we believe there are some practical steps that consumers can take when ordering furniture, that are particularly relevant at the moment.

Top tips for festive furniture orders:

1. Check the projected delivery date for the furniture and keep a note of the estimated timeframe and make sure it is suitable, before placing the order.
2. If the retailer agrees to delivery for a date that is essential to the consumer, they should both keep a written record.
3. Keep in touch with the retailer – regularly check that they are going to be able to deliver on time.
4. Despite best endeavors, things sometimes do go wrong. Shopping with a member of the Ombudsman can ensure there is a level of protection for consumers and we advise that they check our list of members before making their purchase at www.fhio.org/members.
5. Have a back-up – don’t dispose of any old furniture until the new items have arrived.

What if the contract cannot go ahead at all due to the Lockdown Laws?

In the presently uncertain landscape, a retailer may be unable to meet its obligations due to circumstances that are outside of their control. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has provided some guidance on the application of the legal principle of “frustration” to contracts that are prevented from going ahead as agreed, or at all, due to lockdown laws.

This sets out the CMA’s expectation that the consumer will be entitled to a full refund, without necessarily having to ask for it, including any deposit that they have paid. Retailers should not ask the consumer to take “unreasonable or unnecessary steps” to obtain the refund and will be in breach of consumer protection law if they do so. That said, there is nothing to prevent a consumer and retailer coming to an arrangement that is suitable to both of them and this can be one advantage of alternative dispute resolution at this time.

Kevin Grix, CEO and Chief Ombudsman, Furniture and Home Improvement Ombudsman said,

“As we approach the festive season, customers are offered an additional layer of protection when shopping with retailers enrolled with an Ombudsman scheme; it reinforces a commitment to manage complaints formally and at a higher level than the law prescribes. Our members demonstrate responsible retailer practise by helping to raise industry standards, promoting fair trade and trusting us with their most prized asset; their customers”.

To find out more, visit www.fhio.org.