Consumers, Estate Agents and Redress Act 2007 Explanatory Notes

1. Introduction

2. Summary

3. Background and Overview

   1. Parts 1 and 2

      1. The (new) National Consumer Council

      2. Redress Schemes and Complaint Handling

      3. Consumer Direct

   2. Part 3: Estate Agents

      1. Amendments of the Estate Agents Act 1979

   3. Part 4: Miscellaneous and General

4. Territorial Extent and Territorial Application

   1. Scotland

   2. Wales

   3. Northern Ireland

      1. Part 1: the National Consumer Council

         1. Section 1: Establishment of the National Consumer Council and its territorial committees

         2. Section 2: The territorial committees

         3. Section 3: “Consumer” and “consumer matters”

         4. Section 4: “Designated consumers”

         5. Section 5: Forward work programmes

         6. Section 6: General provision about functions

         7. Section 7: Annual Report

         8. Section 8: The representative function

         9. Section 9: The research function

         10. Section 10: The information function

         11. Powers of investigation

             1. Section 11: General powers of investigation

             2. Section 12: Investigation of complaints by vulnerable designated consumers

             3. Section 13: Investigation of complaints relating to disconnection of gas or electricity

             4. Section 14: Reference of matters to the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority

             5. Section 15: Reference of matters to the Postal Services Commission

             6. Section 16: Investigations relating to public post offices

         12. Other functions of the Council

             1. Section 17: Reports by the Council

             2. Section 18: Secretary of State’s power to require reports

             3. Section 19: Advice, information and guidance

             4. Section 20: Duty to enter into co-operation arrangements

             5. Section 21: Power to co-operate and give assistance

             6. Section 22: Voluntary activities

             7. Section 23: Supplementary powers etc

             8. Section 24: Provision of information to the Council

             9. Section 25: Enforcement by regulator of section 24 notice

             10. Section 26: Enforcement by court of section 24 notice

             11. Section 27: Provision of information by the Council

             12. Section 28: Exemptions from requirements to provide information

             13. Section 29: Disclosure of information

         13. Abolition of Consumer Bodies

             1. Section 30: Abolition of “energywatch” and “Postwatch”

             2. Section 31: Designation of the Consumer Council for Water for abolition

             3. Section 32: Transfer orders and abolition orders

             4. Section 33: Supplementary provision about transfer and abolition orders

             5. Section 34: Compensation for loss of office

             6. Section 35: Transfer of property etc

             7. Section 36: Directions

             8. Section 37: Extension of the Council’s functions: Great Britain

             9. Section 38: Removal of the Council’s functions in relation to Northern Ireland

             10. Section 39: The Financial Services Consumer Panel

             11. Section 40: The OFCOM Consumer Panel

             12. Section 41: Interpretation of Part 1

      2. Part 2: Complaints Handling and Redress Schemes

         1. Overview of Part 2

            1. Section 42: Interpretation of Part 2

            2. Section 43: Standards for handling complaints

            3. Section 44: Requirements for making regulations under section 43

            4. Section 45: Information with respect to compliance with complaints handling standards

            5. Section 46: Supply of information to consumers

            6. Section 47: Membership of redress scheme

            7. Section 48: Membership of redress schemes: supplementary

            8. Section 49: Approval of redress schemes

            9. Section 50: Approval of redress schemes: supplementary

            10. Section 51: Procedure for refusing or withdrawing approval

            11. Section 52: Enforcement of requirements imposed under Part 2

      3. Part 3: Amendments of the Estate Agents’ Act 1979

         1. Estate agents’ duties

            1. Section 53: Membership of redress schemes

            2. Section 54: Duty to keep records

            3. Section 55: Grounds for prohibition orders

            4. Section 56: Grounds for warning orders

         2. Investigatory powers

            1. Section 57: Powers of entry and inspection

            2. Section 58: Failure to produce information

      4. Part 4: Miscellaneous and General

         1. Section 59: Contracts concluded away from business premises

         2. Section 60: Orders and Regulations

         3. Section 61: Directions

         4. Section 62: Parliamentary control of orders and regulation

         5. Section 63: Minor, consequential and transitional provision

         6. Section 64: Repeals

         7. Section 65: Extent

5. Schedules+-

   1. Schedule 1: The National Consumer Council

      1. Part 1: Members of the Council

         Membership

      2. Part 2: Staff of the Council

      3. Part 3: Territorial, Regional and Other Committees

      4. Part 4: Procedure etc.

      5. Part 5: Funding and accounts

      6. Part 6: Status etc.

   2. Schedule 2: Enforcement of information requirements

   3. Schedule 3: Abolition of consumer bodies: transitional provision

   4. Schedule 4: Transfer of property etc to Council

   5. Schedule 5: Information relating to compliance with complaint handling standards

   6. Schedule 6: Estate Agents’ Redress Schemes

      1. New section 23A: Redress Schemes

      2. New section 23B: Enforcement

      3. New section 23C: Meaning of residential property

      4. New Schedule 3: redress schemes

      5. New Schedule 4: Penalty notices under section 23B(1)

   7. Schedule 7: Minor and Consequential Amendments

   8. Schedule 8: Repeals

6. Commencement

7. Parliamentary History