Comreg Consumer Protection System Collapse , the ODCA steps in .

Sponge Bob

One regulator ( the ODCA) has unilaterally decided that another regulator (Comreg) has completely and utterly failed to protect the consumer. The ODCA has therefore decided that they are better off simply doing it themselves rather than propping up or giving credibility to that complete regulatory abomination that is Comreg

Surely its time to take the shotgun and the dog out into the field and just shoot it !

http://www.odca.ie/cfmdocs/news.cfm?article_no=6370

“Many consumers don’t realise that there are regulations governing distance and doorstep selling and that they have a period of time to cancel a contract. However, on the other side, many consumers are not aware that a contract made over the phone can be binding,” said Ann Fitzgerald, Chair of the National Consumer Agency and Director of Consumer Affairs. “By making themselves aware of their rights and the regulations around entering contracts, we hope that consumers will be comfortable switching telecoms providers. Empowered consumers greatly foster and encourage competition.”

and very tellingly

Additional information can be obtained by calling 1890 220 229 or visiting www.odca.ie.

no Asking Comreg anything mentioned there

Comreg have not even had the manners to thank the ODCA in public for doing Comregs work for it OR to link that helpful ODCA guide from their site or their costs sites or their askcomreg site or even to copy and paste the damn thing

Nothing surprising there but you could always email their PR guru , tom.butler@comreg.ie , to find out what their 'current official position' is on this timely takeover by the ODCA I really must email the ODCA myself about their official position on paying full line rental for a pairgained (split) line .....and to thank them on behalf of the long suffering Irish Consumer .

parsi

ODCA have in the past refused to act on individual customers behalf and I doubt that this will change it. However that being said the consumer needs all the help they can get.

Sponge Bob

The ODCA is explicitly excluded by a law some 10 years back where Metered Per Minute Telephone calls are involved .

The ODCA may act for the CONSUMER where the following are involved

Line rental or Line Connection issues
Contracts and Dispute Procedures generally , unfair contracts, not fit for the purpose stuff (eg Ripwave is not BB )
Flat Rate Bundles of any sort where you make one monthly payment.
Direct Debit Fiascos and crediting customer back in full together with any charges their bank may have hit them for .
Any Form of Broadband issue except the timed 20 hour variety

As we all know there are plenty of problems with these in Ireland thanks to the manifestly dysfunctional and uncaring Comreg .

You could cc all your emails to consumerline@comreg.ie to see if anybody in there answers but I doubt if any consumer emails are read in Comreg any more...never mind replied to .

RangeR

Sponge Bob wrote:

You could cc all your emails to consumerline@comreg.ie to see if anybody in there answers but I doubt if any consumer emails are read in Comreg any more...never mind replied to .

Actually, that email address is being actively monitored. I sent two emails within the past month to that address in relation to an on going complaint with an ex phone supplier.

Now, when I say that it's monitored, the only reply I got was along the lines of "We acknowledge recipt of your email. Signed XXXXX" but at least it's a response and a record that ComReg are aware of the issue. They may not act upon it, but that's a different kettle of fish.

bealtine

Sponge Bob wrote:

You could cc all your emails to consumerline@comreg.ie to see if anybody in there answers but I doubt if any consumer emails are read in Comreg any more...never mind replied to .

Why should they bother to "respond" :

Comreg has only one response : "we can't do anything"
Consumers are irrelevant.

watty

IrishTLR wrote:

Actually, that email address is being actively monitored. I sent two emails within the past month to that address in relation to an on going complaint with an ex phone supplier.

Now, when I say that it's monitored, the only reply I got was along the lines of "We acknowledge recipt of your email. Signed XXXXX" but at least it's a response and a record that ComReg are aware of the issue. They may not act upon it, but that's a different kettle of fish.

You can do that automatically ... No humans or monkeys required. Not even hamsters needed.

RangeR

watty wrote:

You can do that automatically ... No humans or monkeys required. Not even hamsters needed.

This could be true. The reasons I think that it's not an auto reply is two fold.

1. It was replied to by an empolyee with other contact details.
2. The time lapse bewteen me sending the email and the ComReg response was different. The first email, it took 3 or 4 days for a response, the scond one had a response after a few hours.

However, it doesn't mean anything concrete.

dahamsta

IrishTLR wrote:

1. It was replied to by an empolyee with other contact details.
2. The time lapse bewteen me sending the email and the ComReg response was different. The first email, it took 3 or 4 days for a response, the scond one had a response after a few hours.

Monkeys then; albeit monkeys with degrees in repetition, avoidance and outright lies from the College of McRedmond[TM].

Sponge Bob

From

http://www.odca.ie/cfmdocs/about/enforce.cfm

About ODCA - Enforcement Unit The Role of the Enforcement Unit of the ODCA is to actively protect the interests of the Consumer by ensuring that Consumer Protection Legislation is complied with. The Unit works in close co-operation with the Inspectorate and conducts Market Surveillance under the terms of a variety of Statutory Instruments and European Directives.
The Enforcement Unit is split into two groups - Enforcement Unit 1 and Enforcement Unit 2.
The remit of Enforcement Unit 1 includes:


Toy Safety
Electrical Goods
Price display in Shops, Pubs and Restaurants
Textile and footwear labelling
Timeshare and Holiday clubs
Misleading Advertising
Telecommunications
Unfair terms in consumer contracts

But not a per minute billed product OK , that is excluded from their remit by statute.

A monthly flat rate product is not excluded from the ODCA remit.

a line failure

what are the chances of this improving coverage?

PixelTrawler

IrishTLR wrote:

Actually, that email address is being actively monitored. I sent two emails within the past month to that address in relation to an on going complaint with an ex phone supplier.

Now, when I say that it's monitored, the only reply I got was along the lines of "We acknowledge recipt of your email. Signed XXXXX" but at least it's a response and a record that ComReg are aware of the issue. They may not act upon it, but that's a different kettle of fish.

I emailed over a month ago about NTL and have heard nothing - not even this basic acknowledgement

cgarvey

Sponge Bob wrote:

I really must email the ODCA myself

So why don't you? Because until you do, there's absolutely nothing new or substantial in this thread.

Email them and see if they pass on your query/complaint to ComReg so that we can see if anything has changed at all.

.cg

sokitume san

I think a lot of people confuse the role of comreg. It is not in their remit to regulate contractual issues - this role has been given to the ODCA - therefore there is no need to thank them for raising awareness on these issues as it is not their job to do so in the first place ! The ODCA operate the distance selling regulations which overrides any of comreg recommendations in the area. They do however offer recommendations on their website if you have a look - askcomreg.ie / comreg.ie and you could always contact them directly to get more information on their role in the market.

They helped me out of a hole in the Smart situation so perhaps you should try them before disparaging them...

sokitume san

Joebloggs4817 wrote:

I emailed over a month ago about NTL and have heard nothing - not even this basic acknowledgement

--- NTL have been deregulated for a number of years. Again you are looking for help in the wrong place !!!