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Consumerwatch Know your rights! The Consumer Council promotes and safeguards the interests of all consumers living in Northern Ireland. It deals with everyday issues that affect everybody from how we do our shopping or heat and light our homes, to the water we drink and the way we travel for work and leisure. An important part of its work involves giving consumers the knowledge and skills they need to understand and protect their rights when shopping on the high street or online. Find out more by visiting the Consumer Council’s website www.consumercouncil.org.uk or telephoning for free on 0800 121 6022. Registering your electrical appliances for important safety recalls It is important to register your electrical appliance so that its manufacturer can get in touch with you if a product you have bought is recalled for safety reasons. Recently a Hotpoint fridge freezer was identified as the initial source of the Grenfell Tower fire earlier this year. At this stage, the manufacturer Whirlpool Corporate has not issued a product recall however consumers who think they may own a Hotpoint fridge freezer model number FF175BP (white) or FF175BG (grey) should call Whirlpool’s Freephone hotline on 0800 316 3826 or visit the Hotpoint Service website to register for further updates. Tobacco Retailers Act (NI) 2014 Tobacco retailers operating in the Fermanagh and Omagh district must be registered to sell tobacco products under the Tobacco Retailers Act (NI) 2014 legislation. It is illegal for retailers to sell tobacco products if their business is not listed on a central tobacco register. This register was introduced to help Councils enforce tobacco control legislation. You can log on to www.tobaccoregisterni.gov.uk to check whether your local retailer is registered to sell tobacco products. For further information or to report suspected breaches please contact Environmental Health on 0300 303 1777 . Check out food hygiene ratings this Christmas The Food Hygiene Rating scheme can help inform you when choosing where to eat or shop for food. The rating, which is given by our Environmental Health Officers at the time of an inspection, shows how closely the business is meeting its food hygiene requirements. Ratings can range from ‘5’ which means the food hygiene standards are very good, to ‘0’ where urgent improvement is necessary. All food outlets covered by the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme are required by law to publicly display their food hygiene rating sticker prominently at all public entrances to their premises. Failure by a business to display the correct rating may result in a fine or prosecution. You can check food hygiene ratings of food premises online at www.ratings.food.gov.uk . 08 | Inform Winter 2017 Inform Winter 2017 | 09 If you can spot a scam you can stop a scam. Recently, criminals have been actively targeting vulnerable groups, and in particular older people, to defraud them of money. Fermanagh and Omagh Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP) is urging people to keep an eye on elderly friends and relatives to protect them from getting scammed. Signs a person may be responding to a scam • Receiving lots of post and sending lots of post to companies abroad • Receiving lots of phone calls from strangers or companies • Going through large amounts of postage stamps or cheque books • Frequent visits to the Post Office or bank • Unpaid bills If you are worried about telephone scams look at installing call blocker and go through post with your friend or family member to help them spot a scam or redirect post to a trusted friend or relative. Fermanagh and Omagh PCSP representatives visit groups in the district to talk about scams and raise awareness on the main issues. Please contact a member of the team on 0300 303 1777 for further information or to arrange a visit. Spot a scam, stop a scam You can register your electrical appliances directly with the manufacturer or use the Register My Appliance website www.registermyappliance.org.uk . The website includes information on electrical products that have been recalled since 2007 and allows you to sign up for email updates when a new product recall is announced. The Council’s Environmental Health Service investigates complaints about the safety of goods purchased by consumers. If you have bought a product which you think may be unsafe please contact Environmental Health on 0300 303 1777 .