News AN ENERGETIC RESPONSE FROM TSI ON EPCs JANE0606 / SHUTTERSTOCK IEF N BR SI NEW A motion moved by to the Road, Neil Mackie, 48, of MidlandTreasury, Economic Secretary Lord Whitty to take note of the cumulative effects of Gloucester, has been ordered to the Andrea Leadsom, confirmed thatcarry government economic, public spending out 120 hours of unpaid work after Financial Conduct Authority expects and regulatory policies on low-income admitting 90 charges of fraud and more thanfourper cent of payday firms and vulnerable consumers has been forgery at Cheltenham Magistrates to be participating in real-time data agreed November. than 90 per Court in by the House of Lords. During sharing with more The chargescent the debate, Baroness Crawley time were in being reported his work as of loansconnection with in realstressed that November are forced issuing a domestic energy assessor,to make by low earners2014. The answer was purchasing a question from almost Energy Performance based Justin provided to decisionsCertificates through entirely on cost, estate agents and that by seeking Tomlinson MP for houses sold across . cheaper options Gloucestershire. they are exposing themselves to cut-price, counterfeit and often dangerous products. Responding to the motion, the Parliamentary UnderSecretary of State, Baroness Neville-Rolfe, said the new Consumer Rights Bill would benefit the most vulnerable in society. 1 2 3 Click numbers for more stories TSI has made plain its feelings on energy efficiency regulations in the private rented sectors proposed in a consultation run by the Department of Energy and Climate Change. The regulations are intended to help the government meet the UKs commitments to reduce carbon emissions. For both the domestic and non-domestic sectors, TSI said it recognises the challenges posed by climate change and the commitment the government has made to reducing carbon emissions. It also noted that reducing energy consumption and making improvements to housing stock will play an important role in achieving targets. Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) are seen by the government as a good way to ensure that improvements are made, and the responsibility for enforcing them has been placed on tradingstandards. TSI makes clear in its response to the consultation that trading standards already has a wealth of legislation to enforce, and does not have the technical knowledge or relevant powers to operate this regime. Funding provided in the past for trading standards to enforce EPCs was not ring-fenced; thismeant it was absorbed in localauthority budgets, and did not find its way to trading standards services. Furthermore, cuts made by local authorities which are expected to result in a 45 per cent reduction in the number of trading standards officers in England and Wales between 2010 and 2015 will make future enforcement impossible. TSI emphasises that it will not be prioritised because of other pressing concerns, and cannot be delivered. TSI ends its response, which was provided by Lucia Smeraldi, with strong words: if government genuinely wishes to improve the energy efficiency of domestic and non-domestic buildings, it should assign responsibility to a profession that holds the expertise and has the resources to make it happen, rather than directing it to trading standards, which is in no position to take on the responsibility or deliver the results that the government seeks. The cost of counterfeiting PHONE TRADER IVOSAR / SHUTTERSTOCK PAYS HIGH PRICE FOR FAKE PARTS A Letchworth man is counting the cost of trading in fake goods. Mark Shepherd, 48, of Highfield, Letchworth, had to pay 160,000 under a confiscation order, plus 37,553 in prosecution costs, at St Albans Crown Court in October. The hearing, under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, follows his sentencing in April to 15 months imprisonment, suspended for two years, and 150 hours of unpaid work. Shepherd had earlier pleaded guilty to seven charges relating to Trademarks Act offences. He was given until the end of November to pay the prosecution costs, and until the end of March to pay the 160,000. Failure to do so could mean a prison sentence. In June 2011, Hertfordshire Trading Standards and Hertfordshire Constabulary raided two private addresses in Letchworth, one belonging to Shepherd and another in High Avenue. In total, 2,200 items and more than 1,000 packages were seized, containing mostly clothing and jewellery, believed to be counterfeit. Richard Thake, cabinet member for community safety, said: The sale of counterfeit goods and illegal cigarettes damages the whole community. In particular, honest local shopkeepers suffer when sales are lost to criminals who peddle these illegal goods. The money recovered from the confiscation hearing will help fund further operations to protect our communities from crimes like this. A wholesaler who sold counterfeit components for Apple smartphones, and fake iPad mini cases and laptop chargers later declared to be unsafe has been ordered to pay a total of 12,500. Tirlochan Sachdeva, owner of Myfone Accessories, in Southall, was prosecuted jointly by Ealing and Kensington & Chelsea Borough Councils. He was found guilty of 15 offences of selling unsafe electrical items, and three indictments of breaching trademark laws. Ealing Council applied for funding from the National Trading Standards Board, which allowed it to instruct trading standards officers from Kensington & Chelsea to investigate and prosecute the case. An initial investigation of the company premises in February 2012 found 16 fake mobile phone faceplates, 89 iPad mini cases and 145 laptop adaptors. The adaptors were untested and posed a strong risk of causing fires by overheating. TS TODAY