Consumer Agency

Consumer law – division of labour among authorities

1. General enhancement of consumers' position, and supervising and promoting compliance with the law

Goals: 
- a company stops or changes the illegal marketing practice or use of the unfair contract term 
- companies have a resource for overall improvement of their business operations and customer service
- looks toward the future, aiming at problem prevention; all the customers of a company benefit from the final outcome
 
Authorities:
Finnish Consumer Agency/Consumer Ombudsman
- supervises the legality of marketing, contractual terms and debt collection, and thus may (intervene in particular cases, negotiate regarding standard contract terms, compile sector-wide or subject-specific instructions)
- guide businesses
- guide consumers
- assist consumers in court, methods (significant individual cases, group complaints or class action)

2. Handling of individual disputes

Goals: 
- compensation for defective good or product (repair, replacement, price reduction or cancellation of the transaction) 
- aims at redress when a defect has occurred 
 
Authorities: 
Municipal consumer advisers
 
- arbitrate disagreements between consumers and businesses concerning a defect in a product or service
 
Consumer Complaint Board
-
issues recommendations for the resolution of individual disputes

 

 

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