Current work

Cowboy Builders

The SCC is working with the construction industry and other key partners to try and eliminate cowboy builders by encouraging consumers to use licensed tradesmen who operate to agreed standards of service. Link to the CLE website to find out more.

  Construction Licensing Executive

The SCC is also represented on the NHBC Scottish Committee, the NHBC Consumer Committee, and the Scottish Construction Forum.  The person leading this work for the SCC is Trisha McAuley.

Property Managers' Accreditation

The Housing Improvement Task Force recommended the development of an accreditation scheme for property managers, however to date the this recommendation has not been implemented.

To read our briefing paper on property managers' accreditation, published in 2007, click here.

To read the summary of our research into consumer experiences of property management, published in 2007, click here.

To read the full report of our research into consumer experiences of property management, published in 2007, click here.

Patricia Ferguson MSP recently consulted on proposals to regulate property managers, our response was published in March 2008. To read the response please click here.

For further information please contact Jennifer Wallace, Policy Manager (email: jwallace@scotconsumer.org.uk) or telephone 0141 227 6450.

Complaints in the Charity Sector

During 2007/08 the SCC carried out research into the complaints procedures of large charities in Scotland.

The research aimed to:

* explore how complaints are handled in the charity sector;

* explore the accessibility of complaints procedures for consumer of charity sector organisations; and

* identify good practice in complaints handling from the charity sector.

The research was supported by an advisory group including representatives of the Association of Chief Officers of Scotttish Voluntary Organisations, the Care Commission, the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, the Scottish Government and the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman.

The report is due for publication in May 2008.

For further information please contact Jennifer Wallace, Policy Manager on 0141 227 6450 or email jwallace@scotconsumer.org.uk.

Commercial Sponsorship in the Public Sector

In 2006 the SCC published a set of guidelines on commercial activities in schools following wide-spread concern that there had been a steep increase in sponsorship, advertising and marketing projects targeted at UK schools. To read the schools guidelines, click here.

The SCC, at the request of the Scottish Government, is now drafting guidelines to cover all public sector organisations. It is anticipated that the work will encompass both health services and local government services (such as libraries and leisure centres).

The aim of the guidelines will be to help providers and other key stakeholders assess any commercial sponsorship offered to the service and to aid businesses by providing them with clear criteria for best practice in providing sponsorship to the public sector.

The guidelines are due for publication in June 2008.

For further information please contact Jennifer Wallace, Policy Manager (email: jwallace@scotconsumer.org.uk) or telephone 0141 227 6450.

National Consumer Council’s work on self-regulation.