Trading standards to clamp down on rogue agents
Trading standards officers are to carry out checks on travel agents to make sure they are providing customers with the right level of protection as part of a new project launched today in conjunction with the Civil Aviation Authority to improve compliance with ATOL regulations.
The CAA has kicked off its campaign with Leicester City Council to make sure local businesses are fully complaint with new ATOL rules and also that local residents are aware of the scheme.
It will be also reminding customers via a poster campaign to check that they will receive an ATOL certificate with their booking before paying for their travel arrangements. Posters will be placed in all leisure centres, libraries and community centres and across the city from today.
The CAA said that together with the city council’s trading standards team it would be working with local businesses to offer advice so they understand how they should be protecting their customers and are taking the right steps to comply with ATOL regulations.
This will include visits to travel companies to check they are providing the right level of protection, with the potential for enforcement action against businesses that put their customers at risk by not complying with the rules, it said.
David Clover from the CAA, said the campaign was the start of a wider programme with trading standards teams to give businesses the help they need to fully comply with the scheme. "However, where businesses do not comply and continue to put their customers at risk, we will act to protect the public," he added.
Following the completion of the campaign in Leicester, the CAA will look at rolling the project out to other areas of the UK, based on information it receives regarding businesses that may be trading illegally.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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