Latest news with #consumer complaints
Irish Times
9 hours ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Ryanair most complained-about company to consumer watchdog in first half of 2025
Ryanair , Eir and Sky were the companies most complained about in the first half of 2025 while Ticketmaster saw its ranking with Ireland's consumer watchdog improve as concerns over high-priced Oasis tickets last September faded away. Faulty goods, poor online shopping experiences and botched home improvements topped the list of issues raised with the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) , with the average amount of money at stake put at well in excess of €6,000, a report published on Tuesday suggests. A total of 20,526 people contacted the CCPC between January and the end of June, mostly by phone, email and web. Vehicles and transport led the list of sectors complained about. The average spend on the products and services people had issues with was put at €6,400. READ MORE Ryanair finished at the top of the contact chart with 319 complaints, followed by Eir on 241 and Sky on 219. Other firms in the top 10 were Currys, Harvey Norman, Aer Lingus , Vodafone , Lidl , Ticketmaster, DID Electrical and Love Holidays. The commission's last report, published in January, put Ticketmaster far ahead of the chasing pack with over 600 complaints recorded over the course of 2024. This was largely related to anger at the dynamic ticket pricing model used for last weekend's Oasis concerts in Croke Park. By contrast, the operator only attracted 117 complaints in the first six months of this year. Consumers contacted the CCPC helpline about goods and services with a reported total value of €56 million. The highest average spend was on vehicles and transport, at €18,716, followed by home building and improvements where the average spend was €13,443. Just under 4,500 consumers contacted the helpline about an online purchase, with 17 per cent of purchases coming from businesses outside of the EU – an increase of 9 per cent compared with the same period in 2024. 'Consumer contacts to our helpline are vital in directing our work, particularly in enforcement,' said the CCPC's director of communication Grainne Griffin. 'The information provided by consumers helps us to identify rogue traders, patterns of potential law breaking and means we can target our resources for maximum impact.' She noted that 'unannounced inspections by CCPC officers, often backed by intelligence gathered from our helpline, have uncovered consumer law breaches in shops, pubs, restaurants and car dealerships around Ireland'. Ms Griffin pointed out that buying a car or a home 'are two of life's most significant financial decisions [and] making the wrong choice can be very expensive.' She reiterated the CCPC's call for the establishment of a State-backed online car history portal. 'This would allow consumers to check important information about a car's mileage, past accidents, safety recalls and import status before buying a used car. She added: 'Recently, we also called for more transparency in the home-buying process. Our home-buyers report called for the necessary information about a property to be made more accessible and be made available earlier in the home-buying process.' Ms Griffin noted an uptick in consumers contacting the CCPC about online purchases from outside the EU. 'We recommend buying from businesses based in Ireland or other EU countries, where your consumer rights are strong,' she said. She stressed that bargains displayed on websites can often end up being illusory. 'If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Consumers should be very cautious of exclusively five-star reviews or amazing deals that are out of step with other suppliers. Always do your research and if you spot a red flag, better to spend your money elsewhere.'
South China Morning Post
4 days ago
- Automotive
- South China Morning Post
Hair-raising times as Singaporeans fume over poor service, pushy sales tactics at salons
A trade association has called for the regulation of the hair industry after hair salons entered the Consumers Association of Singapore's (CASE) top-10 list of most complained-about sectors for the first half of this year. Advertisement The Hair and Cosmetology Association of Singapore (HACOS), which represents more than 300 members in the beauty, hair, make-up and nails industries, said stronger oversight and minimum competency standards are needed to raise professionalism and protect consumers. Complaints against hair salons rose to ninth-highest among industries between January and June this year, surpassing even airlines, which placed 10th, according to CASE figures released on August 5. The motor car industry received the most complaints. This marks a return for hair salons, which were absent from the top 10 in the same period last year. However, the number of complaints in the first half of this year was 167, lower than the 170 in the first half of 2024, CASE president Melvin Yong said. Advertisement Prepayment losses were also lower – S$5,619 (US$4,386) this year compared with S$21,810 last year. Yong said the complaints were largely about high-pressure sales tactics, misleading or false claims, hidden charges for add-ons and poor service.
CNA
5 days ago
- Business
- CNA
Trade group calls for hair salons to be regulated after complaints enter consumer watchdog's top 10
SINGAPORE: A trade association has called for the regulation of the hair industry after hair salons entered the Consumers Association of Singapore's (CASE) top-10 list of most complained-about sectors for the first half of this year. The Hair and Cosmetology Association of Singapore (HACOS), which represents more than 300 members in the beauty, hair, makeup and nails industries, said stronger oversight and minimum competency standards are needed to raise professionalism and protect consumers. Complaints against hair salons rose to ninth-highest among industries between January and June this year, surpassing even airlines, which placed 10th, according to CASE figures released on Aug 5. The motorcar industry received the most complaints. This marks a return for hair salons, which were absent from the top 10 in the same period last year. However, the number of complaints in the first half of this year was 167, lower than the 170 in the first half of 2024, said CASE president Melvin Yong. Prepayment losses were also lower - S$5,619 (US$4,386) this year compared with S$21,810 last year. Mr Yong said the complaints were largely about high-pressure sales tactics, misleading or false claims, hidden charges for add-ons and poor service. Allegations of poor service and aggressive upselling have plagued the hair industry, with some customers being charged excessive prices for services they did not agree to. In June, the HairFun chain of salons admitted to unfair trade practices targeting elderly clients. Salons had offered free or cheap haircuts, then misled seniors into buying expensive services and packages. In one case, an elderly man who went in for an S$8 haircut was charged nearly S$1,000 for a treatment package he had not consented to. HairFun has since pledged to end such practices, cooperate with CASE to resolve complaints and provide a five-day cooling-off period for refunds on prepaid packages. CUSTOMERS SHARE BAD EXPERIENCES Some consumers have taken to social media to share their experiences with hair salons. Mr Bernard Wang, 33, a travel influencer on YouTube, posted a short video describing a decline in service standard at a salon after he bought a 12-session package for about S$250. During his first visit, where he had a haircut and a wash for S$25, "service was perfect". "They served tea, gave head and shoulders massage despite running on full house on weekends," said Mr Wang, who also does trading and web design. But from his third visit, the staff started taking him into a room for "free scalp scanning" to show him that his scalp was inflamed or peeling and tried to sell him a special shampoo. Mr Wang said: "I said I have shampoo at home and (the hairstylist) replied, rolled (his) eyes ... 'Who does not have shampoo at home?' " "I didn't complain or make a big scene as you don't want them to act rashly and cut off your hair out of rage." In his subsequent visits, the staff tried to sell him more products, and he declined each time. "They didn't like me and stopped giving me the (relaxing) massages for my subsequent visits. They just massage me as if I am already dead, like two minutes' massage instead of the usual five minutes." He endured the remaining sessions but no longer buys salon packages. Another customer, Mr Yeo Z G, 41, also took to Facebook to complain about a hair salon which gave his 70-year-old mother an uneven haircut and poor attitude after she refused to sign up for a membership or pay for extra services. She was asked if she wanted a wash as her hair was "dirty", and was later treated coldly by the hairdresser after declining. She went home to discover that her haircut was uneven. "We didn't take action on the salon. Mainly because it's not a big loss," said Mr Yeo, adding that his mother paid only S$10 for the haircut. He believes regulation could provide a formal avenue for feedback and accountability. CALLS FOR MANDATORY STANDARDS HACOS founder Simon Lee, a trained hairdresser, said complaints often stemmed from hard-sold packages, poor results, inconsistent service and unclear pricing. In contrast to regulated hair industries in countries like Australia, the UK, the US, Korea and Japan, Singapore has no mandatory licensing requirements for hairdressers, he said. "As a result, there is no standardised skills framework to ensure that all hairdressers meet minimum levels of entry with proper hair education, training or competency," said Mr Lee. "This regulatory gap contributes significantly to the rise in consumer fears, complaints, particularly concerns with service quality, safety and accountability." The industry did not appear in CASE's top-10 annual rankings between 2013 and 2020, but made the list every year from 2021 to 2023 before briefly dropping out in 2024. Its return this year may be linked to a rise in budget salons using cheap or free haircuts as a hook, said Mr Lee. He called for phased regulation to ensure practitioners are qualified and reduce unsafe practices. "Regulation of the hair industry is not only possible, but increasingly desirable for the long-term health of both the industry and nation and protection of consumers," he added. HACOS promotes best practices, such as training and certification, price transparency and listing. CASE urged consumers to visit CaseTrust-accredited beauty, spa and wellness businesses as they offer a five-day cooling-off period for refund of unutilised services if they did not wish to proceed with their packages. "CaseTrust-accredited businesses are also committed to ensure a stress-free treatment with a 'no selling' policy during treatment," Mr Yong said. Mr Wang suggested that salons be required to display CASE's contact information prominently, alongside a service grading system based on customer feedback and complaints.
The Sun
7 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
UK hotspots for rogue traders revealed – how bad is your area?
THE worst hotspots for rogue tradespeople have been revealed, as thousands of households have been left with shoddy work done. A total of 9,703 reports of suspected rogue trader work were recorded last year, consumer charity Electrical Safety First found. 4 4 4 The highest number of reports was for roofing work, with more than 2,000 people filing complaints. Reports were also linked to: General building works (1,018) Plumbing work (881) Electrical work (655) Carpentry work (633) Other types of jobs reported included work on driveways, bathrooms and windows. The data, gathered through a Freedom of Information request, also revealed Greater London as the worst hotspot in the country. It had 2,462 reports of suspected rogue tradespeople last year. Yorkshire and Humber followed closely behind with 2,341 reports. East Anglia and the East Midlands were next with 934 and 793 reports respectively. The West Midlands had the lowest number of reports at just 108. The areas with the most suspected rogue trader reports Greater London - 2,462 Yorkshire and Humber - 2,431 East Anglia - 934 East Midlands - 793 North West - 722 Northern Ireland - 695 Scotland - 438 North East - 364 Wales - 287 South West - 271 South East - 198 West Midlands - 108 Households are being warned rogue traders can leave them at serious risk. Richard Harvey, electrical installation safety expert for Electrical Safety First, said: "With so many reports of suspected rogue trade activity, there's a real chance of dangerous work being carried out in homes that leaves victims picking up the pieces, or worse, at serious risk of harm. "People are still feeling the squeeze from the cost-of-living crisis, and rogue traders will exploit this, perhaps offering to do the work in an unrealistic time frame or at a cheaper price." HMRC Spying on Social Media, M&S Giving Away Free Cakes, & Unemployment at Four-Year-High – Money News Today He warned electrical work can be the most dangerous as shoddy electrics leave you at risk of fire, burns and electrocution. Plus, having poor work done can leave you thousands of pounds out of pocket as it can cause further issues and you'll need to get it fixed. Last year, a rogue trader from Cornwall was sentenced after he left customers £90,000 out of pocket. In one case, he removed load-bearing walls without adequate support for the roof and left electrics in a dangerous state. Another rogue trader from Swindon was sentenced after it was found he carried out dangerous electrical work which was not compliant with building regulations. He'd also issued houseowners with an electrical installation certificate for the electrical work claiming it had been signed off by an electrician who had not visited the property. Red flags to watch out for You can avoid getting caught out by a rogue trader by looking out for these signs… They're available immediately Builders and tradespeople are in demand, so be wary of anyone who can start work straight away. Of course, there might be legitimate reason for this - perhaps they had another job fall through - but it's worth asking some questions. Read the reviews on websites like Checkatrade or on Google Reviews and make sure the person is vetted and qualified to carry out the work. They're VERY cheap If one tradesperson comes in with a quote that's significantly cheaper than all the others, you should be wary. This might be because the work is done in a rush and corners will be cut. Remember, cheap work can't always be rectified and you may pay out more in the long-term to repair the damage. When getting any work done, get a few quotes to give you an idea of the sort of price you can expect to pay. Online cost guides can also help to provide an overview of the amount that various types of work might typically cost. They're asking you to pay upfront A tradesperson should never ask you to pay the full amount upfront. You'll usually pay in instalments, keeping the final chunk of money until the work has been completed and you have confirmed that you are satisfied. You should get a detailed written quote that includes T&Cs and states exactly what is and isn't covered, as well as a receipt for every payment you make. Pay using a secure method rather than handing over cash. They've knocked on the front door While it's not unusual to get a leaflet through the door advertising work, you should never feel pressured into committing to any works by someone who has turned up uninvited on your doorstep. Experts say a reputable tradesperson would never canvas work by knocking on doors - they'll be so in demand they don't need to. Instead, a better way to find a decent tradesperson is through recommendations from friends, family and colleagues.
Daily Mail
07-08-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Hertz beats Wall St after rolling out controversial dystopian damage scanner
Hertz reported its latest earnings on Thursday morning, as it expands a controversial damage scanner that has triggered a wave of consumer complaints. The company posted a $294 million loss while raking in $2.18 billion in revenue. Wall Street expected revenue of $2.16 billion. Hertz is under fire for rolling out vehicle-scanning technology that renters say has led to surprise damage fees for minor or nonexistent dings. Multiple drivers have told the Daily Mail they've received surprise fees of $130 to $935 after driving their vehicles through the company's damage detectors. None of the drivers have agreed with the charges. Hertz says that a majority of its scanned renters are not charged by the system. Executives are expected to address the growing backlash on a conference call scheduled for 9AM.
