Operations Directorate Consumer and Competition Division Quality Service Charter
Contents
How we monitor our performance
If you are not satisfied with our service
At the Operations Directorate within the Consumer and Competition Division, we are responsible for product safety and price indications. We also conduct market inspections to ensure that traders fully comply with consumer legislation.
Our charter tells you about our services and the standards that you can expect from us which are in line with the recommendations of the Charter Support Unit. Through our charter we are committing ourselves to providing you with a quality service, on time.
We are open from Monday to Friday from 8.30 a.m. to 12.00 p.m. and 1.30 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. between 1st October and 15th June and from 8.30 a.m. to 12.00 p.m. between 16th June and 30th September. You can contact us by:
visiting or writing to the: Operations Directorate
Consumer and Competition Division
Office for Fair Trading
Cannon Road
Sta. Venera CMR 02
phoning us on: 2144 6250/5
sending us a fax on: 2144 3184
sending us an email on: fair.trading@gov.mt
accessing our website on: www.mcmp.gov.mt
When you visit our offices, we will:
welcome you in a clean and friendly environment
be courteous and helpful at all times
serve you within 15 minutes.
When you write to us we will:
acknowledge your correspondence within one working day of receipt
send an initial reply within five working days of receipt
send a reply to more complex correspondence within ten working days of initial reply
keep you informed of progress on any outstanding complaint at least every 20 working days.
When you phone us we will:
answer promptly and identify ourselves
on your request, give you an appointment within five working days from when you called at our office
if we cannot answer your query ourselves, we will put you in contact with someone who can help you.
When you send us an email, we will:
send you an immediate acknowledgement and an initial reply within five working days of receipt
send you a final reply to more complex correspondence within ten working days of initial reply.
When you visit our website or ask for information, we will provide you with the most accurate information available to us. We keep you informed by:
giving advice to telephone and personal queries immediately
offering free advice and publish information leaflets to help consumers and traders understand their rights, responsibilities, our functions and the laws we enforce
keep you informed through the media.
Personal information provided is protected and used in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2001. The Operations Directorate collects and processes information to carry out its functions under the Product Safety Act of 2001, the Consumer Affairs Act of 1994 and other subsidiary legislation.
Our duty is to inform customers and traders and enforce laws and regulations. We aim to ensure the highest quality market inspection service on product safety and price indication.
Our main services are:
product safety
Accident Notification Report
RAPEX system
price indication.
For all our services, we will:
wear identity badges when conducting market inspection visits
use plain language in all our communication
provide all our services in line with the Government’s equal opportunities policy
act with honesty, integrity, sensitivity and respect.
We are responsible for ensuring that non-food products on the market do not present risk to your health and safety. We conduct market inspections to identify those products that are not in line with the Product Safety Act and subsidiary legislation so that steps are taken to bring these products in line with the Act. We also inform traders about their obligations and give free advice about the necessary requirements under the Product Safety Act before they import a new line of products.
We will:
constantly be on the lookout for dangerous products so that we ensure that your health and safety is not put to risk
answer any requests for advice within five working days
start and conclude any investigation within 15 working days
keep you informed of the progress of your complaint every 20 working days.
The aim of the Accident Notification Report is for the consumer to inform us of dangerous products that he/she may have encountered. Posters and forms are distributed at the general hospitals in Malta and Gozo as well as at the eight major health centers in Malta. This form is also available on our website.
We will:
investigate whether the product is in compliance with the safety requirements
determine whether the alleged accident occurred due to the misuse of the product
keep you informed of the progress of the investigation every 20 working days.
This system contributes to consumer safety and protection by enabling a rapid exchange of information between EU member states. We use this system in the case when a product presents a serious and immediate risk for your health and safety.
We will:
keep you fully informed about dangerous products through the website
keep you up-to-date with the latest information available to us
carry out the necessary inspections to find these products and inform the traders accordingly about these dangerous products.
We are responsible for enforcing the Price Indication regulations which oblige traders to indicate the price of a product so that the consumer will be able to evaluate and compare prices. In this way, you as a consumer can make better informed choices.
We will:
check that goods are clearly priced so you can make an informed decision before buying a product
receive complaints either made personally, by phone, mail, email and through www.servizz.gov.mt
investigate any complaint we receive about indication of prices within three working days
send a reply or phone you with the outcome of our investigations within ten working days.
To get the most from our services, you can help us by:
treating us with courtesy and respect
giving us the correct name, surname, address and telephone number of who is making the complaint or query so we can get back to you. All information provided will be kept strictly confidential
explaining clearly and briefly the nature of your complaint or query
giving us the exact location of the retail outlet about which you are complaining
providing us with all the relevant information or documents when these are needed.
How we monitor our performance
Assessing how well we perform against our charter standards is important for your satisfaction. We assess and improve our standards from the queries or complaints we receive from you and through customer surveys. We also review our chartered standards periodically.
If you are not satisfied with our service
If you think that we have failed to maintain our delivery standards for these services and you want to lodge a complaint, please send an email on fair.trading@gov.mt or write to the Director. We apply the same standards of service we use for correspondence, and will investigate your complaint immediately.
We welcome any suggestions for service improvement. Kindly give us your suggestions by filling in the Feedback Form found at the back of this leaflet and leaving it in the suggestion box or send it by post to our office. You can also lodge a complaint, make a suggestion or ask a question by accessing the Customer Care System at www.servizz.gov.mt.
All information is correct at time of going to print. More information can be found on the Operations Directorate and the Charter Support Unit websites.
Implemented October 2005
Published by the Charter Support Unit, OPM
http://www.servicecharters.gov.mt
Printed at the Government Press