New conditions for discussion
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Mr Len Cox, chairman of the BAR Fair Trading sub committee, addressed the conference on customer relations. He reminded delegates that they were required by law to comply with the Fair Trading Act of 1973.
They had found it necessary to register seven items which could have been considered restrictive agreements or arrangements -We could have avoided all contact with the Office of Fair Trading by cancelling all agreements and just waiting to see what happened,he said "But when BAR met the Office of Fair Trading they were firmly told that in no way would the restrictive agreements have been acceptable in their present form because they were far too firmly in favour of the remover.
New conditions had now been drawn up and Mr Cox told the delegates that while they had not yet been to the, solicitors the delegates would each be receiving a copy at the end of the conference for their comments and criticisms by the end of November.
-Our protective shield is now neing removed by an Act of Parliament", he said, and went on "Our day to visit the Office of Fair Trading will come sooner than we really want and we still have a lot to get ready. Conditions of contract are a small, part of the overall package which the committee feet should be taken to the OFT." He estimated that events which had taken place during the past few months would move the BAR to nearly the top of the queue at the OFT and this was taken to be a reference to the collapse of Seven Seas Trading and QRS.
He thought their collapse would add fuel to any correspondence with the Office of Fair Trading if BAR members decided to press for licensing regulations to be applied to all furniture removers irrespective of size
Mr Cox told the delegates that it had already been stated that they would welcome scrutiny of financial standing and professional competence, This is a proposal contained in an EEC directory for the industry.