Newsroom

Following a new report published by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) regarding airline refunds, The Consumer Council is urging the CAA to ensure airlines act responsibly towards their customers, and is urging consumers to act now to secure their refunds.

Scammers are targeting farmers and agricultural businesses across Northern Ireland. Therefore, it is more important than ever to take extra precautions to avoid falling victim to fraud or a scam.

Following Saturday’s (25 July) advice from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) against all-but-essential travel to mainland Spain, and the immediate imposition of a 14-day quarantine for travellers returning to the UK from mainland Spain and the Balearic and Canary Islands, The Consumer Council is advising Northern Ireland passengers on their travel rights.

In the coming weeks, Northern Ireland Water will be sending out water bills to businesses in Northern Ireland. To help avoid any surprises and ensure businesses are being billed correctly, The Consumer Council has developed a range of helpful resources for businesses and farmers. The resources include an overview of what to look out for on your water bill, an animated video and a downloadable guide with further tips.

For Northern Ireland travellers, recent changes to COVID-19 travel rules are causing confusion and uncertainty.

Following the reopening of shops in Northern Ireland, and the gradual reduction in the government’s COVID-19 restrictions, The Consumer Council has issued top tips to drivers in Northern Ireland on how to avoid getting a private parking ticket.

Electric Ireland announced today that it reducing its domestic electricity prices by 4.1% from 1 August 2020, meaning that all but one of the electricity suppliers in Northern Ireland will have lowered their prices before the autumn. Therefore, The Consumer Council would encourage consumers to shop around for the best energy deal or to speak to their supplier about the discounts they have available.

The Consumer Council is encouraging individual consumers or local organisations to take part in a new initiative to help improve access to cash within Northern Ireland.

Following the news that non-essential stores are allowed to operate again from today (12 June), The Consumer Council is reminding consumers about their rights when paying for items.

On the back of SSE Airtricity’s announcement today that it is set to reduce its domestic electricity prices by 5.1% from 1 August 2020, The Consumer Council would encourage consumers to shop around for the best energy deal. In the year to 31 March 2020, nearly 150,000 consumer in Northern Ireland used The Consumer Council’s energy switching tools to shop around for the best deal.