Trading Standards

[Tom D]

Talk about getting the wrong end of the stick.

[woody woodpecker]

Hi GUYS just wondered if anyone has contacted woodsure or hetas or offgem {rhi} if you are accredited to any of the above as there preferred way of selling is buy the cubic metre . They should be able to get to the bottom of this I would think. cheers chris

[Justme]

Just typical of office wallahs sticking there pencil (2HB) in places they know sweet FA about.

 

This will pander to the fly (can I use fly when they dont leave the ground?) by nights (ah they might also trade by day too) & hamper (no food involved) the more legitimate.

[muldonach]

The email response we got also.

 

 

A project is being carried out by this service to look into the manner of sale of firewood, you have not been singled out. The project was initiated by the fact that the number of firewood suppliers has increased greatly in recent years and there seemed to be a lack of understanding as to what the legal position is when selling firewood.

 

You can tell your customers the dimensions of the bags you use e.g. 100cm x 100cm x 100cm but as soon as you refer to cubic volumes or weights the transaction is caught by the Weights and Measures Act 1985 and you will be required to use suitable equipment to measure the volume or weight of the goods, suitable equipment would be equipment which has been approved and verified for use for trade.

 

Where sellers are selling firewood by the load these transactions are not caught by the above legislation as no weight or volume is declared and it is up to the customer to decide if the price is value for money. I know it goes against what you would think but not declaring a weight or volume is the easiest and most straight forward option for the seller.

 

 

 

Do not hesitate to contact me if you require any further advice or information.

 

 

 

Kind regards

 

To quote a hebridean friend of mine "This logic defies all madness!!":stupid::puke:

 

Its nice to know how your taxes are spent - these people obviously have too much time on thier hands!

 

Cheers

mac

[Windy Trick]

I know it goes against what you would think but not declaring a weight or volume is the easiest and most straight forward option for the seller.

 

What a load of absolute rubbish. My wife is easier to understand than this, and all married men know there is no logic whatsoever in a wife!

[elder]

Hang on a minute, they are stopping you from displaying the logs by a quantifiable volume and asking you to do it by the load instead? Thats crazy!

 

Yup correct though the pick up is a fixed dimension it's the fact that each load may not be exactly the same, some may hold more or less and that's where the weights and measures are not happy.

Totally totally nuts.

[Jim B]

Yup correct though the pick up is a fixed dimension it's the fact that each load may not be exactly the same, some may hold more or less and that's where the weights and measures are not happy.

Totally totally nuts.

 

Is that not why we heap to allow for settlement? How are the kilned packed crates affected by weights and measures, what about an attic load of cord sold by volume with air deducted is that recognised?

[muldonach]

Email response from trading standards below.

 

 

 

You can tell the customer the nominal size of the bags but as soon as you make reference to cubic metres the transaction is caught by the Weights and Measures Act 1985 and suitable equipment needs to be used to measure the goods.

 

Firewood can be sold by weight, I understand what you say about moisture content but as long as the logs weigh the declared weight when the transaction takes place, there is a defence in the Act of subsequent deficiency where it is a natural product which will change over time.

 

Once again suitable equipment would need to be used to weigh the goods which would be scales approved and verified for use for trade.

 

You could say ‘loose hardwood or softwood logs in a bag which has the nominal measurements of approx. 100cm x 100cm x 100cm’

 

 

 

Do not hesitate to contact me if you require any further advice.

 

 

 

Kind regards

 

Your local councillor should have regular clinic sessions - might be worth taking that along and discussing it with him. Alternatively you may find that your local paper would be happy to run an article on it

 

cheers

mac

[muldonach]

Part IV Wood Fuel

 

11Subject to paragraphs 12 and 13 below—

 

(a)wood fuel which is not made up in a container for sale shall be sold by retail only by net weight;

 

(b)in the case of a sale by retail of wood fuel made up in a container for sale, the quantity by net weight of the fuel sold shall be made known to the buyer before he pays for or takes possession of it.

 

12(1)) Paragraph 11 above shall not have effect in any area unless the local weights and measures authority for that area so direct by byelaw.

 

(2)Not less than one month before making any byelaw by virtue of this paragraph, the local weights and measures authority shall give public notice of their intention to make it by advertisement in one or more newspapers circulating in the area to which the byelaw is to apply.

 

(3)The local weights and measures authority by whom any byelaw is made by virtue of this paragraph shall give notice of the making of the byelaw to the Secretary of State.

 

13There shall be exempted from the requirements of paragraph 11 above any sale of wood fuel in a quantity which does not exceed [F67.5 kilograms] or which exceeds [F7500 kilograms].

Annotations: Help about Annotation

 

Amendments (Textual)

 

F6Words in Sch. 6 para. 13 substituted (1.10.1995) by S.I. 1994/2866, reg. 3(6)(d)

 

F7Words in Sch. 6 para. 13 substituted (1.10.1995) by S.I. 1994/2866, reg. 3(6)(d)

 

14Paragraphs 9 and 10 of Schedule 5 to this Act shall have effect as if any reference in those paragraphs to solid fuel included a reference to wood fuel.

 

Above is an extract from W&M Act 1985 which validates the position indicated by the correspondence received by the contributors based around Perth - but only if the necessary byelaw is in place

 

I find it quite amusing that this validates selling woodfuel by weight and yet at the same time (part 14) makes it a crime to dampen the fuel to add weight

 

Cheers

mac

[Windy Trick]

...but as soon as you make reference to cubic metres the transaction is caught by the Weights and Measures Act 1985 and suitable equipment needs to be used to measure the goods.

 

What is this suitable equipment, and where does one obtain it? He does not say.