The Consumer Affairs Board is putting errant members of the automotive and trades industries on notice as it moves to crack down on unscrupulous companies in the name of consumer protection.

The board not only intends to consult with the Attorney General on ways that it can ?name and shame? businesses, but it is also eyeing instituting a licensing regime as a form of regulation.

The move comes at a time when automotive and trades related complaints have consistently outnumbered all other complaint categories sent to the Department of Consumer Affairs over the past two years. In 2004 alone, staff logged 169 automotive related complaints and 39 trades related complaints. This compares to 2003 when staff logged 173 automotive related complaints and 92 trades related complaints.

?The time has come for the board to take a tough stance on those businesses and trades that refuse to correct and or clean up their practice in accordance with existing consumer protection legislation,? said board chair Trevor Fyfe.

?There are very good traders out there playing by the rules and doing the right thing but there are some who just won?t stop until we do something.?

The board is asking the public to submit their written concerns and suggestions on the sectors to two newly formed special sub-committees that have been set up specifically to review and vigorously investigate their business practices.

Allan Young will chair the subcommittee on the automotive industry to investigate the quality and origin of cars being imported, identify the magnitude of problems associated with after-care services, timely importing and availability of parts and safety issues surrounding the importation of second-hand trucks and unauthorised repairs.

While people might assume that the vehicles arrive directly from the manufacturer, the board is trying to ascertain whether this is in fact the case or whether the cars are coming from jobbers, dealers or elsewhere.

David Tavares will chair the sub-committee on trades and will establish the position of the National Training Board as it relates to licensing trades.

The NTB is currently working to make certification mandatory for persons working in the trades, but the board says that certification only ensures that a person is technically competent.

It does not ensure that the component and certified tradesperson will go out into the general public and act responsibility.

Mr. Fyfe said: ?Licensing is a body that brings all the certified people under an umbrella where there is some type of regulation that ensures you cannot just act as you will within society.

?Licensing would be a separate entity that would govern the certified people to make sure they abide by the laws of decency and professionalism in practising their trade.?

The board is also examining ways make it easier for consumers to have their complaints rectified. Currently, consumers may have redress in the courts but ?not enough? people take their complaints to that body.

Mr. Young said: ?Consumers aren?t particularly clear on what they can and cannot do. That is part of the education process that we need to make clear to consumers to let them know that these are the courses of action you can take.

?When it comes to dealing with a lot of the automotive industry offenders in order to take them to court it becomes a very expensive project so a lot of people are intimidated by it.?

Mr. Young concluded: ?We are trying to find ways that the consumer can feel comfortable addressing the issues they have with their cars so it becomes a win-win situation with everyone.?

The board is also making a special effort to ensure seniors are not taken advantage of by unscrupulous tradesmen who show up at their doors seeking work. It began broadcasting a television commercial last night that details how to handle such approaches.

According to statistics compiled by Consumer Affairs:

- The average age of a car with serious defects is three years old

- It is not uncommon for a car less than a year old to experience serious defects

- It is not uncommon for defects to occur in many of the newer car models and defects are not limited to a particular model

- Consumers are finding it difficult to get their cars satisfactorily repaired by dealers and furthermore, consumers currently have little chance of redress.