Explanatory note

This Order brings into force on 1st October 2008 (subject to the savings and transitional provisions in Article 3) further provisions of the Consumers, Estate Agents and Redress Act 2007 (“the Act”) as specified in the Schedule to this Order (Article 2). The provisions relate to the National Consumer Council established by the Act, complaints handling and redress schemes (including repeal of the provisions in the Housing Act 2004 relating to redress schemes dealing with complaints about the activities of estate agents in relation to home information packs), minor and consequential amendments and repeals.

Article 3 contains savings and transitional provisions to preserve after 1st October 2008 the statutory duties relating to the statements of accounts of the Gas and Electricity Consumer Council (“Energywatch”) and the Consumer Council for Postal Services (“Postwatch”) in respect of the financial years commencing, in the case of Energywatch, on 1st April 2007 and 1st April 2008, and, in the case of Postwatch, on 1st April 2008, notwithstanding the repeal on 1st October 2008 of the provisions containing those duties. However, in respect of the financial year commencing on 1st April 2008, the duties to prepare statements of accounts, and to send them to the Secretary of State and the Comptroller and Auditor General, are transferred to the National Consumer Council, and that financial year is to be treated as ending immediately before the abolition of Energywatch and Postwatch.

The remaining provisions of the Act will be brought into force by subsequent orders.