An encounter with a bailiff is not always pleasant.  For some consumers, bailiffs can be a nightmare, especially, when they turn aggressive and their presence becomes threatening. A bailiff is authorized by law or Magistrate to act as an “officer of court”.  A bailiff can collect debt, a fine or carry out an eviction for the landlord. […]

How many of you have experienced a situation, where you have to wait for years to get the transfer of property shares done under mortgage or simply getting documents discharged from the financial institution. Many consumers have been left frustrated as some financial service- providers drag their feet when it comes to delivering service on […]

The whole world came crashing down for Ramesh, a salesman when one fine afternoon, his landlord asked him to vacate the two-bedroom flat he had been renting for a while. Being the breadwinner, sustaining cost of living for his two children, wife and an aging mother was already a struggle. The consolation he had was […]

Getting hit with an unexpected medical bill is sometimes more unpleasant than falling ill. Have you ever come across a situation where after receiving a medical treatment from your doctor, you were simply out-of-pocket? To many consumers, a hefty medical bill comes as a surprise when there is no pre-disclosure about the fees and they […]

Many  consumers these days are becoming tech-savvy using  internet for  banking, shopping, paying bills and purchasing airline tickets, etc. Life has become easy but on the flip-side, we are getting exposed to technologically-driven crimes. Some consumers have been targeted by foreign hackers who obtained bank account details from people via emails, social networks, text messages […]

Health remains a top agenda for consumers again this year. Consumer movements are once again joining together to mark the World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD), celebrated globally on 15 March. The theme is related to tackling a major international public health crisis, which is caused by Antimicrobial/Antibiotic Resistance (AMR). The Global consumer movement, Consumers International […]

The world continues to see an increase in fraudulent transactions with credit card hackers targeting banks using internet. This trend is particularly worrying as more and more people are choosing the convenience of online banking.  Financial service providers make their systems as secure as possible but hackers and certain technological hiccups give rise to fraud […]

Disagreements, disputes and conflicts are just inevitable. The worst bit about such a situation is that when relationships are strained and deals turn sour, it is difficult to mend the bridges between the parties. Many a times, the disputes end up in court. But then again, not everyone can afford a traditional lawsuit. As a […]

Consumers must always know what they are paying for when    billed for    services they have sought. Hence, the service-provider must provide the customer a clear, transparent and itemized bill or invoice  Every now and then, frustrated consumers   contact the Council regarding ambiguous or unclear bills/invoices given by some businesses which consumers cannot understand. The question […]

Last week, we highlighted Ashok Lal’s ordeal of consuming Betadine skin solution (iodine) while undergoing treatment at a private hospital.  By way of a deed of settlement, the hospital authorities waived all medical charges accrued by Mr Lal arising from his stay in the hospital. This was the only relief received by Mr Lal. His […]

“Good advice is always certain to be ignored, but that’s no reason not to give it”. ―Agatha Christie In life, the least expected things happen at least expected time. Ashok Lal, a salesman in his mid-50s experienced something similar in his life three years ago, which haunts him even today. And, there is much to learn […]

With the opening of the tertiary institutions around the country for the new academic year, many students are in the process of securing flats or rooms to rent.  The experience can be quite painful for some renters who are unfamiliar with the present rental landscape. With such a competitive market and quick rental turnover, for […]

The Consumer Council of Fiji received and investigated 1,672 complaints between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2015, with a monetary value of $4,739,690.77. Of this, a sum of $3,429,560.82 was recovered by successfully resolving 1,041 cases through mediation and given back to the consumers. Mediation is widely used by the Council to get people […]

In tight financial situations, old-fashioned lay-by appears to be a preferred option.  It is an easy way of buying something without having to pay for it all at once and without any interest or fees.   A layby sale is a far better option than hire purchase if consumers know that they can pay for the […]

Life is unpredictable. You never know what challenges are coming your way. Many who have a home loan or simply hire purchase payments to make and suddenly lose their jobs or livelihood, live on the edge of financial disaster.  Managing their debt and life becomes a battle. Jesoni, who used to earn a living for […]