Legislation / Legal

MoJ: Motorists who kill whilst avoidably distracted at the wheel will face prison under new careless driving laws which came into force on Monday 18 August. The new offences will, for the first time, allow courts to imprison drivers who cause deaths by not paying due care to the road (or to other road users) for up to 5 years.  The new laws will also penalise uninsured, disqualified or unlicensed drivers who kill (up to 2 years).
 
Avoidable distractions which courts will consider when sentencing motorists who have killed include:
* using a mobile phone (calling or texting)
* drinking & eating
* applying make-up
* anything else which takes their attention away from the road and which a court judges to have been an avoidable distraction
Press release ~ Sentencing Guidelines Council ‘Causing Death By Driving’ guidance ~ 2006 Road Safety Act
 
OFT: The OFT has approved the Ombudsman Service Limited's application to operate an estate agents redress scheme, under the Consumer Estate Agents and Redress Act 2007.  The company will operate the Surveyors Ombudsman Service (SOS) as an approved estate agents redress scheme and is the second to receive OFT approval ahead of 1 October 2008, when it will become compulsory for all estate agents dealing with residential property in the UK to join such a scheme.
 
Buyers & sellers of residential property will, from October, be able to refer complaints concerning members of the scheme to an ombudsman, which will have the power to make a range of awards, including requiring a member to pay compensation.
 
The ombudsman's decision is binding on the estate agent, although a complainant can choose to reject the decision and pursue their complaint through the courts.  The SOS approved redress scheme will be a free service to complainants.
Press release ~ Ombudsman Service Limited ~ OFT - Estate Agents Redress Schemes ~ Surveyors Ombudsman Service ~ Consumer Estate Agents and Redress Act 2007
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