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Consumer Action Centre Two signs that say CAVEAT EMPTOR (Let the buyer beware) and CAVEAT VENDITOR (Let the seller beware) share equal space on a wall at the Consumer Action Cenâ€" tre, 83 Ontario St. S., Kitâ€" chener. They are symbolic of the centre‘s twoâ€"sided role; to educate the _ consumer Page 18 â€" Waterloo Chronicle, Wedr THURS.,FRI. & SAT. 99 60" YD NEW STOCK! Crimpknits and Jacquards 1-990.5?“.0?.?. Wood Pallets Co. 595 Toronto St. PALMERSTON. ONTARIO to be heid on â€" Sat. Mar. 13 10 a.m. VEHICLES 1963 Volkswagon. 1974 Dodge Pickup, 1968 Mercury Pickup. Intern. No. 300 Fork Lift, 1967 Ford 1 ton Stake, M.M. Tractor Loader, 30° Tractor Trailer. EQUIPMENT â€" 7 Asstd Paslow Nailers. Power Set Air Nailâ€" er (like new) 20 H.P. I.R. Air Compressor (like new). 2â€" Power Feed Ripâ€"Saws, Boulder Mill over & under (Saw Mill), Ripper Rip Saw. Conveyor System,DeWait Radial Armâ€" saw. Exhaust System. Factory Trucks. Pallet Trucks. Stihl Chainsaw. Elec Welder etc. MANY MORE ITEMS PERâ€" TAINING TO THE PALLET MFG. BUSINESS â€" OFFICE EQUIPMENT. REAL ESTATE â€" Parcel No. 1 Red brick house 2 storey c/w all conveniences. Parcel No. 2 Factory. one storey, conâ€" crete blockwall. Steel Beams flat roof. constrn. 30 x 200‘ â€" Zoned industrial. Terms on Real Estate 10% down bal. within 30 days. Subâ€" ject to sensible reserve. TO SAVE $$$ PLAN TO ATTENDâ€"TO BUYâ€"TO SAVE TERMS: Cash. Approved company â€" Private Cheques. Full settiement sale day Stretch Denim 60" YARD CHARGEX The consumers keep tabs on businessmen Quality without the cost â€"245 King St. W.Kitchener 745â€"3541 Industrial Liquidators and Auctioneers Professionals in the orderly liquidation of Contruction. Industrial and commercial Enterprises. 69 Sydney S., Kitchener â€" (519) 743â€"8221 _ Pailet Mig. â€" Equipment â€" Real Estate BANKRUPTCY AUCTION SALE M.R. JUTZI & CO. Inc. NUNINYVYUT [A I VRDLLK J D Fabrics and Fashions =®= MANUFACTURER‘S In the Dunker Bldg. across from Kresges Hours: Mon.â€"Wed. 9 to 5:30, Thurs., Fri. 9 to 9, Sat. 9 to 5:30. for about his rights and settle disputes between _ conâ€" sumers and businessmen. The Consumer _ Action Centre has been in operaâ€" tion sporadically for the last two years with the asâ€" sistance of two Local Inâ€" itiatives Program (LIP) grants, an Opportunities for Youth . (OFY) grant, a Secretary of State grant mRasourdogceorgds@or@rendngcq) a Clip this coupon. Bring it in Mon. B @ c through Sat. from 9 to 11 a.m. and a a get 20% off your purchase. B 6 Nonâ€"advertised items only. a 7 Manufacturer‘s Fabrics & Fashidons a band Offer valid through Sat. March 13th, 1976. fin Rooosere@qn@e@cenincseancsee@ incomparable value! The price is low, but every fabric is superior quality, in upâ€"toâ€"date colours and superb patterns * DENIM e CORDUROY «e COTTON SUEDE & 100% POLYESTER INTERLOCK e POLYESTER/COTTON SINGLEKNITS The only inexpensive part is the price JUST 99¢ A YARD‘! , March 10, 1976 SAVE 20% Regional news and views and $20,000 from the fedâ€" eral department of Conâ€" sumer and Corporate Afâ€" fairs. Despite its precarious financial â€" base, frequent staff turnovers and shortâ€" term closures when fundâ€" ing ran out, the centre has continued to provide a valuable advocacy serâ€" vice for consumers in Waâ€" terloo Region. "Our centre is really unique. _ There are some similar programs across Canada but Waterloo Reâ€" gion doesn‘t have any other consumer complaint centre," said Patti Moffatt, an employee of the centre since August. Although the _ regional Better â€" Business Bureau and the chamber of comâ€" merce provide consumer complaint services, Miss Moffatt says the public prefers to use the Consumer Action Centre because it provides faster service. ‘‘We handle consumer complaints directly. There‘s no bureaucracy in our organization. The conâ€" sumers come in or teleâ€" phone their complaints and we deal with the problem as soon as possible."‘ Unlike the BBB or the chamber of commerce, the Consumer ~Action > Centre * Printed Acrylic * Foamâ€"backed m â€" Fiberglass * Solids and Prints 10,000 YARDS Drapery Fabric * Antique Satin * Brocades * Fortrel Batiste does not require complainâ€" ants to fill out a detailed complaint form. The pertâ€" inent details about a case are received over the teleâ€" phone or in a letter. This procedure shortens the time period between reâ€" ceipt of a complaint and action by the Consumer Action Centre. As a standard procedure, the centre contacts the businessman to check out the validity of the comâ€" plaint. Then a meeting is scheduled between the conâ€" sumer, the businessman and a Consumer Action Centre employee. Miss Moffatt also beâ€" lieves the centre provides a more objective approach to â€" consumer â€" complaints than the BBB and the chamber of commerce. ‘‘We‘re consumers trying to regulate business <and they‘re businessmen tryâ€" ing to regulate business. We don‘t have the same potential conflict of interâ€" est ." The Consumer Action Centre runs its storefront operation from a renovated office near the corner of Ontario and Charles Streets in Kitchener. In addition to telephone calls from the Kâ€"W area, it also receives requests for help from 1.89 745 â€"3541 YARD CZCTEDERTE “" CA2CEEERE O7 Li _ New Hamburg. One caller telephoned from as far away as Shelburne. period in 1975, more than 800 telephone calls were answered by the centre‘s staff of six fullâ€"time emâ€" ployees. Miss Moffatt estimates twoâ€"thirds of the callers wanted consumer information. The remainâ€" ing oneâ€"third had specific consumer complaints. ‘‘Our major complaint is car sales and service. Complaints about home furnishings â€" and â€" exterior home services are also high. Another problem is conâ€" tracts. Most people don‘t read what they sign and don‘t realize how binding contracts are. _ Any sale over $50 must have a conâ€" tract accompanying it.‘‘ In a contract dispute, the consumer is urged to bring the contract into the office for examination. ‘‘Contracts must have certain things in them to be binding. We examine the contract to determine how it was signed and if there are any loopholes," said Miss Moffatt. In some cases, where the contracts are legal and binding,~ the centre has successfully persuaded businessmen â€" to â€" release consumers from contract obligations in return for the forfeiture of a deposit. A typical contract dispute occurred when a 16â€"yearâ€" old girl signed a contract to buy a $1,500 set of dishes. When she became unemâ€" ployed, she was unable to meet the monthly payâ€" ments which included a 21 percent annual interest and a 3 percent storage charge. The girl‘s mother, the coâ€"signer of the conâ€" tract, was also unable to continue the payments. The girl took her case to the Consumer Action Cenâ€" tre. â€" After a number of telephone calls to the comâ€" pany, the centre got the contract cancelled in reâ€" turn for the girl‘s $200 deposit. ‘"‘The girl was glad to forfeit the money in return 20" Color Store Demos sa As Low As (While They Last) 2 Boudoir Lamps Â¥ * 7 Plece Kitchen Suite with extension Large 3â€"Seater Sofa and matching chair 2 Living Room Lamps 2 End Tables 1 Coffee Table 9 x 12‘ Carpet INCLUDES: 212 KING ST. E. _ KITCHENER _ S79â€"4140 ____ _ OAILY _ 10â€"10 COLOR TV GIANT ROOMS OF NEW FURNITURE for cancellation of the conâ€" tract... In cases where deposits are small, comâ€" panies usually won‘t cancel the contract," said Miss Moffatt. The centre‘s staff acted as a third person mediator in another case to get a set of storm windows inâ€" stalled correctly. "All it took was a third person to get the complaint settled quite easily. There was a problem in communication between the consumer and the businessman.‘‘ The centre has also helped consumers secure refunds for damaged proâ€" ducts by arranging meetâ€" ings with store managers. Stores don‘t have to give refunds if they don‘t want to says Miss Moffatt. "A lot of stores will only give a credit note... They never have to give you the money back unless something is wrong with the product.‘‘ Most businessmen in the area cooperate with the Consumer Action Centre. However, if a businessman refuses to settle a claim of $400 or less, the centre enâ€" courages the consumer to take his case to small claims court. If the comâ€" plainant needs help preâ€" paring the court case, the staff of the centre provide it. To nip potential conâ€" sumer complaints in the bud, the centre has broadâ€" ened its program to include more consumer education projects. _ Staff members from the centre are often guest speakers at schools and clubs. The Consumer Action Centre is also sponsoring a series of public lectures at the Rockway Senior Citizens Centre in Kitâ€" chener during the months of March and April. Since precarious grant funding in the past has hurt the centre‘s crediâ€" bility it would like to find a permanent source of funding in the community. *‘*We could clip our budâ€" get but that would mean that we would have to clip our services," said Miss Moffatt: lEXTENDED TERM PLAN INSTANT DELIVERY 50J NO $ DOWN NO PAYMENTS TILL JUNE