Please read and abide by our terms and conditions

One of the many objectives of this column is to encourage consumers to stand up and fight for their rights when dealing with traders and suppliers who do not respect consumers' rights. Over the years this column has proved to be a very effective tool when dealing with such traders in that consumers can take complete control of the situation and successfully obtain satisfaction.

Consumers can chase the progress of their cases with suppliers while in the process copying me in. Hence, as explained in our terms and conditions: "It is up to the complainant to chase the progress of the case with the supplier while, in the process, copying me in.

"All letters of complaint and complainants' chasers are followed by my request/s to suppliers for their comments." In the process we remind them that the case is subject to publication.

Fortunately, many consumers do read, respect and abide by this column's terms and conditions. However, despite having repeatedly made this request, there are still too many consumers who do not bother to read our conditions printed in every column. They think that all they have to do is tell me about their case and they wrongly assume that I am going to sort it all out for them.

This column is not my only job. I have a full time job, which is separate from this column. And yet many consumers manage to somehow obtain my telephone number and call me to discuss their cases.

Moreover, despite having made it clear that letters or complaints naming establishments/traders positively or negatively will not be dealt with via e-mail, we still receive e-messages giving details of cases naming establishments/traders.

They also give me their home and/or telephone numbers quoting specific times and days when I can call them.

Unfortunately, I am lenient in this context and I do get directly involved in many cases. Thus I have created a rod for my back and I will still help where I can. However, please bear in mind that I only have one pair of hands and it is absolutely impossible for me to get directly involved in all cases.

In view of all this, at this stage, I must stress that we only accept correspondence via e-mail about consumer issues of general interest not naming any establishments or traders. In view of the numerous occasions I have had to write this message we have now adopted a policy that, depending on our workload, such e-messages are more likely to be ignored.