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I share your concern and cynicism, but I assume the payment by results mechanism is by inividual reoffending, not national statistics?  And both G4S and Serco are banned from bidding for the probation contracts aren't they?

I don't think I could live in a country that deliberatly killed its own citizens. We're supposed to be better people than those that we judge, executing them brutalises all of us and brings us down to the same level as the criminal.

And just as a matter of fact, people tend to confuse our membership of the European Union with our membership of the Council of Europe which gave us the European Convention on Human Rights. They are not the same thing, the ECHR was signed after the second world war, by those that had seen the most despicable things done by states to their citizens and they were keen to have structures in place so that such things could never happen again. The rights we have under that convention were earned by the blood of our grandparents and we give them up at our peril.

You can't pick and choose from the list - back out of one and you lose them all. Are you sure you want to lose this?

Article 2 | Right to life

Article 3 | Anti-torture and inhumane treatment

Article 4 | Anti-slavery

Article 5 | Right to liberty and security of the person

Article 6 | Right to a fair trial

Article 7 | Anti-retrospective conviction

Article 8 | Right to private and family life

Article 9 | Right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion

Article 10 | Right to freedom of expression

Article 11 | Right to freedom of assembly and association

Article 12 | Right to marriage

Article 13 | Right to an effective remedy

Article 14 | Anti-discrimination

Protocol 1 Article 1 | Right to peaceful enjoyment of property

Protocol 1 Article 3 | Duty to provide fair and free elections

Protocol 2 Article 1 | Right to education

The new probation services are supposed to be run on payment by result terms aren't they? And aren't most of them going to be not for profit organisations?

That's an accounting decision that you are free to make, but it doesn't affect the assets actual value. If you say that your Macbook is written off in the accounts after three years it doesn't mean that you can't still sell it for say, £300 cf a laptop which is likely, as you say, to be actually worthless.

If you have the money to spare, buy a Mac, they're really are beautiful bits of kit, they're a joy to use and they retain their value. There are arguments for and against, but the decision will be on whether you want to afford it or not.

I'd say three other things. If you use an iPhone or iPad, they all integrate together perfectly - the first time that claim is actually is true.

Secondly, don't take much notice about the hardware inside Macs being the same as PCs, it certainly can be fairly close if you set out to do it, but obviously never exactly - but the real point is that Apple is in total control of both the firmware, software and hardware and there are therefore no weird driver issues and things work properly all the time. Microsoft have no idea what their operating software will have to work with.

I was fine with Windows 7, but Windows 8 on a PC is just awful.

For those that are in your kind of business, it's difficult.

I'm not sure though whether this is a real risk or just imagined. Why would anyone want to return a new fitted boiler that's working properly? Customers also will have no idea that they can.

I think that if you're in any doubt and the customer wants it fast, you ask them to pop down to the office to sign the papers, then it's not an off-site sale. (Though you need to confirm that with a lawyer - I'm just a telephone bloke

"A consumer is a person or group of people, such as a household, who are the final users of products or services. "

Your purchase from your supplier is a business to business transaction which is not covered by consumer law - it's covered by standard contract law, ie the suppliers own T&Cs

No, the rules apply only between business and consumers, your arrangement with your supplier is whatever you have managed to negotiate. But like I say, there are ways to avoid this, the most obvious is not to fit a boiler until 14 days after taking the order - if you really think it's a business risk.

I'm not a lawyer and I don't work in your field so take this as an uneducated answer.

My reading of it is that yes, you would be liable. There are at least two ways round it. 1) Allows allow 14 days between agreeing the deal online or on phone and installation. 2) If the customer must have it within 2 weeks and you can do it, get them to visit you at your office and get them to sign for it there.

If you sell online to consumers, this applies to you.

The Distance Selling Regulations (DSRs) change in June. They extend the cooling off period from 7 to 14 days but also give you the right not to refund until you have the goods back and you can deduct from the refund if the goods have been used (hurrah!).

If you use a telephone contact number it now has to be a basic rate one - 01, 02 or 03. (Or a mobile number, but that's not a good idea for other reasons - it makes you look small and amateur, unless you're a trade like a plumber.).

This is from the Department for Business Innovation & Skills

Consumer Rights Directive 

We would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that, effective from 13th June this year, any business that provides a contact number for their consumer customers must provide a ‘basic rate’ number instead. Essentially this means that consumers must be able to contact a business with which they have a contract for the same rates as they can call friends and family. The business should not earn revenue from the chosen contact number either. Therefore these businesses need to provide a geographic number (01, 02 or 03) or a mobile number. Any revenue share or premium rate (e.g. 09, 084, 087, 070) will not comply with this regulation.

For full details please see the guidance given by the Department for Business Innovation & Skills

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/266525/bis-13-1368-consumer-contracts-information-cancellation-and-additional-payments-regulations-guidance.pdf

There are other bits and pieces in the new regs that might apply to you like no more auto-ticked boxes and 30 day delivery period, so it's best to read them through.

We can help if you need another number ;-)

http://www.voipfone.co.uk/EP_UK_Telephone_Numbers.php