Use legislation as evidence, not decoration
The strongest citation is the one that matches the event, date, territory and remedy. This map provides the route from a practical problem to the relevant framework and official text.
Start here
Map the problem before citing an Act
A useful legal source connects the event, the exact rule and the remedy. An Act title on its own rarely establishes all three.
What was sold, promised, charged, refused or recorded?
Check the section, regulation, amendment and commencement position.
Explain what the rule entitles you to ask for and from whom.
Searchable map
Main legislation used across ConsumerWise
Search by Act, topic or practical problem. Live markers are checked through the ConsumerWise legislation endpoint, while every entry retains a direct official link.
Checking legislation.gov.uk sources
Consumer Rights Act 2015
Goods, digital content, services and unfair terms. The remedy depends on what was supplied, what went wrong and when the problem emerged.Checking official source
Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013
Pre-contract information, cancellation rights, reimbursement and additional-payment rules for qualifying distance and off-premises contracts.Checking official source
Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024
The current unfair-commercial-practices framework and strengthened CMA consumer enforcement powers. Check commencement and the date of the conduct.Checking official source
Consumer Credit Act 1974
Regulated credit agreements, statutory notices, information rights and connected lender liability, including qualifying Section 75 claims.Checking official source
UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018
Rights and duties concerning personal data, including access, accuracy, erasure, restriction, fairness and security. The DPA supplements and qualifies the UK GDPR.Checking official source
Data (Use and Access) Act 2025
Amends parts of the UK data-protection and digital-information framework. Always check commencement and the consolidated law for the relevant date.Checking official source
Freedom of Information Act 2000
Access to recorded information held by covered public authorities, subject to exemptions, procedural rules and time requirements.Checking official source
Environmental Information Regulations 2004
A separate access regime for environmental information, with its own exceptions, public-interest approach and reconsideration process.Checking official source
Employment Rights Act 1996
Core statutory employment rights including wages, dismissal and written employment particulars. Tribunal time limits can be short.Checking official source
Equality Act 2010
Protected characteristics, prohibited conduct and reasonable adjustments across services, work and other fields. Different Parts apply in different contexts.Checking official source
Renters’ Rights Act 2025
Major reforms to assured tenancies in England. A provision being enacted does not necessarily mean it applied to the event, so commencement is essential.Checking official source
Housing Act 1988
The assured-tenancy framework, including possession grounds and statutory rent-increase procedures, as amended by later legislation.Checking official source
Housing Act 2004
Tenancy-deposit protection, housing hazards, licensing and enforcement provisions relevant to many private-renting disputes.Checking official source
Landlord and Tenant Act 1985
Important repairing and fitness obligations for many residential tenancies, including structure, exterior and key installations.Checking official source
Tenant Fees Act 2019
Restricts payments that landlords and agents can require from tenants in England and sets rules on deposits and other permitted payments.Checking official source
Protection from Eviction Act 1977
Criminal protections against unlawful eviction and specified harassment, alongside procedural restrictions on recovering possession.Checking official source
Housing Act 1996
The statutory homelessness framework, including inquiries, interim accommodation, decisions, internal reviews and appeals on points of law.Checking official source
ADR Regulations 2015
Rules forming part of the UK consumer ADR framework, including approved ADR arrangements and information duties in relevant situations.Checking official source
Local Authority Social Services and NHS Complaints Regulations 2009
The statutory framework for handling NHS and adult social-services complaints in England, including arrangements, ordinary time limits, acknowledgement, investigation and response.Checking official source
Package Travel Regulations 2018
Rights for qualifying package holidays and linked travel arrangements, including information, organiser responsibility and cancellation consequences.Checking official source
No matching legislation was found. Try the Act name, topic or remedy.
Source hierarchy
Legislation is one layer of the answer
A complaint can depend on several different kinds of authority. Use the label accurately so that a code or guidance page is not presented as if it were an Act.
| Layer | What it does | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Primary legislation | Acts create legal frameworks, powers, rights and duties. | Cite the relevant provision and check amendments. |
| Secondary legislation | Regulations and orders add detailed rules under statutory powers. | Check scope, exceptions and commencement. |
| Regulator rules | Binding rules can apply to authorised or licensed firms. | Identify the rulebook version and regulated entity. |
| Codes and scheme rules | Codes shape standards; scheme rules set eligibility and remedies. | State their status and do not overclaim their legal effect. |
| Case law | Courts interpret legislation and legal principles. | Check court level, facts and whether the decision is current. |
Dates and territory
Check version, commencement and jurisdiction
Legislation.gov.uk may show enacted text, revised text, prospective amendments and territorial information. The event date and location can change which text applies.
- Start with the event date. A later amendment does not automatically govern an earlier transaction.
- Check commencement. Royal Assent or making an instrument does not mean every provision began immediately.
- Check extent and application. UK-wide legislation can contain provisions that operate differently by nation.
- Save the version. Record the URL, access date and, for important disputes, a PDF or screenshot of the relevant text.
Live checking is a guardrail, not legal interpretation
The site checks whether supported official sources respond and can display official headings. It does not decide commencement, transitional provisions, territorial application or how the law applies to disputed facts.
From facts to law
Choose the framework from the event, not a familiar Act name
Consumer problems often engage more than one source. Start with the relationship, event and remedy, then test which legislation applied on that date and in that territory.
| Problem | Likely starting framework | Questions before citing it |
|---|---|---|
| Faulty goods, digital content or services | Consumer Rights Act 2015 and contract terms | Who contracted, what was supplied, was the seller acting as a trader, what failed and when? |
| Online or doorstep cancellation | Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 | Was it a distance or off-premises contract, did an exclusion apply, and was the required information given? |
| Misleading or aggressive selling | Current unfair-commercial-practices framework | When did the conduct occur, what decision did it affect, and is a private remedy or enforcement route available? |
| Credit-card connected purchase | Consumer Credit Act 1974 | Was there a qualifying debtor-creditor-supplier arrangement, what was the cash price and what breach or misrepresentation is alleged? |
| Use of personal data | UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018 | Who is the controller, what processing occurred, what right or principle is engaged and does an exemption apply? |
| Housing condition or tenancy action | Tenure and nation-specific housing legislation | What is the tenancy, who is the landlord, where is the property and what date did the notice, disrepair or payment arise? |
Worked method
Build a legal proposition another person can check
A legal proposition should identify the rule, facts and consequence. Quoting a section without that connection makes the complaint longer but not stronger.
- State the proposition. Write one sentence describing the duty or right in ordinary language. Avoid claiming that an entire Act has been breached.
- Add the pinpoint source. Give the Act or Regulations, section or regulation number, and a direct official link. If definitions control the point, cite them too.
- Identify the material facts. Link each element of the proposition to a dated document, statement, payment or event in the chronology.
- Test scope and exceptions. Check trader status, contract type, exclusions, territorial reach, commencement and transitional rules.
- State the consequence carefully. Explain the remedy or next procedural step. A duty does not always create the remedy the consumer wants.
- Record uncertainty. If a point depends on disputed facts or interpretation, say so and identify what evidence or advice would resolve it.
Example proposition
The service was required to be performed with reasonable care and skill. The disputed work is identified in the contract and photographs, and the expert note explains the defect. I asked the trader to repeat the service or provide an appropriate price reduction. Please address that request and explain any factual or legal basis for refusing it.
Use the reference
Turn research into an effective consumer case
Reference material earns its place only when it helps the reader decide, explain or prove something. Keep the working file short enough to use and complete enough to be checked.
Write the factual or procedural question before opening sources.
Use the most authoritative current source that actually answers it.
Connect the source to dated evidence and the remedy or next step.
Keep a research log
For each important point, record the source title, publisher, URL, relevant provision or heading, effective date where known, access date and a short note explaining relevance. If the page can change, retain a PDF or screenshot. A search result or generated summary is not the source.
Use a proportionate evidence pack
Start with a case summary, issue list and chronology. Attach the contract, key communications, payment or account record, disputed decision and loss calculation. Add sources only where they clarify the standard or procedure. Do not send an entire Act, rulebook or website capture when a pinpoint link and saved extract will do.
Ask the recipient to answer something specific
A trader can be asked to provide the contractual remedy; an ombudsman to determine stated issues; a regulator to consider supported compliance information; and a court to grant a pleaded remedy. Match the wording to the recipient's powers. If you are unsure about jurisdiction, ask for confirmation without allowing another deadline to expire.
Review before sending
- Names and dates are consistent across the summary and evidence.
- Each allegation is expressed as a fact or supported inference, not an unsupported conclusion.
- Every amount is calculated and avoids double recovery.
- Personal data is necessary, relevant and sent securely.
- The requested outcome is possible on this route.
- Other complaint, appeal and court deadlines are recorded separately.
Practical workflow
A repeatable research and complaint process
Use the page as one stage in a controlled workflow. This prevents a useful source, definition or organisation name from becoming a substitute for the factual case.
- Write the outcome. State what should change, who can change it and whether the request is advice, enforcement, redress or a legal order.
- Identify the parties. Record the legal trader, contracting party, agent, platform, payment provider, regulated firm and decision-maker where they differ.
- Freeze the evidence. Save the contract, terms, advert, account, decision, correspondence and website material before it changes. Keep originals and record capture dates.
- Build the chronology. Use a table with date, event, actor, document and significance. Highlight trigger dates for cancellation, complaint escalation, appeal or limitation.
- Research one issue at a time. For each issue, find the source that defines the duty, jurisdiction or procedure. Record uncertainty and conflicting material.
- Choose parallel routes deliberately. A provider complaint, card claim, regulator report and ombudsman referral may coexist. Give each body only the issue and outcome within its role.
- Send a bounded case. Number the issues, provide a compact indexed bundle and ask for a response to each material point within a reasonable or prescribed period.
- Audit the response. Mark each issue answered, partly answered or unanswered. Record new evidence, concessions, reasons and the next eligible escalation date.
Keep an issue schedule
Use columns for issue, disputed fact, evidence, rule or standard, respondent position, requested outcome and current status. This exposes gaps before submission and makes a later ombudsman or court file much easier to prepare.
Quality control
Mistakes that make a well-researched case weaker
Most problems arise from scope, status or application rather than from failing to find another source. Review these points before adding more material.
Citing a title instead of a rule
Naming an Act, regulator or code does not show what duty applied. Identify the provision, rule, scheme term or published remit and explain its connection to the event.
Using today's wording for an older event
Web pages, legislation, rulebooks and scheme terms change. Record the event date and source version. If the historical position cannot be verified, say so instead of silently applying the current page.
Treating guidance as a guarantee
Official guidance can be authoritative and useful without resolving every exception or disputed fact. Describe its status accurately and check the underlying source when the point affects eligibility, liability or a deadline.
Confusing public enforcement with private redress
A finding that conduct may affect a market does not automatically calculate an individual's loss. Equally, an ombudsman award does not necessarily prove a market-wide breach. Explain which decision you are asking each body to make.
Sending personal data without a purpose
Remove irrelevant account numbers, identity documents and third-party information. Keep an unredacted original, use secure channels and tell the recipient if sensitive material is essential to understanding the case.
Overstating certainty
Use language such as appears, may, or I understand where a point is an inference or legal position open to dispute. Reserve direct statements for facts and sources that the evidence establishes.
When to get help
Recognise when self-help is no longer proportionate
ConsumerWise can help organise the issue and identify routes, but some cases need urgent, technical or legally privileged advice. Early help can protect a position that cannot easily be restored later.
| Situation | Why help may be needed | Possible source |
|---|---|---|
| Immediate danger, fraud or loss of an essential service | Protective action is more urgent than completing the ordinary complaint process. | Emergency service, bank, supplier emergency team, council or specialist safety body. |
| Eviction, homelessness, employment dismissal or statutory appeal | Short deadlines and specialist procedure can determine whether the case can be heard. | Relevant advice charity, union, law centre, solicitor or authorised representative. |
| High-value or technically complex loss | Expert evidence, pleading, causation, costs and enforcement risk may exceed the value of informal self-help. | Qualified legal adviser and an appropriately instructed independent expert. |
| Vulnerability or difficulty managing the process | Adjustments, representation or advocacy may be needed for effective participation. | Provider accessibility team, local advice service, advocate or trusted representative. |
| Threats, defamation concerns or allegations of dishonesty | Public accusations or poorly framed allegations can create additional risk. | Legal advice before publication or formal escalation. |
When seeking help, provide the one-page summary, chronology, issue schedule, key decision and deadline list first. This lets an adviser assess urgency and scope before reading the full file.
Questions
Detailed questions about using this resource
These answers explain the usual approach. Check the linked official source where the result depends on current law, scheme rules, jurisdiction or a deadline.
Does the latest revised text always apply?
No. The event may be governed by earlier wording, transitional arrangements or provisions not yet commenced. Check the event date against amendment and commencement information.
Can I cite the whole Act?
Give the exact section or regulation and any definition or exception needed to understand it. A broad Act title rarely tells the recipient what duty or remedy is relied on.
What does prospective mean on legislation.gov.uk?
It generally indicates a change or provision that is not yet in force in the displayed context. Read the annotations and commencement material before using it.
Is legislation.gov.uk legal advice?
No. It provides official legislation and editorial information. Applying the text to disputed facts, transitional rules and remedies may require legal analysis.
Why can the same Act work differently across the UK?
Extent, application, devolved amendments and procedural systems can differ. Check the provision and nation, not only the Act's short title.
What if the live source check fails?
Use the direct official link and verify the source manually. A technical status marker says nothing about whether the law applies to the case.
Maintain the file
Review the case as facts and sources change
A consumer case is a controlled record, not a single letter. Update it when the respondent gives reasons, a source changes or a route reaches a decision point.
After each response
Save the original file or message, record its date and mark each issue answered, partly answered or unanswered. Add any admission, factual correction, new reason or request for evidence to the issue schedule. Do not rewrite the earlier chronology to hide a misunderstanding; correct it transparently.
Before escalation
Check that the respondent has had the opportunity required by the next scheme, the complaint is framed consistently, and every new issue has first been raised where necessary. Update the remedy and deduct any payment already received. Recheck jurisdiction and time limits on the official route.
When a source changes
Keep the version originally relied on and record the new one separately. Decide whether the change applies to the event, affects only future conduct or clarifies an existing rule. If the point is important and uncertain, obtain legal advice rather than presenting an assumption as settled.
At closure
Record the outcome, acceptance terms, payment or action due, compliance date and any continuing rights. Keep the file for a proportionate period, securely delete unnecessary copies and avoid publishing personal or confidential material merely because the dispute has ended.