About Consumer Law Essentials

This wikibook from People's Law School describes some of the most common consumer problems faced by British Columbians and in particular by newcomers to the province. It aims to help you:

• understand the laws that protect you when you buy items or hire someone to provide a service, such as home repairs,
• learn your options when someone owes you money, or you owe someone money, and
• learn how to identify scams and frauds and how to avoid them.

Acknowledgements

• Legal review (consumers’ problems section): Allan Parker QC.
• Research and plain language (consumers’ problems section): Gayla Reid.
• Content development (consumers’ problems section): ELSA program students and instructors, staff of the People’s Law School, Consumer Protection BC, Better Business Bureau of BC and the Canada Revenue Agency.
• Publication coordinator: Terresa Augustine.
• Founders: Law Foundation of BC, Ministry of Justice, and BC Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch.
• Technical support: Drew Jackson, Elena Renderos and Beatriz González.

The People's Law School

The People's Law School is a non-profit charitable society whose purpose is to provide British Columbians with reliable information about their rights and responsibilities under the law.

Suite 150 - 900 Howe Street

Vancouver, BC

V6Z 2M4

Tel 604.331.5400

Email info@publiclegaled.bc.ca

This booklet and others are available on the People's Law School website:

www.publiclegaled.bc.ca

In law, to formally deliver documents to a person in a manner that complies with the rules of court. Service may be ordinary (mailed or delivered to a litigant's address for service), personal (hand-delivered to a person), or substituted (performed in a way other than the rules normally require). See "address for delivery," "ordinary service," "personal service" and "substituted service."

In law, the re-examination of a term of an order or agreement, usually to determine whether the term remains fair and appropriate in light of the circumstances prevailing at the time of the review. In family law, particularly the review of an order or agreement provided for the payment of spousal support. See "de novo," "family law agreements," "order" and "spousal support."

The abbreviation of "Queen's Counsel." Under the reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, QC was an honour often, but not invariably, granted to lawyers of particular excellence, and could also be granted for other reasons such as service to the legal community, the public or a political party. Since the passing of Her Majesty and the succession of His Majesty King Charles III, the recipients of this honour, past and present, are called King's Counsel, abbreviated as KC.