Hints for the consumer Got problems returning those unwanted gift items By EN I- Herald Special I would like to have my money back since this sweater t fit me I m sorry but the sign soys no refunds or exchanges on sale Items Unfortunately this scries of events not only takes place quite often especially after Christmas but it can lend to an embarrassing situation for both the consumer and the cleric Contrary to what most people think then is no law which requires a business to refund your money or ex change on item which you have purchased from that store unless the mercliandise is defective or if the son his sold the goods to you by making a false misleading or deceptive claim concerning iIil product for most reputable businesses provide some type of refund exchange policy to main tain good customer relations The problems of returning merchandise and being appointed with inferior pro ducts can often be avoided Here are some suggestions 1 Don impulse buy A bargain a bargain if the Item won be used Decide whether you really need the commodity Would something else at a lower cost servo the same purpose data This Is Important for dur able goods such as a car or a major appliance Determine the initial price the operating and maintenance costs if on both the iem you intend to buy on compar a bit brands Information on the quality of a product can be obtained from tin journals and per Ioditals such as Canadian Consumer or Consumer He Shop at store reputation Auk friends about received from certain businesses fully inspect any Item it you intend to purchase fall for phony silts YOU BUY It wise to find out about a store policy for returning mercliaidlsf before you pur chase the Does the More provide refunds eh or credit notes What do you need as proof or purchase cash register re a cancelled cheque or eharge account receipt Is there a specified time in which merchandise must be returned TIPS ON ASKING 1 1 Make sure you have a good reason for returning the item Brine your sales slip or other required proof of pur chase and return the toods within the store specified period of time for returning the 3 Don lose your temper If you don get any satisfaction from the sales clerk then ask the Sometimes It necessary to negotiate The store may not want to refund your money but perhaps the manager may offer to exchange the Item or rcpiir the goods If you still receive no sitisfaetion then send a reg letter to the person In of the business with your name address and tele phone number included Name the product the dote it was purchased and the price that you paid Describe the problem you have with the merchandise and the attempts that you have made to solve it Send photocopies of any re ceipts and outline what you want theslore to do about your problem Further Information on re funds and exchanges can be obtained from The Consumer Information Centre Ministry of Consumer and Commercial Relations Si Toronto A graduate of Queen University Maureen Ed ward has been an Instructor for the consumer problem course at the University of Windsor the HERALD Home Newspaper of Halton Hills January 1 Stay alert Spotchecks here to stay Regional Polices first spot cheek program was unqualified success and the force Intends to continue the program intermittently throughout the year Deputy Chief Bob Middough said The program met Ihc objective we set out with which was to make people aware the police ore out there cheeking for Impaired drivers for unsafe vehicles for traffic violations the deputy chief told The Herald Monday We feci It was most successful The program will be con on an intermittent basis throughout the year and again full time during the holiday season In Decern The officers who been working on the spot checks will be involved with various special programs during the year the deputy chief said but for the time being they will be operating radar through the region Our main thrust in 1981 la to reduce highway fatal A LIONS SHARE OF BACON AND EGGS Over young hockey players brought their hearty appetites to a special breakfast held the Georgetown Lions Club to raise money for a new clock In the Gordon Memorial Arena Among other beneficiaries to which the Club plans to make contributions In the future the lime clock proposal will receive from the I Ions 1 Ions Zen left and 1 tar Icy helped serve breakfast between Tom and a to the crowd including the Webb family above Scott left Murray parents Rill and Herald photo Interim librar for downtown residents Herald Special Older Park area residents ore to special type 1 services in downtown Georgetown while the new Hills I I Theatre Arts complex is being built Esmc Ball who runs the Library on Wheels for shut ins is plan nmf to open an interim sate lite branch in backroom of esworlh Initially on a once every three weeks basis ThcPenmesworthshop Mim SI South is just around the corner from the old Whilc we don want to restrict it to the elderly the main purpose is lo provide a service to Ihose who ore find THE YEAR I PHOTOS PART TWO Lack of snow forced the cancellation of many favorite wintertime activities at last February sponsored by the Georgetown Nevertheless some of the events require only for window dressing and a these people show log sawing can be a good regardless or he conditions Scheduled for February again this year promises all sorts or activities and organisers are encouraging resident to part SEE PAGES CI nit it exceedingly difficult to use the Library in its present temporary quarters InGuelph view Plaza Ball explain lynn Barnard owner with Greta Hopkins of Pennies worth who came up with the idea and who has offered the use of the room to library free of charge said It will be up Esmc and Library to determine how often they want to provide he service Its a warm room There will be chairs access to a washroom and coffee will also bo avail Ball said Ms Barnard offer was generous and timely We hope this will be o happy place she said A place where people with heart nditl won t have to con tend thslalrs as in the old library and even moreso in its present location Other library staff agreed with Ball that even the rwlfdozen steps the old sometimes proved too for people with caps Thai I insisted on us havlni a chair at the top of stairs said Ball With two flights of stairs lo negotiate in the library present temporary quarters library staff have arranged to have the large print section at street level for case of access Dr Ball added that with the move to the Plaza the numbers of those request shut In service has Increased I find myself walking down street with bags of books these days she said I hoping therefore that people In older part of own who have been affected by the elosure of the old library will use Oils service until new one Is ready The starling date of the new downtown service Is expected to bo announced this week Details of when the service Is available will also be posted the window at Pennies The new twostorey library will be a marked contrast to the former and temporary buildings with its wheelchair access ramps tor illy equipped wash rooms dropoff lone for vehieles in front of the entrance 19BI is Inter Year the Disabled which mokes the new I complex Hills most flcanl uli in to the recognition of needs of he handicapped The temporary relocation to Plaza not been entirely negative Some people in the west end are discovering us for the first lime and joining up said Anne Irvine who is respons ihle for program and publicity it library Miny pie said they would like to see us remain in this area but lit we move back to Church I confident you II see jump dramatical That was Milton expert i nee when it opened Its new five years ago The numbers were so great they had to turn people iwiy Meanwhile as eonslruelion e ntlnues on the new library iliuf d 1 staff are brainstorm ink d ways in which they help the town fund using campaign The Good Stuff cookbook a coil bound ltction of 153 favorite on page Local plaza poolhall wins extended hours warning ft re I itennj fe ll m m n as a mm it his approved extended 1 hours for the poolhall in he Hilton Hills Shopping I A Hilton rctioi police rrpnrl warning that Milton streets have more loiterers Mini poolhill and arcade I jura were extended iuiiliI Monday night agreed to Ii Howard and I Oram heir Guclph Street Lames room open until mid nljhl through the week and until m Sundays It was Grams third attempt lo obtain council approval It strictly bolls down to operations said Coun Miller whose resolution amended a town bylaw forcing the business to close Its doors I knights The ilismf hour nnkes iilimmtiit ind it mokes I We should allow the 111 hours to make by nils in Miller irLli that late night loitering nil a police problem ii I direct concern of any business Mr Mrs Oram asked mm in October to let them keep the parties room open until I a in but suae modified their request The following month their lawyer tried again lo gain councils approval calling the 11pm closing bylaw dlscrlm in view or sanctioned later closing hours for local bawling alleys and restaurants which also cater to young people lies Deputy Chief Mid daugh said Fatalities were way up Inst and show that every dent Invokes cither speed or alcohol Police stopped during December and hid 193 charges They also Issued cautions lo drivers under the Highway Traffic which covers equipment problems as well as driving offences Police laid 137 charges under the Highway Traffic Act and charges for impaired driving and related offences Acre la d under the Narcotics Control Act and la under the quor Licence Act Three drivers were charged with driving while their licence suspended One charge was laid for an unsafe vehicle The spot checks ran from the first week of December to Jan 1 at a m The checks were made at random throughout the region on a dally basis Helping out the NEW YEARS STABBING knife Incident on Heather inn in eorgctown has resulted In charges being laid a I j i mi year old woman resident Frees was charged last with assaulting police and wounding following the in lent last Wednesday night Sherry to also of Heather Court was treated at and District Memorial Hera pi la I later released Police say he was apparently stabbed in the chest llh knife ITS CORYS YEAR Barely 18 hours old when this photo was taken at p m Cory Constant proved to be a willing and photogenic subject for her pose as the first baby born In Halloa in Cory arrived much to delight of her mother Jennifer above father Terry and sevenyear old brother Aaron at January 1 weighing In at seven pounds 10 Meanwhile a couple Mary and Wayne Nightengale gave birth In a seven pound IS ounce girl at 15 a New Year day at General Hospital Herald photo by Chris Aagaard Donation helps recovery for Campbell family making out The future will remain unsettled until the Insurance is worked is far as getting another house is concerned she said ilhrajjh they have considered mnvmg into an apartment in he meantime The Family Neighborhood Service brought four boxes of tinned goods and people have rriughl clothing for the child Mrs Campbell said The family also received from local residents who Mrs Campbell drives to the Bingo In Mo Item each week I guess we II get It back together again but It I take a while Mrs Campbell said Ma Bell The of the fire which ihe Glen Williams f Terry and Barbara be he family is II under investigation but tit Campbells are looking i id in the diy when they can in own home once ill being released Mrs Campbell contacted at I ir in law home I ere he is staying limp said Ihey are Construction of Georgetown builders of the Silver Creek apartment complex which alleviated a chronic shortage of rental accomodations In Georgetown donated HO to the librarycultural centre under construction on Market Joining company owner William for last Tuesday presentation made In two cheques were left to right John Hills Mayor David McNally and library cultural centre fund raising committee chairman Rex 1 1 estop Herald photo McNallys cheque boosts cultural centre McNally Construction Ltd of may have lost contract to build the town lihraiy cultural centre list June but thai slopped it from nig generous dona lion to the project now underway on Market It gives us pleasure to be able to support your efforts in building of our new library cultural centre for people if Georgetown and the surrounding area company owner Bill McNally wrote In a letter accompany his Initial donation The remainder of the money was postdated for 1981 of Silver Creek Towers apartments on irk Avenue the firm said was grateful to Mayor merovandhlsadminiatra lion for bringing our apart ment complex to completion after nine years of frustra My family has been In Georgetown for some time and town has been good In us Mr McNally said We hope many more who found Georgetown a g place to live pursue their different occupations will feel the same and give you support He later added that while business and individuals regularly make yearly dona tions to other charitable organizations and causes Ihe company wished to make a special donation to important addition to the lown We ve made money In town Mr McNally said and we wanted to put some thing back into It The second lowest bidder in ihe million library cultural centre project McNally was edged out of the contract by Construc tion Ltd ofWlllowdale raises phone rates Phone service in George town will cost businessmen and homeowners mora money each month starting The Canadian Radio- television and Telecommun ications Commission has approved an increase which will have homeowners pay 10 a month up from SO Bates for business phones will increase to B0 from The Increase is a result of the Georgetown exchange moving to a higher rate category because of a five per cent increase In the weighting factor for exchanges with local calling outside their own exchanges Marlcrw Kerr local Bell Canada manager said Bell a monthly charges for phone service are determin ed by multiplying the ber of telephones which can be reached without long dis tance caiui weighting factor reflecting the dis tance between exchanges la the local calling areas Mrs Kerr said The application of the weighting factor redeem ine enhanced service and also the extra equipment Deeded to handle the Increase of calls between exchanges which change from long dis tance to local Georgetown residents can call Acton Brampton Camp- bellvllle Milton and Victoria locally