Unfair terms in consumer contracts - reform at last?

Student Law Review Autumn 2012 highlighted the joint Law Commission and Scottish Law Commission consultation on proposals for enhanced consumer protection. This year the government’s plan to publish a draft Bill establishing a ‘simple set of consumer rights’ was included in the Queen’s Speech1 along with a range of measures designed to promote economic growth. With the publication of the draft Consumer Rights Bill in June 2013 it seems that reform is finally on the way. The draft Bill, if introduced, will consolidate a number of existing consumer rights laws into a single legal framework. This article examines the background to the proposed changes, considers the general provisions of the draft Bill and focuses in more detail on changes to the unfair contract terms regime.