There is a wealth of ways in which retailers make high priced items affordable – you can choose to ‘buy now pay later’, or spread the cost in monthly instalments, or both. You may choose to get an independent loan or finance it through a new credit card. Whatever method you choose, you will be [...]
September 15th, 2008 | Catriona | 0 comments | ContinuedConsumer Guides
Making a Small Claim
If you are in dispute with an organisation or an individual and wish to recover specific sums of money you feel you should not have paid, then you can issue a claim at county court level against that individual or firm. If the claim is for less than £5000 (or £1,000 or less if the [...]
September 12th, 2008 | Catriona | 5 comments | Continued
The Holiday was a Nightmare!
The Regulations
If you have booked a holiday through a tour operator with travel and accommodation booked together as a package, you will be protected by the Package Holiday Regulations. Under these regulations, you are able to claim compensation from the tour operator in the event that something went wrong, was not as described or was [...]
Getting Holiday Cash Without Paying a Fortune
Where to get it
Don’t be taken in by the 0% commission and no handling fee advertised by bureau de change, it may be intended to distract you from a very poor exchange rate. In actual fact most foreign currency suppliers will offer you 0% commission anyway, so base your decision on the rate of exchange. [...]
Dealing with Dodgy Tradesmen or Builders
If it hasn’t happened to us, it’s happened to someone we know. Dodgy tradesmen and cowboy builders took ages to do the work, did it wrong or simply didn’t do it at all. Everyone has a story, which is why it’s crucial to know your rights and remedies so you can be prepared at the [...]
July 23rd, 2008 | Catriona | 8 comments | Continued
Extended Warranties
Extended warranties are a relatively new sales opportunity for the retailers and have not been without their fair share of bad press. Both the OFT and the Competition Commission have investigated claims of unfair terms, mis-selling and excessive profiteering. So the question is, are they worth it?
Your basic warranty
Let’s first define what a warranty [...]
Junk Mail, Cold Callers and Telemarketing
For those of us who work from home, the day can often be a non-stop round of interruptions – sales calls, salespeople and the daily wedge of junk mail to sift through. Even if you go out to work, your evenings are frequently punctuated by the same. The invasion of our privacy at home is [...]
July 9th, 2008 | Catriona | 0 comments | Continued
Cooling off and Cancellations
Contracts are, by definition, legally binding, therefore it’s difficult to cancel without financial penalty unless you can prove breach of contract. In many situations however, such as buying goods from shops, you are able to cancel the contract and get your money back. But unless the goods are faulty, this is not an automatic right, [...]
July 8th, 2008 | Catriona | 138 comments | Continued
Payment Protection Insurance (PPI)
What is Payment Protection Insurance?
Payment Protection Insurance, or PPI, is a policy which covers your monthly repayments in the event that you are unable to work due to accident, ill health or unemployment. It is usually taken out when applying for a mortgage, loan or credit card, although policies can be bought separately from insurers [...]
Returning Damaged or Faulty Goods
The Sale of Goods Act covers the purchase of most things from shops, suppliers and online or mail order retailers. It also details the retailers obligations in situations where you have to return an item to them take on the basis that it is damaged or faulty – or both.
Your statutory rights
One of your principal [...]
Buying a New Build Home
Many people decide to ‘buy new’ from a housebuilder in the belief that it will be a much less troublesome experience than buying somebody else’s home. In reality however, these people go on to find the experience more stressful than they could possibly have anticipated. The reason for this is that the purchase of property [...]
July 6th, 2008 | Catriona | 6 comments | Continued
Buying Online
New Regulations have introduced greater consumer protection measures for the increasing number of people buying online and by mail order. Although the practice is still not without its problems due to the anonymity of the web and the regularity of card fraud.
The purchase of goods and services over the internet, by phone or by mail [...]
Buying a Car
When you buy a car, whether brand new or second hand, you benefit from the protection of certain statutory consumer rights as provided for under the Sale of Goods Act. However there is some variation in these rights depending on how you buy the car and who you buy it from.
Your statutory rights
First and [...]
Buying Clothing and Footwear
Your statutory consumer rights with regard to the purchase of clothing and footwear can be found in the Sale of Goods Act. They refer to standards of quality and consumer expectations, and what you should do if these are not met.
Your statutory rights
Any item of clothing or pair of shoes you buy should be of [...]
Mobile Phones & Service Providers
There is a bewildering choice of phones, packages and deals available when buying a new mobile phone. It’s big business. It’s also top of the list when it comes to consumer complaints!
When choosing a new mobile, you are not only selecting the phone (or the handset), you are dealing with the retailer and choosing a [...]
