Along with the raft of airlines which have collapsed over the previous 12 months, we hear of yet another tour operator which has gone the same way. XL Leisure group ceased trading earlier this month, with the loss of 2000 jobs and countless holiday plans ruined. So what are your rights and remedies if the [...]
September 13th, 2008 | Catriona | 0 comments | ContinuedConsumer News
If the Airline Goes Bust
So far this year 24 airlines have gone bust, the latest being Silverjet and Zoom, leaving thousands either stranded or out of pocket. So what are your rights and remedies if your airline collapses?
Some consumers will be protected and eligible for refunds or alternative flights depending on how, where and from whom they booked [...]
Interest Rate Hikes for MBNA Customers
There has been a flurry of complaints surrounding the sharp and unexpected increases in rates of interest payable by users of MBNA credit cards. To make this look slightly more devious, this is tending to take effect around the time that customers come to the end of their introductory low or zero rated interest periods. [...]
July 27th, 2008 | Catriona | 1 comment | Continued
Sale of Personal Data from the Electoral Register
For years now local authorities have been selling on personal data from the electoral register to private firms for marketing purposes or to pass on to other firms. Did you know that? A great many people didn’t, and were shocked to hear about this practice as a result of a report produced recently by the [...]
July 15th, 2008 | Catriona | 0 comments | Continued
Foreign Credit Card Transactions – New Protection
As many of us know, Using a credit card for transactions over £100 provides you with an automatic insurance policy should the supplier you are dealing with go bust or disappear, or if the goods turn out to be faulty. This is because under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, if you run into [...]
July 9th, 2008 | Catriona | 0 comments | Continued
OFT Launches a Market Study of Online Shopping
Over the last five years the growth in online retail sales has vastly outstripped that of the high street, with an increase of over 350%. It is estimated that by 2010 the average consumer will spend nearly £900 per year in online transactions (REF). Although new regulations have introduced greater consumer protection measures for the [...]
July 8th, 2008 | Catriona | 0 comments | Continued
Excessive Mobile Roaming Charges - The Latest
A year after the European Commission stepped in to introduce the Eurotariff, limiting the cost of overseas (roaming) call charges for European consumers, T-Mobile have announced they are slashing the cost of mobile internet (data roaming) charges by 80% from £7.50 per megabyte to just £1.50. In addition, they are also set to reduce the [...]
July 8th, 2008 | Catriona | 2 comments | Continued
Excessive Bank Charges
Banks have traditionally levied heavy financial penalties on consumers who exceed their overdraft limits or have insufficient funds to honour cheques or direct debit payments. In April 2007, the OFT launched an investigation into whether these charges were fair and legal in terms of reflecting the true administrative cost to the bank. This was followed [...]
July 7th, 2008 | Catriona | 0 comments | Continued
More Bad Press for PPIs
Payment Protection Insurance (PPI) has received a good deal of bad press over the last few months due to reports of extortionate rates, unfair policy exclusions, and unscrupulous selling practices of credit and loan providers; see our Payment Protection Insurance guide. For consumers seeking peace of mind against the threat of financial hardship due to [...]
July 7th, 2008 | Catriona | 0 comments | Continued
Majority of New Homes Defective
According to research carried out by the Office Fair Trading (OFT) seventy percent of new homes are faulty.
The OFT has been investigating the housebuilding industry for over a year and has just released its initial findings. The study not only investigated quality issues, but also covered consumer satisfaction and house supply issues relating to [...]
