CMA investigate house builders for mis-selling leaseholds The Competitions and Markets Authority is to investigate how house builders sell leaseholds following evidence of unfair terms and mis-selling, consequently trapping buyers into rising ground rents and unfair fees. The CMA will also work with the Government to work to ban the sale of new leasehold houses […]
Energy firms to pay customers compensation for switching errors Ofgem has announced, that, from May, if a switch of gas and electricity to a new provider goes wrong the customer will receive automatic compensation of £30. The payment will be made if the switch is not completed within 15 working days or if the old […]
Water and sewerage bills set to fall by about £17 a year Water UK, the industry trade body, said the average annual bill would fall by 4% to £396.60 from 1 April. Regulator Ofwat said the drop was because it had demanded efficiency from firms. In December it told the water companies they would have […]
Ovo Energy to pay £8.9m for overcharging customers Regulators has made Ovo repay customers it overcharged. Customers who paid too much will receive an average of £131.20 each. Ovo is also making a payment into a voluntary redress fund to help vulnerable customers Wonga borrowers to receive only 4.3% of compensation claims People who have […]
Thomas Cook customers seeking refunds warned to beware of scams Fraudsters are suspected of targeting a website created to refund Thomas Cook customers, the Civil Aviation Authority said. Customers of Thomas Cook are being warned to use only the official website for refunds: thomascook.caa.co.uk/refunds. This follows warnings of a suspicious Thomas Cook refund website encouraging […]
Smart meter rollout delayed for four years The government has delayed the deadline for smart energy meters to be rolled out from 2020 to 2024. Customers can decline having a smart meter fitted, but energy firms must have offered them to all UK households by the end of 2024. Three year enquiry into violation of […]
UCAS criticised for promoting ‘inappropriate’ private loans to students University admissions service UCAS has been accused of promoting “inappropriate”, high-interest private loans to students. UCAS Media sent an email to those who had opted in to receiving marketing emails which included an advert for Future Finance, offering student loans with interest rates of between 8% […]
Refund scheme by banks for scam victims begins The new voluntary Code for banks to refund “authorised push payment” scam victims has come into effect, but not all banks are signed up to the scheme. These scams could involve impersonating someone, such as a homebuyer’s solicitor or a builder, whom the individual was expecting to […]
Social Care Green Paper The release date by the Government for the Green Paper outlining a long term solution for a sustainable future for social care has been delayed yet again. Originally due in July 2018, the release date is now delayed until after a Brexit deal is passed by Parliament. Till free shopping Sainsbury’s […]
Smart Meters Energy firms will continue to offer “dumb” smart meters for months, even though providers were expected to stop offering first generation meters, known as Smets1, from March 15, as they often stop working when you switch suppliers. But British Gas, SSE, EDF Energy, Eon, npower and Scottish Power have confirmed they are still […]