Great “Improve Money Rules In 50 Words” Hunt. What easy changes for our politicians

carolt

Cashpoints in poor areas should be free. It's often the case that the lone cashpoint in run-down areas charges for withdrawing cash, meaning those who can least afford it & who often take out only £10 at a time, can face interest charges equivalent to 18.5% - even though they're not borrowing, just accessing their own money.

vivatifosi

Council tax in England:

Allow members of the public access to house price data from 1991. That way people will be able to accurately assess whether they are likely to have a successful appeal rather than the VOA holding all the information.

vivatifosi

silvercar wrote: »

Require energy companies to notify customers of increase in tariffs before the increase not upto 90 days after.

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At the moment an energy company could notify you in March that all the gas you used in Dec, Jan and Feb will now be charged at a higher price than you were told!

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Also, when you get your energy price change notices, they should include both the new and the old unit charges, as well as the percentage increase/decrease.

vivatifosi

All electric properties should have the same right to a competitive tariff as those on duel fuel. Economy 10 tariffs in particular should decrease competitively the same way as Economy 7 or duel fuel. Firms are getting away with not doing this presently.

vivatifosi

Government call centres should give you a unique reference number to show that you've had a conversation with them regarding critical financial matters. How can you prove a telephone call that they categorically deny, even though you have a phone bill that proves you called them?

vivatifosi

The government should allow those who are terminally ill to extend their life through drugs only available on private prescription (ie that have not been approved by NICE) without foregoing their right to NHS treatment.

fedupfreda

Freeze MP's wages for the next 10 years (they get paid more than enough anyway) and

All MP's should spend 4 weeks in the year working and living on minimum wage, as Joe Public does (then they might understand what we have to put up with).

*MF*

Corporation Tax domicile should be publicised openly.

There seems to be general agreement amongst the G20 that the use of "Tax Havens" should be curtailed or at least reduced.

The general public could play their part - if when considering purchasing goods or services from any Company - the domicile of the Company for tax purposes was made transparent.

Particularly so now when individuals seem destined to future increases in taxation - without having the ability of Companies to move their residence for tax purposes.

michaels

Best explained by an example:

In Comet you are comparing 2 washing machines, both priced in big type at £299

Used the same average usage (5 washes per week?), one might cost £100 in electricity for 2 years, the other less efficient one £200.

Instead of the price tickets both reading £299 they should read £499 and £399 (the pay today cost could then be in smaller type in brackets).

Consumers then get real info on running costs so haing the option to save money and of course both consumers and manufacturers are hugely incentivised to be as green as possible.

michaels

How many rented flats have night store heaters? Over time even including installation costs these cost much more than gas central heating or even electric heat exchange/pump solutions.

However the landlord only faces the installation/maintainance costs and thus chooses the cheapest option on these criteria. Tenants will notice but are unlikely to reject a property soley because it has electric heating.

Not sure how to incentivise the greener, cheaper overall option but I'm sure others can think of some way to do this with signalling/nudging rather than creating a whole industry with regulations and inspectors as the present Govt would try to do.

Possibly again rent prices should be quoted including typical energy usage so that tenants are comparing true annual costs (I don't think energy usage should be included in the rent and paid by the landlord as this on effect incentivises the tenant to be profligate - why turn off the lights or close the windows if you are not paying the bill).