Improve Money Rules In 50 Words article discussion

michaels

Third party liability for some drives is a lot more than for others, so some would be severely overpaying via this method compared to others who would be getting it very cheaply - hardly fair?

mike2481632 wrote: »

Perhaps these could be the start of a drive to more inclusive government where common sense has a say. I hope you do make this more than a once off as would like to add some and especially around the insurance industry.

My fisrt suggestion would be to include third party car insurance in the fuel pump price so that we never have to have another victim of uninsured drivers. It also means even the high risk can get insurance at this basic level by default. Insurance industry would not like it but it could still be open to competition each year to provide and the insurers would then need to add value with the insurance top up most of us would take.

Mike

jbiwtt7

Financial institutions which have been bailed out with public funding should not be allowed to increase mortgage interest rates once the base rate rises.

Hiking interest rates beyond affordability levels would substantially increase the number of defaults and therefore the number of people made homeless by repossessions.

Keeping rates at a reasonable levels would ensure lower level of defaults and therefore recuperation of public money.

Increasing rates would effectively mean the public paying twice, once for the original bail out and secondly when the loan is defaulted and the home repossessed, not to mention the subsequent housing of these individuals and the social impact this will undoubtedly have, which you guessed it we are going to be paying for again, and again and again

titchy

It would allow people to use their computers to manage their finances far better if all bills and statements had a code printed on each page with the information encoded in it.
The codes these days are far better than bar codes and can carry a lot of information. Search Aztec Code and Datamatrix for examples.
Obviously electronic bills and statements would be better but untill then requiring codes would allow people to extract the information much better and software would naturally start to support this form of input.

dalsude

This was a brilliant idea, but there are so many more issues that need to be addressed. Could it be done again, perhaps when some of the issues from this version have been actioned? (or sooner!)

[Deleted User]

This is a really great thread and should be used more as the platform on which to champion consumer issues.

I've had a serious think recently about some more 50 words manifesto promises:

Any organisation with customers who may be in financial need MUST ensure that all telephone and contact points for those customers are free of charge.

e.g. a bank can have an 0845 number for Customer Services, but for departments like collections, debt recovery...any dept in which someone in financial need might call...the number should be freephone.

Any business receiving more than 100 customer calls a day should be obliged to answer calls in less than 3 minutes on average. Businesses should be forced to publish average waiting times on their website.

Businesses not hitting these targets should be fined.

All organisations receiving 1000 calls or more a day should be forced to invite reviews from customers (quality of service, speed etc). Minimum performance targets should be set and companies should be fined if they fall below these.

The main issue I have with all of these consumer issues is not that companies get it wrong. Everyone makes mistakes...businesses are no exception. But the really annoying thing is how companies respond...how impossible it is to get an answer, or speak to someone who knows anything.

inicholson

angrygirlie wrote: »

Fabulous idea, but could Martin do 51 words? My biggest gripe is that I live alone and only get 25% discount on the council tax bill for lone occupation. Surely, as a lone occupier it should be 50%? A house next door can have 4 people living in it, in the same tax band yet pay only 25% more than me?
Please can this unfair discount be re addressed.

Actually they're paying 33% more than you, even though you're paying 25% less than them.

However, if as pointed out previously council tax is supposed to be 50% property and 50% people:

- why are entirely student households exempt; they should pay 50%

- why when one non-student moves in do they pay 100% - surely there's a 25% lone occupant discount.

- there should be 2 component; a people component (which could be the same for all people in the council's area or based on individual or total household income) and a building component based on some kind of valuation.

Sensiblesam

Life insurance companies should regularly send you a health questionnaire. Far too often they don't pay out if you have cancer because you didn't declare you had an ingrowing toenail. At least then, you have the reminder to tell the life insurance company about minor ailments, instead of the agony when you least need it at the time of a critcial illness.

smala01

I dont agree with the airline comments:


Times have changed. No longer is it necessery to Check in at the airport or take hold luggage. Many (most?) people travelling with low cost airlines will now check in online and carry hand baggage.

I see no issue with charging penalties to discourage passengers from carrying bags, using checkin desks etc

The compaign should be for all unavoidable charges to be included in the headline fare (which usually it is on advertising - but not so clear on the website)

Smala01

SwipernoSwiping

Private Landlords profit from the lack of available council homes. Houses are let without equivalent council home standards, rent higher than LHA. Exploiting low income households & –LHA funds many private lets through benefit. Inspect by law , tax annually.

I realise that NOT ALL landlords fall into this category, but as more and more people find themselves in rented accommodation paying three and four times what a mortgage payment is for something that doesn't have fully double glazed windows and cavity wall insulation - why are we allowing this to happen?
I am aware that rentals have a standard report - but when what ever party gets in will no doubt continue on the environmental standards push Landlords will continue to milk a benefit system and vulnerable people will continue to be exploited. Rent Service and government lead schemes in place don't hold landlords accountable fast enough, current law requires you to STAY in a poor home to be able to prosecute under legal aid.

By making landlords accountable it will assist in fuel poverty, by forcing this issue rather than the lack luster opt in that some regions have it will reduce the the governments benefit outgoings.



Don't even mention WARMFRONT. >:(



I am also very aware this post is months to late to make the suggestion box



I'd put the suggestion to my MP - but he called me a hippy purely because of my attire. nuff said I think.

Nuuk

I'd go further with call centre regulation.

1 If you call a premium rate line and don't get through to a human, then that call should not be charged for at all.

2 Anybody working at a call centre should have to pass a test whereby a random panel of judges decide if they can be easily understood. Why is it almost impossible to speak to somebody who does not have a broad Indian/Scottish/Irish/Newcastle accent? I've nothing against these nationalities but I don't want to have to ask them what they said after every sentence! And yes, I do know why they are used. :mad:

And certainly numbers to the DWP etc should be free. I once rang them, waited 22 minutes to get through, was then put through to the department that I asked for, only to be told that it was the wrong department, they couldn't transfer me, and I should call again!