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Fairdo_2

Joe_Bloggs wrote:

As a non financial advisor and total amateur am I bound by the fsa or anybody as to what I can say or not say regarding financial products ? Should Martin in his new TV series have some warning issued regarding the financial advice he gives ?

I don't need to come round to explain the way I feel and charge you for the privalege. Is this medium that misleading given what is written is under the scrutiny of other contributers ?

My view is that those involved on this forum should educate themselves in financial matters and that they should not become mere zombies of any financial advisor. You have to be in a knowlegable position to receive advice and take onboard the likely effects of any decision in my view.
J_B. (Just my thoughts.)

Gonna back up what payless says here and also state, for the record, that readers should also educate themselves as best they can (with a view that most of you have your areas of specialism - I would't dare to re-wire someones house, for example, but I wouldn't avoid a discussion on how it is done and would expect someone to know my status and take that into account when considering any comments I may make). By the way don't ask me for advice on that area unless you would like a permanent perm!!!

However, it is always worth being aware whether the contributor is classed as a professional in that field or an interested lay-person.

That is where payless' point is most significant. As I state in my signature, I am a Mortgage Broker, I would imagine that readers would read my comments and take it with a certain level of expectation that I know what I am talking about, where as they may take information from a lay-person more as an opinion (although, in no way less seriously).

It does not mean, however, that I don't have the capacity to be wrong on occasions and as Payless and others could confirm, they have had issue to be able to pull me up on points in the past. However, that is comforting to me that there are like-minded contributors on this forum who could correct, mis-understandings, mis-communications, or simple errors that I, or other contributors could stand up and confirm that they have made a mistake in a comment they have made.

On this point, I feel that readers could educate themselves more about the level of understanding regular contributors to this site have and take the comments based on that.

This is what I find fantastic about this site anyway, because at is an independent, non-profit site, written primarily by "the people", it is in itself very educational and is allowing more and more consumers to become more savvy about all aspects of money saving.

As a non-professional contributor Joe, I would imagine that people take your very useful contributions in the spirit to which they are written and that you would not need to worry about being bound to regulatory issues. Only to be bound by the forum rules of, being kind to other users, not being confrontational, offensive, abusive, racist, etc.

Keep up your good work.

MSE_Martin

I don't disagree with much of the above. In my book i state everyone has an agenda, including me, and you must decide for yourself. This site is about educating not dictating, hence all articles link into the forum to discuss it

As for my show payless, I dont give financial advice, not in a regulated sense anyway. One of the large fights i've had is to try and ensure that i get to explain the logic not just the recommendation... we'll see how its editred

payless

MSE_Martin wrote:

As for my show payless, I dont give financial advice, not in a regulated sense anyway. One of the large fights i've had is to try and ensure that i get to explain the logic not just the recommendation... we'll see how its editred

Wonder if you meant to refer this to Joe , as my "jounalist comment " ( extract from FSA guidance) did not imply that you did ( or indeed did not) give financial advice, the rest of my post was actaully about other (laypersons) forum users

Joe_Bloggs

Many thanks to Fairdo, Martin and Payless for their inspiring words, constructive attitude and informative approach. I'm going to have to get broadband if the current guidelines are 200+ pages on saying anything about financial matters, or not as the case may be, if it is indeed, the case in question or not.
J_B. (Put commas anywhere you can.)

I would like to thank the contribution made by Martin's Uncle on the taxation mystery front. Income tax was meant to help defeat Napoleon. Did income tax exist at the time of the battle of Trafalgar ? Was Bill Gates responsible for the Windows tax ? Is stamp duty a dutch copy of a roman tax that found a home in the current treasury ? Find the logic in that if you can if it is indeed true or has any basis in fact.