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O2 Price Increase April 2026
Hi all, I'm 11 months into a 24m sim only contract with o2. I would like to get a new handset as I don't think my current one will stretch for another 13months, so I'm thinking I might cancel my current contract and get a handset&airtime contract instead. Can I do this and not have to pay the outstanding balance? I've seen…
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And now we go again...
...new diary title taken from the line I had already added in to my signature! Regulars will already recognise me - I've been here a while, although aside from one fairly short stint always on the DFW boards. A quick summary of our MSE history for those who have not stumbled across me before though - started out with a…
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USS benefit modeller accuracy around the 'cliff edge' before 60
I have a query around the USS Benefit Modeller and its accuracy in the Defined Benefit projections before and after age 60. I am looking to retire from my institution around age 60 (Nov 2026) and am using the Modeller to gauge options for leaving either before 60 in summer 2026 (I have concerns around getting the push at…
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Leasehold conditions have changed after sale agreed and costs incurred - is there any recourse?
An agent advertised a leasehold apartment sale with a "We have been informed that holiday lets, pets and residential lets are permitted" - this was part of the reason a higher sale price was agreed in negotiations We then incurred fees for surveys and searches as we started the conveyancing process Our solicitors haven't…
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'Why can't you just cut Standing Charges?' – Martin Lewis puts your questions to regulator boss
Standing Charges – which you pay just for the facility of having gas and electricity, even if you don't use any – currently make up £300 of the average bill, penalising lower-use households and disincentivising people from cutting their energy usage. In the latest must-listen instalment of The Martin Lewis Podcast, Martin…
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No Default on credit but a threat of CCJ
Hi. Hope someone can help me. I have been reading up on the forum regarding debt and paying off some monies that I can afford after being defaulted. 2 of 3 debts have become a default on my credit file. However, my NatWest debt hasn't defaulted. I have rather received a letter threatening me that they will do a CCJ if i…
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Reclaim tax on lump sum contribution
OH has recently made a lump sum contribution to the Civil Service Alpha pension scheme. He's been told by the scheme administrators that he will need to claim the tax back via a tax return. Given that it's several months until the end of the tax year, and it's a five figure sum to reclaim, is there anyway of putting a…
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Getting FIREd up 😀
After two years keeping calm and carrying on, now feels like the right time to move on and start getting FIREd up instead 😀 Summary of the last two years: Was working for a plc, decent money but putting in a lot of hours, very little support from the business and pretty fed up with always being sent out to do battle for…
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Learning to walk before I run
Hello all! :) I am returning to the forum in an attempt to gain your collective wisdom in sorting out our dire finances. I've been experiencing a series of mini lightbulb moments of late and have realised that it's time for a change. Despite being vaguely savvy as regards areas of personal finance such as pensions, I have…
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Cheapest bank to receive a foreign/euro payment
I’m due to receive a €1000 payment from a travel insurance company and I’m trying to work out the best of my many current accounts to get it paid into. (like all good money savers I have a lot of account to maximise rewards) I was going to default to my Lloyds account until I saw they apply a 3.5% margin to the exchange.…
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Car finance cooling off period
Hi all, I took car (PCP) finance through a broker, the garage on day of collection said car faulty electrics and unable to release car as couldn't solve issue and said best look for something else, so I informed my broker and finance provider which is now 12 days ago I wish to cancel during 14 day cooling of period, they…
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£125 for existing Raisin customers who put at least £10,000 in a fixed-rate bond
You need to have an active savings account https://www.raisin.co.uk/summer-loyalty-bonus/
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Ulster Bank BEWARE
Seduced by the promise of a good interest rate, and in the absence of any **warnings** on the comparison websites, I opened an Ulster Bank savings account although the process was far more labyrinthine than it usually is when opening an account. I paid quite a lot of money into it. The paying-in process was very easy. TOO…
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Gatwick red route parking fine
Hello, looking for some help and advice as I received a NCP parking fine for allegedly stopping on the Red route in Gatwick. I recall being lost and unavoidably driving through the north terminal drop off zone and did pay the £7 drop off see. So really shocked to receive a letter. The photographic evidence times on the…
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Samsung TV given up the Ghost
We purchased a Samsung TV just under 4 years ago @ a cost of £1100 from Currys, unfortunately the TV has gone wrong and is out of warranty with both Curry's and Samsung. Is there anything we can do as I would expect a TV to last more than 4 years? Can I do anything under the CRA?
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Pension advisor prices?
Asked 2 pension adviors how much will it cost me to look at my pensions .I have 3 seperate pensions and i was shocked at the price they they were quoting me .The fact that they arrived both in 60k cars made me feel like i was getting stung .for what i was asking them to do .What would the average price be for this type of…
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IHT Probate and excepted estates
I am hoping you can advise Mother passed away 2023 will left all to her husband. 300k house jointly owned and father also has 110k in normal bank account and 12k in shares. Gifts may be below allowances. We will have to go through 7 years statements and bank stubs to check. We had to use our Amazon for all needs and goods…
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Sainsbury's Delivery Pass and Gift Card - changes to terms & conditions
I have a Sainsbury's delivery pass and usually pay for most of my order using one of their reloadable gift cards. I have been doing this for years.Last week when I placed my weekly order for delivery it had on it a £4.50 delivery cost added, despite me having a delivery pass. A phone call to their help line resulted in me…
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Scottish Power bill high (not first post about this)
Ok so a few months back I wrote about how SP were billing me around £85 a month for just electricity, gas is with another company (and rarely used) At the time I had dual meters but SP refused to change them to single meter saying as I had gas heating I wasn't affected by the teleswitch removal. Then suddenly in July they…
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Scottish Gas
Looking for advice about a dispute with Scottish Gas relating to my late fathers energy bill. He had a smart reader which did not work and we constantly complained about it. My Dad paid his bills even though they were estimates. He passed away in October 2023 and I contacted Scottish Gas who told me not to pay any bills…
