Allegations about mis-selling TV, phone and broadband packages blown Sky high!

This week the Guardian newspaper followed up on their report of a story alleging mis-selling of Sky Broadband packages by fraudulent door-to-door salesmen in the South of England. This has now caused Sky salesmen from other areas of the UK to come forward with further claims of poor and bad practice. One agent told the newspaper that staff failing to reach weekly sales targets were in his words "exited out" of the company whereas salespeople who had been the subject of retail complaints from harassed and misled consumers, were kept on because they were meeting or exceeding targets. It was claimed that one seller was practically screaming at a customer to talk to him because she wanted to shut the door on him and finish her evening meal.

The sky's the limit for some door to door sellers

Sales agents went to the Guardian offices this week to be interviewed regarding their claims and this surprising state of affairs. They are claiming that the pressure to reach their targets, from their managers, is so intense some are encouraged to target the elderly because they are thought to be an "easy sell". Others have claimed that some salesmen have no scruples at all in promising customers anything they want in order to get the sale.

The Head of Retail Sales at Sky has made the practice of mis-selling his number one priority, and the sales agents were sent a message from him inviting them to get in touch if they had any concerns about this alleged practice. Sales people who have tried and spoken with the Guardian, have said that the number or contact details given by Sky's Head of Retail Sales, wasn't contactable which still leaves a lot of unanswered questions.

Closing the door on those who carry out mis-selling

So far it has not been disclosed what action has been taken concerning the managers who allegedly are constantly calling and texting their sales team pushing them to the brink and apparently endorsing short cuts to sales that seem to border on immoral if not unlawful practice. Neither has it been stated what will happen to those staff who have apparently been lying to consumers about download limits and broadband speeds as well as, the Guardian claims, faking customer agreements.

Sky have clamped down in the past on improper sales practices of sales people using their own credit card details to pay for low value customer deposits in order to record a sale and I have no doubt that behind the scenes they are working hard to investigate these latest alarming reports. There are consumers who are very vulnerable and the thought of an all singing all dancing television, phone and broadband package at what would seem to be a reasonable cost, is a godsend. On top of this coming from a very reputable company such as Sky, many would not hesitate to open their door, as oppose to ignoring them and pretending not to be in, as is the case when other organisations come knocking.

It is to be hoped that this worrying report is quickly acted upon and any confirmed bad practice stamped out. In the meantime the only targets that should be aimed for are the ones involving reducing consumer complaints about mis-selling. If you have been the victim of malpractice around selling, whether it is Sky or any other company, then let us know - we're listening! 

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Mind the Gap!

Recently there have been reports on the radio from consumers complaining about a company after they had bought a vehicle from them and then experienced high pressure selling to take up Gap Insurance. This is not insurance against getting trapped on the Underground or stuck inside a certain High Street clothing store, but a policy that covers the period between what you pay for a car on the day you buy it, and what it might be worth later if you have an accident or wrote it off and needed to claim on your insurance.
High pressure selling by car salesman angers consumers

For one particular buyer who had put a deposit on a second hand car, arranged for the change in registration documents and returned with a banker’s cheque for the outstanding amount, it came as a surprise at just how high pressured gap insurance selling could be. After completing the sale and then being offered gap insurance, the buyer refused, at which point the salesman became fairly insistent and when the manager was called and again the buyer refused the policy, he was told that the sale of the car could not go through. Fortunately the buyer knew his consumer rights and drove away in the car he had purchased whilst refusing to sign a waiver from the salesman because he didn’t want gap insurance. The car company staff had insisted this was a legal requirement under the Financial Services Act, a point that was refuted by Professor of Consumer Law at Plymouth University on Radio 4 You and Yours this week.

Gap Insurance could be an unnecessary additional expense for consumers

When it comes to insurance policies particularly around cars it does pay to do a little research so that you don’t get bullied into buying something that you don’t need. For instance, if you buy a car and you don’t take out a comprehensive insurance policy, only Third Party, then it is pointless getting Gap Insurance because it won’t kick in unless you have comprehensive insurance. It did set me thinking, as I am in the process of looking for a second or third hand car, what use would I have for Gap Insurance? Possibly if I was to take out a financial plan to fund my new transport and then on the way home, wrote off the vehicle, I would be stuck with paying out for a car I no longer had. On the other hand, comprehensive car policies should cover this type of incident and there is usually something included that could cover you in the financial agreements or your other motor policies.

The hard selling of these policies might be coming to the fore because for some salespeople, perhaps they come with a hefty commission, which is not a benefit to the consumer. We pay out enough as it is for cars and their related insurance premiums and road tax so don’t get stuck with something that you, in all probability, do not need.

If you have had someone trying a hard sell on Gap Insurance recently then let us know – we’re listening!

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Taxing times ahead as Revenues and Customs aim to sell on personal data

Plans are currently under consideration that would allow HM Revenues and Customs (HMRC) to share personal data about UK taxpayers’ finances with private companies. If this goes through then HMRC could release data to public bodies, researchers or other third party companies and “charging options” are being considered at this moment linked to release of this “anonymous” data. It does seem to be an absolute fallacy that HMRC collect revenue and information from UK taxpayers and then want to get paid for selling on this information, as if the taxpayer is a commodity to be bartered on the open market. In the light of the debacle of the NHS medical records database controversy recently, what is the guarantee of customer care, anonymity and security of information if this does go ahead?

Temporary tax that has lasted 215 years

Out of curiosity I looked into the history of taxation and income tax and was surprised to find that it had been going since 1799. It was introduced as a “temporary” tax in order to pay for the war against the French during the Napoleonic Wars.  At the time it was set at a rate of 10% on the total income of the taxpayer, this was from all sources above £60. The tax was to be collected six times a year and there were reductions on income up to £200 and at the time it raised about £6million to fund the fight against Napoleon. It is still today a temporary tax, which many people might not realise, and it expires each year on April 5^th, hence this is the end of the financial year. Parliament have to reapply the tax with an annual Financial Act, and it is this Act, along with other regulations that HMRC have to abide by.

Serious risks to privacy of individual level data?

Concerns have already been voiced about this latest plan from the HMRC, who have been very clear that if this does go ahead, then anonymity is their priority. It was The Guardian newspaper who led with this story and who reported that “charging options” were being looked at by officials. This has given rise to the assumption that firms could pay out to access the data. HMRC have said that they would “only share data if it would generate clear public benefits,” but so far it would seem that the only people to benefit would be HMRC, if they will be charging for this service, and the firms that receive the data.

Would you like to see your personal financial data shared (anonymously) without your consent? Let us know at iRateiSlate – we’re listening!

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Takeaways offering sham lamb could find themselves behind baas

Fast food takeaways are to face a new testing programme after it was found that nearly a third of lamb takeaways it checked, contained a different meat. The Food Standards Agency found that the takeaways, usually curries or kebabs, were wrongly described with 25 out of the 145 samples tested, found to contain beef and all in all 43 out of the 145 were not what they were supposed to be. There was no horsemeat found but chicken and turkey appeared in the so called “lamb” dishes. In London and Birmingham when Which? carried out their own testing they found an even higher proportion, around 40%, were wrongly labelled so now local authorities are being asked to carry out their own tests following through on ensuring quality customer care.

Food fraudsters play on consumer ignorance

Whilst I would find it hard to distinguish lamb from other meats in a curry due to the spiciness of the sauce surrounding it, I do have to say the revolving slab of kebab meat displayed on  some takeaway counters has often left me wondering just exactly form of animal protein it is. Food swindlers are definitely helped by consumer ignorance and food fraud is not a new form of crime. Even the Romans used to doctor their drink with leaded wine, and it wasn’t until the development of our scientific ability that we were able to highlight doctoring of food and drink on a large scale. This was noted in Victorian times, when a scientist put coffee under the microscope and discovered that genuine coffee it certainly wasn’t and if you wanted a dollop of pure mustard to have with your roast beef then London wasn’t the place to get it in the 1800's.

£5,000 fines for those who wrongly label food products

The FSA have noted that the message still isn’t getting through to takeaway owners, who have been substituting lamb for cheaper meats. If they are found to be doing this and incorrectly labelling food dishes they can be fined up to £5,000 which should certainly grab their attention. To reinforce this, local authorities will be required to take 300 samples of lamb dishes from takeaways starting next month.

Which? is also pushing for further testing of products to restore consumer confidence in meat and to follow through on the recommendations of the Elliott Review which was set up following the horsemeat scandal. Professor Elliott made 48 recommendations one of which included setting up a food crime unit to counteract food fraud. This certainly got my attention at the time and I wondered what exactly would we call these food police and then it came to me – The Frying Squad!

If you have had any doubts or suspicions about fast food you have purchased recently let us know – we’re listening!

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Consumers take for a ride over online car frauds

Last year over six and a half consumers reported they had been the subject of a scam involving on line car sales. This week saw two of these people complaining about a company that has recently been operating under the name of Berenscarsales.co.uk. (I checked and this site has now been disabled) They were speaking with Radio 4 You and Yours presenter about how they both paid out for a car advertised on line which then never materialized. When asked why they both transferred money across to this companies bank account, both paying £7000 each, they had carried out what they felt were reasonable checks and spoken with a salesman on the telephone before payment went out.

Quality kite mark on website was false

The website was very well set up, according to one of the buyers and it also had the Black Horse Approved Dealer logo which she felt meant it was a legitimate site. This is a quality kite mark that Lloyds Bank use with their approved dealers but suffice to say they checked and told You and Yours that Berens was not on their list. Both buyers had checked the registrations of the car they thought they were buying, but a spokesperson from GetSafeOnline said that unfortunately this didn’t mean it was a legitimate sale. The scammers will look around the streets for a car, note down the make etc. and take down the registration number and then put that up as the number of the car being sold.

Not such a Simple Simon

The people who lost their money had seen a classified advert on eBay and contacted the dealer, who came back and gave his name as Simon Mortimer to one of the women and Simon Stubbings to the other. Interestingly, the website which claimed Berens was a family business going back several years, only registered the website on 11 March 2014 under the name Simon Walton. (The address that was given turned out to be a false one.) After discussing details of the vehicle in both cases Simon 1 or Simon 2 just so happened to have a driver delivering a Bentley, or a car transporter going near to both prospective buyers’ homes so would get their car to them free of charge. Of course the car never turned up and as this was a transfer between bank accounts, the buyers were not protected so have lost their money.

GetSafeOnline advice when buying online is to get onto a bus or train or bike or car and go and see the car you are buying. If you have to put a deposit down, then make it a small one and put it on your credit card so you have some protection if it turns out to be a scam. In the meantime You and Yours are asking if anyone else has been conned by Simon Mortimer, Stubbings or Walton and we would like to know too-also if you are a legitimate online car sales company let us know the checks you carry out with your buyers. In the meantime take heed if you are planning on buying a new car on the internet and let us know how you get on – we’re listening!

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Google Glass goes on sale allowing consumers to make a spectacle of themselves

On April 15 for one day only in the States, we shall be able to purchase for the sum of $1500 or around £894, the latest in wearable technology – the Google goggles or Glass.  UK consumers will have to wait until around May time before getting their hands on this little device which basically puts smartphone capabilities in a tiny screen just in front of your eye. So in future if faced with poor customer service when out shopping, you presumably will be able to film each transaction and then fire off an email to the stores Head Office if you are not happy, before the item has gone into the bag and the receipt handed over to you.

Wink Wink, Say no more!

Apparently you have to lift your head to turn the device on, stroke and tap the side of the frame to work your way through the menu, and along with the video making capabilities, you can then wink your eye to take a picture. Sitting on the bus or in the car or watching people walk along the street, many of them have blue flashing ear pieces attached behind one ear, or seem to be talking to themselves until you spot the wires around their necks.

Now we will be faced, in the future, with stroking and tapping taking place whilst wearing a bizarre piece of headgear that looks like something Joe 90 would have worn (for anyone under the age of 50 feel free to Google or You Tube ). When the winking starts, then please don’t feel offended or pleased, depending on your individual viewpoint, as the person concerned is probably just trying to take a selfie of themselves wearing the new Glass.

Definitely a case of Vision Express!

As a wearer of glasses, I couldn’t work out how this device would fit around my current pair of specs, and even if I did ever think to get myself a Glass (which I often do but it usually comes filled with a cold Sauvignon Blanc) then would I be able to cope with the information overload of tweets, emails and news alerts that would keep popping up out of the corner of my eye. News journalists are trialling them out at present to see if they can be used to take out and about reporting, others are seeing if it can be of benefit to those with impaired sight.

We will have to wait at least a month for developers in the UK to get hold of these items and they will come at a price. Is this something you could see yourself wearing in the future and if so, why would they make your life a lot easier – let us know – we’re listening!

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Retailers bogged down in food wast debate over BOGOF promotions

Supermarkets have been told that in order to reduce the amount of food waste produced 
each year they should stop offering customer choices in the form of Buy One Get One Free promotions or BOGOF’s as they are known. These offers are part of the reason why consumers are throwing away a massive amount of food every year according to a report out today. Retailers have been criticised about their lack of responsibility in helping to prevent food waste in the home and this started the hackles rising as I read the report on the BBC news this Sunday lunchtime. A House of Lords European Union Committee said that 15 tonnes of food were wasted every year and more should be given to food banks rather than thrown away.
Retailers blamed for excessive food waste in UK

Back in the 1980’s when I was a young graduate trainee I worked for a large retail outlet that also sold food, and not just any food. At the end of each day whatever was left on the food counters that could not be sold to the public, was sold at half price to the staff. The rest was collected by two individuals, one who worked for the local homeless shelter and the other a farmer who collected the waste vegetables and fruit for his pigs. This system served the company very well for a number of years until bureaucracy got in the way and we were told that for a number of reasons, health and safety being one that we could no longer do this and anything left over had to be bagged up and put out with the rest of the rubbish.

This was a very responsible retailer who kept their food waste to a minimum and by donating fresh and unsold food to a local shelter, years before food banks started up, kept a number of homeless well fed every day of the week. If memory serves, this wasn’t the only retailer who carried out this sort of service as well and I would suggest that to criticise them now is not acceptable. As for contributing to consumers wasting food, then more education and training around making the most of cooking from fresh, freezing and preserving perishables, starting with bringing back proper cookery lessons in schools would be a better starting point. Food banks are a great idea and one that should be supported, but how did we get the point where people cannot afford to feed themselves and their families?

Responsible consumers will lose out if BOGOF's go

The House of Lords Committee are now stating retailers should be sending food waste to charitable organisations i.e. food banks which is what many used to do for years. A lot of households keep to their budget by the BOGOF promotions and ensure they cook or freeze the cheap perishable items they buy so why should they be penalised?

Instead of pointing the finger these MP’s should be pulling it out and coming up with better solutions and practical schemes to redress some of the economic inequalities in the country.

If you rely on food promotions and BOGOF’s to keep to your food budget let us know how it will affect you if these are stopped – we’re listening!

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Collective switching schemes – a waste of money and energy?

Today’s announcement about a government scheme targeted at buying cheaper energy through collective switching schemes costing £100 more per household than it saved, has led me to question yet again who is it that comes up with these ideas and throws public money at them in the name of customer choices without really thinking it through. This time it was the Department for Energy and Climate Change who gave £5 million to local councils to promote collective buying schemes in order to support vulnerable consumers or those in the fuel poverty trap, helping them switch energy supplier and saving themselves money. A very laudable thought, but in reality the average cost saving after switching was £131 but it cost £231 per household to help them switch!

Consumers switching off to collective bargaining schemes

Collective switching is basically collective bargaining, with the thought that if there is large number of people in the one scheme looking for the best price in energy, then you can negotiate a good deal for a large amount of people. Over 190,000 people registered for this scheme by the end of 2013 but according to Radio 4 You and Yours consumer programme, only 10% of those households went on to switch suppliers. This year the figure has dropped to 10,000 registering an interest.

The presenters spoke with one council in Greater Manchester who got 5,000 people to sign up, on average they all saved around £126 per household but the cost of doing this was £86. Oldham Council spent their grant of £400,000 on marketing and dedicated energy help lines to get residents to sign up and their spokeswoman said that although they were one of the Councils that managed to save more than they spent, they would not be involved in the scheme again.

Only 7 out of 31 councils saved more than they spent

Out of the 31 schemes set up with local authorities only 7 councils, including Oldham Council, saved more than they spent which does seem a shocking waste of public money. The Department for Energy and Climate Change said that the exercise was “to increase engagement” and they had now got useful data from these pilots to “help future collective switching schemes engage with consumers”. Surely they could have increased their engagement in a much cheaper way, for example, we all pay our council tax so our councils have information on all of its residents and its businesses, why not send out the information and get the councils to hold awareness raising sessions on collective switching. Then target the £5million at helping individual households to insulate their homes or gain access on line and give advice and support on how to compare energy prices.

If you were involved in collective switching and it worked for you, let us know – we’re listening!

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The Chancellor banks his hopes on service from days gone by

Its official – I have now entered a time warp where shoppers have gone back to having food delivered by grocery vans, china tea cups and “vintage” florals are the rage and now there is a call for the Dads Army style of bank manager, in the form of Mr Mainwaring, from Chancellor George Osborne. He has cited a few movers and shirkers in the banking world with two new banks as leading the way in face to face banking, harking back to a time when the bank manager personally knew all the customers and businesses who banked with them.

Consumers need bank managers to offer personalised banking

This came about as a result of a question put to him about the decision of Lloyds Bank to axe around 1,000 jobs, which are mainly staff working as small business advisers. Advocating the character of Captain Mainwaring as the role model for bank managers, the Chancellor also singled out Metrobank and Handelsbanken as good examples of personalised banking. Banks should concentrate on building on better relationships and getting to know their customers, said Mr Osborne, just as in the days of Dad’s Army, when the bank manager was at the very heart of local life.

I pondered this statement whilst upcycling (another word for reusing) an old chest of drawers destined for the eldest progeny’s first house, and sorting out some recherished, vintage (second hand in other words) curtains she could use for her bedroom. Not that long ago when I opened my first bank account, decimalisation had been around for a little while, and the bank manager we had, did know all of his customers. The banks concentrated on just the one job in hand which was looking after you and your money, the energy companies were all nationalised and there was only one train company and they managed to run on time without costing you an arm and a leg.

The rag and bone man came around every Saturday and we recycled everything possible that hadn’t been put to good use by other members of the family. Most of us went around wearing hand knitted jumpers and cardigans, we had to cycle to school because we only had one car and my father wouldn’t consider giving us a lift, and all the food we ate was cooked from scratch and we grew our own fruit and vegetables.

Slow down to let the next retro bandwagon through

Now here is another generation hooked on the Great British Bake Off and Kirstie Allsopp entering every possible craft and trade fair going, the number of cyclists on the roads are growing, veggie gardening is fashionable and our food consumer habits are changing to the extent that we are going back to the smaller shops and shopping around for a better deal and good quality. As usual this is not going unnoticed by the politicians who no doubt will be leaping on the next retro bandwagon as it rolls into town – what will be the next new trend I wonder? If you have any ideas then let us know- we’re listening!

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Shopping habits changing as consumers review the way they heat and eat!

This week has seen further evidence that consumer power is on the increase with the first energy company to freeze their bills, the big 4 supermarkets bowing down to the pressure of discount stores such as Aldi and even British Home Stores is getting in on the act and starting to offer food for sale in 100 of their High Street Stores. Not only are we now making price comparisons between a range of companies but many consumers are starting to  compare customer service levels as well. Asda, Morrison’s, Tesco’s and Sainsbury’s have been fighting a battle to retain our loyalty but as the UK households disposable income continues to fall, once loyal customers are choosing to move away from the larger food superstores and shop in a more discriminate manner.

Consumers moving away from large out of town food superstores

Listening to a selection of householders on the radio yesterday it was interesting to hear that many are choosing to shop little and often, planning out their family menus, using independent outlets or the Lidl and Aldi’s of this world, regardless of the loyalty schemes their original supermarket of choice once offered. Sainsbury’s was the only one of the four who had retained their portion of the market share but this month had announced their first decline in nine years. It was suggested by a spokesman from The Grocer that Sainsbury’s success was due to the good job it was doing in convincing shoppers of its Brand Match policy.

As redundancies hit ASDA staff BHS joins the food trade

Asda have just made more than 200 managers redundant as well citing changing consumer habits so it does seem an odd time for Sir Phillip Green, who heads up the Arcadia Group, of which BHS is part, to begin trialling food sales. I like to watch the adverts that are put out by all the food supermarkets, note down what their latest offer is to attract custom and then wait to see how their competitors jump on the bandwagon and offer exactly the same deal but wrap it up in such a way to make it seem to be their own idea.

From Brand Match to Price Promise the fun and games continue, only this time it seems as though consumers are finally in the driving seat. Now the energy companies could be about to start fighting it out for our custom with the news that SSE are freezing their energy bills until 2016. Excellent news for households but not so good for the energy company staff who are going to be made redundant.
If you have changed your shopping habits over the past year or so then get in touch and let us know - we're listening!

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Momentum quickens in demand for faster Broadband speeds

There have been times in the past where it seemed to be quicker to get a courier to fly in a file from abroad than waiting for the computer to download the electronic version. Patience is definitely not a virtue when it comes to broadband speeds and customer care. A garden snail could cross the finishing line quicker than my last broadband connection during which time the children next door, if in earshot, picked up a number of new and varied swearwords. So news that consumer guide Which? has carried out a study of around 2,000 people with around 50% saying they suffered slow speeds all the time or frequently, came as no big surprise.

Survey by Which? reveals consumers unhappy with Broadband provision

The survey did not state if they were urban, suburban or rural broadband users because in some parts of the countryside, even having a mobile phone signal is akin to Archimedes dropping objects into the bath and having a “Eureka” moment. Getting broadband at all for some of these consumers has long been a thorn in their rural sides, let alone the luxury of high speed downloads. However, Which? is now pressing for the broadband providers to guarantee the speed and service paid for by the consumer.

Ofcom site code of practice and other measures in place to help consumers

Ofcom say that there are measures in place to help consumers who have speed-related broadband problems (let us hope those people are not expected to download a complaints procedure and fill it in on line!) and that there is a voluntary code of practice in place for broadband providers. Duly noted, as sharp eyed readers of this blog will have pounced upon, is the word “voluntary”, and although this is the start of help for some consumers, companies are not obliged to sign up for it.

It is worth checking, however, if your broadband provider is one of the few that have committed themselves to this pledge. If they have, then you should have got information in writing, giving a written estimate of the broadband speed at the beginning of your contract. If you then get speeds that are significantly lower than those speeds, your provider has to let you leave your contract without any form of penalty. Which? are behind this code of practice but quite rightly, pushing for it to become mandatory, for providers to fix any speed problems and refund consumers for loss of this service. It remains to be seen if this will be the case but any campaign to speed up broadband has our backing.

If you have had problems with the speed of your broadband then let us know-we’re listening!

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Saturated with food facts as researchers try to butter us up!

Walking past a “vintage” shop on the street today I spotted what seemed to be the contents of my mother’s house in the sixties set out on the pavement, leatherette chairs and settee with a matching black and tan Formica sideboard and “starburst” mirror. I am probably not alone in remembering this layout as most of my friend’s parents had exactly the same set of furniture as customers choices were a little limited back then.

The same could be said of the food on offer, we knew each week what was going to be put on the table in front of us, Friday cod and home-made parsley sauce, Saturday eggs, beans and homemade chips, Sunday roast with bubble and squeak on Monday and a stew with the leftovers on Tuesday, Wednesday usually bangers and mash and Thursday liver and onions. The first time we had a tin of spaghetti with toast still sticks in my memory and thinking back, this was the start of growing awareness of what you could buy in shops.

Polyunsaturated fats do not protect consumers against heart disease

Still everything we ate was made from scratch and supplemented with plenty of home grown vegetables and fruit, we ate butter, cooked eggs and bacon in a frying pan and drank full fat milk, put sugar in our tea and all in all were a fairly healthy and slim bunch of individuals. So it was with interest I read the reports this week regarding the British Heart Foundations research that basically said swapping butter for a sunflower spread does not seem to lower the risk of heart disease.

Not long ago we were all told to limit our egg intake to no more than three per week and hey presto, they are now being advocated as packets of protein and we can safely “go to work on an egg” as the marketing campaign used to say. An apple a day kept the doctor away before the dentists starting to raise concerns about acid on the teeth, chocolate was a no-no before it was found that a chunk of dark chocolate can reduce the chances of having a stroke or heart attack by 20% over 5 years.

A spoonful of sugar helps swallow the bitter facts about health research

At the moment it is sugar that is, if you read the papers and magazines, enemy number one, and with all the dark and dire warnings anyone visiting from outer space would assume we were all busy sprinkling cyanide over our breakfast cereals. How long will it be before research decides that some sugar is quite good for us in the long run?

As with all things in life, everything in moderation is probably the best watchword for consumers, and the more we have to choose from, the more we should remember that fact. I take most research findings with a pinch of salt these days, (the proper stuff and not the Lo- salt I hasten to add) but I did like the findings about chocolate, particularly when the report said that one chunk a day could have the same result as exercising for half an hour.

Let us know your food fact likes and dislikes – we’re listening!

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Parents rekindle discussion on internet access for mobile devices

Protecting your child from accessing inappropriate material over the internet is something that most parents are keen to enforce and with internet filters and parental control screening many consumers feel they have this covered. As did a mother of a teenage boy who, upon getting him a Kindle, followed the instructions given out on the Amazon website and clicked on the Settings menu to switch on the Parental Control and also restricted web browsing, thinking this would screen out unsuitable sites.

Consumer’s expenditure was protected but not their child’s internet access.

 However, sometime later when picking up her sons Kindle, she was understandably horrified to find very graphic images stored on the device from several hard core pornography sites. Talking to a radio consumer programme she described how she had contacted Amazon only to be told that the parental control was only there to prevent children from accessing the registered card on the website. So in effect, the only control being exercised was protecting the consumer’s expenditure.

She told the radio interviewer that on the Amazon website it has said that “simply add a password to the Settings menu to restrict access to web browsing”. Her complaint, which seems to be a justified one is that it should be much more explicit because she thought she was screening out inappropriate sites and content. She is not alone in this as a spokesperson from Childnet explained that parental controls are a help but not a solution because they usually don’t have content filters.

Consumers advised to contact home internet provider

There are steps you can take to protect your children and in the first instance you do need to contact your home internet provider because they can provide a free filter to help with screening out access to internet sites. This can be a bit of a time consuming process but Childnet have made the process simple for parents as they have a video on their website that takes you through step by step showing how to set up controls. This can be accessed on their website www.saferinternet.org.uk/parentsand it is worth spending some time browsing their site and the advice they offer.

Another important point was raised about what your children can access when away from home, so staying with a friend for a sleepover or school trip for example. Childnet recommend that parents need to speak with other families if they have your child over to stay and ask what filters they use for their own offspring. We can never fully be certain of everything our child is accessing via the web, but the message that came across from this radio programme is not to assume the technology will do this for you, and making Childnet a favourite on your browser seems a good starting point.

If you have had the same experience with your child then get in touch and let us know- we’re listening!

www.irateislate.co.uk

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Rating advice from manufacturers of domestic products could be a waste of energy!

 

I think it is fair to say that when in school I was not the most studious of pupils and to this day the closest I have ever come to achieving an A+ was when I purchased an energy efficient fridge freezer. Standing in the corner of the kitchen proudly boasting it’s A+++ rating, I felt quite pleased with myself for having chosen my appliance wisely ensuring I was doing my bit to save energy whilst chilling the Sauvignon Blanc. However, today’s report on consumer programme You and Yours, saying that one in five electrical appliances don't deliver the promised energy rating, left me feeling a little hotter under the collar!

One in five electrical appliances are not so energy efficient

The Energy Saving Trust (EST), who are a public body set up to help consumers use less energy, are launching the “Market Watch” project, with funding from the EU, to investigate 20 household appliances and monitor the manufacturers claims of energy efficiency. Tom Lock from the EST explained that this will allow the trust to be the “eyes and ears for the consumer” over the next 3 years. The EST are going to be subjecting these appliances to a range of testing under laboratory conditions by “normalising the behaviour of consumers.” Considering that the Government recently challenged the EST’s claims of how much energy a household could save, by checking the output of consumers who had insulated walls and lofts and followed the Trust’s advice, and the EST then had to revise down their claim, I hoped, that with this new project the EST would test out the appliances in real life households and not under laboratory conditions

Consumers left unsure as to the reliability of energy rating labels

The Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances said the claim that 1 in 5 appliances were not as energy efficient as stated on the energy labels, came from data used on a study between 2009 and 2011. Their industry had spent millions on investing in energy efficient products and encouraging their members to be compliant and they certainly welcomed continued monitoring, but questioned the age and relevancy of the data used in the 1 in 5 claim. The problem arises, as the presenter of the consumer programme so succinctly put it, in consumers beginning to lose faith in what they have been told by the experts on energy efficiency and in advisory labelling around energy ratings.

 

I carried out a quick normalised behaviour of the consumer at this point and went to put the kettle on for a cup of tea, walking past the washing machine and dishwasher who may now be relegated down to B minus status. This time it should be the manufacturers and those who monitor the labelling of these products who will have to “try harder”. If you have bought an electrical appliance based on its energy rating then let us know – we’re listening!

 

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Food labelling on soya products has consumers going nuts!

Food labelling for many consumers is a matter of life or death, particularly if they or their child is subject to food allergies that can trigger encephalitic shock. Young children who have nut or dairy allergies are at extreme risk so many parents have to take extreme care in the food and drink they offer to them. It can be hard enough to be a parent of a child with a potential life threatening allergy, but trying to ensure that child gets the relevant vitamins and minerals they need to grow up strong and healthy, whilst balancing producing family meals that don’t trigger an allergic reaction can be a nightmare. Up until recently many families have been able to buy Alpro soya milk and yoghurts, enriched with calcium as a safe substitute for dairy products but all this has changed as one consumer on today’s Radio 4 You and Yours programme explained.

Manufacturing of nut based products sharing a space with soya foods

Alpro have now added the labelling “May contain nuts” to their products due to the fact that for commercial reasons they have had to move production of their almond and hazelnut products into the same place that manufactures the soya milk. Consumer forum groups were made aware of this as Alpro wanted to be as transparent as possible about what they were doing. They updated the information on their website to let consumers know that from 2014 these changes would be taking place. They have also put in place high standards of batch checking and cleaning to ensure cross contamination does not take place, but as one mother put it, “ if that is the case why do they need to state the product may contain nuts.”

Due to this change, her daughter’s nursery school will no longer be able to offer this product as an alternative to dairy, a product that she referred to as her “go to staple” replacement for dairy. The mother in question is not prepared to take any risk with her daughters health and also the coffee shops or restaurants she normally takes her family to, who also used the Alpro product, will probably not be willing to do so in the future.

Consumers campaigning for return to status quo

One hopeful sign is that Alpro have met with consumers campaigning against this move, and the reporter on You and Yours did state that Alpro are looking into the production of their Junior Soya Milk at a nut free site. Let’s hope they don’t delay this decision for too long not just for the health and wellbeing of our children but also for their social wellbeing and development. It is bad enough not to be able to eat the same dishes, sweets or puddings as your friends, but when it impacts on where you can go for a meal with your family, or you have to take your own food with you to parties because the “Go to staple” is not going to be available to you, then it does make life difficult. If you or your family are going to be affected by this change then let us know – we’re listening!

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Suggestion of a sugar tax leaves a bitter taste in consumer mouths

Forty years ago I can remember going into the small supermarket that was a mile or so from where we lived, and seeing women fighting to get the last bag of sugar off the shelves. Rows of shelves were emptied within minutes of a delivery and my mother, not normally a hoarder, had got several bags stacked away in her walk in larder. That was back in 1974 when the sugar stock got so low in this country that some food stores such as Fine Fare rationed customers to no more than 4 bags of sugar. At the time, we were not overweight, my mother and her mother cooked their meals from scratch and we all had good sets of teeth, and still have, which are coming in handy as I find myself gritting them together today at the news of a possible taxing on sugar.

Consumers could end up paying more for a sweet treat

The Chief Medical Officer for England has been speaking to a committee of MP’s regarding the problems with obesity and stating that she believes “research will find sugar addictive” and one of her suggestions was to possibly introduce a tax on sugar. At this point my blood start to boil at roughly the same temperature it takes to make a pound and a half of strawberry fudge. Having successfully given up adding sugar to tea many years ago, and being educated to read, I feel that along with many consumers in this country, I can check food labels for sugar content, I am able to cook healthy meals and concoct desserts and sweets without too much risk to my health and well-being and the only thing that will be hurting if there is a tax on sugar, will be my purse strings.

Focus on education and youth and community resources not additional taxation

Sugary drinks consumed in the UK runs to nearly 6,000 million litres and the Department of Health have already got in place what they call a “responsibility deal” that sees food and drink manufacturers voluntarily signing up to a pledge to help tackle obesity. Consumers can make an informed choice with the information found on food labelling and any additional tax burden placed on the poorer families is not going to help. It would be far better for the government to focus its resources on education in schools with actual practical cookery classes or reinvesting in local youth and community groups and sports facilities to help tackle obesity. I spoke recently with a friend whose daughter spent a whole term learning about pizzas in what used to be the home economics or cookery class, but never actually baked one from start to finish which would have been much more useful.
The whole “tax it if it is no good for you” approach is not working and for consumers struggling to pay food bills, this suggestion cannot come at a worse time. If you have any alternative solutions then let us know – we’re listening!

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Virtually a new way to spend money as the Bitcoin comes to town

Having just about come to accept using the Euro and managing to get the hang of online banking, and chip and pin cards, news that the first Bitcoin cash machine was installed in the “Old Shoreditch Station” bar in London caught my technophobic attention. A Bitcoin, apparently, is the most popular of the virtual crypto currencies which are internet based money that have lines of computer code which is supposed to make it more secure to use. At this point I was struggling to understand just how a Bitcoin cash machine was going to work but according to the owner of the bar, it is quite simple. You put your cash in the machine and scan a code or show a picture of a code on your phone, with the Bitcoin cash machine and it then downloads Bitcoins to your phone. Consumers in effect have their wallet in their phone for further transactions including buying a pint or two at the Old Shoreditch Station one would presume.

Consumers have mixed reaction to latest crypto currency

Bitcoin has been praised by its users because in effect it is supposed to be safer and easier for consumers to use over the internet then transferring money for example. It also means not using credit cards, dealing with foreign exchange rates nor any cash handling fees, and is not supposed to be as susceptible to fraud. A Bitcoin is designed so that it can be tracked with the digital signature of every single person who comes into contact with it and uses it to purchase services and goods on line. Each one possesses value and trade just the same as if you had a pocket of gold coins and their value can increase or decrease.

Bitcoin exchange goes offline due to "unusual activity"

However, Bitcoins are not subjected to regulation in the same way that traditional currencies are because unlike currencies managed by bank, Bitcoins are not controlled by any one authority. This has led to concerns that the system can be used for, as one reporter carefully put it, “other less mainstream uses.” This apprehension,alongside the fact that the most popular Bitcoin exchange this week went offline at a cost of millions to some, still has consumers reviewing this monetary currency with some reservations. Supporters of the Bitcoin scheme speak of it as being a “borderless payment” and the way that future monetary exchanges will take place, but for others there are still quite a few details to be ironed out before they will commit themselves.

It will be interesting to see whether the Bitcoin cash machine in London will take off so that eventually they become as commonplace as our current ATM’s across the country, and how the banks will react to this form of currency.

If you are a Bitcoin user get in touch and tell us about your experience – we’re listening!

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Consumers caught out as number of rogue letting agents gets hire!

 

In the week that saw the lowest level of home owners in 25 years with the rapid increase in rental, particularly in the private sector, the BBC were investigating consumer fraud involving letting agents. The BBC Newsbeat team sent Freedom of Information requests to Trading Standards teams across the country asking about complaints regarding lettings of flats and houses. Their findings uncovered a number of complaints, around three quarters received by the Trading Standards Officers, that were not followed up and it would seem that the problem of rogue letting agents is on the increase.

Radio 4 You and Yours consumer programme spoke to a single mother who had visited a property to rent with a letting agent and in good faith handed over £2,500 she struggled to get, for a deposit and two months’ rent. The day before she was due to move in with her children, the supposed letting agent started to make a number of stalling excuses. Suffice to say, she did not get the flat and her money has gone along with a dream of finding a decent home in which to bring up her children.

Bidding war on rental deposits led to prosecution for fraud

You and Yours interviewed a Trading Standards Officer from Barking and Dagenham who had received a complaint about a lettings agent and followed this through. They soon found out they were dealing with fraud and in one case, discovered six families who had all, unknowingly, paid £3,000 each for a deposit on the same property. Fortunately the rogue trader involved, was prosecuted for fraud and is now serving a three year prison sentence. The Barking and Dagenham Trading Standards Officer has seen an increase in this type of fraud, particularly around the London area, where several families could be involved, unwittingly, in a bidding war when it comes to the deposit for a rental property.

Legislation due to change but still does not fully cover the consumer

There will be a change shortly in the law that will offer consumers additional protection but it still does not go far enough. Soon all letting agents will have to become a member of a “redress” scheme but if they don’t join, at the moment it is not a criminal offence. For better consumer protection and confidence in the lettings industry, then the penalties of not joining a redress scheme, needs to be more severe. Otherwise, as renting property becomes the norm for those who cannot afford to get on the housing ladder, we could be hearing about more and more people getting ripped off.

In the meantime, the advice for consumers who are starting out looking at renting is first of all check to make sure the letting agent you use is part of a redress scheme. These can be the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors or the Property Ombudsman Service for example, and the next important step is to find out exactly who the landlord is that owns the property. If you go on line and carry out a land registry search this will cost you £3 which will be money well worth spending. Finally the old adage, if it looks too good to be true, then it probably is so if the rent is lower than you would expect for the area or the flat or house you are looking at, then just be wary.

If you have had a problem with a rogue letting agent or even reported a problem to Trading Standards that has not been followed up, let us know – we’re listening!

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Train delays could see consumers making tracks for compensation

One of the funniest train announcements of all time had to be, not one that was heard by commuters from the station announcer who reported to all and sundry, “due to unforeseen circumstances, this train is running on time - we'd like to apologize for any inconvenience this may cause”, but a hand written sign placed by one quick witted soul on the Gatwick Express train service which said, “For a more efficient service, please alight at the next stop where a team of heavily drugged sloths will drag you to your destination.”

Sadly having to wait for a train to arrive whilst running late for work or an appointment, or a delay that costs you money and time is not so funny. It is understandable if there are problems with the signals or rail tracks, which mean the safety of your journey would be compromised, for delays to take place. However, it came as a surprise to read this week that consumers who are subject to delay, might be eligible to claim some compensation.

Study by the Office of Rail Regulation provokes a train of thought

Apparently I am not alone in realising this fact as a report from the Study for the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) just out confirmed that around 75% of rail passengers in the UK were also unaware as well. If your rail journey has been cancelled or there is a delay and you decide not to travel then you might still be eligible for some form of recompense in the form of a full refund. This is certainly worth investigating as rail fares are not cheap, even just for a short journey.

It also set me thinking about the number of times I have arrived at the train station to be met by an announcement of delays and one or two cancellations on noticeboards and over the tannoy, but never saw any notice regarding my right to claim some money back. There is nothing printed on the ticket, to the best of my knowledge, and I have just been onto the National  Railways website to “Ask Lisa” in the Help section about this only to be referred to a list of train operators whilst stating I may be entitled to compensation but I had to contact the rail provider direct.

So I can fully understand why three quarters of rail users surveyed were in ignorance of their rights to compensation and applaud the 25% of you who were aware and obviously are a lot more observant than I am. I suggest at this point you go and put the kettle on whilst I share my findings with my fellow passengers.

Consumer information on compensation due to delay or cancellation of trains

The first point to note is that compensation may not be paid out in the event of bad weather or vandalism. However if a train is an hour late, not due to the two events just mentioned, then you can claim a minimum of 20% refund on your single ticket. You have to submit your claim within 28 days and the compensation is normally paid out in the form of vouchers which are valid for one year.  If the train is delayed or cancelled and you choose to travel, you might still be entitled to compensation and it is worth checking if the rail company you use offer “delay repay”. Delay repay means that compensation can be available even if the delay is only for half an hour, so it is worth checking on the company website or via their customer service helpline.

If you have experienced train delays and got compensation then let us know or if you think you should have had something back due to unforeseen cancellations then contact us – we’re listening!

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A flood of concern as consumers await news from insurance clear up summit

Since before Christmas the news has been following the victims of the floods on the Somerset levels as well as reporting on other areas of the UK. The rain may have stopped but the water is still destroying people’s homes and livelihoods, and it is not just water damage they have to contend with but raw sewage and bacteria that is contaminating many properties. 

The politicians have been meeting this week with the insurance industry this week in what has been touted as the “clear up summit”, but we’re pretty sure what will happen next – an increase in the insurance premiums of those unfortunate to be affected by the floods.

Seven years ago the people of Hull in the East Riding of Yorkshire, woke up to a similar flood damage problem. In 2007 when floods left over 30,000 people homeless across the country, 10,500 of those homes were in Kingston upon Hull, which got around a sixth of its annual rain falling in 12 hours. The damage in Hull was caused by the surface water being unable to escape rather than the rivers bursting their banks and the drainage system was not able to cope. Insurers put the cost of the total damage bill at around £1 billion as about 400 billion tonnes of water fell in Yorkshire.

One flood victim still paying extra £500 per year for insurance premium

This week one of the victims of the 2007 Hull flood was interviewed on the Today programme on Radio 4 speaking about her experience and what happened afterwards. Her home sustained a lot of damage and the builders had to be called in and extensive repairs carried out, and her insurance premiums, went from around £400 per year up to £1200. Seven years later it is down to £900 per annum, which as she said, is difficult to find but she has no choice but to pay. She tried to move to other insurers but they wouldn’t take her on any cheaper, so her only choice was to stay with her original company.

She had no choice but to claim from her insurance company but there are times, and we have all been there, when we are faced with the decision to claim or not. It is a very tricky business because when you have paid in your premiums for all those years then you feel it is right to get some of that money back. On the other hand you are faced with the uncertain feeling of the premiums increasing following a claim and it could be cheaper in the long run to pay for the damage yourself.

Consumer choice is limited to one

In some cases we have no choice and we have to take out the insurance policy, but it does leave you feeling a little rankled when you get the next annual premium quote following a claim. There is a lot of talk about consumer choice and shopping around for the best price, but as the consumer from Hull found out, in reality you don’t have a choice and you are left up waterlogged creek without a paddle.

If you have had experience of exorbitant insurance premiums following a legitimate claim or are currently awaiting help following the recent flood damage, then not only are our thoughts and sympathy with you but we would like to hear of your experiences – contact us now – we’re listening!

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