Consumers give BT a rap over the knuckles with Wooden Spoon Award

British Telecom managed to attract half a million new consumers in the last 12 weeks of 2013 through BT Sport which is part of its retail division. Included in this arm of the company are the broadband and phone services to UK households and, whilst gaining new business, the reputation for poor quality customer service may cause a problem to BT in the long run.

This month saw financial website “This is Money,” presented BT with the Wooden Spoon award for rotten customer service which was present to BT’s consumer chief executive John Petter during the first week of January 2014.

BT accused of taking their eye off the ball

The website also handed over many complaints from consumers about the wrong cabling being installed, being kept waiting or passed around when ringing a BT call centre, not having promises kept about when broken connections and services would begin, and so on. The main issue seemed to be around the last half of 2013 when the company focussed all its attention on BT Sport and left its core business understaffed. This was backed up in December when Ofcom showed that complaints had doubled in three months, as consumers were subject to poor service and shoddy treatment.

John Lewis stirs up praise for outstanding customer service

Perhaps the communication firm ought to take a leaf out of John Lewis book of consumer service. As their business went from strength to strength, this still managed to win the outstanding customer service award, although not named as such, I like to think of this as the Silver Spoon Award. John Lewis put delivering the best possible customer service at the very heart of what they do, because they know as consumers we do have a choice and we can go elsewhere. Mr Petter will do well to look at the name plate on his office door and remember his job title includes the word “consumer” in it. Whilst this represents someone who purchases goods and services for personal use, it also represents a real person who would like to be on the receiving end of good customer service. It is not as if performing poorly in the customer service stakes should come as a surprise as BT have managed since 2009 to be named and shamed as having the most appalling customer service in the UK.

Investing in new infrastructure, better broadband, competition for Pay TV customers is a business need and a very important one, but somewhere along the line, could they not remember that it costs very little to offer quality customer service and timely and accurate delivery of products and services – if it’s that good to talk then make sure the talk is good!

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Withdrawal symptoms as financial institutions cut free overseas cash transactions

No sooner had I blown out the flames on the burning Christmas pudding then it was time to book the summer holiday. Besides getting a very good deal on a sofa, there have been countless advertisements on the television, showing sun kissed beaches, children hurtling down water slides or slow river cruises with happy couples sipping a large G&T whilst gazing out at the passing scenery. 

However, they do fail to mention just a few of the practicalities of life whilst on holiday, namely consumers trying to get money out of a cash machine abroad without paying more in banking fees than the actual Euros, dollars or other currency, you are withdrawing. If like me, you went with a fee-free benefit on one of the more generous current accounts then be warned, in 2014 there are changes afoot that could affect you.

From March 18^th this year Metro Bank will be charging for both credit and debit transactions outside of Europe, whilst the Norwich and Peterborough are now getting rid of their Gold Light current account which up until now has allowed free overseas spending. Metro state that outside of Europe the charges for withdrawing cash will be 1.90% plus a £1 ATM fee, so if withdrawing £100 for example you will be paying another £2.90 on top as a levy. The main difficulty for consumers is that they are tied to their debit card unless they change their current account, and some of us have shopped around for some time to find an account that suits all our needs.

Unwary consumers caught out with additional debit card fees whilst abroad

Consumer advice from money experts are telling us to alter our spending pattern and take out a larger amount of cash, rather than just smaller amounts, if we are going to get charged each time we go to the ATM whilst on holiday. From a security point of view whilst abroad I don’t want to be carrying around larger amounts of money and neither do I suspect, do many others. It is not just the ATM fee and bank levy that is being charged but some banks such as Halifax, Lloyds, TSB, Santander and RBS are also adding an additional loading fee anywhere between 2.75 to 2.99% regardless of how much is withdrawn.

The choice is getting smaller as to the banks or building societies that do not add on these fees. The Norwich and Peterborough do still have a debit card as part of their Gold Classic that is free of fees, however, you have to maintain a balance in this account of £5,000 and make a monthly deposit of £500 or they will charge you £5 per month. Metro Bank can still be used fee-free within Europe and NationWide FlexPlus but NationWide still charge 2% for transactions and monthly fee, but there are a range of benefits that some consumers may feel is worth the £10 per month, such as UK breakdown cover, worldwide travel insurance and others.

Consumers advised to check cash transaction fees before travelling abroad

The main point is just to check with your building society or bank before you go abroad regarding their current charges and fees, and also check if, as some people still do use them, whether banks abroad will change travellers cheques. For the last two years I have only found one bank in Corfu for example who are happy to change these, I took them as backup in case the ATM swallowed my card as it did the year before, and in one region of France, got no joy whatsoever with travellers cheques.

If you have had problems or been charged for cash withdrawals from abroad then let us know – we’re listening!

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Benefit Street or I’m a Tax Payer Get Me Out of Here!

Scanning through the television listings, hardly a day goes by where there isn’t a reality TV programme that shows celebrities locked up in a house, a jungle, in a kitchen or about to launch themselves off a diving board. Similarly, viewing the lives of the great British public has seen a collection of hoarders, OCD cleaners, travellers attempting to “out bling” the late, great Liberace and now we have the residents of James Turner Street in Birmingham or “Benefit Street”. 

In what is clearly a disadvantaged area of the UK, we have been introduced to a number of “key characters” as I heard the producer say on Radio 4 this week, who live on a number of benefits. The backlash from this programme has ignited some very vitriolic feedback via social media, calling those on benefits, “scroungers”, “scum” and much more. The outcry has snowballed with politicians up in arms and a 31,000 strong petition of protest, which is quite incredible since the programme only aired on January 7th.

Mixed messages from production team sparks residents’ concerns 

The programme states that most of the 99 residents on the street are claiming some form of benefit, and have featured 14 Romanians living in the one house working for a pittance, people who grow marijuana to keep the money coming in, but interestingly, the filming they did with a working couple was not fully featured. This week, a number of residents of James Turner Street spoke to radio reporters and voiced their concerns about how the idea of the programme was first sold to them. 

Initially the production people said they wanted to make a documentary about the multicultural mix of residents in the street, one woman specifically asked if it was going to be about the benefits and unemployment and was told no. A working couple were filmed and told they would be featured in the programme, but this was cut drastically when it came to the final airing. The producer in response, said it was because one of the couple worked for the Benefit Agency and wanted to protect their privacy. Either that or it wouldn’t make for great television? 

Programme taxes consumers patience to the limit 

It is easy to sit back after a hard day’s work, or night shift work, or juggling 2 or sometimes 3 jobs to pay the bills and watch and condemn the people shown on Benefit Street. The taxes we pay go towards the Social Security payments and it is galling when we are faced with what seems to be a flaunting of the system. On the flip side, there are people who genuinely need the help of the benefit payments to keep themselves and their families off the streets, but this does not make for sensational viewing. 

People have to take responsibility for their own lives, and having to work for a living is a fact of life. I have met with people who are physically handicapped yet still can hold down a job, others with incredible obstacles in their way yet who still contribute to the society we live in. Benefit Street presents us with a snap shot of life for some people, but how much of this is edited for the benefit of the camera and what is the reality? There has to be a Benefit Street in most cities and urban areas, so what is the right move forward in these financially constrained times? 

Comment and Let us know your thoughts – we’re listening!

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A taxing time for some consumers

Christmas is finally over, the last turkey rissole has been digested, the trail of pine needles throughout the house is all that is left of the tree, and the bits of glitter that will stay enmeshed in the shag pile carpet until July, are all that remains of the festive season. New Year, new resolutions, new diet and yes of course, the new consumer scams this time linked to tax returns and self-assessment. Many tax returns are due back by the end of January, and the scammers have been busy trying to prise our personal information via our email and empty our bank accounts.

January sees an increase in scams on tax refunds 

Trading Standards Officers have been flagging up the latest scam to hit the internet, which are phishing emails that claim to come from Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC). The emails come through purporting to be from HMRC telling you that you are due a tax refund and asking you to complete the attached forms to claim your money. Of course it isn’t from the Tax Office but it does look very official which is what the conmen are getting very good at, because they want you to disclose your personal data and financial information for them to use. As the end of January deadline approaches for those completing their tax self-assessment, this is an ideal opportunity for fraudsters to up their game and it is worth keeping a weather eye on this, particularly if you run your own business or are self-employed. 

HMRC want to hear from consumers if fraudulent emails received 

HMRC are very clear about how they collect your information and they will never request you to send this via an email, or indeed tell you of any tax refund via email. They also don’t use email to request payment of any overdue taxes or fines, but for further confirmation it is worth visiting the HMRC website if you are not sure. However, as a follow up word of warning, just before Christmas, conmen set up a website with the words “gateway” and “tax office” and several people logged thinking this was the correct site for their self-assessment. They were then asked to pay around £400 which people did and of course, this was a scam. 

HMRC are requesting if consumers do get a suspicious email like this that they forward it to the Tax Office on phishing@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk and then delete it. Similarly if you are carrying out your self-assessment then go through their site at www.hmrc.gov.uk 2014 is a new start and as consumers we still need to watch every penny spent, so don’t get caught out and if you or someone you know, has had a similar problem or got caught up in other consumer scams then drop us a line at iRateiSlate - so we can spread the word and make sure someone else doesn’t lose out as well.

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Now is the winter of our discontent as funding for home insulation programmes comes to a halt?

After the 2012 winter of discontent, freezing temperatures, snow drifts and icy conditions, leaving many people stranded on motorways or stuck in their homes, there was a bigger shock to come for consumers as the quarterly heating bills came through the letter box. 

Fuel poverty was a term that came to be heard on television, radio, newspapers and via the internet. This was particularly difficult for low-income households living in the worst performing housing stock, in terms of energy efficiency.

Housing associations report a 20% drop in funding for insulation projects

However the rolling programme of Eco and Affordable Warmth schemes did bring a ray of hope, especially for those living in housing association properties. Many housing associations invested time and energy by carrying out insulation works through funding provided by central government. Now it seems this funding has come to somewhat of a halt according to a survey about to be published by Inside Housing publications. Inside Housing surveyed 47 of the biggest housing associations and they have been reporting a 20% drop in funding, which amounts to a 75% drop in business, for the smaller companies who have been contracted in to carry out this much needed insulation programme.

Pause for thought whilst consumers faced with spiralling energy costs

The words of the old refrain, “there’s a hole in my bucket, dear Liza, dear Liza,” came to me as I listened to the explanation of the Energy Secretary. It would seem that 47 of the largest housing associations, the UK Green Building Council,the lovely Winifred (aforesaid Radio 4 presenter) and one confused listener recalling whether straw really could mend a leaking bucket, had misunderstood the new policy around funding these essential energy efficiency programmes. The government claim they are cutting back the cost of our heating bills but in order to do this they are reducing and stopping funding for essential insulation to homes that lose heat and therefore incur larger energy costs. The answer came that there was not a reduction, nor a cut back, but a “pause” in order to deliver efficiency through Eco and Green Deal. The new rules apparently about the new policy are not out yet and will be up for consultation. Winifred and I were still left questioning this as the interview drew to a halt. 

Fine, I understand the need for efficiency and I understand the need for transparency and consultation, but what I do have difficulty understanding is why they choose to do this in the depths of mid-winter? Why not allow the housing associations to complete their fully funded programmes of insulation at a time when consumers really need to conserve warmth and energy? Consult during the spring and then new funding can be ready for autumn when it starts to get colder, it’s not as if the seasons come as a complete surprise to everyone. 

If you have qualified for energy grants or had your insulation work cancelled and it is going to put a strain on your household budget then let us know – we’re listening!

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Fraudster Kirsty Cox' 2 year sentence in £450,000 iPad fraud

Today saw the sentencing of Kirsty Cox, a woman who deliberately set out to defraud consumers into paying out for iPad tablet computers, claiming she could get them at a cheaper price than the recommended cost. Between March 2012 and December 2012, she amassed an amount of money from individuals and groups of customers that totalled around £450,000. 

She was a very plausible individual who told people that she had got a contact that could supply iPads but around £50-£100 cheaper than buying from a retailer. Even her own sister-in-law was taken in by her to the point of getting her orders, and believed that this mother of two was to be trusted.

Consumers swindled out of thousands of pounds over a nine month period 

As it turned out, Cox managed to rip off a number of individuals in the run up to Christmas last year and finally this month saw her sentenced to 2 years in prison. For nine months she managed to defraud people of thousands of pounds and here at iRateiSlate we are very glad that she was finally caught and justice has been served. Some would say that the unwary consumer should have known better than to put their faith in a person selling high price goods, without actually seeing a sample for a reduced price. It is hard to resist a bargain and when faced with someone who seems imminently respectable and honest, and let’s face it, wasn’t claiming that much of a reduction then the whole package is particularly tempting

Having a family member vouch for her as well probably would sway quite a lot of people and convince them to hand over their cash. Coming up to Christmas, parents wanting to give this sort of gift to their child obviously leapt at the opportunity, and although we are not told which groups she defrauded, they might have been local charities for example. Kirsty Cox has damaged a lot of people’s lives and she will be in prison for 2 years, during which time she will be separated from her own children. She has been caught and will serve her sentence, but unfortunately there are many more Kirsty Cox’s out there carrying out similar frauds and scams that will see consumers losing out.

Sharing recent and relevant consumer news can put a stop to customer fraud 

This is where we can help to stop these people in their tracks as this is the sort of activity that we want to see put an end to, but we cannot do it alone. Having a platform where you can get in touch and raise any concerns or issues about a trader or service or product, which can be shared on line means we start to get these people and their practices out in the open. The more communication we get, once validated, can be shared online allowing others to make informed buying choices.

So contact us, it’s quick and easy and we’re always listening.

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