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From this week, householders who are talked into buying double glazing or conservatories by door-to-door traders have lost their right to cancel if they get cold feet. The revelation has sparked outrage among consumer groups who fear vulnerable people given the hard sell will be unable to escape from rip-off deals.
Green Star Energy, a relatively unknown supplier, beat the Big Six suppliers to win the bid for customers who registered with the Big Deal by offering the best discount.
Last week, Ofgem caused outrage when it tried to ban the firm from paying 3 per cent interest on their balance to customers who have built up a credit.
As many as 1.7million complaints were made in the three months to March – up from 1.48million in the same period last year, according to consumer group Which?.
Millions of eBay customers have been forced to change their password following a cyber attack - but they could use the crisis to boost their trading skills. There has been a big pricing shake-up at eBay since the cyber attack. We share the top tips for dealing in the online market place.
’Tis the season to get married - but if you are not careful you can spend a king's ransom celebrating the big day.
Lightning quick broadband is transforming internet use in the UK, with Coventry the latest to join York and Peterborough in an elite club of so-called 'Gigabit Cities'.
Sneaky pre-ticked boxes on websites will also be banned for payment linked to additional services, such as travel insurance when buying a holiday or flight. The measures are part of the new EU Consumer Rights Directive, which is being brought in to make families feel more confident about shopping online.
Over the years I have accumulated a lot of Clubcard and Nectar points and airmiles. Am I able to bequeath them in my will?
Debt helpline the National Debtline has seen a 140 per cent rise in the number of calls about household debts since 2007.
At the moment consumers wait around five weeks once they have requested to switch suppliers, which includes the two-week cooling off period.
Heading off on holiday? Follow This is Money's five simple steps to avoid paying for energy you don't use while abroad from pulling the plug on your appliances to filling your fridge with water and operating your thermostat while sunning yourself a thousand miles away.
Figures indicate that one in four owners who bought their house before the mid-1990s have stuck with the cover they bought at the time. Cliff Greenhill has been overpaying on his home insurance for 32 years since he took out a home loan through his bank. He has now saved himself £750 a year, though he now has identical cover from the same insurer.
Yvonne MacFarlane's mobile firm Three added the US to a special deal just before she went to Disney World. Many others are not so lucky and still ring up big bills.
National grid costs make up about £200 out of the average dual fuel bill of £1,300, the second largest single cost after wholesale energy.
Discount stores continued to enjoy soaring sales last month as shoppers deserted the big chains, according to latest figures on consumer spending from Barclaycard.
You don’t have to cut back to save money. Simply by carrying the right plastic, you can make loyalty pay. Here are the Super Seven cards you should always put in your purse.
The proportion of British households that are owed money is up from 47 per cent last year and appears to be driven by the problem of estimated bills.
After huge fines for mis-selling, the Big Six energy suppliers face more savage criticism over service. Zoe Davies says she has suffered the full npower experience.
Regardless of your living arrangements, there are hundreds of different ways you can cut your bill and carbon emissions, ranging from free and simple tricks, to large-scale projects that could also serve to boost the value of your home. Here we lay out our favourite energy saving tips.
The personal details of 15 million users in the UK have been compromised following the data hack, which was several months ago but revealed just this week.
The new survey by consumer watchdog Which? found that two-thirds of customers think it’s unfair that phones are locked to one provider’s network.
The location is kept secret – to stop manufacturers trying to influence testers – but we were invited for a behind-the-scenes tour, provided we didn’t give the game away. Here expert technicians comb real pet hair into carpets to test vacuum cleaners and hammer nails into potatoes to see how well microwaves contain fires.
Energy giant Npower is the most complained-about major power supplier after a number of 'serious failings' according to new figures released this morning.
The energy companies claim this is because it costs more to supply energy to certain addresses. But the higher bills are also due to a legacy of privatisation.
While households are constantly being reminded to switch their energy suppliers or bank providers to stay on top of bills, the weekly shopping list is less often scrutinised. While Jack's challenge is an extreme version, it does show that there are simple steps households can take to cut back on supermarket bills
Hospedia runs phone and TV packages for hospital patients, but customers who ring in are hit with high charges because they must call a costly 070 number.
Energy suppliers can only have different prices for payment methods if the amount reflects the costs involved in supplying those accounts.
In January, regulator Ofcom introduced reforms to allow customers with ‘fixed-price’ contracts facing price rises to leave without a fee.
With an avalanche of price rises from the 'big six' energy providers, now is the time to review your energy tariff and consider locking in to a best-buy fixed-rate tariff before energy companies pull them from the market.
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The family from Leeds could not work out why their energy usage seemed to inch up every day - until they stumbled upon a surprise discovery. Their usage is now back to normal, saving them about 60-70p every day. 'Over a year it really adds up,' says Ian Lewis (pictured with son Samuel)
We teach you how to control your spending, switch to the best deals — and look at whether fixing your energy bills is an idea that will pay off.
Switching websites are keeping smaller suppliers from competing in the energy market by obscuring some available deals, a This is Money investigation has found.
Pensioners and struggling households in particular are targeted by scammers, with fraud offences in England and Wales rising by 25 per cent in 2013. A third of scams were over the phone, the charity’s study found, a quarter were through visits to a website, 16 per cent via letter or fax and ten per cent through emails.
We paid the fee and expected the licence to appear in post soon after. Instead we received some forms that are free at the Post Office and another £50 fee.
Taxreturngateway has begun to refund fees to clients who complained they were tricked into using its service. Hannah West has also just received a £500 refund
Last week Money Mail editor James Coney invited readers to send in their own home-spun ways to cut bills and tackle painful energy price rises. Here's readers' weird and wacky ideas to reduce gas and electricity use.
Last week This is Money revealed that EON and EDF will not pass on the full saving to its fixed tariff customers. Today Moneysupermarket called it 'green murder'.
I thought I had paid the bill, until I got a text message from EDF saying to call them immediately. Will this leave a mark on my credit score?
Householders worn down by inaccurate bills and poor service from gas and electricity suppliers are being urged to fight back. The Knowles are keen to switch.
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Needlessly overpaying for gas and electricity, mortgage payments, home phone, broadband and car and home insurance costs can take its toll - adding up to tens, if not hundreds, of pounds every month. Overhauling your bills can potentially save you thousands of pounds, we deliver all the tools and tips you need in one place.
The new offer will reimburse those who have bought a property in the past 12 months for up to 75 per cent of the cost of improvements.
Ovo Energy said it was cutting prices for the fifth time since the autumn because the wholesale price of gas has fallen by 9.5 per cent. As many as 72 per cent of consumers would now switch to a small supplier - up from 56 per cent just a year ago and 52 per cent in 2012, a uSwitch survey found.
This is Money probes energy minister Ed Davey, Energy UK chief executive Angela Knight, energy suppliers and experts about the 'green taxes' hot potato.
Energy savings:
From simple tricks to long-term gains
Consumer rights:
How to protect yourself when shopping
Extended warranties:
Get cheaper cover for your car, household appliance or motorbike
Fix your bills:
How to cut your everyday costs and keep saving money all year round
Energy bills:
Is it worth switching and which are the best deals?
ASK TONY: Sky sent in the debt collectors over a £22 bill I didn't even owe
I cancelled my Sky account and made a final payment.
JAMES CONEY: Stop this mortgage madness
Borrowers are being put on higher rates, and have the real risk of seeing a hike in repayments.
NatWest hacks at its easy-access cash Isa rates once again
- just weeks before the new £15k tax-free limit comes into effect.
Banks ignite new credit card war
Halifax and Barclaycard they battle to offer longest 0% deal, now at 33 months.
When will interest rates rise:
How did surprise drop in inflation rate to 1.5% influence forecasts?
Average UK home worth £22k more than a year ago
Biggest jump in prices for four years, official figures show.
Supermarket price wars help push inflation to four and half year low of 1.5%
Pressure on Bank to raise interest rates eases.
Numbers hit with inheritance tax jumps by a third
Treasury says IHT threshold freeze will fund care reforms to let elderly keep their homes.
Morrison's axes 2,600 management jobs
Modernisation programme to create 4,000 more customer focused roles.
TSB share price range to value bank at £1.3bn
Lloyds Banking Group narrows price range for float to 250p-270p.
'We booked flights because of the short layover time - now British Airways has rescheduled meaning a four-hour stopover'
Can BA do this?
Superfast broadband is speeding your way:
Tough competition means costs are crashing - here's how to connect for less
The smart tricks that can help you uncover an eBay bargain
Password change could boost trading skills.
An elderly widower whose wife died after an accident on holiday has been forced to wait seven months before finally receiving a £20,000 payout due to him from his travel insurer – with The Mail on Sunday’s help. Before travelling, Peter Hicks and his wife Jean (pictured), had bought a single-trip, joint travel insurance policy through broker Staysure. The plan was underwritten by insurance company Mapfre Assistance. ...read
It is crucial to pack the best means of paying your way, plus an insurance policy that will cover you against potential disaster. Sophie Morbey is glad she bought cover.
Thousands of people will this year receive big payouts as a result of a serious accident or clinical negligence. Laura Shannon looks at the specialist advice available.
Hotpoint will fix the machine, which it says is a potential fire hazard, between 8am and 6pm on weekdays. But I work full time - should I have to take the day off? Since it's not my fault the dishwasher is faulty, shouldn't Hotpoint work around me and come at the weekend or in the evening? ...read
After the engineer turned the water back on, water flowed into the airing cupboard and over the floor. But Scottish Power denies responsibility.
I typed 'passport renewal' into Google and a website called passport.uk.com popped up, which I assumed was the official site. I learned the hard way it wasn't.
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