money

Hermes is refusing to pay compensation after losing a £169 pair of binoculars. It says that under its terms and conditions, they are excluded because they are made of glass – even though I insured them to the value of £120. I can understand withholding a payout for breakage of glass but not if they were lost. In any case, they have a plastic lens! SM, London Hermes’s T&Cs absolve it of liability if it loses a number of goods including musical instruments, chinaware, furniture, food – and human remains. As you say, fragile items are more likely to get damaged in transit and therefore could more logically be excluded from payouts, but a pair of binoculars is no more likely to go missing than a box of books. The exclusions appear all the more unreasonable as Hermes sells the insurance, so you would think it would pay if an item was lost. The Hermes PR team says it’s passed this point on to its head of customer services. It also agrees that you should … [Read more...] about Exclusions that are part and parcel of Hermes’s T&Cs

When I took on power of attorney for my 89-year-old mother, after she had started to go overdrawn, I then discovered 26 debits for £98 over the last 12 months to a company called the Money Club. I was unable to get through on the phone and there’s no email address. SS, Liverpool Complaints about the Money Club have been filling my inbox for 10 years. Most are from those who found themselves unwitting subscribers to this cashback and discount website which claims to be the “UK’s premier shopping club”. Potential members are contacted by phone and offered a month’s trial for a fiver. Unless they cancel within 28 days this becomes a rolling membership for £98 a year, but there are no terms and conditions on the website and those who contacted the Observer say that the promised contract never arrived. Over the last four years I’ve heard from numerous readers who have lost thousands because the annual subscription has been debited multiple times … [Read more...] about Money Club took £5,978 from my elderly mother

Patrick Collinson’s interpretation of our proposals to reform the regulations underpinning Britain’s fares system (New proposal to simplify our crazy rail fares would be like Ryanair on steroids, 19 February) is in stark contrast to those of numerous passenger groups, fares experts and politicians across the spectrum, who welcomed our Easier Fares for All plan. Our proposals involve a fundamental recasting of the building blocks of the entire fares system to enable radical simplification for passengers. They would support pay-as-you-go and price caps for commuters across the country, potentially saving people money. On long-distance journeys, there would be greater flexibility to change plans at short notice, a wider range of walk-up fares and more comfortable journeys. Contrary to your correspondent’s criticism, our consultation of nearly 20,000 people found that they want discounts for certain groups in society (82%), for example the Disabled Persons Railcard. They … [Read more...] about Seeking value for money on the UK’s railways

In March last year, a pipe burst in our loft as a result of the “beast from the east” cold snap. The consequence was catastrophic with every ceiling, wall and floor ruined. Since then, our insurance company, Legal & General, has sent several builders to look at the damage but we feel the proposed repairs address only the superficial damage and have significant omissions. Since June, we have been asking for a surveyor to identify the full scale of any problems but this has not been done. The worry is that hidden issues, such as damaged wiring, rotting flooring and damp and mould will not be addressed, and we will be left with serious ongoing problems. Ten months since the flood we are still unable to return to our house, no repairs have started and we are beginning to despair of ever going back. DB, Newbury, Berkshire If Legal & General’s apparent intransigence was a cost-saving strategy, it was shortsighted because neglected damage racks up far bigger bills … [Read more...] about Ten months of pleading to get our flood-hit home repaired

After a weekend in Cambridge, my car wouldn’t start (I live in Derby). On Sunday I called the RAC at about 3.30pm. It arrived at 7.30pm and I was told the car needed a mass air sensor. I was assured the car could be fixed at 10am the next day so I took the Monday off work. I phoned at 11.30am for an update and was told someone would get back within minutes. This did not happen. After further calls (and no response) I was finally told the job had been logged for 7pm–8pm so I could drive home that evening. But at 6pm I was told the part could not be found and I would have to be towed back at a cost of £267. I arrived close to midnight. The next day I was then informed that there was no fault apart from a disconnected turbo hose – which could have been easily fixed. I am furious and want my money back for unnecessary towing, poor service and appalling communication. EY, Ockbrook, Derbyshire You have a Roadside policy, entitling you to a 10-mile tow if your vehicle … [Read more...] about RAC repair service broke down over an ‘easy to fix’ problem