This topic was closed on 10 March 2019. If you have a problem which is similar to the issues raised in this topic, then please start a new thread and you will get help and support there. If you would like to post up some information which is relevant to this particular topic then please flag the issue up to the site team and the thread will be reopened. - Consumer Action Group

This topic was closed on 09 March 2019. If you have a problem which is similar to the issues raised in this topic, then please start a new thread and you will get help and support there. If you would like to post up some information which is relevant to this particular topic then please flag the issue up to the site team and the thread will be reopened. - Consumer Action Group

This topic was closed on 2019-03-08. If you have a problem which is similar to the issues raised in this topic, then please start a new thread and you will get help and support there. If you would like to post up some information which is relevant to this particular topic then please flag the issue up to the site team and the thread will be reopened. - Consumer Action Group

This topic was closed on 03/06/19. If you have a problem which is similar to the issues raised in this topic, then please start a new thread and you will get help and support there. If you would like to post up some information which is relevant to this particular topic then please flag the issue up to the site team and the thread will be reopened. - Consumer Action Group

This topic was closed on 03/06/19. If you have a problem which is similar to the issues raised in this topic, then please start a new thread and you will get help and support there. If you would like to post up some information which is relevant to this particular topic then please flag the issue up to the site team and the thread will be reopened. - Consumer Action Group

This topic was closed on 03/06/19. If you have a problem which is similar to the issues raised in this topic, then please start a new thread and you will get help and support there. If you would like to post up some information which is relevant to this particular topic then please flag the issue up to the site team and the thread will be reopened. - Consumer Action Group

I disagree; there is little difference between cats & kittens. The result of trying to make introductions in a stressless way more than often leads to more stress. Any mixing of territorial species will always be fraught. They absolutely HAVE TO sort out the pecking order & stopping them from doing that only delays the inevitable or makes for thoroughly miserable cats. As long as they are supervised there is no need whatsoever for sprays, intervention (within reason, if someone is getting an eye gouged out obviously you intervene) etc. The only difference I have ever found is between domestic & feral or elderly/disbled cats. Apologies if my views conflicting with yours doesn't sit well but that does not make them wrong.

Sorry to butt in so late in the procedings but after many years owning & fostering cats I've mastered the introductions technique: leave them to it. There will be fur flying, there will be upset, there will be times when you could sit & cry cos your once harmonious home is now a war zone but they will sort out the pecking order & things will calm down. Until they have had the inevitable confrontations & someone loses the tension will unfortunately remain. I introduced a hyperactive, neurotic, stark raving mad, 3 month old oriental to two mature, laid back BSH's last year.... that was fun (not). They're fine now but took a good 6 weeks before all the hissing & growling stopped. Sometimes wish they'd all stayed the best of enemies as junior's managed to revert the 2 older ones back to kitten hood so it's like Heathrow terminal 1 in our house when playtime starts.

I couldn't agree more, I will never ever use E & L again for either pet or equine insurance. 1stly I had the same problem as the OP with my equine insurance (went from £20 per month to £37 due to add-on's) and to add insult to injury we had a real ordeal with them over the pet insurance. Whilst insured with direct line my beloved little Manson went missing. In very simplistic terms: phoned direct line, immediately told to start advertising & they would foot the bills, my poor little chap was found dead the next day. I phoned direct line & was unable to speak properly due to being so upset & the girl was fantastic. I didn't even have to send in details about his death to recieve the death benefit, they sent me the cheque & a claim form to sign along with a note saying to complete & return when I felt ready. After a while I got another cat & insured him with E & L. He went walkabout. Phoned E & L, eventually got through to them to be told he had to be missing for 30 days before they would "consider" refunding advertising costs. I went out of my tree, what good is that? If he'd been stolen he'd be well gone by then (Havana Oriental cat, very nickable). Phoned again the next day to be told ok, you can adcertise now but we will pay for advertising OR death. So, if you advertise & your pet is subsequently found dead you do not recieve the death benefit. Aparently this is all written down somewhere in the small print & no doubt it's also in there somewhere that each & every member of staff is allowed to make the rules up as they go along. Luckily almost the second I put down the phone from that 2nd call the little scamp started howling at the front door to be let in. Needless to say after a happy reunion I cancelled the DD to E & L as I wasn't so much as prepared to phone them back or email them to cancel the policy. I was completely & utterly disgusted. Back with Direct Line now, more expensive but a sensitive & speedy service at times when a pet is missing or has died is worth it to me. Luckily Cadbury hasn't repeated his adventure since, he stays within 2ft of me at all times.

Here I am again posting as my mind is going lol (by heck, it's just like the old days with YB). This actually happened to hubby back in 2005 with a different company so I'm gonna test the water & theory by sending a demand for monies owed due to breach of contract from back then. 5 year limit for the county court so may as well give it a go. Heck, all the judge can do is laugh & tell me to get lost & you never know, they might just pay up before we get to that. Either way it'll test the water for dealing with this bunch of clowns cos they're the one's I'm really after. I'll be looking up points of law over the weekend & a letter will be sent registered post on Tuesday. Shy kids get no sweets!

Hi Caro! Very nice to see & familiar & friendly face around. Hubby's employers don't have a clue the wrath they have just unleashed.... but they WILL rue the day lol. Big P*ss off factor about all this is that DH had 3 job offers last Oct & chose this one as they swore blind they were up to their eyes in work & they seemed to be the safest bet out of the 3. We live & learn. It seems inherent in the industry that if the books look like they might not balance the 1st option taken is to lay off employees who have been there less than 12 months, it's terrible. Hi Sidewinder & BB, thanks very much for your responses. DH started work on 7 Oct last year so it's 7 months in. Probationary period was 3 months so we're well out of that. Contract states 1 month notice. Letter of termination of employment states "for various reasons the company has had to make the difficult descision to give you notice to end your employment with us". Verbal reason was due to not enough work to justify his position. There are still contracts running & we think the new contracts director (& instigation of this cost cutting exercise) has taken on the work DH was doing. Now, here is where it gets "iffy". New contracts director was taken on due to him aparently bringing with him a LOT of contracts, however, none materialised so the general frame of mind is that to justify his position DH & his manager have lost their jobs to lower the wages bill & give new director something to do. Dilema: DH is on gardening leave for his notice period, his official last day is Tue. He has been promised a letter of reference but if he starts the grievance procedure on Tue I think we can kiss bye bye to that. So, is he allowed to start the grievance procedure after his employment is terminated? My train of though: I would rather not go down the ET route as I have the hard facts of a breach of contract in front of me. DH doesn't want to work for them anymore, we just want the extra months cash & car compensation to which he is entitled. To hell with them, he'll have a new & better job within the month. He & his manager were axed to show an immediate drop on outgoing accounts so we just want to hit them where it's gonna hurt most (on the accounts), pocket the procedes & run. As far as I can see it's a simple fact of them oweing money so I should, theoretically, just be able to issue a request & if it isn't paid take them to court for it..... or am I being too simplistic here? Thanks, TC

Quick update, I am preparing a case for breach of contract as said contract clearly states 1 months notice from either party. Unsure yet as to weather this has to be via ET or county court, I'm hoping to go down the small claims route as it should be cut & dried (have all the paperwork needed). Will update after a bit more research.

Hi Folks, I'm rolling up my sleves for a fight here but I'm having a bit of a problem re the 1 year rule so hoping someone can clarify. My DH is a manager for a medium sized construction comapny. Said company decided before xmas they would bring on baord another director & expand the company. At this time a memo was sent out to all staff outlining the plans & staing very clearly that "no employee" would loose their jobs to this process. Yes, you've guessed it, my DH has lost his job to this process. He got home early from work on Tuesday minus company car, phone & lap-top & with 4 days notice. How nice of them. Nicest thing of all is it would appear the descision to let him go was made that very morning. A 10am meeting for all staff was cancelled & he was called in to the office. His line manager was then called in after him (he lost his job too, he'd been with the comapny 11 months). Anyway, this is aparently redundancy due to there not being enough work to keep the two of them on. I'm pretty sure they've gone about this all the worng way & would love to hear from anyone who can clarify that for me. To add insult to injury they're now hanging on to monies owed. £400 expenses DH is owed should have gone in the bank today. Nothing has gone in. On phoning the accounts manager it will aparently go in on the 28th along with his last mnth's salary which will be a day late (so I now have to alter upteen direct debits). We know DH can always find work (tradesman before he went into management) but it's the principal of this whole thing that is really getting to us. The reason we think this descision was made is that next month is bonus month & we know the bonuses are going to be paid. Onviously doing what they have has saved them 2 people's wages & their bonus (equivalent of a months wage). We really & honestly do think it is a simple as that. A snap descision made that morning & action taken on that descison immediately. Does my DH have a leg to stand on here regarding unfair dismissal or are his employers correct in assuming because he's been there less than a year he's an easy cost cutting option with no rights? Many thanks for reading, TC P.S. Please excuse bad spelling & grammar, trying to quickly batter this out before I pick the boys up from nursery.

KAUPTHING SFPF do a lot of Insurance policy finance. Have you just renewed your car insurance & opted to pay monthly? TC

DCA's are popping up over there as absconding to the Costa's is becoming so prevalent. Obviously they don't have any real juristiction but on the other hand they don't have to abide by UK law so they tend to apply the pressure a bit (Spanish police aren't interested in them so no good threatening them with the law). Dean, if you haven't disclosed your whereabouts already then don't. TC