Hi I Becky I agree with you in respect of the permanent member of staff and tale your point about likelihood. However I am querying whether a member of staff on a fixed term contract who has been through an assessment centre and competitive interview process for their role should be subjected to it again. I make the point only in respect of assessment which is to formally assess the candidates skill, capabilities and suitability for the role which is entirely appropriate if the role is different to the one you are already doing or at a different scale. The problem I have is that it is a capability assessment in addition to the formal one all staff have on a regular basis whether perm or temp. I think it is unfair and a detriment to temp staff. In respect of comparators, perm staff in a redundancy would not be asked to undertake an assessment centre, but just be ring fenced for competitive interview, so a different process. I am not challenging the issue of ft contract, but the inequalities, unfairness and the implications of formal assessment of a post holder who is deemed incapable at assessment, but still left in post as though nothing has changed. There are issues with the process, but for another post!

On a fixed term contract for a particular post would it be considered discriminatory to put that person through an assessment centre for a permanent post when they had already been assessed for the fixed term post. This has happened to me. I am currently in a post and have no capability issues, in fact the opposite. I have been in post 16 months and have applied for a permanent post exactly as I am doing now. I was asked to attend an assessment centre which I did not pass. Surely this is saying that I have been formally assessed as not having the skills and capabilities to undertake the role I am in. I understand if it was a job of. Higher grade or the same grade, but different role. Is this indirect discrimination, as essentially as a current employee I have been put through a formal process which a permanent member of staff old not be. Thanks

Hi there I am currently in the process of trying to re-claim mis-sold PPI on a crapital 1 credit card which I settled in full this April. I wrote to them and received the standard sold over the telephone excuse. However it appears that this was done in 2007 - 3 years after the card was issued in 2004. I went to the FOS website ad found they had upheld a case like this as it was unlikely a customer would phone up to activate their card and take out PPI insurance. In addition I was made redundant in March 2011 and wrote to Cap 1 as well as several phone conversations and at no time did they tell me I could claim on my insurance- nor did I ask as I wasnt aware I had it! I have now written to the FOS and had a response back within two days sying they had received my letter safely, but were receiving 5000 letters a week. I then had another letter from them a week later to say there would be adelay, but they would now contact Capital One for their counter-argument. I am confident that this PPI was mis-sold and on the basis that they never informed me I could claim as a result of redundancy which was notified to them in writing and via phone call substantiates my claim that I never knew it existed. I will keep the site updated as Cap One are an absolute nightmare to deal with. However on a funny note, I did write to them advising that they did not appear know their left hand from their right. I offered to send them an illustration from one of my anatomy books and to get in touch if they would like me to oblige: funnnily they never took me up on the offer! lol

I have had success with Cahoot credit card. I realised last week that PPI was being taken with my monthly payments - I queried it with Cahoot and recieved a letter within a couple of days offering me 1600 in full and final settlement of my claim: no arguments, just held their hands up and offered to repay it as they could find no evidence that I had been provided with enough information to make an informed choice!

Hi there what a horrible situation Did you sign anything when you lived with them and more importantly do they have agreement in writing etc. I agree with all of the advice so far change locks - it may be worth asking them in writing for return of your key (if only as part of your audit trail) - send anything in the post by recorded delivery so you can prove it was sent change bank account - how do they know what you have? you need to stop them accessing this - if it is on line it will be a simple case of changing your password ensure folk at work ca act as witnesses Contact police - even if they do not want to act it will be on file - ask for a crime number - this will assist if you end up in court Keep a record (log) of all events pertaining to this matter (date, time, who, witnesses, summary of conversations, actions taken) Good luck you can choose your friend but not your relatives!!!!!

Hi there Thanks to everybody who responded - I will use some of this info to beat them over the head and vent my spleen on them - not pretty - lol!!! Monument are a bunch of "P" takers!!

Hi there yes it was made clear in my letter (to Monument) that the fee was for a copy of the CCA

Hi there are companies allowed to use the £1.00 CCA fee to put towards the balance of your account and then not comply with the request - what part of the CCA does this breach please?

Thanks - sounds like good advice I will pursue the accountant route and perhaps speak to a tax specialist S

thanks for your response Its as I thought - i will have to wait a year to get the money back- hopefully they will pay the interest as the payment is short by 15k!

Hi there I have received a redundancy payment of 126,669.00 and have pais over 46k of it in tax. I stopped working for them on 7th March and was advised by solicitor to have redundancy payment made in new tax year (6th April 2011) The employer advised that the top tax rate had been used for all of the element above the 30k tax free on the basis that " the top tax rate is 50% for sums in excess of 150,00per annum. I was surprised given that the sum is belwo the threshold, and i am not working and had a p45 from employer on the 8th March and have not worked since and do not have a job and not intending to work for at least a year. The workings out they gave are (and make no sense to me!) Payment pre tax; 126,669.78 Taxable pay: £96,669 Free pay: month 1 - 60.75 £96609.03 less £12,500 (this appears to be the proprtion per month of 150K top tax threshold) Total: 84,109 x 50% + 4416.66 = tax due 46471 I was paid 80,000.18 They cannot explain where the 4416 comes from or why the 50 % - or indeed why tey are treated my tax liability as if I am still an employee in month 1 I thought, and it had been explained to me by solicitor that tax would be at 40% and that as I was no longer working and they had issued p45 then i would receive all of my allowances and that 30 free, 35k at 20% and the rest at 40%. I am really confused by their explanation and dont really know how to start challenging it I would appreciate any help

Hi there I have recently tried to close my premiere account with LLoyds TSB. However the branch have been unable to close it - even though it was in credit, as the collections department put a block on it. The branch have been trying to get it closed now for a week!. We have two personal loans and credit cards from TSB which will be paid in full on 6th April and they have been written to in this regard. We cancelled the direct debits for everythin on the account in order to close it and then wrote to companies advising of payment or setting up new direct debit Are they allowed to stop you from closing an account, if you have ither products with them- any ideas on what i should do?

Hi there I am new to this forum and would really appreciate some advice on full and final settlement offers which having read other threads and other sites seem to be fraught with extreme difficulty! I am being made redundant on 7th March and will have 38,200 lump sum to put towards my debts which amount to 52k. I am in the position where I can make offers of 70% to all of the creditors and have no late payments or default notices. The creditors are listed below Capital One Card Barclaycard Goldfish Amex Monument LLoyds TSB Platinum card Egg card 2 LLoyds TSB personal loans I would be interested in any views as to whether you think I am offering too much or is it more likely that a 70% offer will be accepted? I know these things can take time and that it is more usual for companies to accept Fand Fs for problem accounts, however I will soon run into seriuos problems after 7th March anyway and would rather be in a position of sorting it out now in advance. Cheers S