thank you

My daughter rented a house and tenancy began on 08/02/2012, it is a six month tenancy which continued as a periodic tenancy once the original six months expired. The rental agent is what can only be called a rogue agent the fact that she has had continued problems with getting them to do repairs, which has culminated in her being injured when kitchen units fell from the wall. Currently there is a claim for damages in force. The problem she now has is the fact that the housing benefit office has refused to accept a periodic tenancy again and have said she cannot get benefit if she cannot provide a new tenancy but the agents are saying that the original suffices and on advice from the landlord not to sign her into a new tenancy on the basis of it complicating the claim. I believe this is purely a retaliation move. Any advice please.

Thank you for your reply I will keep it for future reference but as I advised yesterday to the forum Citi paid up in full after I threatened legal action.

This morning I received a cheque from CitiFinancial Europe plc for £1639.74 as full settlement of my PPI claim including £200 compensation awarded by Financial Ombudsman for stress etc. A long wait but well worth it thanks to CAG. Well worth mentioning that final decision by FOS was handed down on 21/10/2009, Citi given four weeks to repond which they didn't. Letter sent to Citi dated 19/11/2009 advising pending legal action. Letter received today dated 26/11/2009 enclosing two cheques one dated 12/11/2009 and the other 19/11/2009.

In a nutshell I made a PPI claim against CitiFinancial Europe plc which after the usual delaying tactics I placed with the Financial Ombudsman Service. After a long delay because of the sheer numbers of complaints the FOS has found in my favour. I have received the final decision as have Citi but they have failed to respond within the four weeks that the FOS indicated resulting in me advising them that failure to do so I would take further action. Citi have failed to respond and my question is "what's next". I note that in order for me to make a county court claim on the online service I need to have a fixed sum of money to claim but I don't know what they owe me. I would appreciate some advice please.

Hello, Thank you tomterm8 for you speedy reply it is much appreciated. Trevor Vale

In 1990 I took out a Endowment mortgage with London & Manchester Assurance. The first 3 years premiums on the endowment were to be paid and added to the mortgage. Because of arrears on the mortgage account the endowment was only paid the first year and lapsed in 1991 although I was not told it had lapsed for a full six months at which time they demanded payment in full which I could not pay. An investigation was carried out which resulted in them discovering that the endowment mortgage had been mis-sold by the mortgage broker as the term went beyond my retirement age without any evidence of how payments were to be financed in retirement. The company refunded the first years premiums plus interest which was used to settle the arrears and the rest off the mortgage balance. Since that date I have not been given a new repayment mortgage now that no endowment is in place, even though the mortgage went from London & Manchester to the Leeds and then to the current lender Halifax, only once about five years ago did the Halifax show any concern as to how the mortgage would be paid if I died suddenly but on being told that I was insured by my employer for an amount in excess of the mortgage owing nothing more was said. I am no longer employed by that company and so have no insurance at all to cover the mortgage. With five and a half years to go before the term is up we are resigned to the fact that we will have to sell to pay off the mortgage as we are now pensioners and have no hope of paying it off without doing so. After that long winded explanation my question is does anyone think we have any kind of redress against the lenders or is just all my own fault for letting it drag with no solution being found by myself. Your comments would be appreciated although I already know I'm a prat. Trevor Vale

Hello Paul, Thanks for your reply it was what I was thinking. The actual words used in his dismissal letter are "The charge of misconduct is therefore upheld and we have no alternative but to dismiss you with immediate effect. " I believe this is a dismissal and not a summarily dismissed and therefore entitled to both holiday pay and pay in lieu of notice. Thank you again. Trevor

Hello, My son recently was dismissed from his job for bad timekeeping and absenteeism. Am I correct in saying that as this dismissal is not for gross misconduct but the lesser reason of misconduct then he is entitled to pay in lieu of notice, he has 3 completed years of service? His contract says: "The Employer may terminate this Agreement without notice or pay in lieu of notice in the case of serious or persistent misconduct such as to a major breach of the Employer's disciplinary rules." With regards to his holiday pay the contract says: " The employee will not be entitled to be paid in respect of holidays accrued due to be taken as at the date of termination of employment." After following the disciplinary procedures he was dismissed on the spot and at the time of his dismissal had only taken a few days of his holiday entitlement. I would appreciate some information. Thank you in advance. Trevor :?