More for getting my own thoughts straight on defective D/N's I understand that the DN must specify a date for settlement and not "28 days ( or whatever) from the date of this letter. So, if a DN is deficient and defective can any DCA be told to get knotted on this or should it be initially via the CCA route/"Bemused" letter? and presumably it is not a good idea to tell the OC that their DN is rubbish? perhaps, if it ever gets that far, to wave it in Court? In addition, I presume that being sent a specimen pro- forma DN letter, with no specific personal details, never mind exactitude of dates is also to be regarded as worthless? Sorry if this appears silly questions, I am preparing a flow chart guide and want to get all aspects covered, I am very comfortable with CCA, bemused, defaulted, and all the other template letters so helpfully found here Many thanks

I have worked for Local Government since 2003. Last year I changed from one authority to another and continuous service has been recognised in respect of an extra 5 days paid annual leave. However, we've just been told that employees who started work with the authority after 2011 (I started with them in 2012) will have to use 2 days of their annual leave over the Christmas period, those who were in post prior to 2011 will be 'given' these 2 days. My manager has suggested that I will have to use the 2 days as I started work with them after the cut off date. But...my thoughts are that as I've got extra annual leave due to continuous service, was I not already 'in post' from 2003? Any thoughts gratefully received (together with any evidence etc if possible).

Hi guys, I have been with my current employer for 5 years and the maximum i have taken off for annual leave is 2 weeks during this period. However in december 2012 myself and my family planned to meet up for the first time in august 2013. So decemeber 2012 i got in there first to request annual leave with my line manager along with a couple other holiday requests before that time (odd few days..etc). The odd few days got accepted but he mentioned for 3 weeks off (i work 4 days per week) have to go through a director and that he will get back to me. Its now july and 3 weeks till i have a non refundable very important holiday to take and despite contacting various managers face to face and via email (6 times now) i have had zero response. Furthermore there are 2 or 3 of my colleagues that have young thai girlfriends that causes them to take 3 to 4 weeks off and sometimes twice per year every year without fail. They never get rejected or ignored. I also spoke to 2 of my other colleagues and they have been accepted to take 2 and a half weeks off and 1 week respectively during the time period i want off. These colleagues requested this holiday 3 months AFTER i requested it and they work 5 days a week. I understand the law states the employer can basically choose when i take off on annual leave, but due to the time frame i have given them and the fact they have accepted other colleagues requests after my request for the same time frame AND the fact certain other colleagues get 3 to 4 weeks off each time every single year do i have any sort of case to take this up with anyone? i really feel discriminated ever since i raised a issue with HR about not willing to defraud customers out of money and fiddle the figures. Really appreciate some advice.

Hi All, Can anyone answer the following: When did Natwest start producing cerificates of interest earned? When did they start making this available via the online banking portal? The reason for these questions is that my local tax office in DE have recently been supplied information regarding my UK accounts and are claiming that I have not declared them. I am in the process of trying to convince them that the statement from Natwest covers the period April-April and not Jan-Dec (which is why my figures and the banks do not match - absolute nightmare) Thanks for any information G

Hello All, I finally managed to secure myself my next job, however I am not too clear about somethings before i hand in my resignation letter. Our holiday period runs from Beginning Feb 2013 to end Jan 2014, and I am entitled to 20 day per annum which means every month i work i should get 1.67days. When I work my notice do i still build up holiday entitlements? i.e more days as i want to take those days at the end of my notice period so I can start my new job earlier.

Read more.. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-20950691

Hi just wanted to find out how this works. I handed in my notice on 19/12/2012 and my last day is 18/01/2013. My normal entitlement to annual leave is statutory minimum of 28 days (including all bank holidays). I think proportionally therefore I should have 1 day worth of annual leave to use for the calendar year 2013 but I have been told that I will be paid for this unused leave instead. Therefore am I being paid for the 13 working days I am doing this year (2 Jan to 18 Jan) or am I being paid for 14? As surely normally speaking I should be paid for 13 days even though I am taking one off for annual leave?

Hi guys, My partner has just been direct debited £160 for a second year of membership at Helio Fitness - http://www.heliofitness.co.uk Initially she only signed up for 12 months. However, because the direct debit was in place, they're refusing to reimburse her claiming that she 'should have cancelled the direct debit'. In the terms, we can't find anything relating to annual charges not being refunded. Can anybody help? Terms and conditions from Helio Fitness' website - > PRINCIPLE TERMS > 1. This agreement commences either: If you are on the club’s premises, once you have indicated your acceptance in the Declaration section of this web sign up process. > OR > If you are not on the club’s premises, once you have indicated your acceptance in the Declaration section of this web sign up process and then either entered the clubs premises or after a period of 7 days has elapsed, whichever is earlier. > 2. Your membership starts immediately. > 3. You will be entitled to all the rights and privileges exercisable for the Type of Membership chosen. > 4. You cannot transfer this agreement to anyone else. > > FEES AND CHARGES > 5. The Total first payment amount is due from you to us, is due immediately and is payable on the 1st Direct Debit Payment Date. This amount is not refundable in any circumstances. > 6. The Direct Debit Payment Amount is due from you to us. You are obligated to make the Minimum Number of Direct Debit Payments stated with the first one being paid on the 1st Direct Debit Payment Date, the second on the Second DD payment date and then every month thereafter. For the avoidance of doubt, you are obligated to make every Direct Debit Payment regardless of non attendance, whatever the reason for non attendance may be. > 7. If you fail to pay any monies due under this agreement or if any Direct Debit is returned unpaid or any cheque is returned unpaid or if any other form of payment is not honoured for whatever reason, you shall pay us on demand an administration fee of £25. > 8. You agree to advise us immediately of any change to the Members Details provided. > 9. If you fail to pay any amount due under this agreement for a period of more than thirty days, then we may pass the debt to a third party company for collection. The reasonable costs incurred in employing the third party company will be borne by you including costs in tracing you should you have changed your address without telling us. > > RENEWAL > 10. In order to extend your membership after completing the minimum number of Direct Debit payments, we will automatically continue collecting the Direct Debit Payment Amount every month. Your membership will be cancelled immediately you cancel your Direct Debit. Each payment made is not refundable under any circumstances. This Renewal Direct Debit Payment Amount may only be amended if we advise you in writing giving 30 days notice. Please note – If your membership included the benefit of a Free Period then we will stop making collections during that Free Period and recommence making collections when this free period has finished. > 11. During this Renewal Period the only way to cancel your membership is by cancelling your Direct Debit Mandate directly with your Bank. > > GENERAL TERMS > 12. You agree to comply with the Rules of Membership which are displayed prominently in the Club and relate to opening hours, use of facilities and your conduct. We may make reasonable changes to these Rules at any time provided we give you advance notice of the change. > 13. If we take no action or let you off any breach of this agreement or give you extra time to pay or comply, it will not stop us enforcing the terms of this agreement strictly at a future date. > 14. We may assign the benefit of this agreement and our rights thereunder to a third party on notice to you. Your rights under this agreement will not be prejudiced. > 15. This agreement is governed by English Law. > 16. We may terminate this agreement with immediate effect on notice to you if you are in breach of the Clubs Rules. In this event you will not be liable to pay any further Direct Debit Payments, provided such breach is not deemed by us to have occurred primarily in order to qualify you for a refund. > > Yours sincerely > Harlands Many thanks for your help, Jim

hi i have seen annualcreditreport.co.uk publicised elsewhere, can some body tell me if their reports are comprehensive. they charge 5 pounds for life time of annual credit reports. are they worth it. thank you

i am disgusted in the way you have acted after i had a claim with my car you have told me that my car is valued at £2500 then minus a £290 exess then minus £1282.12 yearly premium which leaves me with £927.88. i think this is an outrage and i demand an answer and my money what would happen in a case that i don't want to drive a car again do you get this money for doing nothing then???

Hi Insolvency Service Annual Report & Accounts 2011/12 Always a slick and interesting report and well worth a read through (in my opinion) http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/hc1213/hc03/0358/0358.pdf Amongst a number of others - the paragraphs below caught the eye - whats that about nobody knowing about who is in an IVA? Individual Insolvency Register Use of the Individual Insolvency Register (IIR) remains at a very high level with 3,967,899 searches being conducted by users. This is an increase of 19% compared with the 3,348,240 searches conducted during 2010-11. Commercial organisations can register to receive data downloads of the IIR and at the end of March 2012 we have 32 subscribers to the service. We recognise the importance of this service to financial service organisations and the wider financial industry, and we work with these stakeholders to understand and meet their needs.

Hi all, Wonder if anyone could shed a bit of light on this situation My in laws, who are in their 60's, have a washing machine from Brighthouse, which they have had for about 3 years. They have never had an annual statement in the 3 years and when they asked their local store they were fobbed off with excuses. Does anyone know how they would go about getting one of these that would cover from the period they got the washing machine til now as they have been told that the machine wont be paid off until a week before christmas which we think it longer than what it should be. They have also had a tv and a touchscreen pc in previous years, the tv went back because they missed a payment and the pc was a joke, it broke, was returned three times each time with another pc that was clearly broken and during this time they were advised not to pay as they didnt have the pc. They were told that they would only be entitled to a new working pc if they signed a new agreement with them which they didn't. With all of these items they had OSC and DLC, where do they stand with these as the have occasionally fell behind with payments and have continued to pay they're weekly payment which included these covers? Thank You