Archive for April, 2009

More holiday nightmares as another company collapses!

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009

A successful Newcastle based holiday company has had to close its doors after 12 years in the industry. With a seventy million pound turnover, the collapse comes as a surprise to many especially the thousands who had booked holidays with the firm.

While customers who had booked directly with the ATOL registered business should be able to claim refunds, this offers little relief for people like Mr and Mrs Watts who booked their holiday in Turkey through a Teletext third party.

Mr and Mrs Watts were looking forward to their fortnight’s holiday in the Mediterranean. Having paid out almost eight hundred pounds for their holiday in the sun, the couple are left in doubt whether or not they will be netitled to a refund.

According to the article “Freedom Direct collapse ruins couple’s holiday” not booking the holiday directly with the company could put paid to any chance of a refund. Freedom Direct, prior to its closure, was ATOL registered and able to refund customers the costs of their trips. Unfortunately for the Watts, having booked through a Teletext company, could find there is no chance of seeing their money again.

Freedom Direct owed its sudden closure, it is claimed, to new auditors being unable to complete accounts within the time constraints that are set out by ATOL. The company’s collapse last week saw the laying off of a hundred and nine employees from its Newcastle offices as well as the cancellation of thousands of holidays. In an effort to minimise the upset as much as possible, accountants are looking into ways of selling tours booked through Freedom on to other travel companies. Through this it is anticipated that customers will be able to continue with their holiday bookings as originally planned.

What about the Watt’s holiday? Did the couple have the foresight to take out travel insurance? It is hoped they will be able to gain a refund from their credit card company although the couple are still to receive confirmation of this possibility.

Anybody affected by the collapse of Freedom Direct should call the Civil Aviation Authority on 0207 279311.

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Two weeks in the sun – rather you than me!

Tuesday, April 21st, 2009

Things change! We love our holidays, but don’t want to be away for too long! Who knows, we may miss something! We no longer crave for two weeks away from our day-to-day routines and the thought of a break of longer than a week fills us with dread! Has the world gone raving mad? No just some of us!

According to the article “Why two weeks in the sun isn’t always good for you!” only people in their fifties and over really appreciate a long holiday. Conversely, holidaymakers under fifty years of age can’t wait to get back to their routines after a week and only when home find they can relax! Not only that but it could even be said that a holiday of over a week could even do some damage. A holidaymaker easily bored without their mobile phones can become stressed and should return home before their condition gets any worse.

Latest research findings reveal holidaymakers can be pretty particular when it comes to the duration of their stay away. There was a time when two weeks never failed to ‘hit the spot’ but it seems, this is no longer the case!

The older we get, the more chance we are able to completely relax and benefit from a holiday away. How long a person requires to benefit from a holiday can be determined by their age. Saga Travel research reveals that two thirds of holidaymakers over fifty years of age have revealed they love a holiday, while one tenth of 18 to 49 year olds find boredom setting in before the first week is up.

Are you someone who would benefit more from a shorter holiday? To find out how much holiday you need take a look at Saga’s holiday calculator on the company’s website.

Holidays can be stressful in more ways than one. Gauging the right length of holiday to suit is a start but there are one or two other considerations to bear in mind. We are all aware how a number of airlines have struggled to survive the difficult and hugely competitive grind of the economic downturn. What if your airline collapsed? Reduce the stress from your holiday by taking out some suitable travel insurance to provide protection in the event of an airline collapse. Above all the more preparation you lend to your holiday the more you will benefit from it at the end of the day.

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Don’t become a victim to shed theft!

Monday, April 20th, 2009

Get the garden security in! Our gardens are once again at threat by those green- fingered bandits! The summer of produced a surprising increase in garden crime of 63% according to the article “Protected your home against theft? Don’t forget your shed!” The insurance providers Halifax anticipate a further increase of garden related theft for this year.

Not only are our garden tools and equipment at risk, so too are our trees! The garden security specialists Gardien reported the theft of a couple of bay trees last month in Manchester! It is a reality that anything situated outside that is in full view of the opportunist criminal mind such as statues and even crazy paving. The security specialists additionally reported five sheds in Hertfordshire broken into in the last month. (Lock up those sheds good and proper if you live in Hertfordshire!)

It seems the time has come to look at serious crime prevention measures for our gardens as well as our homes. Many of us who enjoy tinkering about in the garden of an evening have plants to the average value of seven hundred pounds! Shed owners have a tendency to squirrel away goods to the value of little short of a thousand pounds so with this in mind isn’t it of little wonder that those career criminals come sniffing round. Not only do we keep anything from bicycles to lawnmowers in our sheds, this is where the tools are kept that are best suited for a housebreak! The security of our gardens and indeed our sheds cry out for attention!

Green crime on the increase, the garden centres are reporting break-ins too! But how little comfort there is in the fact that private gardens are not the only targets of the ‘green-fingered’ criminal. A Watford garden centre recently reported the theft of a specific variety of plants leading to speculation that the culprits were landscape gardeners stealing to order!

While the average cost to replace stolen garden goods is over three hundred pounds, many of us are guilty of not checking our home insurance policies. Checking our insurance cover is especially appropriate as some companies cover gardens as standard while others do not! If your current insurance policy does not cover your garden, a garden insurance tack on may only cost as little as thirty pounds per year! Cover for your garden is worthwhile in that it not only covers theft of goods but may pay for garden design expenses in the event of criminal damage.

In addition to a good garden insurance policy, ensure your garden security is instantly improved with simply additions such as lights and well-placed thorn bushes.

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Green Finger protection against Sticky Fingers!

Thursday, April 9th, 2009

Not even our gardens are safe from thieves. According to the article “Two thirds of households forget garden insurance” garden theft is a very big issue especially because people tend to overlook the necessity of insurance for the garden.

As a nation, we love our gardens! On average we spend in excess of seven hundred pounds on our garden yet over sixty per cent of us have no insurance in place for it. Why are we not insuring our gardens?

The reason we are failing to insure our gardens is not because we are unaware of garden crime. Over seventeen per cent of people in an M&S poll stated they knew of someone who had plants, trees and shrubs stolen. The problem is a bigger one in the north where almost a quarter of the poll knew someone who had been a victim of garden crime. Garden crime is not just about stolen plants and the like but can also include criminal damage by intruders so it is all the more surprising that people are missing the point of garden insurance. Gardeners love nothing better than to enjoy hours of every day nurturing their gardens to the extent that their patch of greenery of certain dimensions becomes a prized possession.

We lock away our precious jewellery and our cars but what of our gardens? Many gardens lack security of any kind and prove enticing to the passing thief and vandals.

When looking into garden insurance, do bear in mind that garden furniture should be covered by home contents insurance, while patios and conservatories can be covered by your buildings insurance. It is essential to shop around for the best insurance to suit you and your needs because some companies will not cover you for plant replacement while others will.

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Roll up! Savings to be had by becoming a property guardian angel!

Wednesday, April 8th, 2009

We are all looking for ways to save money now more than ever so this article should strike a note in many a credit crunching ear! Why not consider becoming a property guardian?

According to the article “Knock 75% off your rental costs!” several property companies like Ad Hoc, Ambika and Camelot have come up with a unique way for tenants to save money on rent by being property guardians! But don’t forget to take out your own home contents insurance!

How the scheme works is by becoming a property guardian, you are essentially protecting a property. An idea that originated from Holland where the scheme is well underway and successful, becoming a property guardian could literally save you hundreds of pounds. Not for everyone, being a guardian means a certain lack of security of tenure. The property company you are dealing with may require you to move into another property at a couple of week’s notice. Although you will be encouraged to make it your home, guardian are not allowed pets, children, parties, smoking and you will initially be requested to pay a deposit as well as admin charge. Increasing all the time in popularity, these schemes are rapidly becoming subscribed, attracting in particular guardians who are police, doctors, nurses, teachers and actors.

The property company acquires empty buildings. Some of these buildings require renovation or redecoration before they are suitable for letting. What happens next is companies like Camelot Property Protection approach the building’s owner requesting a fee for protecting the empty property from any kind of damage as well as squatters. To achieve this, the property company will install a property guardian. The ‘guardian’ (or caretaker) will pay a living fee to the property company every month, which is a fraction of a normal rent by occupying the building. Where many properties occupy prime city locations, property guardians will only pay living fees in the region of sixty pounds a week shaving a huge chunk of normal rental charges.

The types of property available for property guardians vary from regular semi-detached residential property to a church or a commercial property. The property will be habitable with the usual facilities and utilities such as hot running water, lighting and heating. All you will need to provide are furniture, cooking utensils and all your usual bits and pieces.

Being a property guardian does not mean you are providing a security service and expected to tackle intruders or burglars! Your presence in a property is generally deterrent enough. However in the event of break-ins, you would be expected to act as you would anywhere else and dial ‘999’.

Though you are performing the role of a property guardian, your property will not be protected or insured by the company who employ you. Prior to moving in ensure you have good home contents insurance and carry out the usual security measures such as not leaving valuables on display and ensuring windows are closed and locked.

As the credit crunch gets worse, this is the kind of project that is likely to take the nation by storm, as you too can become a property guardian!

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Sidestep burglary – move to Dudley!

Tuesday, April 7th, 2009

The credit crunch is forcing people to consider economising by making cuts to their insurance. Conclusions drawn, however, from a recent Virgin Money survey were that people living in certain areas should not hastily cancel their policies. Research has revealed certain geographical regions are worse for burglary, criminal damage and flooding than others and the results (in some cases) are surprising.

According to the article “The most likeliest places to be burgled” if you live in Doncaster, Nottingham, Sheffield and Middlesborough you really ought to be shopping for home insurance. Recent findings have revealed a burglary concentration in these towns compared with England and Wales maintaining that residents of these places should think twice before cancelling their insurance policies.

Do you live in a safe part of England?

The safest areas in England and Wales are (in order of the safest first) Kensington and Chelsea, Dudley, Poole, Brighton and Hove, Wandsworth, Lewisham, City of Westminster, Hackney, Tower Hamlets and Southend. These towns and boroughs scored highly in terms of safety by taking into consideration the criteria of ‘Neighbourhood Watch’ presence, levels of police officers on patrol in an area as well as data held at the National Office of Statistics, the Home Office, the Association of Police Authorities and the Environment Agency.

To say that the Kensington and Chelsea borough was a burglar free zone would be an untruth! This is an area of considerable wealth and so a magnet for any thief with ambitious tendencies. The findings of this Virgin Money survey can prove somewhat confusing, with Kensington and Chelsea (regarded the safest place to live) regarded as less of a flood risk and criminal damage target experiencing high levels of burglary. Overall however, insurers regard this particular borough as ‘low risk’ therefore keeping premiums low for the residents.

Where the location of your home hugely affects your insurance premiums, in order to economise you need to ask yourself if you live in a safe area.

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Tesco set to create jobs in banking!

Monday, April 6th, 2009

Amid today’s climate of downsizing and bankruptcies, a wave of new businesses being launched makes a refreshing change from all the doom and gloom! According to the article “Glasgow set the standard as Tesco set to open 30 banks” the supermarket giant Tesco are set to reverse the job loss situation in the UK’s financial services sector. Well done, Tesco!

At a time when the general public are becoming disillusioned with banks, Tesco are hoping to attract customers with their excellent reputation as a popular and familiar family brand. Plans to open thirty banking establishments across the nation began with the launch of the very first branch within its Glasgow superstore. Following on from its pilot branch a further twenty-nine branches are set to be up and running before 2010, beginning with Coventry, Blackpool, Bristol and Brislington.

Following on from the success of Tesco financial services, it is only a matter of time before the range of services expands. Many of us already in possession of Tesco brand home insurance, pet insurance, credit cards and more will be able to take advantage of the full banking package at the leading supermarket. Plans to expand are running on full throttle as once these designated Tesco banking branches are up and running, we will then be able to apply for a Tesco current account within a short sharp eighteen months. In addition to the more familiar products of insurance and credit cards, the store’s plans include much more including mortgages.

Offering a service that is traditional and conservative, it is hoped that customers will enjoy Tesco banking’s somewhat old fashioned approach. In their efforts to provide a banking service that supports customer loyalty, Tesco have reported an increase by a hundred percent of money deposited with them in the last six months. Five hundred thousand customers now bank with Tesco thanks to a recent drive in conjunction with RBS. Ever since going it alone having bought out the banking giant in July 2008, the sales figures speak for themselves. Saving accounts opened in one month alone (last December to be precise) equalled those achieved in a whole year (2007). With this in mind, it seems Tesco can rest assured they are giving customers what they want and providing a better service.

Finally, more good news was recently announced, that Tesco aim to recruit around two hundred employees to operate its financial services headquarters in Edinburgh.

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