Energy costs rising seven times faster than average income levels

Fri, 18 May 2012 08:52:33 GMT

Eight years ago the average bill was £522, now it is £1,252 - a 140 per cent rise - while average income has increased by just 20 per cent from £32,812 in 2004 to £39,468 today.

Unhappy customers head to Facebook and Twitter over call centres for better results

Thu, 17 May 2012 15:42:30 GMT

Savvy customers are increasingly taking to Twitter and Facebook and shunning long call centre waiting times to get 'VIP' treatment in sorting out their problems.

Euro 2012: England fans warned of mobile phone bills trap

Thu, 17 May 2012 15:42:08 GMT

Ukraine is not in the EU and those out for the tournament could end up with a shock bill costing 11 times more than a ticket to the final, if they call, text and surf the web as if they were at home.

We recently had solar panels installed by Evenvis, but it has charged us VAT at 20%, rather than the 5% it promised

Wed, 16 May 2012 10:12:12 GMT

My wife and I recently had PV solar panels installed by a company called Enevis. We paid £7,511. The quotation said VAT was 5 per cent, but on our final invoice it was shown as 20 per cent.

Cheapest energy tariffs: We reveal today's cheapest energy and gas prices including fixed deals

Wed, 16 May 2012 08:18:48 GMT

E.ON has said that it is not going to raise energy prices for the rest of 2012 for its 4.8million customers. What are the best deals and should you switch?

BT and TalkTalk promise to clean up broadband sales after Ofcom 'mystery shop'

Tue, 15 May 2012 14:26:13 GMT

The watchdog found that TalkTalk and BT Total Broadband were significantly less likely than other providers to give customers a speed estimate, without prompting, when selling over the telephone.

Tesco brings back double Clubcard exchange for one month only

Tue, 15 May 2012 11:58:16 GMT

The promotion will allow customers to change £5 Clubcard vouchers into a £10 exchange token, as the supermarket giant tries to regain its appeal.

E.ON promises to hold energy prices for 5million customers in 2012

Mon, 14 May 2012 10:09:52 GMT

E.ON has promised to not raise residential energy prices for its 4.8 million domestic customers for the rest of 2012.

British Gas owner Centrica threatens £130 gas and electricity bill rises

Sun, 13 May 2012 08:47:05 GMT

The energy giant said rising costs could push the average household ‘dual-fuel tariff’ to a record high of around £1,400.

Big Switch energy deal 'not the cheapest', say critics

Sat, 12 May 2012 20:11:24 GMT

Consumer group Which? has unveiled Co-operative Energy as winner of its Big Switch reverse auction for household energy bills.

Energy bills warning for the winter as Centrica says its costs are climbing

Fri, 11 May 2012 15:32:40 GMT

The UK's biggest energy supplier dropped its standard electricity tariff by 5 per cent at the start of 2012 after big rises last summer, but wholesale gas prices are up 15 per cent for next winter.

Solar panel Feed-in Tariff returns rise to '12.5%' as Tesco wades in prices tumble

Fri, 11 May 2012 15:10:25 GMT

Rich pickings are back on offer for homeowners willing to invest in solar panels, but those interested have only a short time to act. Is it worth doing?

Only 10% in the 'Big Switch' are offered a better energy deal - and it's not even the cheapest on the market

Fri, 11 May 2012 09:49:47 GMT

Co-operative Energy has emerged victorious in the Which? Big Switch – but only 10 per cent of those who signed up will be able to get the winning deal and they will be locked into a fixed rate for 12 months.

Mobile phone roaming charges to fall again: EU orders first cap on internet data and trims call and text costs

Thu, 10 May 2012 14:35:42 GMT

Mobile roaming charges are set to fall again from July following a vote in European Parliament today.

Sprinter Usain Bolt's Virgin Media ads stopped by advertising watchdog

Wed, 09 May 2012 10:18:37 GMT

Virgin Media was hit by a double bolt of bad news after a campaign for its broadband, TV and phone bundle has been banned by the advertising watchdog, along with a claim to have the fastest internet.

Are the days of £1 T-shirts and £5 jeans over? Stores warn they can't afford to keep selling clothes at rock bottom prices

Tue, 08 May 2012 11:03:30 GMT

The end of rock bottom prices and promotions in stores would be a huge blow to consumers already contending with the sky-high cost of fuel and food.

Not cheap as chips anymore: Price of potatoes expected to soar due to wet weather

Mon, 07 May 2012 10:22:48 GMT

Rain and flooding are taking their toll on crops throughout Britain as the wet weather delays planting and slows down harvests.

Expedia made me wait almost a year to get a refund for my dead daughter's flight

Tue, 01 May 2012 14:55:26 GMT

Even those familiar with some of the worst of British customer service would not imagine that it would take a grieving father a year, and an intervention from This is Money, to get a refund for his daughter's ticket.

Should I buy pet insurance via a comparison website, like I do my car and home cover?

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 11:45:13 GMT

I have two pedigree Scottish terrier dogs which I insure for £42 per month. Should I buy via a comparison website?

Energy bills: are you being given a fair deal by gas and electricity firms?

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 08:27:23 GMT

Fuel bills are a hot topic thanks to soaring prices in recent years, but how do companies work out what you should pay and are they playing fair?

Which?: The supermarket products that get smaller while prices stay the same

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 08:45:13 GMT

Which? found that a one litre tub of Carte D'Or Vanilla Light had been slashed by 10 per cent to 900ml and a pack of Magnum ice creams was 330ml instead of 360ml.

Tesco where are my free Clubcard points from my mobile deal

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 09:54:57 GMT

I should have been given 2,500 Clubcard points as part of my Tesco Mobile deal but I'm still waiting for them since November - can you help?

Insurance no longer barrier to wanderlust of older travellers

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 10:57:06 GMT

Older travellers have more choice on insurance after the decision by AllClear Travel to scrap age limits on its annual cover.

Four million homes in debt to their energy supplier ¿ but the number is falling

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 13:34:27 GMT

There are almost four million households in debt to their energy supplier – but the number of people who owe money has fallen from 19 per cent to 14 per cent compared to last year, a study has found.

Is it cheaper to put the heating on high for a short time or longer at a lower temperature?

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 09:47:16 GMT

Is it cheaper to stick the heating on for a short sharp burst and can running my boiler at maximum temperature damage it? Our energy experts tackle a reader's question.

Insurance firms now deem young women drivers almost as dangerous as men

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 10:21:54 GMT

New data shows young women are nearly as dangerous behind the wheel as their male counterparts, despite long-held stereotypes.

Supermarkets use aggressive tactics to sell customers life insurance

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 08:39:48 GMT

A supermarket sales war could see hundreds of thousands of people buying life insurance that does not suit their needs.

British Gas breaks into couple's home, installs pre-pay meter - and changes the locks!

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 16:13:01 GMT

Unbeknown to 35-year-old Carol Driver (pictured) and husband Richard, British Gas had failed to change over the details for the gas and electricity account at the Leytonstone address from the previous tenant.

Orange charged for mobile insurance I didn't want. Can I cancel my contract?

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 10:51:50 GMT

Orange applied its insurance product Orange Care to my mobile phone, even though I told them I did not want it. Can I cancel my contract?

Monitoring habits of young drivers reduces accidents by a fifth, insurer analysis has found

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 10:29:08 GMT

Smartboxes monitoring how youngsters drive can potentially save hundreds from death or serious injury, early days analysis shows. And it should mean that getting cover will be much easier.

Beat the classic car insurance traps and join an owners club to save money

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 10:32:16 GMT

Drivers of historic cars are among the safest behind the wheel. But they must take extra care negotiating the pitfalls of car insurance, as one owner whose excess rocketed to £1,500 found.

Are you paying out for household cover you don't need?

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 09:18:03 GMT

Energy suppliers and water companies are luring householders to take out expensive and often unnecessary insurance.

Legal & General outrage over 'unisex' car insurance

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 22:46:28 GMT

L&G has become the latest insurer to criticise a gender directive from the EU which will ban insurance companies from setting lower motor insurance premiums for women.

Groupon have refused to refund me ¿ is it illegal or just highly unethical?

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 10:39:32 GMT

I bought a Groupon offer that I tried to book but was unable to get hold of the company providing it, now it has told me the offer can't be fulfilled but Groupon is making it hard for me to get my money back.

Women face £362 rise in car insurance after EU rules they cannot be rewarded for safer driving

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 09:50:43 GMT

Analysis by Labour found that women could end up paying an extra £362 a year, around £30 a month.

After Danny Baker brands all insurance a waste of time and money, we ask: Do we really need to buy insurance?

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 13:16:44 GMT

Outspoken radio presenter Danny Baker does not sit on the fence. He thinks insurance is a waste of time and money. And worse, it encourages people to live in a state of constant anxiety. We investigate...

ASK THE EXPERTS: Husband¿s DIY will may force you to leave home

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 10:15:16 GMT

My husband has made a new will - using a kit bought from a stationer - leaving equal shares in half our home to our five grandchildren once they reach 25. Can you make such a legacy?

Should I use a credit card or spend savings to buy a boiler?

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:22:15 GMT

I want to borrow £2,500 to install a new gas boiler. Which is the best way of borrowing the money or should I just take out of my current account?

How do I know if I already have cavity wall insulation and could I save money by getting it done?

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 09:55:30 GMT

How do I know if I already have cavity wall insulation and if I don’t, what could I save by having the work carried out?