Helen Dewdney, Author at The Twelfth Magpie

Telecom price hikes: 13 top tips for saving on your landline, mobile and broadband

Helen Dewdney — Thu, 03 Feb 2022 14:10:39 +0000

Many telecom providers are putting up their prices for phone, mobile and broadband. How can you save money on your bills? There are a number of ways you can cut the costs of your phone and Internet, and here I share just a few ways you can reduce your telecom outgoings.

Know your telecom consumer rights!

1) Under rules set by the regulator Ofcom, if you’re on a fixed-price contract for your broadband or mobile, your provider can’t put up your price beyond what was agreed when you signed up to your contract, without giving you a right to exit without a penalty. Providers must warn you when your current contract is ending and tell you what you could save by signing up to a new package.

2) They must give you at least 30 days’ notice of a change to your contract, during which time you can decide to move to a new provider. You may have to pay a penalty fee, depending on your contract terms.

3) Ofcom rules do not prohibit providers from using price variation terms. However, providers must make them sufficiently prominent and transparent when you agree to the contract (i.e. you are made aware of the different amounts you will have to pay at different points of the contract). If you have not been made aware, then you can leave the contract without any penalty, meaning you will not pay a termination fee.

Look at what you need and what you might be eligible for

4) Just as you can save your energy costs by looking at how you use appliances, you can do similar with how you use your packages. Before you do anything, take a good look at what you actually need. Check your download speeds. Check what you are and aren’t using. Do you need all the add-ons that you have? Are you actually using your landline more in evenings and weekends? Are you watching all the TV channels you are paying for? It may be that you could downgrade or get a more suitable package from another provider.

Are you eligible for discounted telecom packages?

5) Providers should have in place special, cheaper deals for people in receipt of certain benefits (sometimes known as ‘social tariffs’). In July 2021 Ofcom set out some boundaries for effective social tariffs, such as ensuring there are no data caps, minimal initial up-front costs and no early termination charges. Check with your provider what is available.

6) If you are on certain benefits some providers offer packages such as BT broadband’s half price Home Essentials. If you’re on Universal Credit, a number of providers will offer different deals.

7) If you are a job seeker check out how to get six months of free broadband.

Look at switching provider

8) Use comparison websites, as well as going to telecom providers’ sites direct. Get an idea of the range of packages available and what you are prepared to pay before you make any decisions or start to haggle with your current provider.

9) Use cashback sites, such as TopCashback and Quidco. Check them all, as they have different offers and this could give you even more money off.

Armed with switching information, haggle

10) Use all the information you have gleaned from comparison and cashback sites when speaking to your current provider. Remember, if you’re ordering by telephone or on the Internet, you have 14 days to cancel if a better deal comes along in the meantime.

11) Be polite and assertive. Haggle on the length of the deal you get offered, as well as the price. Remember, companies expect and allow for giving discounts… so grab them!

12) Be open to any kind of upgrade. A few months ago I complained to Virgin Media about speeds and poor service, and after a few engineer visits and lots of complaining I got 6 months paid for, a discount on an upgrade and a free powerline.

13) Check to see if you have any deals available with credit cards or discount cards you may have too, such as a student card that may give you a discount on a telecom package.

The post Telecom price hikes: 13 top tips for saving on your landline, mobile and broadband appeared first on The Twelfth Magpie.

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House prices keep on rising: 10 ways to get the best price for your property

Helen Dewdney — Mon, 24 Jan 2022 18:01:49 +0000

It seems that house prices will continue to rise and that it is a seller’s market. However, should you sell your property? If you decide you do, what can you do to make sure you get the best price and sell your home quickly?

Check out my top tips for selling your home. You’ll find you can increase the desirability of your home without spending too much.

1) Make a good first impression

People will start to form an opinion as soon as they see your property. Make sure your door number is clear, windows are clean and that any exterior is smart and clear of mess.

2) Tidy up!

Yes, tidying up may be dull, I know. You might think you’ll be taking all your stuff with you! But mess can really put people off making an offer on a house. Declutter and store things away. This also gives the appearance of more space and having enough storage.

This goes for the garden, too. Children’s toys all over the garden might make it homely for you but people want to see how the garden would look if they bought the house. How much work will it need, is it an easy upkeep? Try and show that it is!

3) Use your network

Before you talk to an estate agent, use your social and professional networks to tell people that you’re looking to sell. Many times, neighbours will have friends or family who are looking to move to the area. By not using an estate agent, you can save a lot of money!

4) Find a decent estate agent

You could be forgiven for thinking that one estate agent is much like another. Not so. Our neighbour is selling their house and being the nosey person I am, I looked it up, immediately! Lovely house, great pictures and video. But the video goes onto to show a completely different area, in another borough! The wrong park, station and shops!

Make sure your estate agent knows your area and takes time to gets to know you, your home and what you want from them. You will need to trust them to advise on the best price but also what your lowest price will be.

Ask around for recommendations and don’t just go with the first one. Invite three and compare the cost of multi-agency versus single-agency.

5) Fix things!

You may be used to that door squeaking but when people go round your house, it’s the little things that could put them off. You need to sell your house in as near-perfect condition as you can. So fix the squeaks, the sticky window, etc.

6) Be ready for people

You never know what people will look at, ask or move! Some will look in cupboards, some will open and shut and test anything you say that you are leaving behind. Be prepared and clean the property thoroughly before viewers arrive.

7) Sort anything that may put off potential buyers

From mould and damp, to not having a bath, there is a range of things that can put people off from making an offer on your home.

8) Nice smells?

It’s often said that having bread baking can help sell a home. So if you have a bread maker, it’s easy! Others say fresh coffee. But I’m not keen on coffee and I might look to buy your home?!

So, try and find a smell that is neutral but not air freshener. If your home smells of air freshener then people will assume you have just sprayed it to mask the smell of something else! If you have pets, use a neutraliser.

33% of Brits said they were less likely to buy a property with bad smells. Only mould and damp came in as higher “put offs”.

9) Undertake some home improvements

You could do home improvements yourself if you are that way inclined and capable! But if not, and you need to get someone else in, remember that builders are in short supply. So, think about booking these in ASAP!

Paint walls a neutral colour and think about upgrading small things like door knobs and light switches to give an extra shine and impression of freshness.

10) Make small changes to your home

Tactically placing mirrors can give the impression of more space as you move from one room to another Paint over any stains and keep wall colours neutral. Ensure good lighting to show everything, literally, in its best light!

Good luck in selling your home!

The post House prices keep on rising: 10 ways to get the best price for your property appeared first on The Twelfth Magpie.

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Credit card or BNPL: which is better for me?

Helen Dewdney — Thu, 20 Jan 2022 10:35:58 +0000

Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) is a type of credit that has become increasingly popular over the last few years. Brands such as Klarna, Clearpay and Laybuy have popped up and expanded. David Sandström, Klarna’s chief marketing officer, said recently in Verdict that “one reason for the buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) sector’s huge expansion over recent years is customers simply having had enough of the raw deal offered by traditional credit card providers.”

Well, frankly that begs the question “He would say that, wouldn’t he?!”

So, just how do they compare? Are credit cards the raw deal that Sandström claims when compared with BNPL?

How do BNPL and credit cards work?

BNPL companies make their money by contracting with retailers, who pay them a percentage of the sale as commission. Credit cards are payment cards used to make purchases, where the money paid to the retailer is then repaid later by the consumer, over time. Credit card issuers make their money on commission charged to retailers and on interest charged to consumers.

Which is best for me?

Interest free?

BNPL can help you spread payments and help with your cash flow. In theory, it shouldn’t cost you anything if you always make the payments on schedule.

If you always pay off a credit card in full each month, a credit card shouldn’t cost you anything either.

BNPL can seem attractive if you are struggling for money. If you buy a high-ticket item that you really need, you can defer payment without paying interest. The amount and payment schedule varies between providers. You could pay something at the point of purchase, pay at 30 days and then pay weekly, fortnightly or monthly. So, you might have a month with a big insurance bill and that cash flow will be easier.

However! If you are savvy and buy at the right time on your credit card, you can have the maximum time to pay, which could be up to 56 days. The billing cycle is 31 days with a further 25 days grace. So, buy on day one and Bob’s your uncle, for 56 days.

It is possible to play even more cleverly with credit cards, though! For example, by transferring your balance to another card that offers a 0% balance on new purchases for a varying number of months. You could do this more than once too! You’ll still be paying interest on the transferred amount.

Missed payments

If you miss a BNPL payment, you can end up paying a hefty penalty. Sometimes, it can be interest from the start of the monthly payments and other times from the month of the missed payment. You may also incur late payment fees. Some schemes offer repayment terms of 30 days and others up to 12 months.

Credit cards will always charge interest on outstanding balances and penalties for missed payments

Free benefits

Most credit cards have a points-based system of benefits. So, for every purchase you make, you can “earn” points that you can use towards products and services depending on which card you choose. In my own case, our credit card points pay for the car breakdown cover every year!

Section 75 cover

Credit cards benefit from an automatic “Section 75” cover for all purchases of over £100, allowing you to claim your money back from the credit card company if something goes wrong.

When making BNPL payments funded via a credit card, you do not get the “Section 75” cover. If something goes awry with a purchase, you are on your own and don’t have the fallback position, although you may still have cover through your bank’s voluntary “Chargeback” scheme.

Lack of regulation

Because BNPL is currently unregulated, providers do not have to carry out similar checks to other lenders which have to abide by financial regulations. These include conventional credit checks, which would ensure you can afford the payments and the lender would have to tell you in detail about the product and what will happen if you don’t pay. As a result, vulnerable people — who are more at risk of falling into arrears — are likely to use BNPL than a credit card.

Financial Ombudsman

Again, because BNPL is not regulated, you have no recourse to redress through the Financial Ombudsman. If you have an issue with a BNPL provider, the only option is to complain to them, and if you’re then not satisfied with the response to go through the Small Claims Court, which could be expensive.

And the winner is?

It would appear to me that using a tried and trusted conventional credit card has more benefits and fewer disadvantages than BNPL, if used wisely and when you have carefully planned all your other expenditure.

The post Credit card or BNPL: which is better for me? appeared first on The Twelfth Magpie.

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Big Energy Saving Week: how to check and query huge energy bills

Helen Dewdney — Mon, 17 Jan 2022 19:19:17 +0000

As we approach the end of January we can expect some of the highest monthly or quarterly energy bills to arrive, reflecting consumption during the colder winter months. This week is Big Energy Saving Week, run by Citizen’s Advice and the Energy Saving Trust to share advice that helps people manage their energy bills.

Rising prices

The current energy crisis is causing worry for many of us. According to new research published by the Resolution Foundation today, 6.2 million households will struggle to pay bills when the new energy price cap comes into effect on 1 April. The price cap is predicted to rise by a staggering 51% in April 2022, an average increase of about £600 a year.

Check your bill

It is possible that your bill might be wrong so check it! Look at your bill and how it is broken down.

Take the price of electricity or gas per unit (KW/h) divided by 100 and multiply that by the consumption of the energy used. Add the cost of the standing charge, as the number of days multiplied by the daily charge and then add the VAT, which for energy is 5%.

So for example:

1)	Pence per KW/h/100 x consumption 18.5/100) x 315.5	+	£58.37
2)	Days x daily standing charge 63 x 0.223	+	£14.05
3)	Sub total	=	£72.42
4)	VAT @ 5%	+	£3.62
5)	Grand Total	=	£76.04

If you have a day and night rate, perform the same check for the night rate.

If you have both electricity and gas then repeat the check for your gas bill too.

Check the reading

If your supplier has used estimated readings for a long time, it could be that your bill is significantly wrong. Take readings and submit them to your supplier.

Don’t pay the estimated bill. Instead, send correct readings to your supplier who will provide an accurate bill. It could work in your favour, as you may have paid too much and be in credit. But do remember it could also go the other way!

Check the Direct Debit

Your Direct Debit amount should be the same each month/quarter and your supplier must inform you if it will change. If it doesn’t inform you, you can complain to your bank under the Direct Debit guarantee.

Get back any credit

If you pay by Direct Debit, you may be in credit. You can claim this back, or you may want to use it to reduce Direct Debit payments or leave it there to cover the coming price hikes.

Check your meter

Although it’s quite unusual for a meter to be wrong, it’s still worth checking, you never know!

You might be asked to take daily readings for a week.

If it is showing an error message or you don’t believe you are using the amount of energy you are being billed for, contact your supplier and take a reading and picture of the meter.

If an error message is showing on a prepayment meter, there’s probably a fault. Contact your supplier speedily, who must come and check the meter within 3 hours on a working day and 4 hours on a non-working day. If you need to top up your meter while the matter is being resolved, request replacement tokens from your supplier.

For a credit meter, turn off everything that uses energy including anything on stand-by and see if the display numbers still increase. One by one, turn on an appliance. If numbers turn very quickly when you turn one on, that is probably the faulty appliance. If it’s a gas meter, there could be a leak and you should immediately contact the National Grid Gas Emergency line on 0800 111 999.

Your supplier must tell you what they’ve done to investigate the problem, how they will fix it and offer to put all the details in writing. Be aware, though, that if your supplier finds that it’s not faulty, they might ask you to pay a fee.

Complaining about a wrong energy bill

In the first instance, complain to your supplier and explain the issue politely and objectively.

If you are not satisfied with your response, you can take the matter to the Energy Ombudsman. You must wait 8 weeks from when you started the complaint or request a deadlock letter. This deadlock letter will come from the supplier stating that they will not discuss the matter further. The Energy Ombudsman will then make a decision.

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