MONEY MORSELS
Savings battle
The high Court has granted savers permission to sue Berkeley Burke pension company after their life savings were put into high risk investments such as overseas property and storage pods.
Lawyers hugh James and Wixted & Co allege investors did not receive proper financial advice before transferring their pensions.
Contact them on 0808 302 3861 by July 23 if you are affected.
Parent landlords
A NEW buy-to-let mortgage from Mansfield BS will allow parents to rent properties to their children. Typically mortgage lenders refuse to lend to landlords who rent properties to family.
The rate is fixed at 1.35 pc below the society’s standard variable rate of 5.6 pc for three years — so 4.24 pc at present. Borrowers need a 25 pc deposit. There is also a £199 application fee and £1,800 completion charge.
Old notes
YOU have just eight days to spend your old paper £10 notes before they cease to be legal tender. The new plastic note featuring Jane Austen came into circulation last September, replacing Charles Darwin. You will still be able exchange them at the Bank of england in person or by post.
Facebook con
CROOKS are sending individuals private Facebook messages claiming to be from MoneySavingExpert’s Martin Lewis in a bid to defraud them. Mr Lewis has warned recipients: ‘I don’t use private messages. These people should not be trusted, they are liars and possibly thieves.’
Energy underdogs
TWO small energy suppliers, Octopus energy and Bulb, have beaten all of the big six suppliers to rank top for customer service, according to comparison site uSwitch. Its survey of 17,000 energy customers shows that 96 pc of Octopus customers were happy with their service compared to just 68 pc with British Gas. Npower ranked bottom of the table with a rating of 65 pc.
Price hike
MILLIONS of EE mobile phone customers will see bills rise by 4.1 pc from March 30. It means a customer on a £30-a-month deal could have to pay an extra £15 a year. Anyone who signed up for a pay monthly mobile or mobile broadband contract after March 26, 2014 is affected.
Student rate cut
MPs hAve called on the Government to consider cutting interest rates on student loans and reintroducing grants for poorer students. The Treasury Select Committee has described the current 6.1 pc interest rate on student loans as ‘questionable’ as it is far higher than rates on mortgages and other lending.