Sex Pistols tape could fetch £10k

A RARE Sex Pistols video telling the story of the 70s punk rock band’s rise to fame could fetch up to £10,000 at auction.

A copy of The Filth and the Fury, A Sex Pistols Film was discovered at the bottom of a box of musical memorabilia by a private collector in Retford, Nottinghamshire.

The video will go under the hammer at Hansons Auctioneers in Derbyshire on March 23.

I RECENTLY hired a builder to carry out work on a wall of my building – but it has not been completed properly. Can you offer any advice? THE Consumer Rights Act states that if you have entered a contract for goods or services – in this instance, with the builder for provision of building works – then you can expect these to be supplied with reasonable skill or care.

The first thing to do is take photos of incomplete works as evidence.

Having a record of the work can be useful in highlighting the issue to the builder – and as evidence further down the line, if required.

You should reach out to the builder and highlight issues you have come across – in this case the incomplete, or substandard, workmanship on the job.

In any communication, you should outline the problem, what you expect them to do to resolve it and offer a realistic timescale in which they can action your request(s). Referring to the original estimate or quote can be useful at this stage.

You should keep records of any discussions, ensuring you note any dates/times of calls and follow them up in writing (an email will suffice).

Try to stick to email to ensure you have a record of any conversations and agreements made with them.

Agreeing a date for completion of the remedial work can be useful in setting expectations for all parties involved.

If they do not stick to the initial agreed deadline then you can contact them again and give a final date they will be required to complete the works by – making it clear that failure to adhere to this could result in you getting someone else in to rectify the issue and claiming the costs back from them.

When you are requesting the original builder fixes the work, you can also include estimates from other traders for the work. This will highlight to the original trader the amount you could potentially claim from them if they do not resolve the issue(s).

If the previous actions do not resolve the issue, the next step is to start a formal complaints process.

You can request this from the builder. If this is not in place, you can check whether they are a member of a trade association.

If they are a member of a trade association, you may be able to use any dispute resolution schemes that they have in place.

There are further steps that can be taken if the trader is uncooperative or unresponsive, including escalating the issue to an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) scheme.

In the case of home improvement, the Dispute Resolution Ombudsman could help. More information is available at www.dispute resolutionombudsman.org

If the trader is not willing to use an ADR scheme to resolve the dispute, you have other options available to you.

These include Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act if you paid more than £100 using a credit card (even partial payment), and even potentially taking the trader to court if you need to.

If you have concerns about a trader acting unlawfully, and potentially beaching your rights as a consumer, you can also report this to your local Trading Standards department – consumeradvice.scot can do this on your behalf.

You can contact them on 0808 164 6000 (9am to 5pm, Mon to Fri).

Dear Coleen

I STRUGGLE with body image. I was overweight as a child and was always different from other kids my age. My body developed quicker and I got bullied for this.

Over the years it has got better and I’m now a normal weight, and I’m working on my body confidence, but there’s still a little part of me that’s going to be forever hating my body and wanting to deprive myself so that I’m skinny.

Can you help?

Coleen says

FIRST of all, you’ve done brilliantly and I’m so glad you’re fit and healthy now.

You’ve come so far and you have to take strength and confidence from that.

I think trauma from childhood does stick with us and can lie dormant for ages but then be triggered when we’re vulnerable.

So when you’re feeling low, have some positive distractions to take you out of that mindset.

It might be a friend who’s great at buoying you up, a self-help app that is brilliant for helping you to feel more balanced and in control – anything that works to break the cycle of negative thoughts.

I don’t know if you’ve ever had counselling but that could also help you to work through all those emotions and events from your childhood, so that you’re not afraid of them any more and can move forward.