Number’s up for scammers when you follow this advice
Q: I am 78 and a few months ago I was given a mobile phone so my family could contact me when out. But recently I have been receiving calls and texts from people I think are scammers and cold callers. How can I stop these?
A: The best way to stop nuisance calls is to register your number with the Telephone Preference Service. They’ll add you to their list of numbers that don’t want to receive sales and marketing calls. You can call them to register on 0345 070 0707 and it’s free to register.
If anyone asks you for money to sign up, it’s a scam and you should report it to your local Citizens’ Advice Bureau. It’s illegal for a company to call numbers registered with the Telephone Preference Service, so registering should scare companies away and stop them bothering you.
You’ll need your phone number, postcode and an email address to sign up on the Telephone Preference Service website. You can also sign up from your mobile by texting ‘TPS’ and your email address to 85095.
If you get nuisance calls after you’ve registered with the Telephone Preference Service, it may be because you gave the caller your number. Tell the individual caller you don’t want to be contacted again, and they should stop calling you.
To try to prevent the problem happening again you should always check any forms that you fill in for tickboxes that say something like “I give permission for third parties to contact me by phone” or “I give you permission to contact me by phone”.
Don’t tick the boxes if you don’t want to be contacted.
Scams usually involve people being tricked into giving money. If you think a caller is trying to run a scam, you should report it to Advice Direct Scotland’s consumer service.
They will: Give you advice on what to do next.
Report the scam to
Trading Standards – they might investigate to see if the business has acted illegally or unfairly
Advice Direct Scotland’s Consumer Service is available by freephone on 0808 164 6000.
If you’ve given your number to a company in the past they may send you texts. You can tell them to stop sending you texts by replying ‘STOP’ to the text message.
If you don’t recognise the sender of a nuisance text or it’s from an unknown number, don’t reply. This will let the sender know you’re number is active and they may send you more texts or call you.
Registering with the Telephone Preference Service will stop you getting nuisance calls, but if someone’s still bothering you 28 days after registering, then report them to the Telephone Preference Service.
Registering with the Telephone Preference Service won’t stop you getting nuisance texts. Forward the text to 7726 – this spells ‘SPAM’ on your phone keypad. This will report the sender to your mobile network company. You won’t be charged for forwarding a text to 7726.
Reporting nuisance calls or texts also helps regulators track down who’s making them. You’re under no obligation to do this, but it’s quick and easy, and it’ll help more people in the long run.
You’ll need to have your contact details and the company name or registration number to hand. You can also report nuisance calls or texts to the Information Commissioner’s Office.
It’s helpful if you know the number that called you and the date and time of the call. If you don’t have all this information, you can give other details of the call –for example, the name of the company that called you.
The Information Commissioner’s Office will investigate and can take action against whoever has been contacting you. Contact details are 0303 123 1113 or www.ico.org.uk
Q: I have a joint mortgage with my partner, but we have decided to split up. Is there any way I could take over the mortgage and become the sole owner?
A: When both partners are joint owners, each has equal right to occupy the home and equal rights to the ownership of the home.
Neither partner has the right to exclude the other unless there has been violence or other behaviour injurious to one partner or a child of the family.
If one tries to put or keep out the other partner, they may be committing an offence and the other partner can obtain a court order to enforce the right to live in the home or be let back in.
On ending a relationship the couple will have to decide by agreement whether the home should be sold and proceeds split or whether one should buy out the other partner by raising another mortgage.
A borrower with a joint mortgage may want to transfer a mortgage into their sole name, for example, in the case of a relationship breakdown. It is at the lender’s discretion whether or not this can happen.
A lender may be reluctant to release a joint borrower from their liability towards the mortgage, since the prospects of receiving the mortgage repayments are likely to be better if there are two (or more) borrowers rather than one.
The lender will also need the signed permission of all the borrowers before a transfer is made.
The lender is more likely to agree to a mortgage being put into a borrower’s sole name if they have a good income, are likely to maintain regular payments and the property is worth more than the amount owing on the mortgage.
The lender is unlikely to transfer from a joint to a sole mortgage if the borrowers are in arrears.
Q: I am about to take a private let, but checked the landlord registry and there is not a landlord listed at the address? Is it still okay for me to take the tenancy?
A: You would be best to speak to the landlord and advise them of this, in case there has been an error. If there has been no error then they should be aware of the following:
From April 30, 2006 all owners of property which is let in Scotland must have applied for registration in the Scottish Landlord Register (previously known as the register of private landlords).
Any owner of residential property which is subject to a lease or an occupancy agreement and which is not specifically excluded must register with the local authority to ensure that he/ she is a fit and proper person to let property.
Owners must register with the local authority in which their property is situated. Local authorities and housing associations are not required to register.
An owner can be an individual or a legal person, such as a company, partnership, organisation, trustees or charity which is responsible for managing the property.
Such a legal person must also register. (A legal person is a company, partnership, organisation, trustees or charity which is responsible for managing the property.)
Owners must register themselves and each property which they let out. They must pay a fee on each property.
If they have properties in different local authority areas, they must register each property with the local authority in which the property is located.
After April 30, 2006, it is an offence for someone to own a let property in Scotland unless he/she has submitted a valid application to register.
A valid application is one in which: The required information is provided. The correct fee is paid.
It is illegal to operate as a landlord if not registered. Tenants of unregistered landlords may be affected. Sanctions may be used against the landlord.
Operating as a landlord when not registered is a criminal offence punishable by a fine of up to £50,000. A court can also disqualify someone from becoming registered for up to five years.
The local authority can also serve a rent penalty notice on one or more of the properties. This means that there would be no rent payable on those properties for a certain period.
You could contact the local authority or Shelter Scotland (0808 800 4444) for further advice.
Q: I have recently moved into my first house and I am wondering if I can get any help with council tax as I live alone now.
A: Council tax is based on the assumption that at least two adults aged 18 or over live in the property as their sole or main residence.
If only one adult lives in the property, a single person discount will apply. Any discount relating to the number of people will be applied after any disability reduction.
The discount is 25 per cent if one adult is counted as living in the property.
If you contact your local authority’s council tax centre they will apply the discount or tell you how to apply for it.
If you also contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau they will be able to provide you with a benefit check and see if you are entitled to any other help.
Don’t tick the boxes if you don’t want to be contacted