STRAIGHT TO THE POINT
I OWN a burglar alarm, but rarely use it. A friend tells me this is worse than not having one at all, as it will invalidate my home insurance if I am burgled and it’s not switched on. Is this true?
H. N, Cotgrave, Notts.
IF You’vE told your insurer you have an alarm, they will have taken this into account and probably reduced the cost of your policy. In return, they will expect you to set the alarm when you’re out. If you don’t and you’re burgled, your insurer could well refuse to pay out. But if you haven’t told your insurer you have an alarm, you should be covered.
I PURCHASED a corner sofa and matching foot stool from online retailer Very. They didn’t arrive on the delivery date I specified, and when I called to ask why, I was told they’d lost them. It is now two weeks on and I still don’t a clue if, or when, they will be delivered.
E. M., Staffordshire.
A SpokESmAn for Shop Direct, which owns very, apologises for the delay and the service you received when trying to rectify the issue. The firm has arranged for a more expensive sofa to be delivered for the same price you paid plus a £100 gesture of goodwill for the inconvenience caused.
I HAVE a Virgin bank account that I keep for when I go on holiday once a year because it doesn’t charge extra fees to use its debit card overseas. But is there any risk they will close it down if I don’t use it more frequently?
D. H, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.
vIRgIn closes current accounts where someone has a £0 balance for 180 consecutive days, or less than £1 for 365 days. So as long as you keep at least £1 in your account you should be fine.
IF I leave everything to my wife, will my children avoid inheritance tax?
K. G., Romford, Essex.
IF You pass your entire estate to your wife, no tax will be due, regardless of its size. But when your wife dies, your children will owe inheritance tax if the estate is worth more than £650,000. If you are just leaving your home to your children, this threshold rises to £850,000. When your children do inherit, they must start paying the tax bill by the end of the sixth month after her death.