MONEY MORSELS
Price freeze
BT is freezing its broadband, landline and mobile prices until next year. From January 11, 2020, prices will rise each year in line with inflation as measured by the consumer price index (cPi), which is currently 2.3 pc. Previously, the firm increased bills by however much it liked. Last year, customers were hit with two price hikes in nine months.
Scam alert
HOUSEHOLDS are being urged to watch out for scam calls from fraudsters claiming to be from HMRC ahead of the tax return deadline on January 31. Victims are being threatened with prosecution or repossession of their belongings unless they make an immediate payment. Anyone targeted should call HMRC on 0800 788887, visit phishing@hmrc.
gsi.gov.uk or text 60599.
Winter warning
WinTER holidaymakers caught up in the snowstorms battering Europe’s resorts should check their travel cover to see if they are entitled to compensation. Just 7pc of single trip policies cover winter sports as standard, according to analysts Defaqto. Around 60pc of policies offering winter sports cover only pay up to £25 for each day lost due to piste closures.
Data protection
ONLINE fashion retailer Boden claims it is obliged to inform the original buyer if gifts are returned for legal, data protection and fraud prevention reasons. But the data protection watchdog, ICO, says it is going beyond what is required by the new laws.
Switching bonus
nATWEsT will pay £150 to new and existing customers if they switch to one of its current accounts before February 15. The deal includes its Reward account which pays 2pc cashback on household bills. hsBc also pays £150 to new customers who switch to its Advance account.
Cheap loans
M&S BANK is offering its lowest ever loan rate of 2.8pc. The deal is available to all customers who borrow between £7,500 and £20,000 over 12 to 36 months. A £10,000 loan over 36 months would cost around £290 a month.
Ovo Energy
oVo EnERgY has taken over the accounts of failed gas and electricity supplier Economy Energy. ovo will honour all outstanding credit balances owed to existing and former customers. if you want to switch to a different supplier any exit fees will be waived.
Deadline jitters
FIRST-TIME buyers are holding off buying a home until after the Brexit deadline on March 29, believing prices will fall. Around 136,000 first-time buyers think the economic future is too uncertain to buy now, according to a survey from OneFamily, based on more than 1,100 house hunters.