Wednesday, June 28th, 2006 at 2:49 pm
The Consumer Credit Councelling Service has released a report on levels of debt amongst the UK population. The report is full of fascinating and/or worrying facts and figures assembled from over 280,000 clients.
One of the facts that intrigued me most was that for 0.3% of the clients with debt problems it is normal to have around 19 credit cards. Yes, Nineteen! I find that astonishing. I thought I had a few too many and I have about 5. Several of which I haven’t used for a long time and yes, I really should cancel them but 19?
So todays mission, if you choose to accept it. Count your credit cards.
Tuesday, June 27th, 2006 at 6:48 pm
I’ve been seeing and hearing a few mentions lately of the 2004 Housing Act. The reason is that as from 6th July 2006 local authorities will be able to take over an empty property and rent it out.
The house will have to have been empty for 6 months and they say they will make efforts to contact owners to establish that there is no active plan for the property. They will then apply for permission to the Residential Property Tribunal for approval to take the property over for 7 years.
I haven’t studied the details of the Act but this does seem to be a very significant change in the law. It has always been believed that an Englishman’s Home Is His Castle. It seems that has now changed and you no longer have total rights over your own property.
I can understand and sympathise with the idea. It is terribly wasteful to have empty properties sitting doing nothing when there are people desperate to find homes. Nevertheless, it seems like a worrying change in the law that after only six months this sort of action can take place.
I have owned a house in the past that was empty for at least that long. I was trying to sell it but nevertheless it was empty. I wouldn’t have been very pleased if the council had come along and taken possession for the next seven years.
All in all I find this a bit disturbing. I would have thought there was a better way. Perhaps requiring a property to be let out. Maybe the council offering to put tenants into the house for six month periods.
It all seems rather like Big Brother is not only watching us but deciding how we should deal with any investment in property. No doubt there will be more on this coming out soon.
Watch this space but in the meantime. If you happen to have an empty property you should probably take some legal advice.
Friday, June 23rd, 2006 at 10:49 pm
Disabled bay painted around car
A council has apologised to a woman who was fined Ò£60 after workmen painted a disabled bay around her car. When Shirley Hatcher, 67, parked her car and in North Road, Southampton, Hampshire, there were no parking restrictions in place. Mrs Hatcher, of Priory Road, said: “I had just gone to the hairdressers and when I returned there was this disabled bay and the Ò£60 fine.” A spokeswoman for Southampton City Council has apologised for the error.
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I saw the funny side of it the next day – you couldn’t make it up Shirley Hatcher |
Mrs Hatcher, of Priory Road, said: “I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw it. “My car was covered in polka dots from the paint they had used. “I was fuming, absolutely fuming, all I could think was what sort of idiot did this. “I saw the funny side of it the next day – you couldn’t make it up.”
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Occasionally things go wrong Southampton City Council |
A spokeswoman for Southampton City Council said the authority would cover the costs of repairs to her car. She added: “Occasionally things go wrong no matter how hard we try to get things right. “We were in error, as was our painting contractor, and we’re very sorry. “We are doing everything we can to put it right, and to examine our processes to prevent anything like this happening again.”
Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/england/hampshire/5110742.stm Published: 2006/06/23 14:53:05 GMT
