Ignore mortgage APR rates, they’re a meaningless load of b…aloney!

Look on any mortgage advert, and loudly and prominently you will see the APR. The regulations state it must be equally as prominent as the biggest other rate. The only problem with this is it’s a meaningless number that bears little resemblance to the amount most people end up paying. The supposed consumer protection regulation that enforces this...

Your Consumer Rights are changing – telling MPs what I think about it

On 11 February, I was called to the House of Commons to give evidence about the new Bill that brings together all existing consumer rights legislation. On the whole, it’s a good thing. Rights should be more consistent, there will be new digital rights covering downloads, and a new rule that if you take faulty goods back...

The UK’s mortgage ticking time bomb… Mr Osborne will you help?

Last week on ITV’s The Agenda (watch it back), I challenged the Chancellor about what he’s going to do to defuse the UK’s mortgage ticking time bomb. Sadly, as is the wont of politicians from all tribes, he avoided the question… something I then continued to point out throughout the programme. Yet this wasn’t a party political...

Dear travel agents, I have nothing against you, but I won’t stay schtum to protect your profits

Sadly, travel agents are up in arms at me again for suggesting people haggle down the price of package holidays. I have no axe to grind against travel agents, but I can’t and won’t apologise for the fact that my job is to show consumers how to get the cheapest deals.   This flared up again after...

My five rules for a happy relationship

They say you should never mix love and money, but for most, they’re both building blocks in our lives. The two can clash; financial problems are one of the major causes of relationship break-up. So taking a little time to think about how you manage them can pay off. As it’s Valentine’s week, I was asked to...