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The 10 most ridiculous fines of all time

ITV was fined a record £5.7 million for misleading viewers over the conduct of phone-ins on its flagship programmes this week. But it is not just big companies that have to stump up cash in fine-happy Britain.

With an army of pettifogging bureaucrats policing your every move, you better think twice before you eat, talk, drive and even relax… the list is almost endless. Here we list ten ridiculous but true stories where the authorities have demonstrated their limited grasp of common sense…

Are house prices heading for a 1990s-style crash?

At moments of crisis we turn to history to provide guidance to what lies ahead. With the housing market taking a turn for the worst, it is unsurprising that parallels are being drawn between the darkening conditions now and the last time price falls blighted the land in the early 1990s. We have taken a look at some of the key crash triggers then and now to assess what lies ahead for homeowners.

Britain’s 10 most outrageous Chancellors

From rescuing prostitutes to contracting gonorrhoea, there is a lot many of us do not know about Britain’s former Chancellors. If you are finding Alistair Darling a bit dull, take a look at some of the exploits of his illustrious predecessors…

Too much too young?

This month Hans Kristian Rausing (pictured, left), son of Britain's third richest man, was arrested on suspicion of possessing crack cocaine and heroin after his wife was allegedly caught trying to smuggle drugs into the American Embassy. The 44-year-old grandson of the Tetra Pak inventor is not the first big-name heir to tangle with controversy. The junkie 7th Marquess of Bristol, for example, served two prison terms for drugs offences and blew his entire £35 million fortune before his death at 44 in 1999. Another peer who inherited young and had his share of financial trouble was the infamous 7th Earl of Lucan. Further back, Beau Brummell came into the then substantial fortune of £20,000 while still at Eton in 1794, but died penniless in 1840 after decades of decadence.

Is coming into wealth young bound to lead to extreme behaviour? And, forgetting the super-rich, should "comfortable" parents help their grown-up children - onto the housing ladder, for instance?

Has your energy company let you down?

Following yesterday's announcement that Ofgem, the energy regulator, is investigating alleged mis-selling by npower, one of the UK's top energy suppliers, Times Money is conducting its own study of how the energy companies treat their customers.

The Ten Biggest Stock Market Crashes of All Time

Some investors might think they have had a rough ride on the stock market over the past seven or eight months. But the recent share price gyrations pale into insignificance when compared with the biggest stock market falls of all time.

Heros wanted

At Times Money, we spend an awful lot of time telling you about poor service, rip-offs and other reasons to be generally unhappy with financial services in the UK. Add to that miserable macro-economic tales of property market downturns, rising living costs and debt problems, and you suddenly have a strong case for emigration.

But it can't all be that bad, can it?

Occasionally, just maybe, you might receive exceptional service that restores your faith in humanity. Maybe a fleeting sensation of kinship and understanding between you and a call centre assistant in Dundee made your day. Perhaps your bank graciously and quickly refunded a charge, and gave you a bit extra on top. Or what if you actually received an apology for something without having to badger some poor customer services lackey for months beforehand?

Whatever the reason, we want to know about the best service you have ever received, and give credit where credit is due. Tell us your good news, below.   

The 10 Most Infamous Heists... Ever

From priceless art thefts to infamous bank robberies, here are a few of the most sensational heists from around the world.

Alistair Darling: Should he stay or should he go?

Is it time to say "goodnight darling"? Give us your verdict

Opinion Polls & Market Research

If you could be Chancellor for a day...

Spare a thought for Alistair Darling today, when he stands up to make his first ever Budget speech. Being Chancellor of the Exchequer must be a tough job. His role, essentially, is to take more money from the public, then spend it on inefficient services that everyone loathes, while at the same time trying not to lose votes. In his Budget speech, he has to announce all this in such a way that it sounds like we will all be better off.

In case Mr Darling is struggling for ideas, why not give him a helping hand, by telling us below what you would do if you were Chancellor.

The Ten Craziest Parking Tickets of All Time

Think that you’ve been hard done to by the parking authorities? Well, wait until you have read these extraordinary tales…

Ten tips to survive a property downturn

It’s the news that every homeowner has been fearing – house prices are definitely falling.

Halifax says prices fell 2.5 per cent in February and Nationwide has reported that prices have moved lower every one of the last five months. With mortgage lenders withdrawing deals left, right and centre, there could also be plenty more bad news to come.

But there is no need to panic. Falling house prices bring opportunities for buyers. There is also plenty that sellers can do to ease the pain. Here are ten tips to help you ride out the property downturn

Most annoying financial ads ever: Times Money's official list

Two weeks ago, we asked Times Online visitors to nominate the most annoying and funniest financial TV advertisements ever. And nominate you did. Here is the top 10 - in order of irritatingness.

The Thrifty 50

From couch sufing to dumping your TV, get rich quick with our ultimate guide to penny pinching...

Funniest and most irritating financial TV ads ever

After Halifax's new adverts featuring Howard-replacement Thomas Yau provoked complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority for being too annoying, Times Money thought it would be fun to compile a list of all those financial ads that are indelibly etched on our brains, either for making us roll around in fits of laughter or for making us want to throw stuff at the TV.

So, if Michael Winner's patronising: "Calm down dear, its only a commercial", is still ringing in your ears from the esure ads, or if you are just longing for Howard to make a comeback, let us know below. A list of the top 25 ads, chosen by you, will feature in two weeks here on Money Central.    

Ten collectibles of 2030

Alternative investments are especially attractive when stock markets are in turmoil. So Times Money asked five antiques experts to name their best bets for collectibles of the future. We wanted contemporary items that could be bought online or in mainstream shops for £100 or less and should increase in value – hopefully significantly – by 2030. Their tips are supplemented by our own choice and by two suggestions from Christie's for bigger spenders. To realise the best price in a future sale, all items should be kept in original condition, with all packaging. Note that predicted prices are in today's terms and do not take inflation into account.

Danger dates: Days on which you are most likely to have an accident

On which day are you most likely to set your home alight? Or be involved in a prang in your car? A leading insurer has drawn up a calender of dates on which you might be better staying in bed...

Taking your landlord to court

Many flat owners have problems with landlords and would like to take action against them but fear the costs of going to court would be too high.

If you fall into this category you might like to know more about a little-publicised but very effective system for resolving disputes known as the Residential Property Tribunal Service.

Who owns who?

The following banks and building societies, credit card companies and insurers are in alphabetical order. Scroll down to find out who owns yours.

House prices predictions for 2008 – a region-by-region breakdown

The housing market finally seems to have turned. Analysts have been predicting a slowdown since interest rates first went up in August 2006, yet the boom continued in many areas. Annual house price growth has been running in double digits for much of the year but all of that is now changing.

Prices fell by 0.8 per cent last month according to Nationwide – the largest monthly fall since 1995 – and the annual rate of growth has slowed from 9.7 per cent in October to 6.9 per cent. There are signs that the market is also cooling in London, which has been one of the strongest regions this year. Property values in parts of London have surged more than 30 per cent since January according to Knight Frank, an estate agency, but prices in some areas are now falling as the credit crunch and five quarter-point interest rate rises take their toll.

The 50 weirdest terms of financial jargon – and what they actually mean

Flummoxed by front-end loading? Bamboozled by bridging? Don’t know if your cap is split or your asset orphaned?

Here is Times Money’s alternative guide, for anyone who blushes at the mention of cum-dividends, or thinks churning is something that only happens to dairy products.