Money Central - Times Online - WBLG

How to save on your water bills

Consumers will rightly feel aggrieved at the news that water bills are to increase at more than twice the rate of inflation. Much of the water companies’ infrastructure does need upgrading but consumers might wonder why shareholders are not taking a greater share of the cost.

Mobile Slamming

I received a curious call from someone representing Orange mobile last week.  The caller seemed to know that my phone contract with O2 was about to end and that an Orange contract would be better for me.  I said I wasn’t sure, and didn’t want to make a decision on the spot, but he persisted.  I eventually put the phone down feeling thoroughly frustrated.

IHT - £160,00 Required

Back in days of the mid-1990s, Blur and Oasis were 24-hour party people, basking in the era of Britpop, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown were gearing up to snatch number 10 Downing Street from the Tories and Take That were massive –it would appear they still are. Also the inheritance tax threshold was a pint sized £154,000.

Claim back money on your mortgage

Mortgage lenders have been given a rap over the knuckles over mortgage 'exit fees' - the charge they levy on you when your mortgage deals comes to an end.  The City Watchdog ordered them to refund thousands of borrowers who faced an unexpected bill for hundreds of pounds when their short-term home loan deals came to an end.

But the lenders said that they couldn't automatically refund all the money, and that borrowers would have to apply for a refund.  Have you asked your bank to repay you yet?

If so, let us know. 

Still stuck in a "zombie" fund?

As the with-profits bonus season draws to a close millions of investors have once again been reminded that this type of investment is fundamentally flawed.

Banks to penalise thrifty customers

As an increasing number of consumers stand up to their banks and the Office of Fair Trading looks set to clampdown on overdraft charges, the banks retaliate by threatening to start levying current account fees. Is this fair?

Bend the ear of British Gas

Thankyou for all your posts about British Gas.  We gave a selection of your questions to Phil Bentley, Managing Director of the energy firm.  You can read his  responses on the Times Money website.

Some of you wanted answers about poor service from BG's homecare service.  Mr Bentley could not answer these questions because it is a different part of the business, but British Gas are hoping to answer some of these queries soon.

You can read many of the questions for British Gas below....

Is this a New Dawn for Japan?

The Japanese stock market has experienced so many false dawns since the early 1990s that commentators are wary of being too optimistic about it for fear of being proved wrong again.

Card fraud: are banks doing enough?

Most of us know at least one person who has been the victim of card fraud; many of us have ourselves been targeted. A quick straw poll of The Times Money team revealed that half of us have suffered at the hands of criminals in the past. Card fraud is endemic. Are banks doing enough to fight it?

I won't be making that mistake again

Checking your bank statement is one of those blindingly obvious, incredibly easy things to do. Could it be for this very reason we don't do it more often? 

Life of a landlord

Are the lives of landlords really as rosey as we are led to believe?

Be pension wise with your property

This week brought news that buy-to-let lending is continuing to boom, despite signs of a slight cooling in the general housing market. With yields, the amount of rent divided by the property price, falling below the cost of borrowing, this continued strength should be ringing alarm bells. And those alarms should be particularly loud for people hoping their property portfolio will bail them out in retirement.

Ten tips for cheaper car insurance

In the unlikely event that any Times Money readers are tempted to upgrade their car – or in the parlance of the street, "pimp their ride" – they might like to think again after research indicates that modifications such as adding a rear spoiler or lowering the suspension could add up to 171 per cent to car insurance.

Keeping your bank in check

Banks and building societies have the ability to annoy customers like few other companies, so it is worrying that question marks are being raised over the voluntary code of practice that is supposed to set standards for the industry.

The Price War - round 1

So British Gas, has thrown down the gauntlet, taken action and announced price cuts on both electricity and gas by 11 per cent and 17 per cent respectively, making it, in its own words “the cheapest gas supplier for the vast majority of UK energy customers”.

Peeved by premium-rate lines?

Have you ever been put on hold, listening to muzak while an automated message tells you how important your call is? (Not important enough to actually answer it, obviously)

Principles and profits can go hand in hand

Ethical investors will be heartened by two pieces of news this week

Telephone banking fraud

A few weeks ago, I was surprised when a Barclaycard call centre operator asked me for my online banking password to verify my identity.  I refused to give it, saying that I was not meant to reveal this to anyone.  Surprisingly, I was told this was fine, but the question left me a little concerned.

Is it time to dump your savings account?

The way banks and building societies have responded to last month's interest rate rise reaffirms one thing - do not be loyal to your bank, because it will not be loyal to you.

Should you invest in Russia and China?

The stock markets of both Russia and China have boomed in the past year, propelling funds investing in these countries to the top of the performance tables.