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The HfP chat thread – Tuesday 13th July

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Comments (331)

This article is closed to new posts. Discussion continues in the HfP Forums.

  • Steve S says:
    13 Jul13 July 13:36

    No £10 Amex credit now showing from 3rd July

  • Super Secret Stuff says:
    13 Jul13 July 13:39

    Legal advice: anyone know what case or law I would reference to claim 8% statutory interest? Left out of pocket due to a goverment departments failings. Complex case but have multiple rullings that say they broke the law. Total compensation due is well over £12k over 4 years.

    Don’t want to put the details in the public, could end up on BBC news to help other disabled people if I’m successful and avoid an NDA

    • Andrew says:
      13 Jul13 July 13:42

      Do Government departments often demand an NDA?

      Have the compensation credited to the joint account…

    • Chas says:
      13 Jul13 July 14:13

      There might be a certain irony about using information from a .gov website to validate your claim…. The text says that it only applies to to B2B late payments (which I presume from your understandably vague description it isn’t), but should be enough grounds to validate your position? Incidentally, it is 8% plus the Bank of England Base Rate.
      https://www.gov.uk/late-commercial-payments-interest-debt-recovery/charging-interest-commercial-debt

      • Chas says:
        13 Jul13 July 14:21

        Actually, it doesn’t say that it’s just for B2B – it’s for when a business is late in paying for goods or a service, which I interpreted to be B2B. Should be fine for your purposes.

        • Super Secret Stuff says:
          13 Jul13 July 14:36

          Thank you, yes slightly ironic but a good source but not sure it’s the right one.

          Reason being couldn’t they just argue they only owe that money after the date I challenge it? Also I read it as B2C, so they’re response could just be we’re the goverment, doesn’t apply to us?

          • Chas says:
            13 Jul13 July 15:07

            My experience is that the gov doesn’t do that. For instance they bend over backwards to pay their invoices in a timely manner (especially SMEs), as it sets a good experience to big business not to screw over smalls businesses for whom cashflow is more critical, and pay them late using the money as working capital.

            In terms of the date from which it applies – that’s probably something for you to negotiate on, but if you were always due the money (which them agreeing to pay you now would imply), then you have a reasonable case to put forward.

            Lady London seems to have a strong understanding of interest claims (certainly in the context of EC261), so may be able to add her experience here, but I’ve noticed her commenting much later in the day recently.

          • Chas says:
            13 Jul13 July 15:09

            Sets a good example (not experience)…

          • Lady London says:
            13 Jul13 July 15:17

            I’m at sea on this.

            I’d whack a mention of 8% plus bank interest rates onto the claim and wait for them to challenge it.

            Would you not signing an NDA actually mean the government would pay up readily to others with similar rights, in future? That for me, with Government, would be the only reason for not signing an NDA. The reason being that we all know there are far too many chancers using any excuse to try to rip off Government/our/taxpayer’s money.

          • Super Secret Stuff says:
            13 Jul13 July 15:30

            @Chas Thank you, you raise some good poibts,

            @LL thank you for the input, really appreciate it! Re: signing an NDA, we are talking about billions of pounds missing from the most vulnerable in society. A series of mistakes made under the conservative government. It will be a major political headache if someone managed to claim statutory interest on top and went to the press. That said signing or not signing doesn’t affect my legal rights

            On the chances / fraud front, you only have a right if you submitted a PIP claim so no real chance for some big bang fraud schemes unless you have a time machine. How would criminals know who attempted to claim PIP and was wrongly underplayed rejected? The money will only be going to the rightful people, often the most disadvantaged in society

          • Lady London says:
            13 Jul13 July 18:38

            The problem SSS is that Claims Management Companies (CMC’s) will latch onto this if it goes too public and inflate the cost of claims.

            I know the DWP has not got clean hands and has refused systematically many forms of disability support payments routinely and abusively. So I agree with you if you have found a way to make them pay, do it.

            However the DWP started doing this due to widespread abuse as almost no other way to stop it than making people challenge refusals and fight their claim. Personally I would only share my success with those in a similar situation that I actually have come in contact with or who are part of a group I might belong to. As it’s taxpayer’s money.

            For a commercial organisation that’s abusing people’s rights I’d shout it from the rooftops.

    • JDB says:
      13 Jul13 July 17:06

      The County Courts Act 1984 and Senior Courts Act 1981 is where the 8% rate comes from, but in practice it is rarely applied currently at 8%. Also it is part of a court claim and is interest awarded by the Court. If you are reaching an out of court settlement, it is a matter of negotiation; there is no set rate. Obviously, if you can show that you were out of pocket because you had to borrow money, so you can demonstrate actual loss, rather than some theoretical loss you have a much better prospect of getting interest.

  • A says:
    13 Jul13 July 13:41

    Where is the cheapest 2&8 test currently?
    Also, if staying in the UK less than 48 hrs (coming from home in the US, where tests are free…hmmph) do I even need to book the 2 & 8 thing at all, or is that applicable only to certain professions/exemptions?
    There is so much outdated info online and the .gov site is page after page of info and easy to get muddled and confused.

    • Anna says:
      13 Jul13 July 14:08

      If you’re vaccinated, from next Monday you’ll only need a pre-departure test and day 2, but you will need to show that you’ve purchased the day 2 test – when are you travelling?

      • TGLoyalty says:
        13 Jul13 July 14:16

        If home is in the US then I really doubt they’ve had a U.K. administered vaccine programme.

        • Anna says:
          13 Jul13 July 14:55

          Good point, I read the order of “from” and “home” wrong! Amber rules then – I believe you have to demonstrate that you have ordered the day 2 & 8 tests whether or not you use them, on the passenger locator form 😬 (though they so seem to be getting cheaper).

          • A says:
            13 Jul13 July 15:11

            Thanks. Planning on travelling next week, but am not vaccinated on either side of the atlantic (for medical reasons – not an anti-vaxxer/5G enthusiast!).
            I was referring to a section I had read, which said that if staying in the UK for less than 48hrs no 2 & 8 test was required…..but upon re-reading, that was for one of the specific groups/professions that have different regulations to your average joe.
            What a total farce this is.

    • Ikaz says:
      13 Jul13 July 15:23

      Based on the rules when I last checked a couple of weeks ago, you need day 2 and 8 tests if you stay overnight.

  • Sambe says:
    13 Jul13 July 13:44

    99 free Nectar points from the Esso competition entry just totally didn’t turn up for me. Probably not worth the effort of bothering them to get them though – anyone else?

    • Chas says:
      13 Jul13 July 14:17

      There was a comment on Friday from someone who said that a 2 min life chat with Nectar got them posted immediately. I did the same, and mine posted within 24 hours. I really wasn’t bothered by 99 nectar, but it was very quick and easy and literally no effort at all.

      • Chas says:
        13 Jul13 July 14:28

        *live

      • Sambe says:
        13 Jul13 July 14:31

        Oh yeah that was super easy. Rather have had the Red Bull experience, but still… 😉

      • Super Secret Stuff says:
        13 Jul13 July 15:51

        They tried hard to flog me off to an email address but they are doing it as a friend just had there’s done 😉

      • AJA says:
        13 Jul13 July 16:00

        That was me. The 99 Nectar points showed up instantly in my case as Goodwill gesture. I did it purely on principle. In the webchat I simply posted the link to the competition page from Rob’s original article here on HfP as proof of entry into the competition: https://www.esso.co.uk/en-gb/phgbcomp

        • PMG says:
          13 Jul13 July 16:15

          Just did the same, took 2 minutes and actually got an additional 20 nectar points for asking…

      • SteveKicks says:
        13 Jul13 July 16:22

        Just tried Nectar live chat, and they’ve told me to email Esso 🙁

    • Nectar collector says:
      13 Jul13 July 16:29

      Mine have now turned up dated 5th July…..

      • Nectar collector says:
        13 Jul13 July 16:30

        Meant to say this just happened without any chasing

  • Laura says:
    13 Jul13 July 14:38

    yay! Hit my Amex Gold referral bonus, and a month early.

    None of my friends seemed to have cottoned on to the fact that I’ve been very keen to book group events recently…

  • Chris Heyes says:
    13 Jul13 July 14:38

    OOOooo Well e-mail this morning, BA your flight to Denver on Sat 14th Aug as been cancelled ,return from Phoenix Sept, lots of Hotels to contact for refunds
    I think off hand I only lose one night Dep, at Lake Powell Resort unless their feeling generous. plus a flight from Phoenix to Lake Powell return (Page az)
    plus a flight from Denver to Phoenix AA
    It’s the correspondence that’s the pain lol

    • Anna says:
      13 Jul13 July 15:00

      If it’s any consolation, European holidays are still really cheap!
      Are the US carriers like AA not still offering vouchers if you need to cancel?

      • Chris Heyes says:
        13 Jul13 July 18:44

        Hi, Anna AA flight was only 12 dollars each not worth the hassle will get Avios back
        Just been e-mailing Hotels all good news around 6 all agreed to give me a “FULL” refund even though most booked n paid at last years none-refundable rates
        Just waiting of Contour Airlines Phoenix to Page flight return, but that’s going to be the one that wont refund, not to bothered in circumstances
        Will wait a bit for BA then push them for 6 Business Class tks to Dubrovnik Aug next year with daughter n kids
        Got a Lake Como and Sorrento trip planned middle next year
        Got to many Avios now lol

  • Yorkie Aid says:
    13 Jul13 July 15:01

    You won’t get PP c$shb$ck paying Solihull. Well you might for a bit and then it will stop IME.

  • Tim says:
    13 Jul13 July 15:05

    Can anyone confirm if the Hilton £50 off £200 works across two bookings and/or hotels? I assume it does as it’s cumulative spend, but want to make sure!

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