Energy Pre-payment meter price cap begins

3rd April 2017 Consumer Collections |

The Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) price cap on pre-payment meters has come into force to the benefit of around 4 million households. Last June, following a two-year investigation into the energy market, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) decided to put in place a temporary price cap to protect some of the most vulnerable households in…

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FCA proposes new credit card rules to help millions get out of debt

3rd April 2017 Consumer Collections |

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has proposed new rules to help customers who are in persistent credit card debt. This follows the FCA’s study of the UK credit card market, which found significant concerns about the scale extent and nature of problem credit card debt.  Under the FCA’s definition, credit card customers are in persistent…

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Ireland’s Money and Banking Statistics – February 2017

3rd April 2017 Consumer Collections |

The Central Bank of Ireland has released Ireland’s Money and Banking Statistics for February 2017. Here is an overview of the main findings. Irish residents’ draw-downs of non-housing loans were €162 million higher than repayments over the year to February 2017. This compares with net repayments of €614 million in the year to February 2016. The…

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UKAR announces sale of Bradford & Bingley assets for £11.8 billion

31st March 2017 Consumer Collections |

Bradford & Bingley plc (B&B), part of UK Asset Resolution (UKAR), today confirms that following an open and competitive process it has agreed to sell two separate asset portfolios comprising performing buy to let loans for a total of £11.8bn to Prudential plc and to funds managed by Blackstone. Financial completion is expected within the…

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TUC sounds alarm over rising household debt level

31st March 2017 Consumer Collections |

Commenting on figures published by the ONS today (Friday), which shows that unsecured borrowing is at its highest level (as a share of household income) in 8 years, TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Today’s figures should set alarm bells ringing.  The last thing our economy needs right now is another consumer debt crisis. But…

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Regulators need to do more to help Vulnerable consumers

31st March 2017 Consumer Collections |

Regulators  in the water, energy, telecommunications and financial services sectors could do more to support the increasing number of vulnerable consumers, according to the National Audit Office (NAO) Consumers spend around £136 billion annually on energy, water, telecommunications and retail financial services. Vulnerable consumers are those who, because of their circumstances, are particularly susceptible to…

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Financial fraud amounts to loss of £768.8 million

30th March 2017 Consumer Collections |

Financial fraud losses across payment cards, remote banking and cheques totalled £768.8 million in 2016, an increase of 2 per cent on the previous year, figures from Financial Fraud Action UK show. The new data shows banks and card companies prevented £1.38 billion of fraud last year, equivalent to £6.40 in every £10 of attempted…

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Consumer borrowing increases by 10.5% to £196 billion

30th March 2017 Consumer Collections |

The Bank of England’s latest money and credit statistics show consumer borrowing increasing by 10.5% in the year to February to £196 billion. As the Bank and the Financial Conduct Authority launch reviews into lending practices, Citizens Advice says more must be done to make sure lenders across all consumer credit markets behave responsibly towards…

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Quint Group appoints new CRM Manager

30th March 2017 Consumer Collections |

Quint Group has appointed Nicola Richardson as it’s new CRM Manager to help devise and drive the CRM strategy for the brand and to continue the site’s growth. Richardson brings ten years of CRM experience into her new role, having previously worked at price comparison site heavyweight moneysupermarket.com where she was involved in the delivery and optimisation…

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Morses Club launches online brand Dot Dot Loans

30th March 2017 Consumer Collections |

Morses Club has announced the launch of Dot Dot Loans, its first online installment loans product. The launch follows the purchase of Shelby Finance earlier in the year The launch of this new online instalment product, Dot Dot Loans, is the next step in the Company’s strategy of developing digital products to complement its home…

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Homeless households will be exempt from Universal Credit

29th March 2017 Consumer Collections |

The UK government is to make households that are made homeless exempt from Universal Credit following reports that the new benefits system has led to an increase in rent arrears. According to The Guardian, local authorities in London have said that rent collection levels for homeless tenants placed in emergency accommodation have collapsed following the introduction…

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Housing price rise puts focus on affordability

29th March 2017 Consumer Collections |

Consumer expectations about house prices have bounced back to pre-EU Referendum levels after a period when the immediate ramifications of the vote were unclear according to data from the Building Societies Association Property Tracker survey. Almost half of consumers (49%) expect house prices to rise over the next 12 months.  Just 10% expect them to…

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Personal finance pessimism on the rise since Brexit vote

29th March 2017 Consumer Collections |

The share of British adults concerned about their future financial health has been slowly but steadily increasing since June 2016, according to a new survey of over 2,000 British adults by insolvency and restructuring trade body R3, and ComRes. Almost 1 in 5 (19%) British adults think their personal financial situation will worsen over the next…

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