EVERY Saturday, The Consumer Crew are here to solve your problems.
Mel Hunter will take on readers’ consumer issues, Jane Hamilton will give you the best advice for buying your dream home, and Judge Rinder will tackle your legal woes.
Jane Hamilton, property expert
6
LOVE islands? The most-wanted feature for modern kitchens is an island, with statistics showing nine in ten people at kitchen-design consultations asking about the trendy add-on.
Not all kitchens have the space to fit a big island, of course. So here is how to add one in, whatever your kitchen size or style.
First, think. Islands can be used for storage, a sink, cooking or as a dining area. Consider what works best for you and ensure you have a “working triangle” of cooker, sink and prep area.
Space to move. Experts recommend at least 110cm of open space around your island so people can move around safely. Measure before you buy.
Small kitchen? Consider a moveable mini island on wheels, from £89.99 at wayfair.co.uk. You can tuck it against the wall when it is not in use.
Do you have views? Can you position the island to look out on to the garden? If not, consider facing it back into the kitchen so you can better see family and friends.
If you entertain a lot . . . consider adding a beer and wine fridge to your island. Under-counter fridges start from £149.99 at Argos.
Light up your space. You will need to add lighting above your island, especially if you will be cooking there. Bold statement-lighting such as pendants work well and shouldn’t break the bank.
Sit pretty. Add bar stools for extra seating – but don’t try to cram in too many. Two to four works best.
For show-off chefs . . . six-ring hobs are a stylish way to use your island for cooking. Make sure you leave lots of prep space and consider a built-in bin.
Buy of the week
6
BE pretty in pink for Valentine’s Day.
This cosy rose-pink cottage with sea views in Polruan, near Fowey in Cornwall, will steal your heart at just £209,000. See onthemarket.com/details/7364862.
Patchwork quilt
HOMES took an average of 256 days to sell across the UK last year, a report from getagent.co.uk has found.
The quickest area to complete a sale was Nuneaton and Bedworth, Warks, closing in 191 days.
Slowest were Eden in Cumbria and London’s Westminster, dragging out for 393 and 390 days each respectively.
GetAgent founder Colby Short said: “The UK property market is a patchwork quilt constructed of many different markets, all acting independently, with their own levels of demand and rates of house-price growth.”
Deal of the week
6
HOME is where the heart is . . . and this £12 Marvel washable, grey, heart-shape doormat from Dunelm is the perfect way to welcome loved ones to your home. Plus, it is a fraction of the price of designer styles.
SAVE: Up to £20 on similar styles
Judge Rinder
6
Q) I HAVE been overlooked on three separate occasions for promotion to a carpenter’s job at my workplace. I work in a theatre and am by far the most qualified person for the job. I have a City & Guilds in carpentry and joinery and did three years’ apprenticeship at college. I have worked on major construction sites, as well as building theatre sets.
Most recently, the job was given to a man who I know has no such qualifications. What’s more, he had only been working at the theatre for a year. Is this discrimination? Do I have any form of redress?
MANNY, London
A) Unless you are claiming that your employer has discriminated against you because of your race, gender, sexuality, disability or age, you are unlikely to have a case against them. It is a tough thing to swallow, that an employer is not necessarily bound to promote the person who is most qualified on paper.
But given your situation, it seems to me the theatre may have a number of perfectly lawful reasons why you have been overlooked. They may have taken into consideration your leadership qualities, for example, which have very little to do with formal qualifications.
On the other hand, you are entitled to know why this has happened.
You should ask your direct line manager for the reason why others have been promoted over you, then keep a record of the answer.
If this IS some form of discrimination going on, you will need to get legal advice. Citizens Advice can point you in the right direction.
Bough blow
Q) MY wife and I live in a bungalow bounded by a park that has dozens of mature trees, including five that cause moss from the shelter and dead leaves that accumulate on the roof. A local roofing specialist says the roof tiles need replacing – for around £8,000 – due to it being covered by moss that is three inches thick in places.
The council told me its policy is not to fell healthy trees and it intends to do nothing. Can I present them with a bill for replacing the roof tiles, or can I insist on them felling the trees?
ROBERT, Burnley
A) You and your other neighbour must write to this co-director who appears to have embezzled the resident association’s money, demanding that he responds within seven days and making very clear that he is under a strict legal obligation to preserve and protect the association’s funds.
If he fails to reply, you need to report this to the police. They may refer it to the fraud squad, as this is a serious criminal matter.
If your neighbour has stolen the money, he can expect to receive a prison sentence. At the same time, you must take a close look at the residents’ association rules.
If the association is registered as a company, then you will be able to replace this neighbour and should be able to obtain legal authority over the bank account fairly easily. I would suggest getting some legal advice to help with this.
Q) ALONG with two of my neighbours, I am a director for a residents’ association. Only one of the directors has access to the bank account we all pay into, which we use to fund repairs, pay for insurance and so on. This person is no longer answering any form of contact.
I know the window cleaner is owed a year’s worth of money and I have real fears the other director has emptied the account, leaving us in trouble and with no insurance, among other worries. What can I do?
MICHELLE, Derby
A) You and your other neighbour must write to this co-director who appears to have embezzled the resident association’s money, demanding that he responds within seven days and making very clear that he is under a strict legal obligation to preserve and protect the association’s funds.
If he fails to reply, you need to report this to the police. They may refer it to the fraud squad, as this is a serious criminal matter.
If your neighbour has stolen the money, he can expect to receive a prison sentence. At the same time, you must take a close look at the residents’ association rules.
If the association is registered as a company, then you will be able to replace this neighbour and should be able to obtain legal authority over the bank account fairly easily. I would suggest getting some legal advice to help with this.
Mel Hunter, Reader’s champion
6
Q) PARKED my car in a Home Bargains car park as my disabled friend wanted me to take her shopping. There were no disabled spaces left so I had to park at the other end of the car park in a normal space, displaying her disabled badge. We left the car park, unaware that we were 12 minutes over the 90-minute limit.
Ten days later a £60 fine came through my door from ParkingEye. I appealed by email and went into Home Bargains to speak to the manager, who photocopied my fine and the disabled badge and told me they send the fines to head office to be wiped out as they don’t wish to lose customers.
Five weeks later I got an email from ParkingEye saying my appeal had been unsuccessful.
Again I went to Home Bargains. The previous manager had left, but I was reassured when the new one also said she would get the fine wiped.
I then received a letter with the fine going up to £100. I went back to Home Bargains, only to be told by the assistant manager that they have never done this for customers.
I paid the £100 fine as I felt so distressed and being let down by the store.
ELSPETH BABINGTON, Galashiels, Scottish Borders
A) For once I could understand the situation from the parking company’s viewpoint – after all, you had overstayed the limit, even though you’d been displaying a Blue Badge.
But you had put your trust in Home Bargains to sort this out. As a result, your fine increased. I gave Home Bargains many opportunities to help you with this, but had no response at all.
I then approached Parking Eye, which said it had rejected your appeal initially because you hadn’t given evidence of the Blue Badge.
A ParkingEye spokesperson said: “ParkingEye operate a fully audited British Parking Association appeals service and anyone with mitigating circumstances is urged to appeal.
“After a further review of the circumstances, ParkingEye have agreed as a gesture of goodwill to refund this parking charge.”
I am grateful to the parking company and question why Home Bargains would not show such decent customer service.
6
Q) WHILE I was on holiday, Virgin Media dug up my garden to lay a cable then drilled holes in the front of my house to fit an ugly cable box.
I am not a customer and had not signed up for its service. My neighbours questioned the engineeers but they carried on anyway.
I have been in constant contact with Virgin since. I have multiple emails saying they will pass my details on to the relevant people but nothing happens. I emailed the CEO too but even that got me nowhere.
NICHOLAS LEWIS, Sutton Coldfield, West Mids
A) When I got on to Virgin, the response was quick.
They took away the box and returned a week later to fill in the drill holes and remove the cable.
With the matter finally sorted, Virgin offered you £250 in compensation, which you accepted.
