Scammers still netting millions from phoney tax e-mails
A NEW wave of scams in which victims fall for e-mails claiming to be from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has forced the tax office to issue new clarification over its contact methods. Spoof e-mails...
View ArticleScots savers greener than rest of UK
Savers and investors in Scotland are more likely than those elsewhere in the UK to want their investments to reflect their principles.New research to mark the start tomorrow of National Ethical...
View ArticleRenters face soaring costs as demand for property leaps
First-time renters in Scotland face soaring costs as the supply of rented accommodation continues to contract, a report out today warns.In a trend echoing the problems faced by first-time buyers,...
View ArticleCash Clinic: I’m going abroad…why should I get a power of attorney?
Q: I am in my mid-30s and moving to Australia for four years next month. My brother and sister have both asked me to get a power of attorney. I am young and healthy, so I don’t think I need one. Is it...
View ArticleJeff Salway: Osborne’s employee share ownership scheme a no-brainer
WHEN Royal Bank of Scotland and HBOS were taken under the wing of the state four years ago, many of their employees suffered a harsh double-whammy. Not only were their jobs lost or put at risk, but...
View ArticleDemand for equity release on the increase
The appetite for downsizing is growing in Scotland, yet for many homeowners it will prove impractical. For older homeowners unable to trade down, whether because the potential gains are minimal or the...
View ArticleCrowdfunding: More firms turn to investors for start-up funding
The City watchdog has warned of their complexity and risks, but crowdfunding schemes allowing investors to help finance start-ups are enjoying a surge in popularity.The concept is relatively new in the...
View ArticleClem Chambers: Investors must learn vital lesson that equities are a piece in...
Are equities dead? It’s one of the questions that investors and those involved with personal finance have been asking for some time. It is hard to look back and see an era when equities were held in...
View ArticleTop Ten Tips: Plan for workplace pension
MILLIONS of workers will be paying into a workplace pension for the first time over the coming years following the launch earlier this month of automatic enrolment. But while a workplace pension can...
View ArticleAlan Steel: Regulators too weak to save us from ‘third way’
It’s when the tide goes out that you discover who has been swimming naked all along”, Warren Buffett once said. That comment, unfortunately, describes for me the way in which our financial services...
View ArticleNeil Oliver: A far faster new way to inspire young minds
We live in the most connected age in the history of mankind. It was recently announced that more than a million Scottish homes and businesses will have access to high-speed broadband by the end of next...
View ArticleHelpdesk: Plaudits for Edinburgh car club from one contented customer
THE Helpdesk is not just here for the nasty things in life. So this time we bring you a letter from JC of Edinburgh – who wanted to praise City Car Club for its excellent customer service.Back in July,...
View ArticleCold and rain puts a spring in holiday firms’ step
Travel agents reporting a last-minute surge in bookings as wet summer drives Britons to seek sun, sea and surf, reports Claire SmithLIKE a lot of other businesses, the travel industry had been hit hard...
View ArticleWhat travellers say they really want from their tour operators – the top ten
Top ten things holidaymakers look for in their tour operatorsSafe and secure accommodation (83%) People are keen to check that their hotel has been properly vetted and is run by a company they can...
View ArticleiPhone 5 batteried by Samsung
THE battery life of the latest iPhone is shorter than that of its predecessor when browsing the internet, tests have shown.Research carried out by consumer champion Which? found the battery in the new...
View ArticleWatchdog raps Homebase over misleading adverts
THE advertising watchdog has upheld a complaint against DIY chain Homebase that one of its promotional campaigns was misleading.The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) agreed with the complainant...
View ArticleHouse market hopes grow as mortgage lending hits high
MORTGAGE lending to homebuyers has hit a two-year high, triggering new hope that schemes designed to boost the housing market are proving successful.About 55,300 loans were advanced for house purchase...
View ArticleClaire Smith: Travel agents show the world how to have a party!
YOU haven’t lived until you’ve seen several hundred travel agents bouncing around on a palm tree fringed outdoor dancefloor to Boney M’s One Way Ticket.This week I’ve been at the ABTA annual travel...
View ArticleMarket watch: Aggreko feeling power of downturn
TEMPORARY power supplier Aggreko will shed more light on how the global economic downturn is affecting its business when it updates the market on Friday.The Glasgow-based firm was hit by a broker...
View ArticleStandard Life targets two million new customers
STANDARD Life expects to boost its UK business by two million customers over the next three years on the back of regulatory changes coming into force this month.Paul Matthews, chief executive of the...
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