News in October 2005
- 31 Oct 2005 Tighter silent call rules Companies that consistently plague homeowners with nuisance silent calls are to face fines of up to GPB 50,000 under new plans announced by the government today.
- 28 Oct 2005 Honouring Sheila McKechnie Top politicians and journalists are backing new awards to highlight the next generation of campaigners who strive to improve the lives of ordinary people in Britain and particularly those denied a voice.
- 27 Oct 2005 Protect yourself online Millions of computer users are at risk of internet fraud because they don't know how to protect themselves online, says a government survey.
- 27 Oct 2005 TV on demand A set-top box to be launched next year will be a gateway to thousands of hours of archived TV programmes and films.
- 25 Oct 2005 Southern water payout A water company could be facing a multi-million pound payout over irregularities in the handling and reporting of its customer enquiries and complaints.
- 25 Oct 2005 Drug side effects A UK-wide pilot scheme allowing people to report suspected medicine side effects directly to the health watchdog has been welcomed by Which?.
- 25 Oct 2005 iPod in court? Entertainment giant Apple is facing a US lawsuit over alleged problems with the recently launched iPod Nano.
- 24 Oct 2005 Water shortage warning Despite the wet weather, water shortages are an 'increasingly serious issue' which can't be solved by building more reservoirs, says a new group set up to protect Britain's dwindling supply.
- 21 Oct 2005 Motorway breakdowns There were over 90,000 accidents or near misses on motorway hard shoulders last year because drivers still don't know what to do when they break down, according to a new survey.
- 21 Oct 2005 Guide for simple bills New guidelines have been introduced which aim to make it easier for consumers to understand their household bills.
- 20 Oct 2005 Laptop batteries recalled Hewlett-Packard (HP) has recalled 135,000 laptop battery packs amid fears they could catch fire.
- 18 Oct 2005 Import tax for online shoppers Online shoppers buying bargains from abroad have been warned they could be fined and have the goods seized if they try to duck import taxes.
- 18 Oct 2005 Retune for freeview If you watch TV through Freeview , you'll have to retune the box on October 18 following a major reshuffle of the channel numbers.
- 17 Oct 2005 Complaining about lawyers News that lawyers will soon cease to handle their own complaints is a great victory for consumers, says Which?.
- 17 Oct 2005 New consumer rights agency Which? has thrown its backing behind calls for the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to head up a new super-agency to protect consumers.
- 17 Oct 2005 Widower pension rights Men whose wives died before 2001 may now be entitled to 'widow's benefit' following a landmark ruling by the European Court of Human Rights.
- 14 Oct 2005 Pots of fruit Fruit plants that yield an abundant crop can successfully be grown in pots, according to new trial results from Gardening Which?.
- 13 Oct 2005 Telecom poaching clash Two of the country's largest phone companies are embroiled in a war of words over claims one was using dodgy tactics to poach the other's customers.
- 13 Oct 2005 TV in your hand Computer giant Apple has unveiled the latest gadget which it hopes will take the Christmas market by storm - an iPod that plays videos.
- 12 Oct 2005 Be vigilant over avian flu People are being asked to ring a government helpline to report any large sightings of dead or dying birds amid fears the killer avian flu virus is heading towards the UK.
- 12 Oct 2005 Licence fee to soar? BBC chiefs are under fire over proposals which would see the licence fee soar to almost 180 GBP a year by 2013.
- 10 Oct 2005 How to get More4 Channel 4is launching a new digital television channel on Monday evening (10 October), the first of two channels to go live this autumn.
- 07 Oct 2005 4x4 health warning All 4x4s should come with a health warning to alert buyers to the deadly threat these cars pose to pedestrians.
- 07 Oct 2005 Gardens facing crisis? British gardens are facing "challenging times" according to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS).
- 07 Oct 2005 ASA on digital radio An advert promoting digital radio has been criticised by watchdogs for making misleading claims about its sound quality.
- 06 Oct 2005 Best-loved computers Apple, Dell and Sony are the brands of computer Which? readers are most likely to recommend to a friend.
- 05 Oct 2005 Logo failure Which? has poured scorn on a new logo which claims to allow consumers to buy with confidence.
- 05 Oct 2005 Botox treats sweating The cosmetic treatment Botox may provide welcome relief for people plagued by excessive sweating, says a Which? specialist journal.
