News in September 2008
- 01 Oct 2008 Vauxhall launches lower emission Astra Vauxhall's Astra now gets an ecoFLEX in its range, and it’s available as three- or five-door hatchback, and an estate.
- 01 Oct 2008 Payment protection insurance still being mis-sold Financial firms are still mis-selling payment protection insurance despite previous warnings and fines, according to a damning statement from the financial service industry's watchdog, the FSA.
- 01 Oct 2008 NICE MyCar wins electric car award The NICE (No Internal Combustion Engine) Car Company has picked up the 2008 GreenFleet award for best Electric Car.
- 01 Oct 2008 New protection for gas and electricity customers Gas and electricity watchdog Energywatch has been replaced by new consumer body Consumer Focus
- 30 Sep 2008 Personal details found in a fifth of used gadgets At least one in five second-hand mobile devices still contain sensitive or personal information, says a BT and University of Glamorgan study.
- 30 Sep 2008 Online Viagra service offers drug without GP visit Men will be able to buy Viagra online without having to visit their GP using a new service from Lloydspharmacy and website DrThom.
- 30 Sep 2008 Which? calls for sweeping PPI reforms Which? has written to the Financial Services Authority (FSA) calling for an overhaul of the PPI market.
- 30 Sep 2008 Renault reveals price of new Mégane As already reported, the new Renault Mégane makes its debut at the Paris Motor Show next month.
- 30 Sep 2008 Volkswagen Golf GTI concept unveiled This is the new Volkswagen Golf GTI, although VW is calling it a ‘concept’ when it’s unveiled at the Paris Motor Show later this week.
- 30 Sep 2008 One in six drivers break child seat law Many drivers are putting children's lives at risk by ignoring child seat legislation.
- 30 Sep 2008 Gas and electricity profits should be paid back MLAs in Northern Ireland have said recent gas and electricity price hikes by Northern Ireland Electricity and Phoenix Gas are unfair
- 29 Sep 2008 Bradford and Bingley nationalised Bradford & Bingley is to be nationalised to prevent the bank collapsing. The government will take control of the bank's mortgage and loan business.
- 29 Sep 2008 MFI saved by buy-out
- 27 Sep 2008 Thousands in debt missed off official figures Up to 600,000 people who are struggling with their debts are being missed off official insolvency figures, a trade body warned today.
- 27 Sep 2008 Financial complaints - new name and shame deal The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) has unveiled plans to give further details about companies that are the recipients of regular complaints by consumers.
- 27 Sep 2008 EU upholds tough CO2 targets Environmental campaigners claimed a victory over carmakers, with the news that Euro MPs have rejected car industry pleas for more time to meet tough CO2 targets.
- 27 Sep 2008 Barclaycard fined for 'silent' phone calls Barclaycard has been fined £50,000 for breaching rules on silent and abandoned sales calls to consumers.
- 26 Sep 2008 Beware rip-off student lets - warns Which? book Students looking for university accommodation should be on their guard against dodgy landlords and agents just out to make a quick buck, says a new Which? book.
- 26 Sep 2008 New builds create problems for homebuyers Buyers of new homes need more protection, according to the Office of Fair Trading
- 26 Sep 2008 Audi's new S4 is powerful and efficient Audi has announced its new S4 will be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show next month.
- 26 Sep 2008 Hot car deals, 26 September, 2008 Our deal-hunters scour UK forecourts for massive savings
- 26 Sep 2008 A third of crashes due to losing control New statistics reveal that a driver losing control was a factor in a third of all fatal road accidents in 2007.
- 26 Sep 2008 Switch with Which? gets watchdog's approval Which? gas and electricity switching site Switch with Which? has been accredited to the Energywatch code for the third year running
- 26 Sep 2008 Passwords are an easy giveaway 60% of consumers still complacent about online security, as survey reveals UK online habits.
- 25 Sep 2008 Diners tip despite bad service Half of consumers wouldn't ask for a service charge to be reduced or removed from their bill if they received bad service in a restaurant, says a Which? survey.
- 25 Sep 2008 Energy suppliers worst for customer satisfaction Energy suppliers are bottom of the league for customer satisfaction, according to a new Which? survey
- 25 Sep 2008 Super fuels are a waste of money, says Which? Super fuels don’t save you money, improve your car’s performance, or help to protect the environment, a study by Which? Car shows.
- 25 Sep 2008 Pharmacies get test of own medicine Unsuitable and potentially dangerous advice is being given by poorly-trained staff in some pharmacies, according to an undercover investigation by Which?
- 24 Sep 2008 Proton offers attractive discounts Proton is currently discounting its GEN-2 by up to £2,800
- 24 Sep 2008 Renault revises Scenic range Facelift Renault Scenic due in October
- 24 Sep 2008 Saab 9-X: Parisienne Fresh Air News of Saab's latest head-turning concept, the 9-X Air
- 24 Sep 2008 Mortgage interest rates can be misleading Switching to a better mortgage deal can save people thousands of pounds, but with the average arrangement fee now in excess of £1,000 it’s vital that people compare the total cost and don’t get sucked in by a low interest rate, says Which? Money.
- 24 Sep 2008 Costs to be slashed for texting abroad The European Commission today announced plans to cut the cost of sending texts (SMS) from your mobile when travelling in European Union (EU) countries by up to 60%.
- 24 Sep 2008 Two-hour mobile phone number transfer plan stalls Vodafone wins appeal against Ofcom’s plans to speed up mobile number porting.
- 24 Sep 2008 T-Mobile and Google launch first Android phone Google and T-Mobile have launched the G1 mobile phone – a new smartphone that features Google’s innovative Android mobile operating system.
- 24 Sep 2008 Consumer data protection healthcheck launched Personal data protection check-up scheme available free online
- 24 Sep 2008 Ryanair to allow mobile phone calls on flights Passengers onboard some Ryanair flights will soon be able to use their mobile phones while in the air.
- 23 Sep 2008 Mortgage rates on the rise again Rises in the inter-bank lending rate (3-month Libor) and the swap rate (on which fixed rate deals are based) have meant that consumers are now facing higher borrowing costs.
- 23 Sep 2008 Bentley Ego laptop breaks price barrier Luxury car manufacturer Bentley has released its exclusive laptop range, costing £10,000.
- 22 Sep 2008 Equity release is a last resort Pensioners struggling to make ends meet should only turn to equity release if there is no other option, warns Care Options in Retirement, a new Which? essential guide published today.
- 22 Sep 2008 Cost of fuel 'making car sharing more popular' An increasing number of motorists are turning to car sharing in an attempt to save money, a survey by AA Insurance shows.
- 22 Sep 2008 MP3 albums to be available on Slotmusic SD cards SanDisk has teamed up with several leading music labels to bring MP3 albums to consumers on SD cards.
- 20 Sep 2008 Expensive loan deals warning Price comparison websites promote themselves as great places to find cheap deals, but Moneysupermarket, the UK’s biggest comparison site, has started advertising an unsecured personal loan with an eye-watering rate of 59.6%.
- 19 Sep 2008 Hot car deals, 19 September 2008 We unearth some red-hot deals from the UK's forecourts
- 19 Sep 2008 Junk food ads still shown to children Research released today by Which? shows that TV adverts for foods that are high in fat, salt and sugar are still being shown during the programmes most watched by children, despite rules designed to prevent this having been in place since January.
- 19 Sep 2008 Nissan introduces all-new Murano The market for petrol SUVs isn’t exactly buoyant right now. But this isn’t about to stop Nissan introducing an all-new Murano.
- 19 Sep 2008 New Skoda Superb now on sale The new Skoda Superb is now on sale, offering big car motoring on a budget.
- 19 Sep 2008 Toshiba announces its first Netbook Toshiba has announced the the launch of the NB100 Netbook, which will become available in the UK in October 2008.
- 18 Sep 2008 XL customers in line for extra payouts Stranded customers of failed holiday firm XL who paid by credit card should be able to reclaim extra costs incurred in getting back to the UK
- 18 Sep 2008 Texting at wheel 'riskier than drink-driving' Reactions and lane discipline seriously affected by phone use
- 18 Sep 2008 VoIP services provide 999 call access All VoIP services that enable users to call regular phone numbers must also now offer emergency 999 and 112 access, says telecoms industry regulator Ofcom.
- 17 Sep 2008 Which? book steers you to hassle-free renting A new Which? book will steer you away from dodgy agents and landlords
- 17 Sep 2008 Alliance & Leicester takeover approved Shareholders in Alliance & Leicester (A&L) have approved its takeover by Banco Santander, the Spanish bank that already owns Abbey.
- 17 Sep 2008 Petrol prices 'should fall in line with oil' Falls in the world price of oil have not been reflected at petrol pumps, the AA said today.
- 17 Sep 2008 Citroën revises its C4 hatch Citroën has face-lifted its C4 hatchback, updating the looks, the interior, and the engine line-up.
- 17 Sep 2008 Tax-free Kia Sportage Buy a Kia Sportage before 31 October, and the Korean carmaker will pay for your road tax (VED) for the next three years.
- 17 Sep 2008 Free safety check for Volvo drivers Volvo is offering a free, 40-minute safety inspection for any of its cars built after 1999.
- 17 Sep 2008 Millions of British internet users watching online
- 17 Sep 2008 More pet owners are getting pet insurance Increasing numbers of pet owners are insuring their four-legged friends, a report claimed today.
- 17 Sep 2008 Pay as you go Apple iPhone launched
- 17 Sep 2008 Kodak unveils world’s first OLED photo frame OLED promises thinner and brighter digital photo frames for Christmas 2008.
- 17 Sep 2008 7digital.com goes DRM-free for MP3 downloads MP3 download sites to rival iTunes. 7digital.com goes DRM-free for digital downloads, amid Amazon and Tesco MP3 site launch rumours.
- 16 Sep 2008 Credit card transfers rise as recession looms More than one in five credit card holders will switch to a new credit card to save money in the next 12 months according to a survey by Abbey.
- 16 Sep 2008 Barclays bank clerk jailed over ID fraud A bank clerk from Enfield who was at the centre of an 'alarmingly simple' £500,000 identity fraud against customers has been jailed for 18 months.
- 16 Sep 2008 Fines for not wearing seatbelts set to double Fines for not wearing vehicle seatbelts are set to double under Government plans announced today.
- 16 Sep 2008 Credit card scam exposed Three members of a gang which bought petrol stations and bribed insiders as part of a £254,000 credit card scam have been jailed.
- 16 Sep 2008 New Mini concept to be unveiled Mini is set to unveil an SUV concept at the Paris Motor Show next month.
- 16 Sep 2008 Paris debut for Citroën’s new C3 Picasso MPV The new C3 Picasso will appear at the Paris Motor Show next month.
- 16 Sep 2008 Passionato - classical MP3 download site launched High quality rival to iTunes focuses on the classics
- 15 Sep 2008 Moving abroad is no holiday, says Which? book Emigrating is far from a long summer holiday, warns a Which? book published today.
- 15 Sep 2008 Blue lasers found inside mice Microsoft updates mouse technology with blue laser
- 15 Sep 2008 Parties told to put consumers at top of agenda As the party conference season approaches, Which? has today launched its own manifesto: ‘Consumers Vote - Priorities for the next Government’ highlighting the issues it believes the political parties should tackle.
- 15 Sep 2008 Car CO2 regulations back under spotlight An environmental regulation forcing carmakers to produce greener cars has been declared illegal by the European Parliament's Legal Affairs Committee.
- 15 Sep 2008 Digital radio unites Europe An end to DAB, DAB+ and DMB confusion?
- 12 Sep 2008 Drug ad plan could cost NHS millions Which? is calling on the European Commission to scrap plans that could needlessly cost the NHS millions.
- 12 Sep 2008 Which? Holiday reassures Seguro customers Which? Holiday is reassuring thousands of customers of the failed tour operator Seguro that they'll be brought home or get their money back.
- 12 Sep 2008 Advice for passengers grounded by XL collapse Many holidaymakers affected by XL's collapse will be able to claim a full refund - but it depends on how they booked their trip.
- 12 Sep 2008 Hot car deals, 12 September 2008
- 12 Sep 2008 Panasonic shrinks Digital SLR camera Panasonic has announced the world’s smallest and lightest digital interchangeable-lens camera - the Lumix DMC-G1.
- 12 Sep 2008 FOS calls for action over selling of PPI The Financial Ombudsman Services (FOS) has called on the City watchdog to take action over the way Payment Protection Insurance is sold following a 10-fold rise in complaints.
- 11 Sep 2008 Toyota launches Plug-in hybrid car A hybrid car which can be charged from a normal domestic electricity supply has been launched.
- 11 Sep 2008 Free insulation and energy bill help announced A £1bn package of help measures for households struggling to cope with soaring energy prices was unveiled today by Gordon Brown.
- 11 Sep 2008 Traffic officers could get vehicle removal powers Highways Agency traffic officers could be able to remove broken down and abandoned vehicles from England’s busiest roads under new plans to free up police time.
- 11 Sep 2008 Driving test candidates given fuel-efficiency tips Driving test candidates are getting fuel-efficiency tips from their examiners for the first time, following changes to the practical test this week.
- 11 Sep 2008 Hope of cheaper petrol as oil price drops Volatile trading pushed the price of crude oil back below US$100 a barrel this week, offering motorists hope of cheaper fuel.
- 11 Sep 2008 iPlayer goes mobile with Nokia N96 The BBC's popular iPlayer media streaming and download service will be available on Nokia's new N96 phone, set for a UK launch in early October.
- 10 Sep 2008 Northern Ireland’s car market slumps in crunch Northern Ireland’s car market has been worst affected by the economic downturn, detailed figures show, with new car registrations down 13.4% over the year to date.
- 10 Sep 2008 Unused bank accounts contain millions Two of the biggest banks in the UK are today announcing a drive to reunite customers with millions of pounds left in unused accounts.
- 10 Sep 2008 Advice group offers digital TV switch help An advice group has launched a TV ad campaign offering to help older people to cope with the analogue TV signal switch-off.
- 10 Sep 2008 PPI mis-sold on credit cards More than a million people have been lured into taking out loan cover for a credit card through misleading advice, Which? reveals today.
- 10 Sep 2008 All-new Renault Mégane revealed The all-new Renault Mégane is set to be one of the highlights of next month’s Paris Motor Show – and here it is.
- 10 Sep 2008 Volvo’s economy drive Volvo is the latest manufacturer to jump on the eco trend, and is introducing new DRIVe versions of the C30 hatchback, S40 saloon, and V50 estate at the forthcoming Paris motor show.
- 10 Sep 2008 New Volkswagen Golf BlueMotion Upstaging just-announced Volvo’s DRIVe models, is the new Volkswagen Golf BlueMotion Concept.
- 09 Sep 2008 Big rise in complaints about water firms A report released today by the Consumer Council for Water reveals that specific problems within a few water companies caused an 11 per cent rise in complaints last year.
- 09 Sep 2008 Nissan to launch solar-powered city car The Nissan Note has been given a face-lift
- 09 Sep 2008 Apple reveals new iPod line-up and iTunes 8 US computer company Apple has launched a range of new iPod music players and a new version of its iTunes music software in a special event held in San Francisco.
- 08 Sep 2008 Bogus sweepstakes are most common scam Every year, 3 million people in the UK lose money to scams. The Office of Fair Trading warns people about the most common ones.
- 06 Sep 2008 Consumers warned to get used to high food prices The era of falling food prices is over and households will have to get used to spending more of their budget at the checkout, experts say.
- 06 Sep 2008 Most parents still helping grown-up kids with cash More than half of parents are continuing to help their adult children meet day-to-day living costs, a survey shows.
- 05 Sep 2008 Petrol is overpriced, says AA The price of petrol is still too high and cuts in oil prices are not being passed on to motorists, the head of a motoring campaign group has said.
- 05 Sep 2008 Abbey cuts mortgage rates The changes will leave a two-year fixed-rate mortgage for someone with a 25% deposit costing 5.79%.
- 05 Sep 2008 Drivers warming to greener cars The Seat Ibiza Ecomotive is exempt from annual road tax
- 05 Sep 2008 Vodafone raises call prices Vodafone mobile phone customers have been hit by price rises for certain types of call.
- 05 Sep 2008 New cars and hot deals, 5 September 2008 For your weekly fix of car news and reviews, sign up to ourWhich? Car email. We'll drop you a line every Friday with what's hot in the world of motoring - and some very tempting deals, too.
- 05 Sep 2008 News quiz September Test your knowledge of the latest consumer news with our against-the-clock interactive quiz. Just hit start to begin.
- 05 Sep 2008 Economic slowdown hits new car sales The Ford Focus is 2008's most popular car so far
- 05 Sep 2008 Honda gives Insight into budget hybrid Honda claims its new hybrid will be cheaper than rival models
- 04 Sep 2008 Good Food Guide announces top eateries The Fat Duck is still number one but we reveal the exciting crop of young talent who could be challenging for the top spots soon.
- 04 Sep 2008 Minister rapped over Which? Holiday interview Minister hits headlines after saying that UK hotels were expensive and rush-hour on the Tube was 'dreadful'.
- 04 Sep 2008 Warning over food bugs in packed salad The growing popularity of pre-packed salads is likely to lead to an increase in food poisoning cases, scientists have warned.
- 04 Sep 2008 PVRs are 'essential', says poll Over 70% of Brits who own a personal video recorder (PVR) say that they can’t live without it, according to a new survey.
- 04 Sep 2008 Which? thinks Google's Chrome is a hit Google has launched a test version of a browser that's designed to make searching the web easier.
- 04 Sep 2008 Sony electronic book reader goes on sale An electronic book with enough memory to hold up to 160 novels will go on sale in the UK today.
- 04 Sep 2008 Water firm apologises over email blunder Southern Water has apologised to hundreds of its customers after sending their personal details out in a mass email.
- 04 Sep 2008 Air passengers to get fairer deal on ticket prices Airline passengers could soon be paying less for flights thanks to new EU rules approved by MEPs yesterday.
- 03 Sep 2008 Hospitals scrap car park charges Car parking charges are to be scrapped at 14 NHS hospitals across Scotland, it's been announced.
- 02 Sep 2008 Garages charge 'up to £200 an hour' New research claims that garages are charging labour rates of up to £200 an hour. London was the most expensive, in the Warranty Direct research.
- 02 Sep 2008 Energywatch raps gas and electricity hikes Npower and Scottish Power have hiked their gas and electricity prices by up to 34%.
- 01 Sep 2008 Booking 2009 holiday now could save £1,000 Families could save more than £1,000 by booking their summer 2009 holiday now, new research from Which? Holiday shows.
