Legal & Finance

Money Matters: Are house prices rising?

Roger Downes Tue, 22nd Oct 2024 at 09:00

So, what is going on in the housing market just now? It’s been slow for much of this year, but recent signs indicate that house prices are on the up again. The latest reports from Halifax and Nationwide suggest that average house prices are... So, what is going on in the housing market just now? It’s been slow for much of this year, but recent signs indicate that house prices are on the up again. The latest reports from Halifax and Nationwide suggest that average house prices are... So, what is going on in the housing market just now? It’s been slow for much of this year, but recent signs indicate that house prices are on the up again. The latest reports from Halifax and Nationwide suggest that average house prices are...

Money Matters: Bank 'Revolut'ion

Roger Downes Wed, 28th Aug 2024 at 09:00

As regular readers of this column will be aware, Money Matters has been a critic of the way the High Street banks have treated their customers for the last decade or more. Nationwide regularly advertises on our television screens its commitment to... As regular readers of this column will be aware, Money Matters has been a critic of the way the High Street banks have treated their customers for the last decade or more. Nationwide regularly advertises on our television screens its commitment to... As regular readers of this column will be aware, Money Matters has been a critic of the way the High Street banks have treated their customers for the last decade or more. Nationwide regularly advertises on our television screens its commitment to...

Money Matters: Retail shift

Money Matters: Balancing the books

Roger Downes Fri, 21st Jun 2024 at 09:00

In a few days’ time, we’ll all be trooping off to our local polling station to cast our votes in the first General Election since the Covid-19 pandemic. Much has changed in the world since then, but the issues relating to balancing the... In a few days’ time, we’ll all be trooping off to our local polling station to cast our votes in the first General Election since the Covid-19 pandemic. Much has changed in the world since then, but the issues relating to balancing the... In a few days’ time, we’ll all be trooping off to our local polling station to cast our votes in the first General Election since the Covid-19 pandemic. Much has changed in the world since then, but the issues relating to balancing the...

Money Matters: 80 years on

Roger Downes Fri, 24th May 2024 at 09:00

Money Matters makes no apology for using this column to mark the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings that changed the tide of the Second World War. I was in Normandy recently and there were stark reminders of the intensity of the fighting, the... Money Matters makes no apology for using this column to mark the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings that changed the tide of the Second World War. I was in Normandy recently and there were stark reminders of the intensity of the fighting, the... Money Matters makes no apology for using this column to mark the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings that changed the tide of the Second World War. I was in Normandy recently and there were stark reminders of the intensity of the fighting, the...

Money Matters: Downsizing

Roger Downes Fri, 26th Apr 2024 at 09:00

As you approach your seventies, all sorts of questions surface about how you are going to spend your later years. Sometimes people are trying to help you, others want to sell you something, and those closest to you are genuinely interested in your... As you approach your seventies, all sorts of questions surface about how you are going to spend your later years. Sometimes people are trying to help you, others want to sell you something, and those closest to you are genuinely interested in your... As you approach your seventies, all sorts of questions surface about how you are going to spend your later years. Sometimes people are trying to help you, others want to sell you something, and those closest to you are genuinely interested in your...

Money Matters: Budget 2024 – all about the ballot box?

Roger Downes Wed, 27th Mar 2024 at 09:00

Any budget in an election year is generally a tax giveaway designed to persuade voters to retain the current party in power. Forget the idea that it’s part of a fiscal masterplan; it’s all about the ballot box. But the current... Any budget in an election year is generally a tax giveaway designed to persuade voters to retain the current party in power. Forget the idea that it’s part of a fiscal masterplan; it’s all about the ballot box. But the current... Any budget in an election year is generally a tax giveaway designed to persuade voters to retain the current party in power. Forget the idea that it’s part of a fiscal masterplan; it’s all about the ballot box. But the current...

Money Matters: Delays, delays!

Roger Downes Mon, 26th Feb 2024 at 09:00

We spend a lot of time at work helping clients in their dealings with the authorities, notably Companies House and HMRC, but including others such as the Charity Commission. And it’s becoming harder and harder to deliver that help, courtesy... We spend a lot of time at work helping clients in their dealings with the authorities, notably Companies House and HMRC, but including others such as the Charity Commission. And it’s becoming harder and harder to deliver that help, courtesy... We spend a lot of time at work helping clients in their dealings with the authorities, notably Companies House and HMRC, but including others such as the Charity Commission. And it’s becoming harder and harder to deliver that help, courtesy...

Money Matters: The taxman is coming

Roger Downes Thu, 25th Jan 2024 at 09:00

‘Tax is a self assessment’ is one of the phrases I use commonly when providing tax advice to clients. It’s often in response to a question as to whether you have to pay tax on certain income. ‘The taxman isn’t really... ‘Tax is a self assessment’ is one of the phrases I use commonly when providing tax advice to clients. It’s often in response to a question as to whether you have to pay tax on certain income. ‘The taxman isn’t really... ‘Tax is a self assessment’ is one of the phrases I use commonly when providing tax advice to clients. It’s often in response to a question as to whether you have to pay tax on certain income. ‘The taxman isn’t really...

Money Matters: Economic crime

Roger Downes Mon, 18th Dec 2023 at 09:00

This may not be what you were expecting Money Matters to address in this first article of 2024, but it is potentially a subject that will affect many of us. Certainly all those of us that are in business will feel its impact. For many years the... This may not be what you were expecting Money Matters to address in this first article of 2024, but it is potentially a subject that will affect many of us. Certainly all those of us that are in business will feel its impact. For many years the... This may not be what you were expecting Money Matters to address in this first article of 2024, but it is potentially a subject that will affect many of us. Certainly all those of us that are in business will feel its impact. For many years the...

Money Matters: Interest Rates

Roger Downes Thu, 23rd Nov 2023 at 09:00

The mood among the people I speak to has changed significantly over the last twelve months or so, as interest rates have risen steadily every month until hitting a plateau in August, since when base rates have remained unchanged. It’s been a... The mood among the people I speak to has changed significantly over the last twelve months or so, as interest rates have risen steadily every month until hitting a plateau in August, since when base rates have remained unchanged. It’s been a... The mood among the people I speak to has changed significantly over the last twelve months or so, as interest rates have risen steadily every month until hitting a plateau in August, since when base rates have remained unchanged. It’s been a...

Money Matters: Pointless

Roger Downes Mon, 30th Oct 2023 at 09:00

As quiz shows go, I love ‘Pointless’ and wouldn’t mind having a go. I’d probably need Cheltenham Town FC in the 1990s or episodes of Only Fools & Horses to come up in order to be seen at my best on it! It’s also a... As quiz shows go, I love ‘Pointless’ and wouldn’t mind having a go. I’d probably need Cheltenham Town FC in the 1990s or episodes of Only Fools & Horses to come up in order to be seen at my best on it! It’s also a... As quiz shows go, I love ‘Pointless’ and wouldn’t mind having a go. I’d probably need Cheltenham Town FC in the 1990s or episodes of Only Fools & Horses to come up in order to be seen at my best on it! It’s also a...

Money Matters: Cheap airfares?

Roger Downes Mon, 25th Sep 2023 at 09:00

All too often these days, conversations about holiday experiences are prefaced by stories of how travellers felt robbed by additional, often hidden, charges they weren’t expecting. In fact, it’s true to say that it’s impossible to... All too often these days, conversations about holiday experiences are prefaced by stories of how travellers felt robbed by additional, often hidden, charges they weren’t expecting. In fact, it’s true to say that it’s impossible to... All too often these days, conversations about holiday experiences are prefaced by stories of how travellers felt robbed by additional, often hidden, charges they weren’t expecting. In fact, it’s true to say that it’s impossible to...

Money Matters: Consumer Duty

Roger Downes Wed, 23rd Aug 2023 at 09:00

Updated regulations came into effect from the start of August for any organisation whose business is monitored by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which is pretty much everyone in the financial sector, including the banks. The regulations,... Updated regulations came into effect from the start of August for any organisation whose business is monitored by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which is pretty much everyone in the financial sector, including the banks. The regulations,... Updated regulations came into effect from the start of August for any organisation whose business is monitored by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which is pretty much everyone in the financial sector, including the banks. The regulations,...