In March, I booked a holiday cottage in South Wales for four adults plus our two grandchildren.
We were due at a wedding on July 15 and, after that, planned to see family.
Covid-19 led to the wedding being cancelled. But I had already paid the final instalment for our holiday.
Denied: A reader was left devastated after he was forced to cancel a family holiday in Wales due to lockdown but then discovered he couldn’t claim on his insurance policy
We waited, but England residents were not being allowed into Wales.
I believed I had travel cover under my home insurance policy with Direct Line and claimed the full cost of £1,785 on June 17.
However, Direct Line says I can only claim if the cancellation is within 28 days of my travel date.
It maintains that limit is included in its policy document, but it is not in the original one I hold.
K. H., Marston Moretaine, Beds.
Direct Line used to offer free travel insurance on its Home Plus policies but this was discontinued for new customers from October 2017. Existing customers keep the benefit until they are 65.
So what is this 28-day limit? In 2015, Direct Line changed policy terms for claims when the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advises against all travel (or all but essential travel) to a destination.
The advice must come into force after you opened your account or booked your trip (whichever is later) and cancellation must be within 28 days of your departure date. This is because FCDO advice not to travel is often temporary.
You cancelled on June 6, Direct Line says, which is around 40 days before your holiday was due to start.
However, Direct Line says it has no record that you were made aware of this policy change.
Your claim also fails on another crucial point — you are over the 65 age limit.
But Direct Line says you were not made aware of this when submitting your claim, or in subsequent communication.
The upshot is that Direct Line agrees that ‘on this occasion our service has not been to the standard that our customers should have expected’.
So, as a goodwill gesture for the inconvenience and any distress caused, it will generously cover your full £1,785 claim for accommodation costs. But when you book another holiday, you’ll need to buy separate travel insurance.
I bought a £250 washing machine on May 23 but have had ongoing problems. I had an engineer out in June, July, August, and September and it is still not working.
I can’t get through to the manufacturer to get another engineer to call. I have tried using its online chat and was offered the option of an engineer who would guide me through what to do.
But as I am 87 and not technically-minded, I said no and the firm just cut me off.
T. T., Sheerness, Kent.
My first question to you was: where did you buy this washing machine? This is because your contract is with the retailer which sold it rather than with the manufacturer.
It is the retailer’s responsibility to sort out this issue and, if necessary, supply you with a new washing machine.
The answer was Argos, which is owned by Sainsbury’s.
I contacted Sainsbury’s, pointing out that you had provided the manufacturer with the chance to sort out the problems.
Sainsbury’s was, of course, unaware of your issues and immediately offered a replacement.
A spokesman said: ‘We have contacted Mrs T to offer a replacement washing machine now that we have been alerted to the repair issues she was experiencing.’
To emphasise, Sainsbury’s had no idea of these problems, so it deserves a pat on the back for acting so quickly once alerted.
Spark Energy is chasing me for £3,257.86. I signed up in January 2014, paying £96 per month for gas and electricity. Since then I have not had an annual statement.
I switched supplier in June 2020. Spark sent a statement showing a credit balance of £660.53.
Then, on July 8, it sent a demand for £3,257.86 to be paid by July 18. On July 24, I received a demand from a debt collector. I finally managed to speak to people on July 29 and 30, when I was told the account would be put on hold.
I am still waiting for this to be resolved. I am a pensioner and am worried that there will be people coming to my house and harassing me.
P. C., Middx.
Spark was taken over by Ovo Energy in 2018.
My first thought was, ten days isn’t long to come up with more than £3,000 when you haven’t had a statement for six years.
A second bill was sent on July 14. But Ovo says if it doesn’t hear from a customer within ten days of the final bill, the debt collection process is triggered.
You had tried to make contact and, when you finally managed to speak to someone, the collection process was halted.
Ovo says your massive bill was caused by incorrect readings sent by your new provider. It put these into a disputes process after you made contact.
But you then provided new readings via me, which allowed Ovo to correct your final bill. You were £631.52 in credit.
Ovo has apologised and refunded this along with a £150 goodwill gesture.
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