Cost of living - 2022!

[PaulCP]

Try obtaining a new quote as an alias. DL appear not to understand the loyalty concept where they are not supposed to charge more for renewals than for a quote for new business.

I did this with the wife’s car insurance, the quote was considerably less and once called & told about this they could magically reduce the renewal to that figure.

DL also appear to try it on with auto renewals. My wife said no to auto renewal 3  years ago and they always say on the renewal notice that it will renew automatically unless they get a call otherwise. She always calls to say she has not agreed to auto renewal but clearly they take no notice, so this time she said “I will consider renewing after I receive an email from you confirming that auto renewal does not apply to my policy.” She now has evidence that the policy is not on auto renewal.

Why did she stick with DL, because they were still the cheapest by quite a margin. She just accepts that she has to “play the game” every 12 months

 

[LotusLeftLotusRight]

49 minutes ago, Rambo said:

Best to shop around. Try Staysure.

 

Just tried Staysure. Their like for like premium is £123.05, so 50% cheaper than Direct Line and 20% less than I paid DL last year! I don’t expect to need the cover until next year, so I’ll tell DL to shove it. DL are stupid, because I do use them for my daily driver car insurance. Maybe the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing?

[andydclements]

55 minutes ago, PaulCP said:

Try obtaining a new quote as an alias. DL appear not to understand the loyalty concept where they are not supposed to charge more for renewals than for a quote for new business.

I did this with the wife’s car insurance, the quote was considerably less and once called & told about this they could magically reduce the renewal to that figure.

DL also appear to try it on with auto renewals. My wife said no to auto renewal 3  years ago and they always say on the renewal notice that it will renew automatically unless they get a call otherwise. She always calls to say she has not agreed to auto renewal but clearly they take no notice, so this time she said “I will consider renewing after I receive an email from you confirming that auto renewal does not apply to my policy.” She now has evidence that the policy is not on auto renewal.

Why did she stick with DL, because they were still the cheapest by quite a margin. She just accepts that she has to “play the game” every 12 months

 

That used to be the case, but now they have to show that they don't advantage new customers over existing, by showing the relative prices for the whole book are equal (as in a bunch of customers with the same risk profile, get the same price whether existing or new).

[Bibs]

Now the mini-budget fiasco has been undone the news are once again telling us about blackouts and £100,000,000 a year electric bills! I'd love to have their crystal ball!!

[exeterjeep]

34 minutes ago, Bibs said:

their crystal ball!!

need one of those to say who will be PM, in a month or 6..

[MJON]

21 hours ago, exeterjeep said:

need one of those to say who will be PM, in a month or 6..

🤔They may need to parachute someone in asap 🥳

 

[Bibs]

I'm sure we're all going to get quite shafted in an hour or so but at least the Home Office is ok!! 

[Kimbers]

The Justice one is a worry but it doesn't surprise me. this Article is doing the rounds of all the Police Media. We are allowed to be outraged but not out loud.

Three Suffolk police officers let down by the Crown Prosecution Service

15 November 2022

We are disheartened to hear that three police officers have sensationally been let down by the Crown Prosecution Service.

The officers, who were assaulted whilst on duty, had their case thrown out of court due to a shortage of available barristers. The Judge refused to adjourn the case and directed that not guilty verdicts should be recorded.

Whilst we understand the current backlog and pressures on the system are having an effect on criminal justice, this cannot be allowed to continue. Victims are being let down, losing hope and left feeling that their experience is irrelevant.

The suspect in question has 161 previous convictions including offences of assaults on police officers. We now have a suspect who has effectively been let off with no punishment for his actions. How can police officers be expected to uphold law and order when we are not supported to do so by the CPS?

This is just one example of where our police officers are being let down by the criminal justice system. Not only are our officers feeling disrespected and dejected, but this is an enormous waste of resources following the countless hours it will have taken to prepare the case file just for it to be thrown out. The last minute nature of the decision meant the force were left short in their numbers, given that the three officers, plus two additional officers who were witnesses, had been warned for court. The domino impact of this decision is plain to see.

This is simply unacceptable.

Our officers put themselves in harm’s way every day to protect the public and all too often are assaulted in the process. What message does this send to them - that they are not valued or respected? What message does it send to those intent on harming officers, or indeed others - that there will be no consequences due to a backlogged system and lack of barristers?

The criminal justice system has failed our members. We need reassurance that this will not happen again in cases involving our colleagues, or indeed in any case. The system needs fixing, immediately.

Darren Harris, chair of Suffolk Police Federation which represents the three officers involved in the incident, has also condemned the outcome of the case.

“In the past, the Federation has criticised courts for handing out seemingly lenient sentences when police officers have been assaulted and abused, saying that offenders had escaped with little more than a slap on the wrist,” says Darren.

“But, in this case it seems that this individual didn’t even get a slap on the wrist. It is beyond belief that they have been able to walk away completely scot-free for this despicable abuse of police officers just going about their duties.

“Not only does this mean that they have completely escaped justice, but it also sends out completely the wrong message to others. Where is the deterrent when someone can be accused of this type of offence and then simply see the case dropped?

“Police officers put their lives on the line to serve and protect the public and the very least that they should expect in return is a criminal justice system that punishes those who fail to respect their unique position in society.

“An attack on a police officer is an attack on society itself and this is why our successful Protect the Protectors campaign resulted in the Government giving courts the ability to hand out far tougher sentences for those who assault the police or other members of the emergency services.

“However, we now need the courts to use the stronger sentencing powers they have. While we appreciate that the courts are struggling due to a shortage of barristers, this cannot be allowed to prevent justice being done – for our members, for the police service and for the wider public.”

Darren’s views have been echoed by the three officers involved in the incident.

One said: “I am very disappointed and feel let down by the system. We are here to protect victims and when we are victims ourselves doing our duty the offender is allowed to walk away with no consequences.”

Another added: “I am disappointed with the decision and frustrated we get assaulted in the line of duty and the court doesn’t seem to care.”

The third officer said: “I am angry. What is the point of recording a crime of assault if it won’t go anywhere? All the work that goes into case feels like it’s not worth it.”

[Frickin_idiot]

The courts let down Police and the general public on a daily basis. My step son is a police officer and, from his experience, they deal with the same people day in, day out. 
 

A handful of criminals consume vast quantities of police time and when they are caught, the courts simply dole out overly lenient sentences and a few months later these people are on the street committing crimes again.

Edited November 17, 2022 by Bibs

[Barrykearley]

Absolutely disgusting. I’ll try hard not to mention my Ex …..oh ffs…..

[Sparky]

I invite you all to watch 24 Hours In Police Custody, starring my son-in-law, due to air on 28 November.

[LotusLeftLotusRight]

What was he nicked for? 🤣

[C8RKH]

14 hours ago, Frickin_idiot said:

A handful of criminals consume vast quantities of police time and when they are caught, the courts simply dole out overly lenient sentences and a few months later these people are on the street committing crimes again.

This is the problem. The overwhelming vast majority of the popultaion are genuinely decent people just getting on with their lives.

Then we have the scumbags that hoover up a vast amount of public resources, time and cash because, well, they're just scumbags and they know they can 

They should be sterilised (in all senses of the word) and put to work in a labour camp. No work. No food. 

Sorry, but the small minority need to be dealt with once and for all.

[Sparky]

1 hour ago, LotusLeftLotusRight said:

What was he nicked for? 🤣

I shall offer no spoilers; suffice to say it's a real eye-opener and relevant to Kimbers' post above.

[LotusLeftLotusRight]

Hearing some top tips from “experts” in the media regarding keeping heating costs down. I don’t know how we managed without them!

1. turn down your thermostat

2. switch off radiators in rooms you don’t use

3. close the doors to said unused rooms

4. reduce the time your heating is switched on

and my favourite, heard yesterday from an independent financial expert:

5. close your curtains at night. 
 

He got time on the telly for that nugget of advice!

[Bibs]

My local council recommended wearing a coat and grippy shoes outside earlier today! I don't know where I'd be without them?

[LotusLeftLotusRight]

The thermostat one makes me laugh. Apparently we should be happy with 18C. Mine’s always been set to 20C. Trouble is the house rarely warms up enough in winter to get anywhere near that figure before the timer switches the heating off again. I’ve just been into our bedroom and the alarm clock thermometer is showing 12.9C! 🥶 

[exeterjeep]

14 minutes ago, LotusLeftLotusRight said:

near that figure before the timer switches the heating off again.

could have it on longer.....spend more.   

Our lounge gets too hot in the evening - so often have to open the French doors - but we do have a log burner...

 

My parents used to have their gas heating on for 23.5 hours per day and in the very cold weather it was still cold especially upstairs. Big old grade 2 listed place, really glad when I got it sold.

[LotusLeftLotusRight]

We have a log burner in the lounge too. It’s excellent and even helps to warm the rest of the house a little bit if we leave the other doors open. Historically we’ve only used it on Fridays and Saturdays, because the cleaning and re-laying work required is a bit much on a workday morning. However, with things as they are, I might just have to bite the bullet and get up a bit earlier so that we can use it everyday.

[RobinB5]

55 minutes ago, LotusLeftLotusRight said:

and my favourite, heard yesterday from an independent financial expert:

5. close your curtains at night. 
 

He got time on the telly for that nugget of advice!

Not such bad advice. Cold air dumps down from a window and can cause a floor level draft that does a good job at cooling the whole room.

Curtains go some way to impede that flow. They also stop any radiative heat transfer from inside the room to the outside.

Also the reason why the best place to put a radiator is under a window:

 

There's even such a thing as heated glass windows, which isn't as stupid as it sounds.

[LotusLeftLotusRight]

But why wouldn’t you close your curtains at night? That’s what they’re for, right? It’s like an expert coming on TV and telling you to switch a light on when it gets too dark to see!

[oneshot]

We have a log burner (or more correctly a multi fuel stove) in the lounge. Very rarely goes below 21 degrees in there. We have just had all the windows and doors replaced in the house. Modern UPVC with thermal glass. It definitely has made the house warmer. We are in a cottage (well 2 cottages knocked into one) that was built in 1844.

[Sparky]

Combined energy usage as of 2135 today:  £16.39!  I've been out all day working in the fecking arctic, and it seems Tracy (and her lovely mother) have been spending my hard-earned on toasty kilowatts.  Will this be our first £20 day?

[Bibs]

£7.41 on electric and £13.79 on gas so far today

[Sparky]

Thanks for making me feel better!