Improve Money Rules In 50 Words. Suggest easy changes for our politicians

A question about : Improve Money Rules In 50 Words. Suggest easy changes for our politicians

Improve Money Rules In 50 Words
What easy changes should our politicians make?

Politicians focus on big changes, but often it's the little things that could speedily be changed to make life better – many can be said in under 50 words.

We want your suggestions, from which we'll select the best to put into our 50 word Moneyfesto, which the PM, deputy PM and leader of the opposition have agreed to read - plus we'll send it to regulators and others who can make things happens.

Please make your 50 word suggestions...

To make a suggestion - just click reply and please format it as follows (you'll need to register for the forum to do so - don't worry its free - we just ask for registration to stop people spamming here)

A brief headline of what the measure is.
Then a longer description of the exact problem and how it should be dealt with. Keep it as practical as possible, so there is a definitive action. In total NO MORE than 50 words please.

Important extra notes...

Pls only suggestions, no discussion.
This is only on MoneySaving issues please.... all non MoneySaving/inappropriate suggestions will be deleted). Yet it can be finance, energy, telephones, shopping anything MoneySaving.
Max one suggestion per post. You can post more than once though
No duplication please. Do check no one else has suggested it
This is for practical simple changes that positively benefit everyday lives. Not have a go at politicians thread. It's for small, easy practical changes. So things like freeze MPs pay or Rewrite the tax system from scratch won't make it.

Best answers:

• Premium rate helplines are inaccessible to people who do not have access to a landline. The majority of people opt for mobile phone usage, profit should not be made from public needing to contact essential services. A land line should always be given as an option.
• Don't lock consumers into prepayment meters
  I am unable to switch to many of the cheapest online fuel tariffs as I cannot afford the circa Ј50 upfront payment that fuel suppliers require to replace my inherited prepayment meter. Ironically I cannot afford to move to a tariff that could save me up to Ј300 a year.
  There should only be a charge for customers who had the prepayment meters put in in the first place.
• As law abiding car owners we have to pay for car insurance. Premiums vary massively with every company, every year. Why can’t there be better, fairer regulations that govern insurance companies to provide cheaper, honest policies. Making car insurance policies ‘not for profit’ (charity) would work.
• Utilities change their prices and write to confirm it. Fair enough (sometimes!). But please make it requirement to include in the notice what the price has changed from as well as what it has changed to.
• POLICE SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO CALL FOR CAR RECOVERY WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR OWN
  When a vehicle is obstructing the road, the police won't allow the driver to use their own free recovery service provider (included with breakdown cover) and they call their own. The driver then has to pay hundreds of pounds to get the vehicle back and the police earn commission from this.
• Banks should have to display current interest rates (+any applicable bonuses) easily visible for users when they log in for online banking. The easiest way with all the frequent changes to know what interest you earn.
• Changes in fees from service providers, e.g. utility companies, phone companies, should give the customer the right to change the contract / provider, if they have had to lock into a deal.
• Enusres third party cover in the event of injury or damage, whoever is driving your car & with or without your permission. Annually renewable like/with an MOT. Protects the innocent & ensures minimum cover. You can borrow any car, drive someone back from pub whose had one too many etc
• Councils be forced to discontinue commissioning regional housing enablers - they are not publicly-accountable and, frankly, cost a lot of money for doing a job that the publicly-accountable council should be doing, if required.
• Cheques can take between 3 and 10 days to be cashed. One bank can have different accounts with different cashing periods. Make all banks cash all cheques in 3 days.
• Stop paying interest to the banks.
  Banks create money from thin air, they lend it to the government who spend it on our behalf and charge us for the capital plus interest. Government should not need to pay interest to private banks, they should create the countries money.
• People register with the telephone preference service to avoid being hassled by marketers but this does not apply to text messages. When registering with the TPS, give the option to avoid either phone calls or text messages or both. Or set up a text message-specific service
• You should be able to contact your mobile phone provider to request all high premium texts and phone calls are barred from your number. Rather than going through phone pay plus after the calls have been made. Teenagers use these services without thinking and then the parents have to pay.
• get rid of tons of excess street clutter & unnecessary signage. you dont need to know about fog, railway crossings, cows in the road etc. just have large amber flashing lights like in germany as a general hazard sign which means you MUST slow down & be observant... MAKES SENSE?
• It should be set by the Government, rather than each Council. In London travel is free for over 60s but in Kent we have no travel concessions at all. Please make it fair for everyone.
• Community service for long term unemployed. If this was run properly some of the participants might be able to earn a little more benefits than the people who think they are escaping employment by claiming benefits. It may even give them experience/confidence to apply for a job.
• Generate revenue from non-productive financial activity.
  Apply 0.5% tax on any currency exchange transaction (including options purchase) over a value of Ј1,000 or any combination of exchanges above the value of Ј1,000 in any 24 hour period. Tax levied at the time of transaction.
• When insurance companies send their renewal documents they should also send a brief copy of the details you signed up with the year before in case there have been any changes since. Insurance companies do everything possible to deny a claim, it would help the consumer to know the original contract details.
• Ban/regulate charges on car insurance
  Like the banks have been regulated on what charges they can apply, car insurers should be limited as to what admin charges they can apply. Does it really cost them Ј25 to change your address on your car insurance?