Financial news

• Marks & Spencer finance chief to step down

  21-09-2019 18:53
  Humphrey Singer will work with chief executive Steve Rowe on succession processMarks & Spencer’s chief financial officer, Humphrey Singer, is stepping down after little more than a year, weeks after it was announced the firm would drop out of the FTSE 100 for the first time.Singer, who joined from electricals retailer Dixons Carphone in 2018, will work with the chief executive, Steve Rowe, on the succession process, the company said. Continue reading...
  
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• Turn that down! Neighbours revolt over rented party houses

  21-09-2019 17:48
  A surge in one-off weekend lettings sparks demand for reformEveryone loves a good party, apart from the neighbours. The rise of dedicated party houses, from Edinburgh to Sandbanks, is being met with a growing backlash and now MPs and influential residents’ groups are calling for ministers to step in.A large and apparently growing number of ordinary residential houses are being let out for one-off events – often stag or hen parties, or big birthday celebrations – using platforms
  
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• Electricity and gas bills: now is the time to switch energy supplier

  21-09-2019 08:45 via theguardian.com
  Getting a new fixed-price tariff before winter begins could save you £290 a yearThe experts are in agreement: now is the moment to grab a new fixed-price gas and electricity tariff in time for the big central heating switch-on, in order to protect yourself against the chunky price hikes that appear to be heading our way.Uncertainty in the Middle East, concerns over French nuclear supplies, gas restrictions from Russia – and, dare we mention it, Brexit – all arguably add up to a
  
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• Theatre seats: here's how to bag them at bargain prices

  21-09-2019 08:30 via theguardian.com
  We reveal the tips and tricks that can get you into shows for as little as £10 – or even freeYou would like to go to the theatre more often, but you’re put off by the exorbitant cost. Yes, tickets can be pricey, particularly for the big shows in the West End of London, but you don’t have to pay £75 or £100 (or more) – with a little insider knowledge, you can often get a decent seat for about £10 to £20.And then there are the hush-hush ways yo
  
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• Student halls and food malls: House of Fraser turns over a new lease

  21-09-2019 08:00 via theguardian.com
  As old leases expire, landlords look at innovative options to reuse department store sitesHouse of Fraser in Wolverhampton is set to be closed down and redeveloped as student housing or lecture halls, as a £3m sale of the property is expected to be finalised within weeks.The deal would be a major change for the city centre retail site where the Beatties chain was founded in 1877 before being taken over by House of Fraser in 2005. Continue reading...
  
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• Is patio decking worth it – or is there a better alternative?

  21-09-2019 08:00 via theguardian.com
  I’m worried decking might look good for a year or so, but then go downhill fastEvery week a Guardian Money reader submits a question, and it’s up to you to help him or her out – a selection of the best answers will appear in next Saturday’s paper.Our small patio is looking rather sad and my husband is desperate to install some decking, which I fear will look good for a year or so, but then go downhill fast. Can you buy inexpensive, long-lived decking? Help me talk him out
  
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• ‘I had £30,000 debt, but now I’ve learned to manage money’

  21-09-2019 08:00 via theguardian.com
  Amy McDermott, 32, on how she had to declare herself bankrupt but now has control of her financesName: Amy McDermott
  Age: 32
  Income: £1,374 per month in benefits
  Occupation: full-time motherLife has changed dramatically for me over the past two years – I’ve gone from being married and having a successful career in marketing with a healthy income of £3,500 a month to becoming a single parent and declaring myself bankrupt. Continue reading...
  
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• Credit cards: interest rates hit a record high

  21-09-2019 08:00 via theguardian.com
  Customers who don’t pay off their bill in full each month face an average charge of 24.7% this monthInterest rates may have fallen to the point they have gone negative at some European banks, but that seemingly hasn’t stopped credit card providers shamelessly upping the interest they charge customers who don’t pay off their bill in full each month.According to data website Moneyfacts, the average rate (APR) for those making credit card purchases hit an eye-watering 24.7% this m
  
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• Pension warning: Retirees urged to seek advice as common pension mistakes revealed

  21-09-2019 05:01 via feedproxy.google.com
  PENSION savings can make up a significant proportion of a person’s income during retirement. What are some common pension mistakes which retirees have made?
  
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