Latest news with #Vicki
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Pet insurer charged £250 excess THREE times after our black labrador's single operation: SALLY SORTS IT
We took our black labrador retriever Vicki to the vet because she had some lumps on her skin. Four of the lumps were of concern and needed removing. This was done in January this year. Analysis revealed that they were all non-cancerous tumours. We made a claim on our insurance with John Lewis (underwritten by Royal & Sun Alliance). As Vicki was over nine years old, we had to pay 20 per cent of the remaining claim bill after the excess of £250, which we understood. The bill was £1,550 and we expected £1,040 to be reimbursed. But we only got £640 as the insurer took three excesses of £250 each. Please help. J.L., Essex. Sally Hamilton replies: The operation was a success and thankfully Vicki is fine. But you were shocked at being billed for three excesses totalling £750. Your policy certainly states that an excess must be paid for 'each accident or illness'. But I felt, like you, these excesses were excessive, as your beloved pet had undergone only one operation to remove the various tumours from her skin. In its initial letter of explanation, John Lewis emphasised that as there were three different types of lump, this meant there were three conditions and that an excess must be applied to each one. You argued that although benign, they were all skin tumours and surely amounted to one condition. I asked John Lewis to check your claim had been handled fairly. Its conclusion, I'm afraid, was that it remained confident in its original assessment. It added that applying an excess for each diagnosed condition in this way is a 'common approach for many' insurers in the industry. I asked around about this claim. One broker I spoke to said it is not always dealt with this way. Sometimes tumours, even different types, that appear all at the same time can potentially be treated as one condition. But this was not the case with John Lewis and Royal & Sun Alliance, and you have been left licking your wounds over its triple excess grab. A spokesman says: 'While we fully sympathise with J.L.'s situation, we're confident that we provided the right costs to cover Vicki's veterinary bills, given she experienced three different types of tumours.' Ulez fine misery On July 18 last year, I drove to London to renew my daughter's passport. I am not used to driving in the capital and did not realise that I had crossed into the Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) area, which required me to pay a charge. I only became aware of an issue nine months later when I received a letter from debt collection agency CDER Group warning me bailiffs may be called if I didn't pay a penalty charge that had risen to £355. I called CDER immediately and was told that Transport for London had sent all previous correspondence regarding this charge to the house next door – number 55 not 57. These letters were not passed to me. I feel hard done by, as I did not have the opportunity to pay the penalty early. A.P., Southampton. Sally Hamilton replies: It seemed odd that all previous correspondence had gone to an incorrect address, while the scary debt collection letter managed to reach you. This was because CDER does routine checks with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and other sources, and discovered the anomaly. Meanwhile, I was astonished your neighbours hadn't been neighbourly enough to pass on the letters to you, which could have avoided the hassle. But you said the property is used for short-term rentals and you didn't know the people who lived there at the time. Scam Watch Drivers should beware a scam text that says you must pay a fine for leaving your engine on, consumer website Which? warns. Tricksters claim you must pay a 'parking infringement fine' by a certain date – and if you fail to pay, you could be forced to stump up 'further penalties' and even face 'prosecution'. The text directs you to a link and asks you to enter your registration number to pay your fine. But the link will lead to a malicious website designed to steal your personal and financial details. Do not click on the link – instead, forward the text to 7726. You naturally wanted to avoid the nasty £355 penalty you didn't deserve. Though it was a long time since the initial penalty charge was issued, there is an option to make an 'out of time' appeal against the charge for those who have good reasons. But you felt overwhelmed by the process, which requires you to complete a special form that must be sworn before an official such as a solicitor, Justice of the Peace or County Court officer. Instead, you came to me. I asked TfL if it could be more lenient considering you had never seen the earlier correspondence. TfL investigated your case and I am pleased to tell you it decided to let you off. A TfL spokesman says: 'We are sorry for the distress that A.P. has experienced. Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) are issued to a vehicle's registered keeper, based on information from the DVLA. 'In this case, the PCN was issued to the address on the DVLA records, which led to the PCNs being progressed to enforcement action. The incorrect address in the DVLA records has since been updated. We have used our discretion to cancel any outstanding charges.' Any motorist unfairly slapped with a PCN should submit a representation with evidence that they are not liable, ideally within the timescales, typically 28 days. TfL does also consider mitigating circumstances and uses its discretion in deciding whether to cancel a charge, as it did in your case. PCNs are posted to the registered keeper of a car based on details held with the DVLA, so drivers should check with the agency that these are accurate to avoid mishaps. Importantly, drivers can avoid trouble by ensuring they familiarise themselves with the charges they are likely to face when driving into London, including Ulez and the congestion charge. The Ulez charge in London is £12.50 a day for cars that do not meet the required emission standards and are not exempt. The congestion charge costs £15 a day for those driving into the congestion zone between 7am and 6pm Monday to Friday, and between noon and 6pm on Saturdays and Sundays, as well as bank holidays. Straight to the point I bought several dresses from John Lewis to try on for a wedding this month and sent back two. But it won't refund me for one of them, worth £95, as it says it has 'deodorant marks and sweat' on it. The clear inference is that I purchased the dress, wore it for an event and then tried to send it back. Please help. R.W., via email. John Lewis says it refunded one of the dresses but as the other had deodorant marks it cannot give you a refund. It says it would be unfair to sell this to another customer. *** In May I visited Crete on a Loveholidays package holiday but the hotel was such a let-down, with mould around the ceiling, leaking taps and more. I tried to get in touch with Loveholidays via my son's phone, as mine wasn't working, but received no reply. The owner had another room available but it still had issues and cost an extra €200 – so we had to find our own accommodation. It has now said it will refund us just £27.45. S.H., Felixstowe. Loveholidays apologises and says it did try to make contact with you, which you didn't receive until after you left the hotel. It has refunded you for the full cost of the accommodation. *** My sister has learning difficulties and several health issues so my wife and I have started to help manage her money. We submitted her meter readings to her energy supplier in February and then received a bill which said she was £10,824 in credit. We asked for this to be refunded and the supplier said they'd need to get it signed off by a manager. But it's now been so long the supplier won't speak to me unless I get permission, again, from my sister, who is now in hospital. B.D., Kent. The energy provider apologises and says a refund of almost £12,000 has been made. Write to Sally Hamilton at Sally Sorts It, Money Mail, Northcliffe House, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT or email sally@ — include phone number, address and a note addressed to the offending organisation giving them permission to talk to Sally Hamilton. Please do not send original documents as we cannot take responsibility for them. No legal responsibility can be accepted by the Daily Mail for answers given.
Metro
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Two EastEnders exits in early BBC release as characters flee Walford for good
This article contains spoilers for tonight's episodes of EastEnders, which air on BBC Two at 7pm or can be streamed now on iPlayer. Bernie Taylor (Clair Norris) and Felix Baker (Matthew James Morrison) have called time on their life in Albert Square. It's been a dramatic week, and it's only Tuesday! As viewers of the soap have learnt, Bernie has been stealing thousands of pounds from the Panesar family's business accounts after being made a trustee by twisted patriarch Nish (Navin Chowdhry). He'd took the blame for her brother Keanu's (Danny Walters) murder, but she knew that it was actually six of our favourite East End leading ladies. Fearing that her fraudulent behaviour was about to be exposed, she made a last ditch attempt by pinning the blame on Vicki Fowler (Alice Haig), who had been acting as accountant. To make matters worse for Vicki, she had actually wanted in on the scam, demanding half of the money in exchange for her silence. In the first of today's two episodes, she was furious to see that she still hadn't received her share from Bernie. What she didn't realise was that Ravi Gulati (Aaron Thiara) was plotting his revenge, and he wasn't going to let her off lightly. He lured her partner's son Joel Marshall (Max Murray) into his restaurant, before locking him in the walk-in freezer. Using Joel's phone, Ravi then instructed Vicki to head over to Walford East. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video She pleaded for the Panesars to believe her innocence, and Suki (Balvinder Sopal) gave her the benefit of the doubt. She told Ravi to set Joel free – but Vicki still had 24 hours to confess. Bernie watched on with a smug face, unaware that Ravi had actually clocked onto her devious ways and was actually just buying time to find concrete evidence of her wrongdoings. She booked flights for her and Felix to move to Spain, and then produced her laptop to further incriminate Vicki. Priya Nandra-Hart (Sophie Khan Levy) then dropped a washing up bowl full of water over the device, so that Ravi could take it 'for repair' – actually getting brother Vinny (Shiv Jalota) to install spyware onto it. The drama continued in the second instalment, as Bernie began to pack her bags and say her goodbyes. She urged Felix to join her, telling him that she'd seen his boyfriend Johnny Carter (Charlie Suff) cosying up with Callum Highway (Tony Clay). Felix told her that he wanted to be able to make his own decisions, and she should go without him. Want to be the first to hear shocking EastEnders spoilers? Who's leaving Coronation Street? The latest gossip from Emmerdale? Join 10,000 soaps fans on Metro's WhatsApp Soaps community and get access to spoiler galleries, must-watch videos, and exclusive interviews. Simply click on this link, select 'Join Chat' and you're in! Don't forget to turn on notifications so you can see when we've just dropped the latest spoilers! However, matters quickly escalated when he caught the men kissing, and he made a split second decision to head to Spain. Felix also couldn't get over the fact that Johnny was well aware of Keanu's murder. Having transferred a final £25k payment into her account, Bernie booked a taxi. But Suki was blocking her path. More Trending Bernie pleaded with her, Denise Fox (Diane Parish), Kathy Cotton (Gillian Taylforth) and Linda Carter (Kellie Bright), asking them to allow her to start afresh. They'd all had an opportunity to return to normality following Keanu's death, but she couldn't. Suki remained adamant that Bernie wasn't going anywhere – but when the other women began to pity her, she stepped to one side. Bernie and Felix boarded a taxi and drove off into the distance, as a frantic Ravi tried to stop them. A delay on the spyware meant he'd only just seen her transfer the cash. View More » Back on Turpin Road, Suki hugged her wife Eve (Heather Peace), knowing that The Six's ordeal was finally over. If you've got a soap or TV story, video or pictures get in touch by emailing us soaps@ – we'd love to hear from you. Join the community by leaving a comment below and stay updated on all things soaps on our homepage. MORE: All 53 EastEnders pictures for next week as Bernie frames a Walford favourite for shocking crime MORE: All EastEnders spoilers for next week as Alfie twist is confirmed MORE: All EastEnders cast returns, exits and new arrivals coming up in 2025
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Special reason women at front of Wimbledon queue let others move ahead of them
Wimbledon's notorious ticket queue attracts tens of thousands of would-be spectators every year, with only a small proportion of them getting into SW19 each day Linda Jacobs and Aleta Cole, two tennis lovers from Houston, Texas made an epic 5,000-mile journey to join the world-renowned Wimbledon queue, setting up their camp at 10am on Friday. Despite being the first to arrive three days before the championships began, they did something rather extraordinary. Amidst the scorching heat, they began pitching their tent in Wimbledon Park. However, when queue veterans Vicki and Nigel Broad from Neath, South Wales, arrived a few hours later, Linda and Aleta struck up a conversation with them. Realising they were in the presence of seasoned queuers, the American pair graciously allowed the British duo to set up their tent first. Linda, who plays with Aleta on a team called Hotshots back in Houston, told the Express: "We just don't want to be first so we let them go ahead." She admitted that shying away from media attention (due to being first in line) on Monday was part of their strategy, but they also felt it fitting for Brits to lead the queue for their home tournament. Linda added: "It's a British tournament right, so we just felt it was the right thing to do for them to go first. "They have also been here many times before so it was good having them here to tell us what to do - they are the experts and have been extremely helpful." The friends, who plan to stay for three days at the tournament, are eager to watch fellow American Coco Gauff and have praised the queue organisation. "Everything is so beautifully organised and we have been very well looked after," they said. "We have felt completely safe ever since we arrived." The duo from sunny Texas won't be bothered by the expected 35C Wimbledon heat. "This is great for us," Aleta commented. It's actually quite cool for us! We will be fine." For retired nurses Nigel, 59, and Vicki, 57, this isn't a new experience. They're marking their 20th year in the Wimbledon queue, with their first camping trip to the park dating back to 1980. As parents of two and grandparents of four, they've previously made this a family outing, but this time they're here alone. "We have slept out for two weeks before to see as many days as we can as we just love it," Nigel said. "It is the greatest tournament in the world. We would have stayed longer this time but we need to back for our grandson's birthday." They're planning to watch defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, but also intend to cheer on Mimi Xu, the Welsh wildcard facing Emma Raducanu in her opening match. "She's from Swansea, so we have to show our support," Vicki said. Nigel added: "We don't mind who we see though to be honest - Carlos Alcaraz, Katie Boulter - we are just here to watch great tennis." Sisters Suzanne Pyefinch, 59, and Michele Jennings, 57, from Gorleston, Norfolk, have made queuing an annual tradition, having camped out for Wimbledon tickets every year for the last 39 years. Alongside them, fans of Alcaraz from Spain and the USA set up camp in matching red-and-yellow bucket hats in eager anticipation to support the two-time Wimbledon winner. Maria Iniesta, 47, a physician originally from Madrid and now residing in Houston, queued with her family, comprising her husband, sister and three children, aged 13, 16 and 18. Iniesta joked about the British heat, saying: "For us the weather is fine because we're from Spain but we live in Houston. It's been funny to watch the British people sweating - it's been easy for us." The atmosphere of the Wimbledon queue shares more in common with a festival than a sporting event lineup, where fervent fans pitch tents and set up chairs amidst the greenery, hoping to get their hands on coveted last-minute passes. One die-hard fan even went to comical lengths to join the queue, concocting a fake dental emergency to tell his boss. Speaking on condition of anonymity, he said, "I had to take drastic action - anything for a chance to see Alcaraz." With his tale told, he crossed his fingers, hoping not to be spotted by cameras: "Boss is none the wiser but I just need to make sure I don't get caught on the fan-cam."
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
EastEnders favourite fired after making shock discovery about Bernie Taylor
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) AN EASTENDERS fan-favourite was brutally fired moments after uncovering a bombshell secret about Bernie Taylor. The shock sacking sent ripples through Albert Square and is set to have major consequences as the truth about Bernie starts to unravel. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 5 Bernie sacked Vicki after she asked for an advance payment Credit: BBC 5 Vicki was certain there was some suspicious activity with the business accounts Credit: BBC EastEnders fans will know, Vicki's been keeping a close eye on the Panesar books - all while working under Bernie's watchful gaze. Bernie was handed control of the family empire at the start of the year, thanks to Nish's final act of revenge against his family. But tonight's episode saw Vicki spot some dodgy invoices - and while she tried to flag her suspicions, Bernie wasn't having any of it and quickly shut her down. Vicki's week goes from bad to worse when sister Sharon booted her out of the family home - all because she hasn't paid back the money she owes. Skint and desperate, Vicki begged Bernie for an advance on her wages. But instead of a helping hand... she gets the sack. Determined to get answers, Vicki swiped her work laptop and started digging - and what she uncovered left her gobsmacked. She stumbled across hard proof that Bernie has been stealing from the business... and now she had the receipts to prove it. With the evidence in hand, Vicki plotted her next move - and blackmail was well and truly back on the menu. Vicki dropped the bombshell on a stunned Bernie, revealing she'd uncovered the £20,000 theft - and wasn't planning to stay quiet for free. Shock exit for ANOTHER EastEnders character as he risks marriage to flee abroad She demanded half the stolen cash, her old job back, and a juicy pay rise - or she'd march straight to the Panesars and blow her secret. Bernie had no choice but to cave - but has Vicki really won the war? Or has it just begun? EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7:30pm on BBC One, or stream from 6am on BBC iPlayer. 5 Vicki made a huge discovery after stealing Bernie's laptop Credit: BBC 5 She blackmailed Bernie after finding out she stole £20,000 Credit: BBC 5 Bernie has no choice but to cave - but is the war over? Credit: BBC
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
EastEnders favourite fired after making shock discovery about Bernie Taylor
AN EASTENDERS fan-favourite was brutally fired moments after uncovering a bombshell secret about Bernie Taylor. The shock sacking sent ripples through Advertisement 5 Bernie sacked Vicki after she asked for an advance payment Credit: BBC 5 Vicki was certain there was some suspicious activity with the business accounts Credit: BBC EastEnders fans will know, Vicki's been keeping a close eye on the Panesar books - all while working under Bernie's watchful gaze. Bernie was handed control of the family empire at the start of the year, thanks to Nish's final act of revenge against his family. But tonight's episode saw Vicki spot some dodgy invoices - and while she tried to flag her suspicions, Bernie wasn't having any of it and quickly shut her down. Vicki's week goes from bad to worse when sister Sharon booted her out of the family home - all because she hasn't paid back the money she owes. Advertisement read more on eastenders Skint and desperate, Vicki begged Bernie for an advance on her wages. But instead of a helping hand... she gets the sack. Determined to get answers, Vicki swiped her work laptop and started digging - and what she uncovered left her gobsmacked. She stumbled across hard proof that Bernie has been stealing from the business... and now she had the receipts to prove it. Advertisement Most read in Soaps With the evidence in hand, Vicki plotted her next move - and blackmail was well and truly back on the menu. Vicki dropped the bombshell on a stunned Bernie, revealing she'd uncovered the £20,000 theft - and wasn't planning to stay quiet for free. Shock exit for ANOTHER EastEnders character as he risks marriage to flee abroad She demanded half the stolen cash, her old job back, and a juicy pay rise - or she'd march straight to the Panesars and blow her secret. Bernie had no choice but to cave - but has Vicki really won the war? Advertisement Or has it just begun? EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7:30pm on BBC One, or stream from 6am on BBC iPlayer. 5 Vicki made a huge discovery after stealing Bernie's laptop Credit: BBC 5 She blackmailed Bernie after finding out she stole £20,000 Credit: BBC Advertisement 5 Bernie has no choice but to cave - but is the war over? Credit: BBC Most complained about soap storylines Over the years, all three of the main soaps have featured plots that have had even die-hard fans reaching for their phones and laptops so they can EastEnders baby theft: 13,400 Ofcom complaints - Back in 2011, EastEnders was flooded with complaints when Ronnie Branning (RIP) swapped her baby for the dead son of Kat Moon. The storyline drew the most number of objections in the soap's long history and saw it roundly criticised by campaigners - with 13,400 flying in over the course of the storyline. Some viewers called it 'distressing' and 'horrific' but Ofcom ruled the scenes were not "unduly disturbing'. Emmerdale dog-napping: 550 Ofcom complaints - Back in 2016, Ross Barton and Charity Dingle came up with a plan to steal a dog and hold it ransom - but viewers didn't like it one bit. The nation's pet owners rose up, insisting the storyline would encourage copycats (not to mention copydogs). Complaints over two episodes totalled a staggering 550 and soap writers quickly learnt you don't mess with animal-lovers. Coronation Street double murder: 546 Ofcom complaints - Marginally less people complained about a gruesome double murder than objected to a dog-napping plot when Pat Phelan was
