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Scotsman
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Scotsman
The new rule affecting everyone in the UK with a driveway, which could save you £1,100 a year
Drivers across the country could benefit from the change From gorgeous Georgian town houses to jaw-dropping penthouses, converted campervans to bargain boltholes. Take a peek at the finest homes across the UK. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Planning rules have been relaxed to help EV drivers It says the move could help motorists save up to £1,100 a year Grants of up to £350 are also available EV drivers across the UK could benefit from a major change to planning rules | Photo by Kindel Media: Drivers with electric vehicles no longer need to submit a planning application to install an EV charging point. The new rule, which only came into force on May 29, also applies to public charging points and those at workplaces. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The Government says that its move to slash paperwork will make it much quicker and cheaper for EV drivers to install a private charging point and power up their cars at home. The change, it claims, will help more people save up to £1,100 a year by switching from a petrol or diesel car to an electric vehicle. Businesses will also be able to install new EV charging points faster and cheaper, thanks to the relaxed planning rules, which it is hoped will dramatically increase the number of sockets available to drivers around the country. There have been reports of planning permission for public charging points taking up to nine months to secure. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad How many EV charging points are there? The Department for Transport says there are now nearly 80,000 public EV charging points available across the UK, with 3,000 added in April this year alone. The new rule comes on top of existing Government support enabling EV drivers, including those renting a property and with on-street parking only, to get up to £350 off the cost of installing a home charging point. How much does an EV cost? The Government says that EVs are getting cheaper all the time, with two in five now priced under £20,000. It says they cost as little as 2p per mile to run and most new EVs have a range of nearly 300 miles - enough to get you from London to Newcastle on a single charge. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood said: 'We're cutting down on paperwork to power up the EV revolution so that drivers, businesses and those looking to make the switch will have more chargepoints to power from and less red tape to deal with. 'We continue to make the switch to EVs easier, cheaper and better by investing over £2.3 billion to support drivers and back British carmakers through international trade deals – creating jobs, boosting investment and securing our future as part of our Plan for Change.' Lewis Gardiner, operations director at Osprey Charging Network, welcomed the change, saying it which he said would 'save months of delays, reduce costs and accelerate the delivery of the rapid charging hubs drivers need'. Do you have a house hunting story or tips to share? You can now send your stories to us online via YourWorld at It's free to use and, once checked, your story will appear on our website and, space allowing, in our newspapers.
IOL News
27-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Understanding prescribed debt: why millions of South Africans pay expired credit
Millions of South Africans unknowingly pay expired debts due to a lack of awareness about their rights. This article explores the concept of prescribed debt, the aggressive tactics used by collectors, and essential steps consumers can take to protect themselves. Image: Kindel Media/Pexels In theory, prescribed debt offers relief: if a debt hasn't been acknowledged, paid, or legally pursued within three years, it's no longer enforceable. But in reality, many South Africans are still being hounded for these expired debts, and most don't know they have the right to say no. Many consumers don't realise they have rights when it comes to old debt. If you haven't made a payment, acknowledged the debt, or been legally pursued in three years, it may be prescribed, and no longer legally recoverable. But even a simple phone call where you say, 'I'll pay when I can' can restart the clock. The National Financial Ombud (NFO), South Africa's financial watchdog for consumer justice, handled 40,859 cases in its first year (March 2024–March 2025) across banking, credit, insurance, and other financial services, resolving over 60% of credit-related cases—including many prescribed debt disputes—in favour of consumers. The bigger issue is how prescribed debts often remain on credit reports, damaging people's chances of renting homes, securing jobs, or qualifying for new credit. Why are credit bureaus still listing prescribed debt? We've seen countless cases where consumers are unfairly penalised for debts that should've been erased years ago. What is prescribed debt? Under South African law, most credit-related debt prescribes after three years of no payment, acknowledgment, or legal action. This is governed by the Prescription Act. Yet debt collectors continue to chase these expired debts — often using aggressive tactics, unclear language, or verbal traps. In townships and rural areas, many consumers are approached in their home language and pressured into making promises they don't fully understand. 'Just answering a call or saying 'yes' can have consequences. That's why legal advice is so important. The Rise of Credit — and Collection Pressure The economic stress is clear. According to the Eighty20 Credit Stress Report, in Q4 2024: Total loan balances reached R2.5 trillion , a year-on-year increase of R78 billion (3.2%) Credit card debt grew by nearly 6% Retail credit balances increased by 4% Overdue debt hit R200 billion , making up 8% of total debt, up R11.5 billion from the previous year With more people relying on personal loans and store credit just to stay afloat, collection activity is also on the rise, including efforts to recover debt that may legally be prescribed. Grey Areas and Unethical Practices Prescribed debt collection has become a lucrative industry for certain attorneys and debt buyers. Many operate in legal grey areas, using scare tactics to trick consumers into paying expired debt. In some cases, people receive SMSes that look like court summonses. It's misleading, and often, illegal. Consumers need to know that they have a choice — and that fear shouldn't guide financial decisions. 5 Ways to Protect Yourself Understand the 3-year rule : If no payment, acknowledgment, or legal action has occurred in three years, most debts prescribe. Be careful what you say : Avoid phrases like 'I'll pay soon' — this can reset the prescription period. Get legal advice : Don't ignore communications, but don't assume you must pay either . Check your credit report : Dispute prescribed debt listings with the credit bureau. Request written proof : Never agree to pay without a written record of the debt's validity. Not all debt prescribes. Court orders, municipal debt, and home loans with bonds may be enforceable for 15 to 30 years. But for most unsecured credit — the kind being chased today — the three-year limit still applies. Rather than avoiding the calls or blindly agreeing to pay, speak to a professional.' * De Lange is a director and head of legal at Milaw Legal. PERSONAL FINANCE
IOL News
07-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Self-employed? Getting a bond is possible if you have a bookkeeper
Around five million self-employed South Africans face challenges securing home loans due to a lack of payslips and the need for official paperwork, while salary earners have seen their spending power drop by nearly 4% over five years as take-home pay growth lags behind inflation Image: Kindel Media/Pexels Around five million South Africans work for themselves, which makes the process of applying for a bond to buy a home tricky as they don't have payslips. While it is possible to get a mortgage, there's still official paperwork required that will generally require employing an accountant or bookkeeper. DirectAxis' research has found that, over the past five years, nominal take-home pay rose by 22.8%. Yet, cumulatively, inflation has increased by 26.6%, effectively reducing salary earners' spending power by nearly 4%. Loan provider DirectAxis' Gavyn Letley, said that, as a result, between 14% and 16% of middle-income households earn additional income from one or more side hustles. Michael-Anne Abrahams, bond originator from MyProperty Home Loans, said there is a concept that, when it comes to getting a loan, particularly a bond to buy a property, those who are self-employed individuals often face disadvantages. 'There may have been a time when being self-employed was a challenge if you wanted to apply for credit or a bond, but these days the process is far more sophisticated and equitable,' says Abrahams. The National Credit Act seeks to 'promote a fair and non-discriminatory marketplace for access to consumer credit', which includes access to home loan finance. However, there's still a lot of paperwork, and entrepreneurs will need either a bookkeeper or an accountant. According to Statistics South Africa, there were 1.9 million non-VAT registered businesses in 2023, up from 1.5 million a decade earlier. This is out of about three million micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises in South Africa, the FinScope MSME South Africa 2024 Survey found. 'Informal sector employment accounted for 19,5% of total employment in the fourth quarter of 2024, cementing its status as the second-largest source of jobs after the formal sector,' Stats SA said. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕
Borneo Post
23-04-2025
- Borneo Post
Five nabbed over necklace heist at Miri goldsmith shop
The police say four of the suspects possessed prior criminal records, including for drug-related offences. – Photo by Kindel Media/Pexels MIRI (April 23): Five individuals, including two women, were arrested last Saturday in connection with the theft of two gold necklaces worth RM10,000 from a goldsmith shop here. In a statement posted on Facebook, the Miri district police headquarters stated that the suspects, aged between 30 and 50, were rounded up at several locations in the city, including a rented room on Jalan Kwang Tung, less than four hours after the incident. 'Seized during the arrests were RM2,000 in cash and a rented car believed to have been used during the incident. 'Criminal Investigation Division personnel also managed to trace the stolen chains which had been sold to a nearby money changer shop,' read the statement. It added that four of the suspects possessed prior criminal records, including for drug-related offences. In the incident which happened around noon, a married couple entered the goldsmith shop at Jalan High Street posing as customers. After spending about 20 minutes in the shop and being shown several pieces of jewellery, the couple bolted from the premises with two gold necklaces and escaped in a vehicle parked nearby. The statement added that all five suspects have been remanded for further investigation under Section 380 of the Penal Code. arrest goldsmith shop miri theft
