Using a debt collection dispute letter
If you have received a letter of demand from a debt collector for a debt that isn’t yours or is for more than you owe, you should take steps to challenge it. One of the best ways to do so is with a debt collection dispute letter - a formal response outlining why you are disputing the amount claimed.
What can a debt collector legally do?
There are rules and regulations governing debt collection in Australia. While businesses and individuals are entitled to seek money they are owed, it is important to ask what can a debt collector legally do to ensure your rights are not infringed in the process.
Fuel fight: What vehicle efficiency standards mean for you
Are you looking to buy a new car? The rising cost of fuel will undoubtedly be factored into the choice you make - a more efficient car means less money at the bowser, after all.
Out of sight: Keeping a lid on optometrist costs
If you wear glasses or contact lenses all the time, you know they can be costly. Given you can’t do without them, it’s a cost you just have to bear, right?.
Rent increases: Do tenants have any rights?
Your landlord has just hit you with another rent rise. But this one isn’t just incremental, in keeping with inflation or the cost of living. It’s a jump of several hundred dollars a week. How are you going to afford it?
Consumer law update needed to combat ‘junk insurance’
Handle My Complaint is urging the Federal Government to protect consumers from so-called ‘junk insurance’ by making the Australian Consumer Law clearer.
Maurice Blackburn Lawyers filed a class action against JB Hi-Fi in the Supreme Court of Victoria last week, claiming that extended warranties offer no benefit to consumers.
Buckle up: Tips to trim the budget this Christmas
Are you feeling the pinch? Perhaps you’ve already cut back on discretionary spending. Or are contemplating a much more frugal Christmas season.
You’re not alone. New research shows while Australians are tipped to spend almost $5 billion on online shopping in the leadup to Christmas this year, almost half of those surveyed are planning to spend less than the same time in 2022. And almost 80 percent said they plan to cut back on non-essential spending in the same period.
Oversubscribed? Breaking the subscription trap
How many subscriptions do you have? Is it just Netflix and one other streaming service? Or do you subscribe to myriad apps on your phone or online? Do you even know how many subscriptions you have anymore?
Grocery gripe: Why does food cost so much more?
With everything from fuel, utility, to grocery bills rising constantly, Australians are watching their pennies – cutting back on luxuries, leaving heaters off, adding more blankets in winter, and catching the bus instead of driving.
But food isn't just another bill—it's a necessity. We have to eat, ideally healthily - shunning fast food and snacks in favour of fruit and vegetables, lean meat and seafood. But with food prices increasing an average of eight percent a year (many items have risen a lot more), the grocery bill is taking a bigger and bigger slice out of household budgets each week.
Seeing red: How to handle debt collectors
Are you being hounded by a debt collector? Are there endless phone calls and texts? Perhaps they are even calling or texting family members or friends to try to get hold of you. Here’s how to handle debt collectors.
No one wants to be chased for money, especially at a time they are feeling vulnerable and under financial stress. While businesses are entitled to expect payment for a product or service, there are rules and regulations around debt collection. There are also places you can go to get help dealing with debt collectors, so don’t feel backed into a corner.