Nuisance phone call bosses face fines, plus a rise in car insurance premiums

A new law from spring 2017 will see directors of companies making nuisance phone calls held personally responsible. Photograph: Lauren Hurley/PA

Hello and welcome to this week’s Money Talks – a roundup of the week’s biggest stories and some things you may have missed.

Money news

Bosses behind nuisance phone calls could face £500,000 fine

AA reports rise in car insurance premiums

Expensive technology on cars and whiplash claims are cited as reasons for a 16% hike in annual policy costs. Photograph: Artur Marciniec/Alamy

Tickets trader Viagogo criticised for ‘callous resale profiteering’

Weekly UK earnings rose 2% last year in biggest increase since crash

Need a receipt? Tesco trials paperless till system

Vodafone fined £4.6m for serious breaches of consumer protection rules

Feature

Beware the small print that could hike one-bed flat’s ground rent to £8m-a-year

Ground rents at Blythe Court, near Birmingham, could one day run into millions. Photograph: David Sillitoe for the Guardian

In pictures

Homes at £200,000

A three-bedroom home with water frontage for sale in Nova Scotia, Canada.

In the spotlight

Intense competition for sought-after properties means it’s all too easy to be taken in by fraudsters. Harriet Meyer warns renters to be aware of the pitfalls.

Chanuki Bavington lost £500 to a fraudulent landlord, despite seeing a tenancy agreement and a deposit guarantee letter. Photograph: Mark Passmore/Apex for the Observer

Consumer Champions

£1,000 bill for one John Lewis order was ‘ring fenced’ twice at my bank

DW Fitness Clubs works on making gym membership cancellation process fit for purpose

Nationwide tries to wriggle out of faulty bridesmaid dress claim

Money deals

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