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Utility Companies to refund credit balances much quickerCurrently they get away with not doing so and it can take more than 4 weeks to get monies owed from them. I know this as this is my experience. Banks can transfer monies instantly and credit payments quickly so why not utility companies. Here is my experience: When I switched from Scottish Power to Ovo (gas & electricity) I discovered that Scottish Power owed me over £600. I requested they pay this back but was told it would only happen once my final bill was done. I switched on 29th January and gave meter readings on that day to both Scottish Power and Ovo. However, its now March and they are still charging me on my bill (reducing my credit balance) even though they have closed my account (it says so online)! I spoke both with Scottish Power and Ovo and was told that even though I had submitted readings for gas & electricity to both companies, it could take 2 weeks for the network (presumably Transco etc) to confirm the readings. Only then could Scottish Power do my final bill and only then could OVO know for sure what starting readings to use. Scottish Power said once my final bill was confirmed they would then refund my credit balance but it could still take up to 4 weeks! This is a scandal. I made an official complaint to Scottish Power but they said it could 10 working days for someone to get back to me! yet another unacceptable delay. I tried speaking to the regulator but their automated telephone service cuts you off if you say you haven't given the utility company 8 weeks to resolve the situation! Why can't utility companies be made to speed the whole process up like banks have? An example is that when I pay salaries at work via BACS I get a text from my bank (the receiving account) within 10 seconds that the money is in my account! yes, I said 10 seconds, not 10 hours, days or weeks! Its time the companies were brought to account and made to reform. In my opinion the big companies should be split up as well. Scottish Power admits it receives around 75,000 complaints every quarter! Its on their website at https://www.scottishpower.co.uk/support-centre/service-and-standards/complaints/complaintsperformance Please support this campaign99 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Steven Dale
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Stop Co-op Group Executive Benefits PackageSenior executive remuneration in many large companies is out of control and in disrepute. Mutual and co-operative movements have the opportunity to show a different way, one that is much more in tune with the majority of their supporters. If those supporters are alienated, as they will be if this benefits package is not revoked, they will vote with their feet. This will make the demise of the Co-op Group much more likely.60 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Bob Gunn
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Bring the Energy Utilities Back into Public OwnershipThe so called competition in selling energy isn't working - wholesale price falls have not been passed on. The disgrace of elderly and poor families freezing cold in the winter is shameful in a modern, caring society; whilst these energy bosses take home telephone number salaries!197 of 200 SignaturesCreated by John Humberstone
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Reimburse Tribunal Costs Pertaining to ATOS MisdiagnosisThis is important because the government withdrew legal aid at a time when it contracted out its duties to ATOS to assess whether or not claimants, of sickness benefits, were fit for work. Job Centres and the Department of Works & Pensions have strict guidelines to follow when assessing claimants, however, by contracting out to ATOS they avoided these strict guidelines to reach the government's targets to reduce the number of people on sickness benefits. Thousands of people, who were misdiagnosed by ATOS, won their appeals. No fines have been levied on ATOS, or compensation paid by them, for financial loss or the pain and suffering caused to the individuals, despite the proven negligence at the tribunals.34 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Ray Middleton
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End Telephone Number Withholding by Telemarketing CompaniesCompanies phoning up without leaving a telephone number makes it impossible to effectively report them to Telephone Preferance Society etc. There is no reason for commercial firms to have the facility to withhold the number they are calling from, so the facility should be withdrawn as so many of them abuse it.185 of 200 SignaturesCreated by Nick Godwin
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Hold Banks and bankers accountableIt is important for the people of this country to know that no one is above the law. The current situation where the tax payer is bailing out the financial institutions is intolerable. How did banks end up selling and purchasing unsustainable mortgages if no fraud was committed.137 of 200 SignaturesCreated by David Nicholson
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Whitemoss Landfill Western Extension - Say No to Toxic WasteThe World Health Organisation's Declaration of Human Rights talks about everyone having the right to clean air. This development thus infringes upon the basic human right because it will have a 24/7 burn-off of gases. With Stocks Hall Nursing Home not 100 yards away, football pitches where hundreds of children play right next door, and houses looking onto it, vulnerable people, children and families are under threat of losing this basic human right, not just in the surrounding area but further afield too because of prevailing winds and underground water courses and extensive old coal mine workings. Strange odours already exude from the existing tip and can be smelt in the area, so obviously these emissions, with an unknown cocktail of chemicals, will adversely affect public health. People in the area have not been notified because of a loop-hole in the law as it is a national infrastructure plan rather than a local plan the latter of which would go through normal planning application processes with proper consultation. So local people have not had much time to raise objections before the dead-line of 11.59 p.m. on Friday, February the 28th, 2014, but the feeling of opposition is strong that there is a rising tide of protest.299 of 300 SignaturesCreated by Jacqueline Smith
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Co-operate with the Co-opThe Co-op, in all its dealings endeavours to be fair, and is a breath of fresh air when compared to the big banks and businesses. We will regret it if this long standing institution is allowed to fall now, when help could be given to save it.2 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Rebecca Pasha
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Allow people to choose their own water supplier"Competing companies have a clear incentive to get all of these elements right, so consumers do not take their business elsewhere.This puts them under constant pressure to improve in order to win and keep customers, and to gain market share. At present, water and sewerage services in England and Wales are not subject to this kind of competition. Most consumers are served by one of 21 monopoly companies. Only large business consumers can switch supplier if they can get a better deal elsewhere." (p. 3, "Putting water consumers first – how can we challenge monopoly companies to improve? Water today, water tomorrow" - http://bit.ly/1k53LjF ) Checking that all the 21 water companies do meet the basic service standards is not acceptable when the documentation unveils that some of those companies are often not able to even meet the targets set (as Pollution incidents sewerage, Serious pollution incidents sewerage, Pollution incidents (water), Discharge permit compliance, Water supply interruptions - hours per total properties served and Internal sewer flooding incident often appeared to be below the customer expectations or, worse, significantly below target or expectation for the year 2011/2012). [source: http://www.ofwat.gov.uk/regulating/reporting/rpt_los2012table] Nevertheless, as customers we are unable to counteract the poor customer service, the rising costs for water and sewage as we are forced into a contract with the company serving the local area. Further reading here: http://www.ofwat.gov.uk/pricereview/prs_web_1007pricelimits http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2487626/Dont-water-bills-ministers-plead-suppliers.html24 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Roberta Saliani
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UK Government should support the Financial Transaction TaxBanks and financial institutions can make millions from risky speculations. However, when these go wrong, as happened in 2008, billions of pounds of public money were used to bail out the banks and save them from the consequences of their risk taking. Since the 2008 crash the total paid in bonuses will this year pass through the £80bn barrier – some three and a half times the amount banks have paid in Corporation tax and the bank levy – and equates to around £1,250 for every man, woman and child in the Britain. This Tax is not intended to be punitive: nicknamed the "Robin Hood Tax" it is, like the folk hero, intended to redistribute wealth and help those in difficulty. If we, the public and the tax payers, must share the financial risks of banks' trading then it seems simply fair that, at other times, we should also receive some benefit. This money can be distributed and spent to the benefit of all - in the UK, abroad and for the environment.97 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Mark Neary
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Stop Stealth SugarThere's an obesity crisis. Despite the premature deaths of millions in the UK from obesity-related illnesses, shoppers still can't make healthy choices - because foods are full of stealth sugars, which don't appear clearly on the labels.63 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Andrew Lockley
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No Pub In Our ParkSo far a residents association has collected 700 signatures from the immediate area and it is necessary to escalate this to allow a greater response to this ill-advised proposal by a Council that has no interest in listening to its residents.260 of 300 SignaturesCreated by David Nathanson
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