May, 2010
Stuck on the tarmac – and new rules in Cuba
Airline passengers in the states have just been given more rights if they are trapped in planes awaiting departure. The airline now has to provide water, snacks and access to toilets as soon as passengers have been stranded for two hours from closing the doors. If the delay reaches three hours the plane must return to the gate so the passengers can disembark. The new rules have been introduced by the Department of Transportation in the wake of stories about passengers being stuck for hours without refreshments, sometimes with toilets overflowing. The airline industry believes this is an overreaction and will make it difficult for them to operate as flexibly as they would like. Some think that the three hour cut off will lead to more cancellations.
Meanwhile, Cuba has decided to require visitors to have travel insurance in place before entering the country. It is surprising how many people ignore the advice of tour operators, travel agents and even their own governments and travel without covering the risk of medical emergencies and other problems abroad. Will other countries follow suit?
If you are travelling many times in the year you should consider annual travel insurance which may save you money compared to buying single trip travel insurance each time you travel.
Claiming deposits from the Deposit Protection Service
It is now three years since legislation was introduced requiring landlords to protect deposits. A popular way of doing this is to use the Deposit Protection Service, which is free of charge. But what happens if the landlord does not feel that the tenants should be allowed a refund of the deposit at the end of the tenancy? Perhaps they have left the place in a mess or have absconded without giving a forwarding address.
The DPS has what it calls a Single Claim Process. The agent or landlord may make a claim if they believe they are entitled to some or all of the deposit. After fourteen days have elapsed from the end of the tenancy a Statutory Declaration must be sworn, showing the tenants’ address if possible. If they then dispute the claim the DPS will request further information and if unresolved the dispute will probably be referred to Alternative Dispute Resolution so it can be settled.
Does anyone have any experience of the process- good or bad?
If your property has been damaged perhaps your let property insurance will cover the cost?
Landlord insurance is available from click4quote.com, either online or over the phone. Get a quote today as click4quote can currently better any like for like quote.
Adventurous travelers at risk
A glance at the web shows the enormous range of adventure holidays available; anything from abseiling to scuba diving. The list of unusual destinations seems to get longer each year with South America and Asia featuring on many itineraries. People of all ages from gap year students to active pensioners are taking trips of their lifetimes. These holidays are wonderful, until something goes wrong. It really pays to do as much research as possible before you go. For example, the recent disruption caused by volcanic ash has revealed big differences in how different tour operators and carriers have responded to customers’ needs. Word of mouth is often the best guide to help you decide the best companies to use.
Another essential piece of research for anyone planning a trip to unusual destinations is the Foreign Office website: www.fco.gov.uk. As of today (5thth May 2010) the site is carrying a warning against all but essential travel to Thailand because of the volatile political situation. The site shows literally dozens of countries on its “don’t go” section; graded according to the severity of risk.
Another thing to check is that your travel insurance will cover your destinations and all the activities you are intending to enjoy.
If you are booking a holiday ensure you remember to purchase travel insurance at the same time to protect against the possible reasons the trip could be delayed or cancelled. If you are only travelling once in the year single trip travel insurance may be suitable however if your travel more than once in a year it may be better value to purchase annual travel insurance. This type of travel insurance usually covers you for an unlimited number of trips within the year subject to a maximum duration each trip can last, say 31 days for example.