

Tough pill to swallow
A discount at your pharmacy – as simple as it seems, or too good to be true?

Market Jitters
Are roadside stalls a thing of the past with the introduction of the latest Food Bill?

Cover your back
From travel insurance to parking, if you don’t read the fine print, you can get stung.

Driver s licence restrictions and conditions
If you take your test in an automatic, does this mean you are restricted?

Receiving damaged goods from Trade Me seller
When it comes to sending fragile goods, it’s a case of seller beware.

Can restaurants refuse entry to those younger than 16?
Can people be refused entry from restaurants based on age?

Getting hard copies of photos printed
Are the days of hard copy photos nothing but a distant memory?

Home insurance changes you should know about
Kevin reveals an insurance change you owe it to yourself to find out about.

What to do if you receive unsolicited goods
What happens when an unexpected box arrives on your doorstep?

Work emails and your privacy
Work emails aren’t for your eyes only – so be careful what you write.

Retailers and exchanging Christmas gifts
Is a retailer obliged to give you an exchange after the big day?

Christmas trees: fake or fir?
It’s a seasonal subject that can cause worry and concern for all involved – fake or fir when it comes to the all-important tree?

To wait for Boxing Day sales, or not?
My husband has come up with this idea that we don’t buy our children gifts for Christmas Day this year. Instead, we go to the sales on Boxing Day. He reckons the kids will like it as we’ll be able to afford better presents, but I can’t stand the thought of no presents under the […]

Are annual eye exams necessary for children?
Do children really need to be tested by an optometrist every year?

When the neighbour’s dog won’t stop barking
What happens when man’s best friend becomes your worst nightmare?

Misleading supermarket offers
Can you fight back against the small print in supermarket advertising?

A gas stove or induction cooking?
When it comes to renovating the kitchen, which is best: a gas stove or induction cooking?

Insurance repairs and your property
Who owns the paint left on your property after an insurance repair?

Buying genuine free range eggs and chicken
With so many labels on chicken and eggs, how do we know what we’re buying?

Ways to save money when dining out
In these tightened times, enjoying fine dining can be a pricey pursuit.

Getting a neighbour to pay for damaging your property
How can you get a ‘friend’ who has damaged your property to pay up?

Being taken advantage of by phone company
Kevin Milne gives consumer advice about being taken advantage of by a phone company.

Punishment for realtors who pass on bad information?
Should realtors be punished for unknowingly passing on bad information?

Entitlement to sick leave while on annual leave from work
What happens if you fall sick while on holiday from work?

Accessing information about your genetic health history
How difficult is it to access information about your genetic health history?

The enforcement of smoke alarms
Can a council force you to install smoke alarms when you get a new fireplace? Are you within your rights to simply say no?

Paying for the repair time of faulty products
Should you have to pay for the time taken to fix something that was faulty in the first place?

Reduced postal deliveries and the cost of post stamps
Does a reduction in postal services equal cheaper postage stamps?

When your car gets towed along with your pet
What to do if your car gets towed – along with your precious pooch.

Trade Me auctions and your obligations to bidders
If they pay top price, you have to do their bidding.

Savings plan or pre-paid funeral?
Does having an advanced savings plan for your funeral impact on superannuation?

When jewellers fail to return your jewellery
What happens when you go head to head with jewellers about repairs?

Real estate agents and their commission rights
Can an agent claim commission on a house sale that’s fallen over?

Refund on monthly railway ticket
Can I get a refund on a monthly train ticket if I’m made to travel on a bus?

Jandals prohibited when driving?
Is it true that some types of footwear – such as Jandals – are prohibited when you’re driving?

Making sense of weather forecast definitions
How can you make sense of the confusing language used by forecasters?

Credit card discrimination
Where do you stand when the bank rejects your credit card application on shaky grounds?

Camp site payment in advance?
Can camp sites ask for payment before you arrive? We have been camping for 25 years at camp sites throughout the North Island. The last four years we’ve been at the same council-run camp site, where we were asked for a $100 deposit. They now want full payment two to three months before we arrive. […]

Lay-by issues: law versus customer relations
Why wasn’t I able to buy my lay-by item at its sale price?

Paying more for a senior stylist
Are salons obligated to tell their customers when 'senior' stylists are cutting their hair at an increased price?

Gift vouchers: friend or foe?
Would you vouch for a gift that has particularly rigid terms and conditions?

Acne ads cause heartache
Acne is something a lot of teenagers experience - however TV commercials often add to the problem