From Australian pub that barred Crown Prince of Denmark to property prices in Spain — our experts share advice and deals
Australian boozer got too strict on ID and refused entry to a 49-year-old Royal, but there is an important lesson to be learned
Every Saturday, The Consumer Crew are here to solve your problems.
Mel Hunter will take on readers’ consumer issues, Coupon Queen Maddy Tooke helps out, Judge Rinder will tackle your legal woes, and property expert Amanda Cable will weigh in with her tips
Judge Rinder - The Sun's legal expert
MANY people have been refused entry to even the stickiest of clubs.
Some for ill-chosen clothing; some because they had the wrong kind of trainers on; some because they have just thrown up on the bouncer.
But spare a thought for the poor people at the Jade Buddha Bar in Brisbane.
It appears that last week they had to turn away a pleasant man called Fred because he didn’t have the right ID.
Despite the fact that he was 49, dressed perfectly normally, and sporting a fetching salt-and-pepper beard.
And, somewhat importantly, was the Crown Prince of Denmark.
Frederik was eventually let in, but Queensland has a series of laws requiring that everyone (prince or not) who enters certain bars after 10pm show them ID.
It stops banned offenders from drinking in pubs and almost certainly stops underage drinking too.
But in the aftermath of the Prince Frederick incident, some Australians have called for a relaxation of these ID laws. It’s always an interesting problem.
Here in the UK, it’s illegal to sell alcohol to children under the age of 18. If they’re 16 or 17 they can drink beer or wine in a pub (with a meal) if they’re accompanied by an adult (and the grown-up has to buy the drinks).
All of this requires ID being shown at various times.
Of course, with my frankly absurdly youthful looks, I’m always being asked for identification (“Surely,” say the blushing landladies, “you can’t be over 18”), but friends of mine have told me of the bleak day when the cashiers no longer feel the need to ask.
I think we actually get the balance about right here.
Alcohol can destroy lives at any age, but I remember the desperate cases I would see of children who should have been playing with action figures, instead struggling with serious drinking problems.
There’s something heart-shatteringly tragic about a 14-year-old explaining how they got blackout drunk before some life-changing criminal act. Yes, it’s maddeningly inconvenient (though flattering) when you’re asked for ID and suddenly remember it’s sitting comfortably in a jacket 20 miles away.
But letting these standards slacken a little can lead to terrible damage for children. It’s too high a price to pay.
Summing up
Q: I’M a girl of 23 who lives with both my parents.
I work full time and pay housekeeping money into the house.
My parents and relatives frequently go into my room and tidy it up as they think it is helping me out, however they have gone through my personal belongings which I am embarrassed about.
This has happened a few times and they have giggled about things in my room. Would I be within my rights to install a lock?
I feel that I have no privacy.
I have asked them on plenty of occasions not to go in my room without my permission, but their response is, “My house, my rules.”
Since I am paying house keep, surely my room should be private.
MEGHAN, Bedford
A: The answer is that if you don’t want your family going through your personal things then move out.
You do not have a lease in your parents’ home.
In law you are what is known as a licensee, which gives your mum and dad the right to come and inspect your room whenever they see fit.
That you pay rent doesn’t mean they are forbidden from entering your room.
Now frankly, they shouldn’t do this and you could – in theory – prevent them by drawing up a licensee agreement restricting their access to your room, but I doubt that this will make any difference to the situation.
So I refer you to my answer above. It’s time to save your money and move out.
Mr Rinder regrets he cannot answer questions personally. Answers intended as general guidance, they do not constitute legal advice and are not a substitute for getting independent legal advice.
Got a question for Judge Rinder? Email [email protected]
Amanda Cable - Property expert
THE summer rain is sending buyers to Spain – with a soar in searches for holiday boltholes overseas.
Zoopla saw a surge of a fifth (17 per cent) to overseas property pages, with the wet spell dampening everyone’s enthusiasm for a UK summer.
The most popular destination was Spain – with an uplift of 44 per cent – followed by Ibiza (41 per cent) and Menorca (19 per cent).
But far from glittering seaside mansions, the most popular searches were for affordable projects.
These include a do-upper project in Alicante for £72,106.
The two-bed farmhouse, complete with pool and mountain views, is just 60 minutes from the airport and nearest beach.
The second most viewed is a three-bed detached house with pool in a village outside Paphos, Cyprus – up for £178,137. It is eight miles from a golf course and boasts a huge veranda.
Lawrence Hall from Zoopla said: “Buying abroad comes with a new set of rules and procedures.
"Bear in mind visa requirements, hidden costs such as registration tax and the history of the local area.”
Buying tips
HERE are Zoopla’s top tips for buying abroad:
- Purchasing in certain countries requires specific visas, so check you meet the criteria.
- Be aware of hidden costs. New-build properties in Spain are also subject to a ten per cent VAT tax, for example.
- Consider whether you want to buy a “lock-and-leave” property or if you need to pay someone to manage it.
RUBIK’S Cube is the world’s biggest-selling puzzle – and now it’s cool in a different way.
Husky has launched a mini-fridge shaped like the Eighties toy.
It holds 40 cans of drink and is food and dairy safe.
See .
THESE pretty Victorian cottages which provided a happy home for children rescued from the East-End slums are being converted into luxury apartments.
The original properties were built on land bought by Thomas John Barnardo – and the famous charity that he founded will receive a share of the profits.
Barnado’s cottages in Barkingside, Essex, housed four orphan girls per room and sat on a green which is now Grade-2 listed.
Murray Smith, of developer SiteSales Property Group, said: “We kept the original Victorian church on site and the statue of Dr Barnardo.”
The cottages are being converted into 34 one-and two-bed flats.
One-beds start at £280,000. See .
Mel Hunter - Readers' champion on fighting for your rights
Claims stress while grieving
Q: MY partner and I booked a holiday in January and took out travel insurance at the same time.
Unfortunately my mum died a month later and we cancelled the holiday as we had to pay for her funeral.
When we put the claim form in with my mum’s death certificate, we thought they would pay out but they have sent us a form to get filled in by my mum’s doctor.
This costs £40 with no guarantee of our £300 deposit back.
Mandy Pittaway, Bradford, West Yorkshire
A: All insurance firms require a heap of evidence before paying out, but you felt you had already provided all the info and were unwilling to pay more with no guarantee of approval.
Once I got involved, Travel Claims Facilities, apologised for any stress caused and agreed to pay out on the basis of the death certificate you had sent.
MOST READ IN MONEY
Q: TWO salesmen from Zenith Home Improvements visited my house to talk about having my bay window and front bedroom windows renewed, costing more than £6,500. I signed up.
The firm said it would take around six weeks to make the windows and then they would be fitted by an outside firm.
The first time, the window in the front bedroom was OK, but the bay window was wrong.
Zenith offered me £150 off the cost.
Three weeks later, they came back to fix the bay window, but again the end panels were too short.
The same problem occurred on a third occasion. Apart from that first £150, they have offered me no more money off.
I had a text to say that they have escalated my issue to their compliance team, but that was nearly three weeks ago.
Ian Simpson, Worthing, West Sussex
A: You were paying a huge amount to sort your windows but the workmen couldn’t get it right.
After I got in touch with Zenith, the company asked for another chance.
You were reluctant but when the company finally met your request to halve your bill, you decided to allow them one last try.
The work was completed within a month and so far you’ve been happy with the final workmanship.
Zenith is part of the Entu group, whose spokesman told me: “Entu is committed to the highest level of sales and customer service practices.”
Q: ORDERED two Sonoma bedside cabinets from Marks & Spencer but when they arrived, they were very different colours.
In wooden items I would expect some variation, but for a “matching” pair, these really are too different and do not go with my other Sonoma furniture.
I exercised my right to return them, but was charged the standard £50 for doing so.
This is unfair. It is not that I changed my mind, The items simply didn’t match. I have asked for this fee to be refunded, M&S has refused.
Kate Arberry, Kettering
A: asked M&S to reconsider. I explained that under consumer law, customers should receive goods that match their description and I was not confident two such different items could both fulfil that criteria.
I felt you should not be left out of pocket.
After reviewing photos of the two differing cabinets, M≈S changed its original decision and agreed you shouldn’t have to pay the collection fee.
They returned the money and sent you a £25 gift card with their apologies.
Do you have a consumer issue? E-mail [email protected]
Maddy Tooke - Coupon Queen finding you the best bargains
My 10 best deals this week
- Get 20 per cent off everything this Bank Holiday at Cloggs. Use code “twentyoff” at the checkout.
- Grab 20 per cent off orders of £40 or more plus free delivery from fashion store Jacamo. Get code LHCR8 from . Valid on full-price items only. Expires September 3.
- Save 20 per cent on orders from sports retailer Asics with code from . Offer starts Monday and runs until September 5.
- Enjoy 20 per cent off plus free delivery with a code from . Expires August 31.
- M&S Dine In For Two with bottle of wine for is back . Get a main, side, dessert and wine for £10 until August 29. Deal found at .
- Get 25 per cent off everything at La Redoute with code BIG25. Includes big brands like Converse, Levi’s, French Connection, Quicksilver and Superdry. Order through and get up to ten per cent cashback on top. Expires August 31.
- Save £30 on orders £199 or more at office supply store Viking. Use code Q7C-VCODES4VIK from . Expires August 31.
- Get £10 off orders of more than £30 from The Body Shop with code 14322. Order via and earn up to six per cent cash back on top. Expires tomorrow so be quick.
- Save £100 on winter hols to the Canary Islands at with code CANARIES. Expires August 31.
- Grab £5 off orders £10 or more at Snapfish with code SFUK659. Order via for up to 15 per cent cashback on top. Ends tomorrow.
My top 5 freebies
- New customers get up to £15 to spend at Matalan. Sign up at by September 10.
- Free one litre tin of Crown Trade matt vinyl paint in colour of your choice. Learn details at before September 3.
- Get KFC’s Colonel’s Club app and sign up to get free hot wings.
- O2 Customers who download the O2 Priority Moments app get a free Walkers Max Grab Bag from WH Smith travel stores. Expires August 30.
- Try lactose-free milk for free with Just Milk and Sainsbury’s. Enter your details at . You’ll be emailed a coupon to redeem
Have you any money saving tips? E-mail [email protected]