AHHHH, it’s Black Friday, so many bargains to buy buy buy… When it comes to tackling Black Friday we’re advising you to stay calm and don’t feel under the pressure to buy. To help you take on this busy Christmas shopping day, we’re sharing some Which? magazine tips that will help you bargain shop wisely. Don’t Panic The pressure of Black Friday can leave you feeling pressured into buying quickly. But you don’t need to hurry. Which? say that the majority of products remain the same price or even cheaper after Black Friday. So take your time.   Check if the deal is real By using price tracking websites such as CamelCamelCamel for Amazon or PriceRunner for wider websites you can see comparisons of what really is the best deal before you commit.   Research the product Many shoppers admit that they don’t research the product that they buy during Black Friday for fear of losing out on the deal. Shop calmly and use reviews and price trackers to make sure you’re getting the best product instead of a dud product.   Watch out for hidden costs Unexpected extra costs may be added at the checkout to bump your price up. Some online retailers use a buy now or click and collect button. Always go into your basket and check out slowly, make sure you check your tax and shipping fees before you pay.   Know your rights Lots of consumers regret their impulse buys on Black Friday. Always check your returns policy. Buying online gives you more rights - you usually have the right to change your mind and cancel your order for up to 14 days from when you receive the goods. Make sure you keep all proofs of purchase.

With online retailers now charging GST on purchases, we’ve been contacted by many consumers who are worried they’re unfairly being charged both GST and VAT. We’re trying to build a list of those online retailers who are, genuinely, wrongly charging Islanders both VAT and GST so that we can work with the Government to stop this from happening. If you encounter any examples of this, please take a screenshot or photograph of the checkout/basket and email it to contact@consumercouncil.je  However, here’s a couple of things that you should be aware of: Incorrectly labelled VAT A few consumers have been in touch to tell us they’re incorrectly being charged VAT. However, when we’ve looked into their cases, we’ve found that they’re in fact being charged GST, but that the retailer has simply incorrectly labelled the tax as ‘VAT’. A simple way to check whether the extra charge you can see is VAT or GST is to download the ‘VAT calculator’ app to your smartphone or mobile device. It allows you to put in the amount and then either add or deduct VAT. It then tells you what the price should be once the VAT has either been deducted or added. This will help you identify whether it’s actually VAT being applied, or whether it’s simply GST incorrectly labelled as VAT. Or, of course, you can always do some old-fashioned arithmetic instead – if it’s VAT it’ll be 20% added on, whereas if it’s GST it’ll only be 5%. To work out what a VAT-free price should be, divide the total amount by 1.2. Sometimes consumers are being charged just VAT, which of course we do not pay. If this happens to you, we suggest that you go back to the retailer and attach the link to the UK Government notice on VAT, which states: 2.7 Countries that are part of the UK for VAT purposes. The Channel Islands are not part of the UK for fiscal (VAT) purposes. Supplies of goods sent to the Channel Islands are regarded as exports for VAT purposes and may be zero-rated if the conditions set out in paragraphs 3.3 or 3.4 are met. Of course, this may not work, the retailer might still charge you VAT. Then your only recourse is to take your business elsewhere and keep looking around until you find a retailer who is prepared to deduct VAT – they are out there. Online book prices will now increase When you purchase many items online, especially on Amazon, you’ll notice that the final price will end up being lower than the original price listed. That’s because, even though 5% GST is now being added, the 20% VAT is also being removed, so the price still goes down. However, there is at least one item we’ve found that’s the exception to that rule: books. We’ve heard from a few consumers who are worried that every time they buy a book online, they’re now being charged GST on top of VAT. That’s because when you now buy a book online, the final price always ends up being higher than the original price listed. However, it’s not an error. The reason is because, in the UK, books are exempt from VAT – which means that the original price listed is not inclusive of any VAT. This means that GST now has to be added to these purchases for Jersey residents, but no VAT is removed, so, as a result, the price ends up going up, instead of down. You can see more information about this, and other items that are exempt from UK VAT, here: gov.uk/guidance/rates-of-vat-on-different-goods-and-services.

We’re getting lots of questions about insurance claims after Storm Ciarán. So, here are some tips you may find useful, both for now and for future considerations about what kind of insurance cover you might need, as well as advice if your insurer isn’t paying out. Vehicles: To successfully claim for damage to your vehicle from a storm, you need to have a fully comprehensive insurance policy. This should also entitle you to a loan car during the repairs. Unfortunately, third party cover only covers damage your car makes to others. Buildings: Buildings Insurance will cover storm damage to your home. It should also cover any permanent fixtures and fittings, such as kitchens, doors, windows etc.  They should also cover accommodation costs during home repairs. Most policies exclude fences, sheds, and outhouses. Home contents: Contents insurance (not buildings insurance) covers all the moveable items in your home, such as furniture, electronic items, clothes and jewellery. There is usually a cap on single item values and large excesses. It will also cover emergency purchases, such as clothes. Carpets and flooring can be covered in either buildings or contents insurance, so you'll need to check your policies. Insurance complaint: If your insurer isn’t paying out and you think you have a strong case, ask for their complaints policy and follow their appeals process. If it's still no good, advise them that you’re taking the matter to the relevant ombudsman, which will vary depending on where your insurer is based. As most insurance companies are based in the UK, most will be regulated by the UK Financial Ombudsman. However, some will be regulated by the Channel Islands Financial Ombudsman Service. Your insurer will be able to tell you who your ombudsman authority is, so you know who to appeal to.  Rental: If you’re in rental accommodation your landlord should be covered under their buildings insurance policy to cover the cost of temporary accommodation. You should not have to bear the cost. However, you will need contents insurance to claim for any of your personal belongings. Contact us: And finally, if you're in any doubt or having problems with your insurer, please contact the Jersey Consumer Council who will happily advise you on the best course of action. Email us on contact@consumercouncil.je or call 611161.

It’s been a long, three-year battle, but there is finally good news for consumers regarding credit cards, as States Members have unanimously supported a proposal to allow credit reference agencies the access to the personal data that they need. Since first publicly raising the issue in early 2020, and then directly engaging with the Government of Jersey in early 2023, the Jersey Consumer Council has been fielding calls and responding to emails from hundreds of Islanders, who’ve experienced being turned down for credit cards, additional family cards or store cards, or who’ve had their accounts closed based purely on their JE postcode. And, last year, hundreds of Islanders responded to our credit card survey, the anonymous data from which we shared with the Government during meetings this year. The Government has taken on board our concerns, and the concerns of Island consumers, and has this year been working on a solution to allow credit reference agencies the access to the personal data that they need to process credit card applications. We’re delighted that the States Assembly has now today (Tuesday, 3 October) supported a legislative tweak that will allow credit-checking agencies to access Jersey’s official Register of Names and Addresses. In the UK, the electoral register is a key source of information for these agencies, however Jersey law previously prevented them from accessing our local register, and they are unable to use any other sources of public information. This change will make it easier for these companies to access information in Jersey, which we hope will see an end to the credit card issues that Islanders have been experiencing in recent years. Speaking in the States Assembly, the Social Security Minister, Deputy Elaine Millar, said that the solution proposed through this proposition would 'enable the Government to deliver to credit reference agencies, in a secure manner, information similar to that contained within an electroral role'.  Deputy Millar added: "I'd like to recognise the work done by the Jersey Consumer Council in identifying the scale of this particular issue, and it's campaigning work, with both the banks and the Government, to try and find the reasons for, and the solution to, this problem." Our Chairman, Carl Walker, said: “I’m delighted to see three years of hard work by the Jersey Consumer Council culminate in unanimous approval by the States Assembly for this law change, which will make credit card applications much simpler for Jersey residents. “This is a great example of collaborative working between the Jersey Consumer Council and the Government of Jersey. “The Council appreciates that data privacy and security are of utmost importance and concern to Islanders, especially as online fraud continues to bombard consumers on an almost daily basis. In this regard, the Consumer Council backed this move on the understanding that the Government will implement robust measures to safeguard Islanders’ personal information and ensure compliance with relevant data protection laws. “And while we are extremely mindful of the risks involved in using credit cards in terms of falling into debt, we are supportive of this move as credit cards not only offer vital consumer protection under the Consumer Credit Act 1974, but also give Islanders an important fraud safety net when shopping online, and when ‘tapping’ or using wireless forms of payment. “Furthermore, having access to a more comprehensive credit history, financial institutions can make better informed decisions about credit card applications. This fosters responsible lending practices and reduces the risk of individuals obtaining credit they cannot manage."

Islanders have contacted us to tell us they've been experiencing issues when ordering from Amazon. It seems some people are finding that items are suddenly unable to be delivered to Jersey, including items that they have set up as repeat orders through ‘Subscribe and Save’. We've found that this issue can sometimes be fixed by changing the country of their saved address to United Kingdom, for some people. So, if you’re experiencing this problem, we would recommend trying this to see if it resolves the issue. We've been in touch with Amazon to see if they can shed any light on this issue and are awaiting a response. Have you experienced any issues with ordering products from Amazon? We'd like to hear from you.

The Government of Jersey is proposing to change the law on lending money. To do this they are seeking your views. A member of the Jersey Consumer Council attended a working group to have input on this consultation and we’ll continue to give the consumer voice going forward. The proposed new law is intended to protect small businesses and consumers who borrow money, and it will do this by establishing regulatory standards which people who lend money will be required to follow. You can read more about this and have your say here. This is not to be confused with the credit reference agency consultation (to help with credit cards), you can have your say on that one here