The PPI 'scandal' continues to rumble on. Even the way the complaints/repayments have been handled has come in for criticism, and LLoyds have admitted they have not acted very well in this respect. But, the way this has been handled by everyone is, to my mind, poor. From the first person who signed up for an insurance package that would never have delivered, to the last person to get his/her compensation, the whole issue has been a joke. ..and it's these people who blindly signed up for it in the first place who should take most responsibility for the shambles. I know, I hear you say, they were pressured into it; the small print was not clear; the details were never spelt out; the tickbox was already ticked etc etc. Excuses - all of them.
Now, I'm not one to blow my own trumpet (OK, maybe I am), but when I saw this PPI option the first time I simply declined it - even when my bank manager advised for it and asked me to initial the 'non-signature' so he didn't get a roasting from his boss, and this was years before anyone started to question it. Mind you, its probably the Methodist coming out in me that makes me think that way and I'm always the eternal optimist, so would never think I would lose a job, go off work on long term sick etc.
There's a bigger thing at stake here though, and one that doesn't seem to be being addressed, and that is mis-selling in general. Its easy to pick up on 'soft' deals such as PPI, but what about things that we pay for but add no value whatsoever? e.g. packaging and marketing in general. Can we reclaim the cost of the bit of cardboard in a multi-pack of Twix that is only there to keep them looking neat and tidy? ..and what about early CD players that were made to look bigger than needed so we thought it was worth paying an extortionate amount? I'd better stop before it gets silly.
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