Banking Rights

Your rights when dealing with banks

• £85,000 coverage for bank deposits – guaranteed by the government, so no need to worry
  if your bank goes insolvent. It applies on each bank where you hold money. Same
  for investments but this only protects you for loss of your investment if the
  intermediary goes insolvent and have combined your money with theirs not for a
  reduction in the value of your investment
• Right to be reimbursed by your bank if someone got access to your cards, online or
  mobile banking and you were reasonably careful. Remember to immediately contact
  your bank and disclose fully all relevant information.
• Right to be reimbursed by your bank up to £85,000 if you were defrauded to send money
  electronically to a fraudster provided it is paid to a UK bank account, and you were not heavily negligent. Remember to immediately contact your bank and disclose fully all relevant information.
• Up to £20,000 per year can be paid into a tax-free Individual Savings Account
  either cash or stocks and shares or both; inclusive of up to £4,000 paid into a Lifetime Individual Savings Account that gets you up to £1,000 of government
  paid bonus (but see restrictions).
• Tax year running from 6 April to 5th April of the following year. 
• Your student “loan” is not really a loan but rather a special tax paid by university graduates. If you do not make enough money, you will not have to repay
  anything.

Financial Ombudsman

Your rights with the Financial Service Authority 

Even if a bank does not break the law, if you feel that you have been treated unfairly you can complain, for free, to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

For instance, if a bank lends you money in a situation that you cannot afford the loan, the Ombudsman is likely to order the bank to relieve you from all interest, so you just have to repay the capital of the loan.

The decisions of the Ombudsman are binding on the bank but not on you – if you are not satisfied you can still go to court against the bank.

Employment Rights

Your rights when dealing with with your employer

If you are working do not forget that you are entitled to the national minimum wage or national living wage depending on your age (you get the full one when you are 21). Click here for more details.

You also have a right to:

• 5-6 weeks of paid holiday for a full-time job (pro rata) for a part-time job). You can find relevant details here
• a safe working environment and not to be subjected to discrimination or harassment.

If you have a complaint against your employer or you believe you have been unfairly dismissed, you can bring a case at the employment tribunal. You do not need a lawyer for this. More details on how to bring proceedings to the tribunal is available here.

Tenancy Rights

Your rights as a tenant

The law on tenancies is different in different parts of the UK. In England the following principles apply. As a tenant, you have the right to: live in a
property that is safe and in a good state of repair and have your deposit returned when the tenancy ends – and in some circumstances have your deposit protected.

• challenge
  excessively high charges
• know who your landlord is
• live in the property undisturbed
• see an Energy Performance Certificate for the property
• be protected from unfair eviction and unfair rent
• have a written agreement if you have a
  fixed-term tenancy of more than 3 years.

More details here.