Computer firm blames glitch on... its computers

I bought a computer from Time in January on a year's interest-free credit with Nova Finance. I have telephoned Nova repeatedly about the payment, due on 4 January, but they claim not to have my name and details and cannot tell me where to send the money.

Time said to send a cheque to them but I am not confident that, if I do this, my agreement with Nova will be cancelled.

I am an upright citizen and do not relish being threatened with a bad debt register because no one will take responsibility for my payment.
AA, Glasgow

You are right to worry. Other readers have been caught by interest charges when trying unsuccessfully to settle loans after free credit.

Nova has now found your application but says the credit has not been set up because Time did not forward the agreement. Apparently, you are not the only customer affected. So you owe nothing to Nova and it cannot charge interest if you fail to pay by 4 January. But you still have to pay for the computer.

Nova has now agreed to make you a customer at this late stage, although you need to pay promptly to avoid interest. This is a safer way of settling your debt than sending a cheque to Time.

Time says it has bought a new IT system and does not expect this problem to recur.

Shifty surveyor: £10,000 bill

I found a run-down property to buy through a scheme advertised in a local newspaper. The person operating the scheme paid £40,000 for the house, organised a mortgage, hired builders and sold it to me for £50,000.

The building society retained £6,000, payable on completion of work demanded by its surveyor. Eventually, he approved the completed works and the remaining money was issued. I became suspicious about the surveyor's report when I discovered he had been accompanied on his visit by the vendor and that some of the work had not been done at all.

When I complained, the society sent the same man back to check. Privately, he admitted he had taken the vendor's word that the work had been done.

The Building Societies' Ombudsman says I am at fault for paying the vendor, even though I did so only because the society said the work had been done satisfactorily. I believe the surveyor misled both his employer and me as to the true state of the house. I am having to fund the necessary work myself with a further loan of £10,000.
DT, Saddleworth

Normally, ombudsmen will not re-open a file without new evidence, but I pointed out he had not seen information in your solicitor's file which, you claim, includes a forged signature. The new ombudsman for building societies took another look at your case, but backed the original decision. He says they knew of the solicitor's file.

He believes the society was not at fault, although you still argue it should be responsible for its employee's work.

You have one fight with the builder about the quality of his work and another with the surveyor who, you believe, acted unprofessionally. Your only recourse now is to the courts. You might find a no win, no fee solicitor who will take your case.

Insurance error: Bill £38 too high

On the phone, 1st Quote offered my son car insurance for £303, but he had to wait for me to come home to use my credit card. We agreed to pay an extra £12 to remove the excess and discussed, but rejected, legal expenses insurance, making the bill £315.

Yet my Visa bill showed two withdrawals by 1st Quote, for £343 and £10 - £38 too much. A 1st Quote supervisor implied I was making it all up and that the sales person could not have keyed in the wrong figures.
MR, Swansea

1st Quote is confused by your son's file which confirm he was quoted £303 but, without explanation, also shows he was charged £343. If you had been billed for legal expenses insurance, this should be shown separately, but the firm admits £343 is the price it would be. It cannot explain the £12 figure because apparently you paid £10 for excess protection. 1st Quote is refunding the amount overcharged.

Credit card snag: Not so capital

I applied by phone for a Capital One Bank Platinum Visa card but they sent me a standard card, saying I did not have a big enough credit limit to qualify for the Platinum card.

Surely, if you apply for a certain card, that is what you should be sent? Will my chances of getting a platinum card elsewhere be affected because Capital One sent a standard one?
DW, London

Capial One has read its telephone scripts in the light of your complaint and realised that its statements are misleading. It has changed the wording so all its operators now say clearly which card customers will be given. Your credit reference agency records show only that you applied for, and received, a Capital One card. There is no indication that you were refused the card you asked for.

Pension mistake: I'm 8pc worse off

The Benefits Office wrote to tell me of 'a change to my contributions' four years after my pension started, and it is being cut by 8 per cent, a significant amount. Why has it taken them so long to find out?
PM, Hemel Hempstead

You could be a victim of the notorious Department of Social Security computer that has given so much trouble. You should ask for a detailed explanation and for confirmation that you can keep the over-payment.

• Write to Margaret Dibben, Money Writes, The Observer, 119 Farringdon Road, London EC1R 3ER and include a telephone number. Do not enclose SAEs or original documents. Letters are selected for publication and we cannot give personal replies. The newspaper accepts no legal responsibility for advice.