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emmajeff

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  1. I'm sorry in advance if this is a bit vague, but I don't have all the details available. I was contacted by HMRC a year or two ago, stating that I had been overpaid Tax Credits for the year 2013/2014. It came about because I apparently didn't tell them that I stopped using my childcare provider when I moved and had therefore been being paid the 'childcare element' for almost a year, that I wasn't entitled to. I STRONGLY disputed this because I phoned them when I moved to give them my new address, and am absolutely certain that I told them at the same time, that I'm no longer using registered childcare as my mum was now providing my childcare. It just makes no logical sense as I had moved 160 miles so why they'd think I was still using a childcare provider 160 miles away is beyond me... I was so sure that I'd told them, that I began an appeal and requested audio copies of my telephone calls to them within the month that I moved (and the month following, just incase it had taken me a few weeks) They sent me a CD Rom disc with two recordings on - one of which was a phonecall that wasn't even me, it was a completely different person asking about who received Tax Credits if her and her ex husband have joint custody..! The other phonecall was me, but wasn't the phonecall I was referring to (when I moved). So I responded again saying that one wasn't me, but that there must be another one, and apparently it doesn't exist - which is funny, because they had my new address, so it must exist as I must have phoned them to tell them! Anyway, after this I kind-of gave up because I was frightened (the overpayment is large..!) and I didn't feel like I was getting anywhere, that I was going to end up being made to pay it and I don't know how I can. By now I was also no longer a single parent (in a new relationship) so no longer in receipt of Tax Credits and therefore they couldn't deduct it from my award - they just kept sending me payment demands. Since then, I have moved again (last year) and so far I haven't received any more letters from them - I'm assuming they don't know my new address and therefore don't know where contact me, so I have been happily keeping quiet. However I am currently pregnant again and we are in a position where I may have to give up work following my maternity leave as we can't afford the childcare (we no longer have family help with that). Based on my partners income, we *should* be entitled to some tax credits which we would desperately need - but I'm too scared to contact them/apply, as I'm assuming they'll put two and two together at some point; they'll then have my new address and will be able to start chasing me for that previous overpayment again. Would this be likely to happen? I'm even too scared to apply for Tax Relief for my uniform/professional fees etc at work because that's through HMRC too and I'm scared to make any form of contact with them even if it's not the Tax Credits department, as they'll then know where I am We are really struggling financially despite both working hard (with good jobs and a fairly decent wage), so I just don't know how I could begin to pay it back if they insist I have to.. but on the same note, we also do need those Tax Credits if I have to give up work.. that's if they even allow it with an outstanding overpayment on file?! Would it flag up straight away about the previous overpayment, due to my NI number being linked to it..? Would it be dangerous to even apply, considering they'd then have my new address and my NI number will presumably flag up the overpayment again at some point, even if not straight away? Sorry for the long post, my head is a bit of a mess about it all..!
  2. I've had it less than a year and the battery was honestly absolutely fine before the screen replacement . It literally changed from the day I had the screen done. I didn't expect a genuine Apple replacement screen from anyone but Apple (there's isn't an Apple Store anywhere near me), but I've had different/non genuine screens replaced on all my iPhone's before (I'm a dropper!), but never at this particular shop: and I've never had this problem afterwards.
  3. I had a smashed iPhone 6 screen for about 6 months because I couldn't afford to get it fixed and it still worked fine. However last week it began showing sign of giving up (touchscreen not working properly), so I gave in and took it to a local shop that does repairs and also sells things like cases and accessories (called Fone Care, not sure if it's a chain...) Firstly they refused to knock £5 off to price-match a different shop down the road, which is fair enough and obviously within their rights.... But we were just about to walk out, when she said she could do it now and it would only take 10 minutes; the other shop wanted me to come back and collect it some hours later, so it was simply more convenient. Went back and collected it and she showed me it was working etc, and told me I have a 14 day warranty (it's now been 7 days), and I paid the grand sum of £95! Since that day, my battery has been dreadful. I used to only charge it once in the evenings, to full charge, and it would then last until the following evening. Since having my screen replaced, it's draining rapidly and I'm having to charge it 3 times a day. Even when it's not being used:- for the third night in a row lastnight, I went to bed with 80% battery and when I woke up at 3am with my baby, it was completely dead and off. Another day I put it in my bad with 60% battery and it stayed in there all day, not being used because I was somewhere that I had no signal - and it died. I've done all the usual checks, and also absolutely nothing in my settings etc, has changed since I took it in. I already have things like location services and automatic E-Mail refresh off, I always have. A quick Google search told me that there's been quite a few people around the country with this problem at various shops, and a few suggestions I've come across is that it's because they use cheap replacement screens ('from China') which kill your battery, or that they may have swapped the original battery for a rubbish one. Can someone please advise me how to proceed with this, or indeed even if I can..?! I suffer with anxiety so don't feel I'm able to go into the shop (I couldn't even go in to get the screen replaced on my own, I had to wait until my partner could come with me). Some posts on local social media have already told me that they're not very accommodating in this particular shop (for example, someone bought a charger there and it didn't work; so she took it back, only to be refused a refund and told by the manager 'well what do you expect if you buy cheap?') Therefore I plan to approach it in writing instead if this is OK...? I just don't know what Rights/Act's I can quote in my letter to help me, if any? I'm assuming I have the right to receive my phone back in the same working condition that I gave it to them..? Not give it to them to fix a problem and end up with an even worse one? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you
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