Capital letters

Capital Letters attempted to put these points to Canaltime director Jamie Hill. However, after an initial discussion, Hill's phone seems permanently turned off. It accepts text messages but he has not responded.

The Timeshare Consumers Association suggests stopping payments - the initial finance agreement was with Holiday Finance 2000 (now in compulsory liquidation care of the official receiver) and taking Canaltime to court, alleging misrepresentation. The TCA website has a checklist of likely sales lines and how to argue against them in court.

Do I have a prayer of avoiding this bill?

When selling my flat in a row of terraced houses, I received a bill for chancel repairs insurance which will cost £59 for 25 years. I would like to know what this entails. Surely the chances are remote that some grasping clergyman would pursue us or the purchaser for repairs to a chancel somewhere?

LK

Yorkshire

The chancel is the part of a church near the altar where deacons or sub-deacons stand to help the officiating priest. And if you live in certain areas, parish priests can demand, under the terms of the Chancel Repair Act 1932, that you pay towards any repairs needed, whether or not you have any relationship to the church in question.

This is not academic, as a Warwickshire couple discovered in 2003 when, following a lengthy court case which ended up in the House of Lords, they had to pay £94,000 towards the repairs of a nearby parish church - and that's not counting their huge legal bills.

So there is a risk which, while not statistically high, could be serious. And there is no reason why that £94,000 should not be exceeded one day.

The cover comes from specialist insurer ChancelCheck which promises to cover you for any legal expenses plus up to £1m for repairs. At just over £2 a year, it's worth it.

ChancelCheck also offers a service to check if your property - or one you have lived in - could be liable.

Paymentshield left me in the lurch after gale

On January 18, I watched in horror as tiles were ripped off roofs (including my own) in a 92mph gale - the worst in a decade. I immediately contacted Paymentshield, our insurer. It did nothing other than tell me to call Hamiltons, the underwriter. This took a week. Hamiltons sent loss adjusters Lanes Assistance Services to look at my home. It then told me that the problem "could not be attributed to storm damage and is apparent that it is the result of wear and tear which is a specific exclusion to your policy." Please help me with my claim.

GM

Blackpool

As schools were evacuated, hospitals dealt with those hurt by flying debris and several other homes in your street, as well as the church some 80m from your front door, also suffered damage (pictured in the Blackpool Citizen newspaper which you showed Lanes) it is hard to see how the fair wear and tear decision was made. Your neighbours had no such insurance problems.

You went to Paymentshield because it was cheaper (you are a former Co-operative Insurance employee - perhaps you should have stuck with their policy?). But when it came to your first claim in 35 years, Paymentshield left you on your own. It should have done more for you - and, following a Capital Letters intervention, it has.

You will now be repaid the £905 roof repair costs, and your excess will be waived to say sorry.

Can I use pension for home improvements?

I am 58 and was employed by Oxford University from 1988 to 1994. I have accumulated £19,500 in its pension. It is the only pension I have other than the state pension. I have a project to extend and modernise my conservation-area house using an innovative energy microgeneration method. Can I free up my pension money for this?

GK

Oxford

No. Even though your policy would only buy an annuity worth a pittance, under the "trivial pension rules" you are only allowed to take your entire pension as a lump sum (instead of the normal 25%) if the total of all pensions is less than £15,000.

As your property is mortgage-free, you could remortgage it for the money you need using your partner's income. Try the Ecology or the Norwich & Peterborough building societies - both keen to back this sort of project.

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