May

Keep up-to-date with relevant news

• 18/05/2012 Average rent rises 0.5% for April Last month saw the average amount paid out by tenants in England and Wales reach £709, the first price rise in three months.
• 18/05/2012 Car production rises over April Strong demand for car exports from the UK saw the number of vehicles built in the country rise by almost 10% in April, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
• 18/05/2012 London named UK's top pest hotspot England's capital city is the leading breeding ground for pests such as mice and cockroaches, according to a report.
• 18/05/2012 Cyclists admit jumping red lights More than half of cyclists say they have jumped a red light in the past, according to a recent survey.
• 18/05/2012 Raising speed limit 'will cost £1bn' A group of charities and organisations has warned that increasing the national speed limit from 70mph to 80mph will result in more road deaths and injuries each year.
• 17/05/2012 Police reveal fall in railway crime Fewer thefts were carried out on the railways last year, new figures show.
• 17/05/2012 Holiday tips 'hit by the recession' The custom of tipping for service while on holiday is suffering due to the effects of the recession, figures reveal.
• 17/05/2012 Dogs' breathing problems untreated Breathing difficulties are going untreated among many ''short-nosed'' dog breeds, such as bulldogs, with many owners unaware they have a medical problem, say researchers.
• 17/05/2012 First-time buyer loans rise by 74% The mortgage market saw a surge in activity among first-time buyers in March, new figures show.
• 17/05/2012 Millions spent on rogue builders, study Rogue builders managed to trick UK homeowners out of £260 million in payments for sub-standard work last year, figures show.
• 16/05/2012 Britons 'at breaking point' over fuel Rising fuel prices could force an increasing amount of British motorists off the road for good, a new survey has warned.
• 16/05/2012 Strathclyde police top 'wrong fuel' list Research suggests that Strathclyde Police has spent £22,536 since 2007 on repairing vehicles after the wrong fuel was put into their tanks.
• 16/05/2012 Nominations open for Feline Oscars Pet lovers are being urged to cast their vote for their favourite furry friend in a cat charity's annual prize-giving ceremony - dubbed the Feline Oscars.
• 16/05/2012 People 'unaware of social media risks' Most people are unaware of the dangers linked with posting information on social media sites, a study has suggested.
• 16/05/2012 Thieves steal Wiggins' Beijing medal Three-time Olympic cycling champion Bradley Wiggins' wife was "raging" when she found out his Beijing 2008 competitors' souvenir medal had been stolen.
• 15/05/2012 Poland offers five-star value for money Searching for the best-value five-star hotel accommodation? Then look no further than Poland.
• 15/05/2012 Pets follow in our children's footsteps It turns out that the names we give to our children are just as prevalent among our pets, revealed Battersea Dogs & Cats Home.
• 15/05/2012 Stricter rules around dangerous dogs Judges have set out new guidelines for punishing owners of dangerous dogs that harm other people, which could mean up to 18 months in prison.
• 15/05/2012 Driving trainers issue country tips Driver training firm IAM has released a set of advice for people taking to the countryside as part of its series of hints and tips for motorists.
• 15/05/2012 Britons admit overspending on holiday Most Britons need to take out extra cash while on holiday abroad, a poll has found.
• 14/05/2012 Monkey business for Hyundai's new car Hyundai's test of its new family car's tolerance to zoo animals is not recommend to keep car insurance costs down but it did conclude that the model is up to its role as a modern family car.
• 14/05/2012 50 homes evacuated in explosive scare Two men have been arrested and fifty homes evacuated in Gloucestershire during a planned police operation over explosives misuse.
• 14/05/2012 13% of motorists "drive on empty" A new survey has shown that rising fuel prices have lead to 13% of drivers "driving on empty" in the last quarter.
• 14/05/2012 Average handbag contents worth £450 The average contents of a woman's handbag are worth a whopping £450 - according to a new study.
• 14/05/2012 Motorways 'not safe enough for 80mph limit' Motorways are not safe enough to cope with raising the speed limit from 70mph to 80mph, according to a report today.
• 11/05/2012 Foreign travel boosts economy by £22bn Choosing to take your holiday in Britain this year may not be the best way to help support the economy, according to travel organisation Abta.
• 11/05/2012 Property sellers standing firm Home sellers are offering smaller discounts than there were three months ago, according to a study by property website Zoopla.
• 11/05/2012 Jilted boyfriend gives away holiday A man who felt he had to give his romantic holiday for two away for free after his girlfriend broke up with him has underlined the importance of having travel insurance.
• 11/05/2012 Dogs banned from school-run pick up A school in Nottingham has caused controversy and upset parents by asking them to leave their dogs at home when collecting their children.
• 11/05/2012 Dry weather relief for flood-hit regions Areas of the UK hit by flooding this week after further heavy rainfall are set for some welcome respite this weekend, with forecasters predicting a largely dry spell.
• 10/05/2012 Wilkins charged with drink driving Ray Wilkins will face a higher car insurance renewal if he is found guilty of drink-driving after being arrested and charged earlier this week.
• 10/05/2012 Commuting to work 'affects your waistline' People who drive long distances to work are more likely to be overweight, according to a study.
• 10/05/2012 Corgi sales set to increase in Jubilee Quotes for corgi dog insurance look set to rise as the popularity of Her Majesty's favourite canine has experienced a boost leading up to the Diamond Jubilee year, according to figures.
• 10/05/2012 Motorists shaken after stone attack A van driver and two passengers were described as "shaken" after a rock was thrown at the vehicle's window earlier this week.
• 10/05/2012 Northern UK braced for flooding Parts of northern Britain have been issued with severe weather warnings, as heavy rain continues to sweep across the country.
• 09/05/2012 Fuel tanker drivers shun walkouts Drivers of fuel tankers have shunned walkouts in a re-ballot, in favour of different forms of industrial action.
• 09/05/2012 Flood warning as more downpours predicted Residents in areas of northern England and Scotland are being warned to watch out for flooding as forecasters predict more wet weather.
• 09/05/2012 Motorists blame ministers for fuel costs, poll Research has found that nearly 90% of drivers hold ministers responsible for high fuel prices.
• 09/05/2012 Travellers want more safer airports Almost nine in 10 holidaymakers would like to see more security at national borders, airports and stations, a poll by information technology company Unisys has shown.
• 09/05/2012 Charity welcomes drug driving law A drug driving law announcement has been welcomed by road safety charity Brake.
• 08/05/2012 Appeal judges rule over property category A legal wrangle over whether a building in London is a house or a block of flats has been settled.
• 08/05/2012 Tourists regret holiday tattoos An increasing amount of young holidaymakers regret having a tattoo while on their travels, according to new research.
• 08/05/2012 Passengers made to wait at Stansted Hundreds of passengers were forced to wait to get into the country at Stansted Airport over the Bank Holiday weekend because of "unacceptably long" immigration queues.
• 08/05/2012 New cars sales increase in April New car sales were up year-on-year in April, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has revealed.
• 08/05/2012 Government to outlaw drug driving UK Prime Minister David Cameron is to lead the Government in outlawing drug driving.
• 04/05/2012 Fuel prices rolled back at forecourts Britons looking to escape the financial doom and gloom over the bank holiday weekend received a boost today as Asda cut petrol prices by up to 2p a litre, sparking a price war with rival suppliers.
• 04/05/2012 Millions of miles wiped in van clocking scam A van dealer raked in over £100,000 by erasing millions of miles from the clocks of more than 100 vehicles he was selling, according to trading standards officials.
• 04/05/2012 Top driving tips for roundabouts Negotiating big roundabouts can be daunting for new motorists, but driver risk management firm IAM Drive & Survive is offering tips to road users on how to stay safe behind the wheel.
• 04/05/2012 Heathrow delays mean missed targets A new study from airport operator BAA has revealed that the Border Force at Heathrow failed to achieve its target for allowing people from outside the EU through immigration.
• 04/05/2012 Awaiting texts 'raises crash risk's Anticipating a phone call or text message while driving increases the risk of car accidents, a US study has found.
• 03/05/2012 Warning over home flooding crisis Mortgage lenders have raised concerns that a lack of affordable home insurance deals for householders in areas prone to flooding is having a negative effect on the housing market.
• 03/05/2012 Elephant learns to play harmonica A zoo elephant in Washington is playing music on a harmonica and proving a hit with staff and visitors.
• 03/05/2012 'Black boxes' to be fitted to cars Technology similar to that used to measure and record speed in aircrafts has been recommended by the transport secretary to be fitted in cars driven by young motorists.
• 03/05/2012 Jermaine Pennant faces driving charges Footballer Jermaine Pennant is famed for his knack of being able to avoid tackles but he was unable to take suitable evasive action at the weekend when his car was involved in a collision with another vehicle.
• 03/05/2012 Police clampdown on Britain's roads Police in Suffolk brought more than 100 vehicles to a standstill and seized two cars during a recent mass clampdown on criminals driving along Britain's streets.
• 02/05/2012 London tourism takes gold in Olympic year Travellers from across the globe have voted London as the world's best destination to visit.
• 02/05/2012 Heathrow delays to be addressed The UK's ability to deal with the 2012 Olympics came under scrutiny during a row over lengthy queues at Heathrow Airport, with the immigration minister claiming the Border Force needs to change the way it operates.
• 02/05/2012 Top dogs to dance at pet event Top dogs from Britain's Got Talent will be among the pet performers at the Direct Line Pet Insurance 'Doggy Come Dancing Showcase' next week.
• 02/05/2012 Britons concerned with unrest over price Britons are more concerned with political unrest than the cost of flights when looking to book a holiday abroad, a new study has claimed.
• 02/05/2012 Charity issues skin cancer warning The typical items a traveller might bring for a sunny trip abroad may include their passport, travel insurance and sandals among other things - though women might skip on the sun cream.
• 01/05/2012 House prices rise by 0.1% in April Strong house price increases in London and the South ensured the national average rose for the second successive month in April, according to Hometrack.
• 01/05/2012 Tourists 'lack language skills' More than three-quarters of UK holidaymakers (79%) expect foreigners to be able to speak English but only around one in 12 (8%) speak another language fluently themselves, a study has found.
• 01/05/2012 Many people can't change tyre - survey Breakdown cover is an absolute must-have for more than a third of drivers who in a recent poll said they did not know how to change a tyre.
• 01/05/2012 MPs' report hits out at Atol reforms The Air Travel Organisers' Licensing (Atol) system needs fundamental reform despite the recent Government changes, according to a report from the House of Commons Transport Committee.
• 01/05/2012 Road safety budgets cut by 15% The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has said that English councils spent an average of 15% less on road safety in 2011 compared to the previous year.