Funeral costs investigated

Get straight to the good stuff every day with the Multiply Minute; a lightning-quick round-up of the money news and how it affects you.

No time to die

At an average cost of £10,000, dying is leaving some families with hefty bills when the deceased doesn’t have enough in their estate. These costs have more than doubled over the past 15 years, so the Competition and Markets Authority has launched an investigation to look into these above-inflation rises.

Landlords turn pro

The number of private landlords has reduced to a seven-year low, but those still in the market have bigger portfolios. Estate agents Hamptons International say that this is a sign that the sector is professionalising. Despite this, supply isn’t meeting rental demand, and average rental costs have increased 3.6% this year to £998 per month.

Out of contract

New regulations for broadband, mobile, and pay-TV providers means that customers must now be reminded when their contracts are coming to an end. Industry regulator Ofcom believes this could save some households up to £150.

Unable to sell

Untested cladding is preventing thousands of people from selling or remortgaging their flats. In the wake of Grenfell, some freeholders still haven’t paid for tests to confirm combustibility ratings. Lenders are giving £0 valuations as a result, with some becoming so cautious that even non-combustible cladding is causing problems for owners.