A couple of anecdotes I thought I would share with you.
Trendy rabbit hutches (not joking that is the style) in Milton Keynes, built in City Centre by Barratts, just heard from a work colleague who's wife works on MK council that the majority have been acquired by the council to rent out!!!!!!! Couldn't be sold at the ridiculous 200k+ asking price so offloaded on council. Don't know the financial terms. If you are on benefits not bad living in a new house in city centre, luvverly. These have been completed at least a couple of months, still empty.
Had a problem with my Capital One credit card being cloned last month. Cancelled new one sent etc. As a result DDM missed on new card, not set up by Cap One, I did not know it was not in place. Always pay full balance each month. This month get charge 12 quid late payment and 25 quid interest, thought a simple phone call would rectify as there admin error. 30 mins later, two managers and major controlled shouting got charges and interest refunded. their first offer was half the interest refuned WTF!!! Anyway they were massively reluctant to refund any interest charges, sensed under real pressure to not buckle and kept re-iterating need to make minimum payments. Worrying times at Cap One, serves them right for lending out too much, to too many, with noooo money!!!!