Tag Archives: Northern Ireland Executive

Date published: 11 December 2017

If you own a farm, think about the main risks winter brings and work out how you would deal with severe weather. How would it affect your ability to provide water, food and shelter for your animals?

Winter problems

Potential problems over winter include:

• frozen and burst pipes
• snow
• interruption of water supply
• flooding
• difficulty in moving materials or stock around the farm
• problems with deliveries to or collections from the farm

Weather forecast

Keep a close eye on the weather forecast so that you are able to take appropriate action, for example:

• consider whether you need to move animals to lower ground or fodder stocks to a more sheltered location
• if farm lanes become unsafe in the event of snow and ice, consider the need for marker signs at the edges and/ or alternative routes
• keep main access areas ice-free/ salted to avoid potential accidents that may involve humans, animals, or machinery
• if milk collections are suspended make sure you have extra storage capacity in place
• if feed deliveries can’t get through, make sure you have enough feed stored to cover three days

Water supply

Clean water essential on all farms but its supply may be interrupted by frozen or burst pipes. You should aim to have at least 24 hours of water stored.

The following checklist should help:

• make sure you know the layout of pipes within your land – it should be recorded on a map
• know where your stop valves are and make their location more obvious by marking them with one of Northern Ireland Water’s free stop valve tags
• consider isolating your water supply to areas of the farm not used during winter – you may need to install new stop valves to make this possible
• keep a supply of relevant fittings to repair any leakages
• know where your meters are located and check them regularly – an unexpectedly high reading could indicate a leak and should be investigated
• inspect troughs not in use at this time of year and consider turning off the water supply and draining the trough
• underground pipes should be buried at least 750 mm below ground level
• make sure any pipes within buildings are insulated and protected from livestock
• make sure that all tanks, pipes and pumps are in good working order and not leaking – and fix dripping taps
• have the name and contact details of at least one registered plumber easily available in case of an emergency
• keep farm watercourses clean to help ensure that water flows easily away following a thaw to minimise the risk of flooding
• to report a water supply problem, contact Northern Ireland Water

Prepare your farm for the unexpected – it could save you a lot of problems in the future.

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People are being warned about the pitfalls of subscription payments linked to free online trials or samples. Ever been locked into a subscription you didn’t sign up for? You’re not alone.

Subscription trap scams

Known as subscription trap scams, you become locked into a subscription for a service you did not, or were not aware you had, signed up for.

The most common types are for:

• free-trial slimming pills
• anti-ageing products
• health foods
• on-demand TV services
• streaming services
• audio books

In many cases, you can unknowingly end up making monthly payments ranging from between £10 to £70 for a product or service you didn’t want.

Subscription​ ​traps work by misleading​ you ​into​ ​signing​ ​up​ ​for​ ​a​ ​subscription to​ ​goods​ ​or​ ​services after seeing an advert on social media or a pop-up on a website.​ ​

This​ ​is​ ​commonly​ ​done​ ​by​ ​the​ ​retailer​ ​promising ​a​ ​free​ ​trial, ​a reduced​ ​rate​ ​trial, ​or​ ​sample​ ​goods​ ​where​ ​you ​only​ ​have​ ​to​ ​pay​ ​for​ ​postage and​ ​packaging​ ​using​ ​a​ ​credit​ ​or​ ​debit​ ​card.

​The​ ​card​ ​details​ ​provided​ ​are​ ​then​ ​used to​ ​take​ ​recurring​ ​payments​ ​for​ ​a​ ​subscription​ ​using​ ​a​ ​continuous​ ​payment authority​ ​(CPA).​ ​

This is ​often​ ​not made​ ​clear​,​ ​usually​ ​burying​ ​the​ ​key​ ​information​ ​in​ ​lengthy​ ​or​ ​unclear​ ​terms​ ​and conditions. 

Advice about dealing with subscriptions

Free-trial offers are often extremely misleading, devised by fraudsters to deceive you and trick you into parting with your cash.

It is essential to be aware of what is involved in accepting offers or incentives to take up a subscription.

When providing bank details for online offers, always read the terms and conditions carefully to make sure you do not get more than you sign up for.

 When dealing with subscriptions you should:

• check that the company is genuine – does it have a padlock symbol on the website and a proper contact address and working telephone number?
• research the company by reading online reviews of the site
• look​ ​carefully​ ​at​ ​the​ ​wording​ ​of​ ​the​ ​advert -​ ​does​ ​it​ ​make​ ​clear​ ​that​ ​in​ ​order​ ​to​ ​take advantage​ ​of​ ​an​ ​offer​ ​you​ ​will​ ​be​ ​enrolled​ ​onto​ ​a​ ​paid-for​ ​subscription​ ​plan?​ ​This information​ ​must​ ​be​ ​presented​ ​prominently​ ​in​ ​the​ ​ad​ ​itself​ ​(not​ ​buried​ ​in​ ​the terms and conditions) 
• check​ ​payment​ ​methods​ ​and​ ​full​ ​cost​ ​before​ ​you​ ​agree​ ​to​ ​the​ ​contract
• check​ ​if​ ​you​ ​can​ ​withdraw​ ​from​ ​the​ ​purchase – ​you​ ​have​ ​the​ ​right​ ​to​ ​a​ ​14-day cooling-off​ ​period​ ​for​ ​distance​ ​purchases​ ​of​ ​goods​ ​within​ ​the​ ​EU ​(if​ ​the​ ​trader has​ ​not​ ​informed​ ​you​ ​of​ ​your​ ​right​ ​of​ ​withdrawal,​ ​the​ ​withdrawal​ ​period​ ​is extended​ ​by​ ​12​ ​months)
• not use the product when delivered and return it unused, making sure you get a shipping receipt
• contact your bank – you may want to cancel your bank card to prevent the company from withdrawing more money from your account
• regularly check your bank statements for any unexpected payments and query them if you don’t know what they are for

Report a subscription trap scam 

If you feel you have been misled into signing up for a subscription you can get advice by contacting Consumerline online. 

You can also phone the helpline or email:

Remember, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

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