Questions Of Cash: 'We are still waiting for our holiday compensation'

Q. In July 2005, my husband and I went on holiday with Sandals to its new Jamaica Whitehouse resort. We had rude service and after making a complaint we were given a free spa treatment during our stay and a letter from the manager promising us that Sandals would add two nights free on to our next holiday with them.

We decided to use this in March last year. We paid in full up-front and were promised by the agents, Going Places in Swanley, that we'd be credited for two days - which should have been £600, at £150 per person per night. But Sandals would only offer us about half this. When we phoned Sandals, it told us we would have to write. Going Places in Swindon promised to do this for us, as it held the original letter from Sandals. Now that office has closed and we haven't heard anything more. EM, by e-mail.

A. Sandals says that it has had difficulty in finding out what has happened, given the closure of the travel agency branch. Following our intervention, Sandals offered to send you a payment for the £600 - but this was subject to you producing the original offer of two nights free, which was held by Going Places and seems to have disappeared. At our request, Sandals has agreed to repay you the £600 on production of the copy of the letter.

Q. I bought a television from Comet in September, but found it was supplied with the wrong aerial connector. Comet told me to go and buy the right connector from another store. It still didn't work and Comet told me if I tuned it in it would work - but it didn't. The instructions were only in Chinese. I had to pay £49.50 to get a service engineer to visit me and set up the television. I have written three times to Comet to ask them to pay me the £49.50, but had no reply. PM, Cambridge.

A. Comet apologises and is sending you the £49.50.

Q. I hold shares in the Jupiter Dividend & Growth Trust through Jupiter's Savings Scheme. While direct shareholders in the investment trusts receive dividends four times a year on set dates, those of us investing through the savings scheme have had to wait nearly a month. Now this has been set back further to seven weeks. Over the course of a year, that means that Jupiter is holding dividends for 28 weeks. MT, Devon.

A. Jupiter has reviewed its dividend payment processes and has now returned its payment dates for those using the Savings Scheme. Payments will now been made 21 days after "the set dates" (which are the end of each quarter). This returns the payment arrangements to how they used to be.

Q. I took on a mobile contract with Carphone Warehouse 15 months ago on a half-price refund offer. I am still waiting for the £135. HS, Bristol.

A. Carphone Warehouse says that it sent you two cheques for the £135, but one of these was lost in the post. It has now sent you a cheque by special delivery.

Q. My gas statement for the quarter ending September shows a credit balance of £109.23, which represents overpayments built up by British Gas taking took much in direct debits. I requested this to be refunded, but it said that if it did this it would have to cancel the direct debit and put me on to ordinary quarterly billing. I have been punished for going to direct debits. SH, Huddersfield

A. British Gas staff gave you wrong information. Credit balances above £50 should be refunded on request, provided scheduled payments are expected to exceed consumption for the rest of the year. British Gas has now refunded your overpayment.