Well, we’ve had our money laundering audit and the dreaded letter arrived a couple of weeks ago. I suppose it is a bit like a health inspector in a restaurant, they’ll always find something that is not quite to their satisfaction. In this case I recalled the inspector for a chat as I sat down and trawled through the legislation and the guidelines.  I picked up a couple of points that were either in my view ambiguous, contradictory or shock, horror, not covered.

The long and the short of it is that I have had to postpone my staff training and suggested improvements to our systems becasue an answer is required from HMRC policy unit.

However, the biggest surprise for me was to learn that according to the inspector I am the first person to actually query the guidance given following an audit. Are my fellow professionals meekly going like “lambs to the slaughter”  or are we battle weary?

Time and time again practitioners fail to realise that they may have the necessary skills to act as a salesperson for practice growth. What is needed is a module at professional training level . An early taster can’t go wrong surely? It may even sort the wheat from the chaff and let students appreciate the challenges out there in promoting themselves in practice, if of course that’s where they want to be headed.

Once again I listened to a radio program about rising energy costs. What really got my goat was that one caller said she went to bed early to keep warm and when asked if she had sought guidance or applied for insultation grants she answered in the negative and started giving various excuses why not. The program host did not exactly go out of the way to make it clear she can hardly grumble. In fact she should not have been allowed on air….. BBC impartiality ?

It took another caller, who said he wasn’t well off but cuts his garment according to his cloth, to make the point.

I would like to make it clear that living in a cold house is not fun. I have experienced during boiler breakdowns. However, sensible use of central heating to keep a home comfortable and then putting on a jumper as it cools down later in the evening isn’t exactly rocket science, but people are howling in protest that they have to put on extra clothing to stay warm.

I wonder how much is genuine fuel poverty and how  much is jumping on the bandwagon. Fuel prices are what they are – the market is global, so get used to it and live accordingly.

I had my monthly direct debit for heat and light upped to £448 per month. I looked at the bills for the past year, which was quite a cold winter, and saw I had used around £2,500 combined and was in credit to the tune of £250 or so. I simply emailed the supplier and lo and behold the direct debit dropped down to £275. Surprise surprise. A few minutes of checking and problem solved. How many people are simply not checking their tariffs or payments plans but rather jump up and down in righteous indignation at rising costs?

How many houses still have the thermostat in the hall, ready to kick in every time the front door is opened.

So let’s have a sense of proportion in the debate.

To add fuel to the fire (no pun intended)  we grumble that the Chinese are taking over our energy supply but we won’t allow the domestic suppliers to make the profits required to re-invest.

I declare an interest as a shareholder in Centrica.

Good news petrol prices have come down a wee bit. Rejoice !

It really bothers me when I am asked how to resolve a dispute between shareholders in a limited company. The majority of people don’t realise that Company Articles are at their basic, simply the constitution of a limited company, a necessary part of the company registration process. In an ideal situation shareholders will make a shareholders’ agreement at the outset. Even those who do appreciate its worth fail to confront the worst case scenario or simply do not want to pay a substantial fee to a solicitor. We’ve come up with a great way to get the best of both worlds with our Advanced Articles – happy reading.

It’s impossible to escape reports of wasted food, every few months. When I was a wee boy in the 1970s there was no such thing, because our parents and grandparents came from a generation that knew about shortages , hunger and the value of last week’s bread. If I left anything on the plate my grandfather told me to eat it up because “they are starving in China” – I didn’t even know where China was!

Although we are now blessed with plenty I am still careful with leftovers, as if my wife. Hard bread – toast it. Cheese getting like a board – shave the edge and eat the rest or use it in a scrambled egg. Use the fridge to preserve fruit and veg for an extra week or two. We often eat weekend leftovers until Wednesday, making me the butt of office jokes from the staff.

Perhaps when people succumb to the bargain basement offers in the supermarkets they shoudl stop and think whether can actually consume it. Perhaps purchase together with a friend or relative. Now that people have to recycle their kitchen scraps you would think they are taking notice of what is being chucked out, especially in these challenging economic times.

By the way I must declare an interest – I own shares in Tesco.

The problem is that we don’t even contemplate the possibility of shortage these days but as they say “never say never”. who knows, one day we may be importing food from a place called China ……

Last week I turned up at home with a Bentley Arnage Red Label. After many weeks of painstaking research and testdrives across the country I finally purchased a car that I think is an absolute beauty, inside and out. Acres of wood, yards of leather an imperiosu driving position all enclosed within a swooping classic car shape.

Mrs Younger was not a happy camper, especially as she was kept inthe dark. I explained that it is not just “another” car to add to the driveway but a work of card, not unlike an expensive-ish painting that hangs in the dining room.

I am now saving up to put juice in this magnificent beast, which is currently parked on Mother’s drive.

I am advised by my wife that I am having a mid-life crisis.

Any advice on how to treat this alleged condition ?