Author: Zoe Wood

“Freemen on the land” sound like outlaws in a fairytale. But rather than stealing from the rich to give to the poor like Robin Hood, this group tries to convince hard-up borrowers they are not legally bound by their mortgage contract.It may sound far-fetched but the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has sounded the alarm over this conspiracy theory as a small but growing number of homeowners are using this argument to try to block repossession proceedings.“We’re aware of mortgage holders in financial difficulty who are being misled by this online misinformation, often with serious financial consequences,” the FCA says.The “freemen on the land” movement – sometimes written as “FOTL” or just “freemen” – claims individuals are only bound only by the contracts and laws they consent to, often using arguments dating back to Magna Carta. It is not a new phenomenon but is gaining currency in the UK thanks to social media.People involved in the movement post information and eviction videos online, including on YouTube. The accounts can have thousands of followers and some videos have been viewed close to half a million times.Mortgage lenders are reporting a rise in borrowers using these arguments.The FCA says that some borrowers have paid individuals a fee to take their claims to court to avert their home being repossessed. However it says: “None of these claims have succeeded as they’re not legally valid.“Other people have ended up losing not just their homes but also a large chunk of their equity.”On its website the housing charity Shelter has a round up of what it calls a “growing trend of conspiracy theory litigants”. In one case, a judge dismissed 13 separate claims against various mortgage lenders and expressed concern about an “unseen hand” behind the court documents.What the scam looks likeThe misinformation is being spread by word of mouth or in help groups on social media sites. “People are using informal channels like Facebook groups to find help and these individuals are in those groups saying: ‘Yes, I can,’” says one expert who did not want to be named.Greg Sachrajda, the head of department in the FCA’s retail banking directorate, suggests that some people who are at risk of losing their home are “susceptible to arguments that make things sound better”.But he says: “If you borrow money, you’re required to repay it, and you only make the situation worse by trying to rely on false arguments which the courts are rejecting.“We’ve seen examples of people not only losing their home but also then getting less back from the proceeds of the sale of the home.”The same bogus arguments are being used to avoid council tax payments and parking fines. Indeed numerous councils devote sections on their websites to debunking “Freemen” ideas.Thurrock council, for example, spells out that “rights claimed under common law, are not the same as laws relating to council tax”, adding: “You don’t have a ‘choice’ as to whether you are liable for council tax.”What to doDo not believe the claims.If you are struggling to repay your mortgage the short answer is: speak to your lender.Lenders are required to treat borrowers in financial difficulty fairly and the options available could include extending the term of the loan, temporarily switching to an interest-only mortgage, or even agreeing a payment holiday.Selling up may turn out to be right thing to do but even then the lender should be able to help. Many lenders offer what is called an “assisted voluntary sale”. This gives the borrower more time to sell the property and the lender can help with the costs. This can maximise the amount of money the individual realises from the sale.A spokesperson for the lenders’ trade body UK Finance says: “It’s always worth seeking independent legal advice before acting on information you find online as understanding your legal position fully will help protect you from costly mistakes.”Speak to your council if you are struggling with your council tax bill.There are other places you can turn to for help with debts. National Debtline, StepChange, Citizens Advice and the government-backed MoneyHelper service are among those offering free support.

The Kenyan government has told its tea factories to stop working with the Rainforest Alliance because it says the costs involved in securing the ethical label don’t add up for farmers.The non-profit organisation is one of the world’s most recognisable certification schemes with its green frog seal on food packaging a sign consumers “can feel confident that these products support a better world”.However the world’s third largest tea producer has ordered tea factories to suspend certification work because the cost is adding to the financial strain on struggling smallholders.A recent Fairtrade Foundation poll found only one in five tea workers and farmers in Kenya are earning enough each month to support their families with essentials.In a memo issued after an industry summit, the agriculture principal secretary, Paul Ronoh, said the “burden of implementation” of the Rainforest Alliance scheme was vested on tea factories then “cascaded to the tea farmers and growers”.This cost “ordinarily should be met by the customers”, Ronoh said.Rainforest Alliance is a global non-profit organisation that works to promote sustainable agriculture, forestry and responsible business practices.The green frog seal appears on nearly 240 brands and is almost ubiquitous in UK supermarket tea ranges with big names including Tetley, PG Tips and Yorkshire Tea among those signed up. About half the tea consumed in the UK comes from Kenya.The widespread demand for ethical certification is linked to the reputational risk of sourcing from tea-producing regions with a long list of problems. These include low wages, unsafe working conditions, gender inequality and environmentally unsustainable practices.In addition, countries such as India and Kenya are grappling with climate crisis-related weather changes.However critics complain that while buyers for western markets only want to buy certified tea they rarely offer to pay a premium for it.While UK consumers are happy to splurge on coffee, the same is not true of tea. The average price of a teabag is “just 2 or 3p” despite the fact that the cost to grow and pick tea is increasing, according to a recent Fairtrade Foundation report on the subject.Although Rainforest Alliance facilitates certification, it does not set the fees charged by external auditors who evaluate whether growers meet its “sustainable agriculture standard”.The cost of certification depends on factors such as farm size, with growers often grouping together. For a smallholder-managed tea factory the annual cost is estimated to be about $3,000. This could come down however as a streamlined process that cuts the preparation work involved in an audit is being introduced this year.Ronoh said that as the Rainforest Alliance logo “had not demonstrated solid impact commensurate to the costs of implementation, the meeting resolved to suspend the scheme with immediate effect”.skip past newsletter promotionafter newsletter promotionTea is a major cash crop for Kenya and the decision comes as the country grapples with the knock-on effect of a moribund tea price on the millions of people who rely on it for their livelihood.The Rainforest Alliance says it is engaging with the State Department of Agriculture in Kenya to “gain clarity and to work towards a joint resolution quickly”.It has contacted certificate-holders to assure them that the endorsement remains valid until the expiration date, meaning “farmers are able to sell their tea as certified”.A spokesperson said: “We remain committed to supporting in Kenya to the fullest extent possible, and our tea brands and companies have communicated that they remain fully committed to continuing to purchase Rainforest Alliance certified tea.”The Kenyan government is said to be considering putting in place a localised certification model. It would likely have similar sustainability goals but lower compliance costs and less administrative complexity.A spokesperson for the Ethical Tea Partnership (ETP), an NGO focused on tackling problems in the tea sector, said it hoped the Kenyan suspension would be “short-lived and that a solution to this current impasse will be found”.Certification is a “critical tool to allow all stakeholders in the tea supply chain to ensure that the workers, farmers and communities who rely on tea for their livelihoods are being treated fairly”, the ETP added.

John Lewis promises its shoppers are “never knowingly undersold” but those with its Partnership credit card may feel short-changed after it slashes perks for general spending.Points earned on purchases convert into gift vouchers to spend in John Lewis and its sister chain Waitrose, with each point equating to 1p.From the beginning of August customers will earn fewer points on purchases made with other retailers. Instead of a point for every £4 spent, it will be for every £10.These less generous terms will mean a longer wait or much greater spending for the vouchers to arrive in the post.The rewards for spending in the employee-owned group’s own stores will remain unchanged at five points for every £4 spent. This means someone using their card to spend £100 in John Lewis or Waitrose collects £1.25 worth of points.While customers collect fewer points when shopping elsewhere, the company announced bigger rewards for its most loyal customers. For the next three years they will get triple points in its department stores and double points at johnlewis.com during the month August.A spokesperson said its rewards were being updated to maintain a “market-leading” return on spending at John Lewis and Waitrose. “These changes enable us to invest in the rewards that are most valued by our customers – alongside a new bonus to help customers earn additional points throughout August,” they added.The retailer said there were “many other advantages” to its card and it was “adding more for you all the time”. These included double-points promotions, competitions and special offers from its partners.The new terms and conditions come into effect on 1 August and the company said if an individual was unhappy they had the right to close their account. However, the lower “earn rate” for external spending is in line with popular cards offered by the likes of Sainsbury’s and Tesco.It is not the first time John Lewis has watered down the card’s perks. In 2020, the number of points for shopping elsewhere was halved from one point for £2 spent to £4.skip past newsletter promotionafter newsletter promotionBranded credit cards are a tactic used by retailers to glean information about customers and reward their most loyal shoppers. However, when John Lewis switched lender from HSBC to NewDay in 2022 it had the opposite effect as high-spending shoppers complained their application was rejected or that their spending limit had been slashed.