The Week Unzipped: Number's up with warning over written Pin reminders

BANK and card customers have been warned not to write down their Personal Identity Numbers, or Pins, as banks might legitimately be able to refuse compensation if they are hit by fraud.

Millions of people are putting their accounts at risk by keeping a note of their Pin number in their wallet or handbag, according to the consumers' association Which? Others are sharing the Pin with somebody else, which is expressly forbidden by the terms and conditions of their accounts.

Martyn Saville of Which? said: "Writing down your Pin is like leaving your door open when you leave the house."

Mortgage help

Britannia and the Co-operative Bank have reintroduced a 10 per cent deposit option on a selection of mortgages and launched an online advice guide for first-time buyers.

They have added the 90 per cent loan-to-value tiers to its two and five-year fixed products and three-year tracker. Interest rates for the fixed deals start at 5.49 per for two years. The tracker product charges 4.49 per cent. All mortgages are subject to a 999 fee with the option of a fee-free rate.

Damage It Yourself

Britons could be damaging the value of their house by tackling DIY home improvements rather than calling in a professional, according to research from home insurer LV>.

More than 4 million homeowners have attempted electrical jobs themselves while 3.3 million have undertaken plumbing work and 1.35 million have carried out structural work such as removing walls.

Although undertaking these works in an attempt to improve the value of their house, homeowners could actually be knocking as much as 5 per cent off the sale price with their dodgy DIY. Furthermore, LV> warns that if certain jobs are not done properly, it could invalidate an insurance policy.

Bumper ISA sales

Savings are pouring into tax-free ISAs, where sales have reached an eight-year high in 2010, according to figures from the Investment Management Association. This year's ISA season was the strongest since 2002. Savers bought nearly twice as many ISA investment funds this March than in the previous year with sales exceeding 600 million. The funds hold a total of 510 billion, topping 500bn for the first time.

Alan Easter, director of discount broker Willis Owen, said: "Investors are rightly taking advantage of the tax-free benefits of investing within an ISA. With the overall annual allowance now 10,200, investors can build up a substantial nest egg. Whether they are saving for a deposit on a house or planning for retirement an ISA is a great place to start."