The consumer champions: 'Firms hope we'll just go away, but we don’t'

The Guardian's advice team share their advice for readers navigating the consumer rights jungle created by the pandemic

Coronavirus has proved to be a disaster for consumer rights in the UK, as the airlines, travel firms, and some insurers have behaved as if they were above the law. Even to a seasoned consumer champ it's been shocking. It's been interesting to see how different companies in the same boat have reacted to the crisis. Some refused to engage with their customers at all, removing all email and phone contacts from their websites, while others pulled out the stops to try to help customers. Consumers have long memories, and when this all settles down, some firms may find they no longer have much business left.

Some of the bank fraud cases we have featured have seen the reader lose in excess of 70,000