Petar Lekarski

Assistant Editor – News & Investigations

Petar joined MoneySavingExpert in 2019, but his passion for all things MoneySaving goes back much further – as evidenced by his 'Part of the furniture' badge on the MSE Forum.

He developed his in-depth knowledge of bank accounts, credit cards, loans and savings in the Money team before moving across to MSE News. He has written about a wide range of personal finance topics, covering everything from mobile roaming charges to supermarket loyalty schemes to railcards.

In 2021, Petar researched and wrote MSE's comprehensive and massively popular guide to diesel emissions legal claims, and he continues to maintain it as the cases progress.

Petar has also worked directly with Martin Lewis as his researcher, supporting the MoneySavingExpert with his eponymous ITV show and other media appearances over a period of 18 months.

When he's not polishing prose or crunching numbers, you'll find Petar at the cinema, eating spicy food or cycling around London on a rented bike. He also enjoys playing video games, bouldering and lists of three.

Latest from Petar Lekarski

RAC breakdown cover policyholders will see prices hiked, in some cases by more than 30%, at renewal. But if you've had a notification of a price rise, you don't have to accept it. You may be able to leave penalty-free, or haggle to get the price lowered.

8 August 2022

Energy price cap predicted to rise to £4,266 a year

Millions of people are facing "unaffordable" energy bill rises from October, as the price cap is now predicted to rise from £1,971 a year to £3,582 a year for someone on typical use. A further 19% rise is expected in January 2023, taking typical bills to £4,266 a year, according to the latest forecast from energy analysts Cornwall Insight.

8 August 2022

Coventry Building Society customers have been unable to make payments, transfer cash or withdraw from their savings accounts online after "an internal technical issue" meant some of its services went down for almost two days. See below for all you need to know.

8 August 2022

Barclays has announced another round of bank branch closures, with 10 more outlets set to shut in October and November this year. The latest closures mean Barclays will close at least 107 branches by the end of the year. Below we list the branches disappearing and what the alternatives are if you still want face-to-face banking.

31 July 2022

If you're one of over 300,000 savers holding NS&I's 'Guaranteed Growth Bonds', you could be missing out on £100s in interest if your bonds have auto-renewed. That's because, until this week, the interest rate you're moved to hadn't risen in line with recent rate rises elsewhere on the market. So check your rate now, as you only have 30 days from renewal to cancel and switch.

31 July 2022

McDonald's has today raised the price of its iconic cheeseburger by 20p – the first price hike the burger's seen in over 14 years.

26 July 2022

The Government must "immediately" update its energy bills support package to provide additional help that is better targeted towards the most vulnerable, a cross-party group of MPs have said in a new report published today.

26 July 2022

Fast food chain Burger King has rolled out its new 'Your Burger King' loyalty scheme to locations across the UK after a trial in Scotland – and you can get a free cheeseburger or fries just for signing up. But only around half of Burger King restaurants are currently part of the scheme, so some people may miss out.

25 July 2022

Savers dipping into their pension pots have reclaimed £892 million in overpaid tax since 2015, new figures show. If you've taken a taxable lump sum from your pension for the first time, you could be owed too due to a tax code error – here's how to claim the money back.

21 July 2022

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Airlines have been warned they must do everything they can to avoid further disruption or harm to passengers over the summer – or face enforcement action that includes possible court proceedings.

21 July 2022

With record numbers lodging passport applications after putting off renewals during the pandemic, delays at the Passport Office are threatening to derail holidays for many. We round up your travel and compensation rights if your plans have been disrupted.

20 July 2022

Criminals are increasingly trying to capitalise on the cost of living crisis by targeting households with bogus offers of rebates, grants and support payments. But official Government support payments are usually automatic, so if you get a request for information out of the blue via text, email, or phone call – be wary.

13 July 2022

If you weren't eligible for the £150 council tax rebate to help with the cost of living but are struggling to pay your energy bills, you may be entitled to a one-off cash payment. We've trawled the websites of every UK council to see which ones have released their eligibility criteria for the money, and so check below.

11 July 2022

Don't pay your council tax bill by direct debit? Check now to see how and when you'll get your £150 rebate

If you don't pay your council tax by direct debit it's likely you've yet to receive your free £150 energy rebate from the Government. To help you find out when and how you're expected to get your money, we've put together this council-by-council guide.

11 July 2022

The British Gas Energy Trust, a charity funded by British Gas, has today (1 July) reopened applications for grants of up to £1,500 to help people clear debts owed to their energy provider – and you don't have to be a British Gas customer to benefit. But funds are limited, so it's best to apply as soon as possible. Here's what you need to know.

30 June 2022

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The UK's biggest broadband and mobile providers – BT, Sky, TalkTalk, Three, Virgin Media O2, and Vodafone – have agreed to a set of measures aimed at ensuring customers struggling to pay their bills during the cost of living crisis don't get cut off from essential services.

30 June 2022