House prices rose by 0.4% in October to return homeowners to positive territory for the first time since last March, figures published by the UK's biggest building society showed today.

The average value of  cultured pearl jewelry a typical UK property increased to £162,038 – 2% higher year-on-year and the sixth successive monthly rise, the Nationwide Building Society data said. However, the figures showed a slowdown in the monthly pace of increase following the buoyant summer months, down from 0.9% in September and 1.4% in both July and August.

The three-monthly rate of change – generally a smoother indicator of the near-term trend – also dropped back slightly, from 3.8% to 3.4%.

Nationwide said the ease in monthly growth freshwater pearl necklace could indicate that more properties were coming onto the market.

Martin Gahbauer, the building society's chief economist, said: "A moderation in the rate of house price inflation was to be expected, as the very strong monthly increases seen over the summer months were unlikely to be sustainable over the long run.

"Although too early to tell for sure, it may also reflect a more natural level of stock available for sale coming to the akoya pearl necklace market, alleviating some of the extreme shortages of property on the market seen during most of this year."

Vera Cottrell, principal policy adviser at the consumer group Which?, said she hoped the regulations would mean a fairer deal for consumers, but the FSA would have to keep an eye on the banks.

"What we liked about the Banking Code [which the regulations replace] was that it was very proscriptive. For example, when it cultured pearl jewelry came to switching bank accounts it said how many days the switch had to be completed in. The FSA handbook doesn't set tight timeframes, it just says 'in good time'," she said.

"It is principle-based regulation and that is always more difficult to enforce, so the FSA needs to make sure banks are doing what they are supposed to be doing."

Other changes coming into force on 1 November are:

Customers with current and instant access accounts must be given at least two months' prior notice of any disadvantageous interest rate changes, unless they are in the terms of the account or it is an account that multi strand pearl necklace tracks another.

Current and instant access account customers will receive interest on money transferred into their accounts from the moment the bank receives the funds. This will be extended to all accounts from 1 February 2010.

If a debit is made from a customer's credit or debit card, or by a direct debit, and it is more than they could reasonably have expected, the entire amount must be refunded by the bank within 10 days unless it can provide evidence not to.

Electronic money transfers to pay bills or other people will have to be completed by close of business the next day. Until 1 January 2012 this can be extended to the third working day, as long as it has been agreed between the customer and the payment service provider.

Large companies specialising in freshwater pearl jewelry money transfers must keep consumers' money separate from their own funds in case they go bust.

New rules to make banks and building societies treat their customers more fairly will come into force on Sunday when the Financial Services Authority (FSA) takes over the regulation of their day-to-day dealings with customers.

At the same time, the rules governing the twisted pearl necklace way payments, including direct debits and money transfers within the UK and to overseas accounts, and many debit and credit card transactions will also change under the Payment Services Regulations.

The changes will force financial services firms to give prospective customers more information about their products upfront; to give existing customers at least two months' notice before they cut savings rates; and to pay interest on balance transfers as soon as they receive the money.

Where a customer claims to have lost money through an unauthorised transaction the onus will now be on banks and building societies to prove there is a good reason why they should not be refunded, rather than on the freshwater pearl strand consumer to prove there has been a fraud, as is currently the case.

Dan Waters, the FSA's director of conduct risk, said the regulations addressed areas that had been of major concern to customers. "New regulations will put banking customers in the driving seat by setting down clear standards that people can expect from their institution, like speeding up payments between accounts, adequate notice of changes in terms and conditions, and cultured freshwater pearl smoothing the procedure for querying an unauthorised or unexpected transaction.

"If firms fall short of these standards or fail to treat their customers fairly the FSA will take action."

Although KPMG had done some internal research into life settlements as an investment concept, it did not construct the Keydata financial models, or have any involvement in checking credit ratings.

KPMG did not see the statement for Issue 1. But when Issue 2 was launched in October 2005 with the same wording, KPMG objected "most strongly" to Keydata. A letter sent this month by cultured freshwater pearl John Griffith-Jones, UK chairman of KPMG, to a member of the Keydata victims action group (keydatavictims.ning.com), says: "We dissociated ourselves from the brochure and called upon them [Keydata] to bring that to the attention of all recipients of the brochure."

Keydata failed to respond. KPMG then made a complaint to the FSA, but the watchdog did not move formally against Keydata.

HSBC also dissociated itself from Keydata's brochure, which said: "Trading of the insurance contracts is overseen by HSBC." HSBC Bank USA says: "We have had no relationship with Keydata with respect to freshwater pearl pendant Secure Income Bonds."

The action group argues that the case for refunds from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) is now overwhelming.

An FSA spokesperson said: "The FSA is unable to comment on Keydata to prevent prejudice to legal actions which are currently progressing."

The FSCS added: "The FSCS is now at an advanced stage of its investigations and analysis into issues arising out of the akoya loose pearl administration of Keydata, with a view to confirming its involvement in compensating investors with claims against the firm."

Although KPMG had done some internal research into life settlements as an investment concept, it did not construct the Keydata financial models, or have any involvement in checking credit ratings.

KPMG did not see the statement for Issue 1. But when Issue 2 was launched in October 2005 with the same wording, KPMG objected "most strongly" to Keydata. A letter sent this month by cultured freshwater pearl John Griffith-Jones, UK chairman of KPMG, to a member of the Keydata victims action group (keydatavictims.ning.com), says: "We dissociated ourselves from the brochure and called upon them [Keydata] to bring that to the attention of all recipients of the brochure."

Keydata failed to respond. KPMG then made a complaint to the FSA, but the watchdog did not move formally against Keydata.

HSBC also dissociated itself from Keydata's brochure, which said: "Trading of the insurance contracts is overseen by HSBC." HSBC Bank USA says: "We have had no relationship with Keydata with respect to freshwater pearl pendant Secure Income Bonds."

The action group argues that the case for refunds from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) is now overwhelming.

An FSA spokesperson said: "The FSA is unable to comment on Keydata to prevent prejudice to legal actions which are currently progressing."

The FSCS added: "The FSCS is now at an advanced stage of its investigations and analysis into issues arising out of the akoya loose pearl administration of Keydata, with a view to confirming its involvement in compensating investors with claims against the firm."