I bought a car 18 months ago on a finance deal which should last for five years but I'm finding it a bit difficult with the payments though I haven't missed any of them.

Can you tell me if I can I hand the car back after paying so much of the agreement?

Yes, check through the finance agreement in fine detail. There will be a point at which if you have paid a certain amount of instalments, you can then - but not before then -hand the car back and have no further liability. But if you can't find that clause, take the agreement to a lawyer or Citizens Advice Bureau and ask for assistance.

COULD you please give me some advice about a house that was left to us by my late parents. There are four of us in total, all due one equal share but the problem is one party does not want to sell. Does that mean the other three can overrule this?

Yes they can, though not of their own volition. If they tried to sell, a buyer's solicitor would insist on all four signing. The way you overcome this impasse is to take the refusing sibling to court by an action of division and sale. This will result in the sheriff ordering that the house be sold and the proceeds divided equally, though the refusing child will likely be liable for the court costs and this would be deducted from his/her share. I hope that if confronted with this possibility, the difficult one will back down before such action needs to be taken.

I bought a shirt that was wrapped, but when I got it home and took off all the pins and bits of cardboard, I realised that it is a slim fitting shirt and too tight, even though it is the right collar size. After a bit of discussion the shop took it back but the lady said they didn't need to and could have insisted I keep it.

The assistant is absolutely right. I am assuming you didn't read the packaging before you bought the shirt. If it had been the wrong shirt and not as described, or had been imperfect in some way you would have had an automatic right to refund or replacement at your choice. Although shops can choose to have a returns policy, the law does not insist on this, and indeed you should check that before you buy.

I bought a flat, which turned out to have extensive dry rot. I did not get the property surveyed myself, but used the seller's home report. Can I make a claim against the seller, or the surveyor?

You have no claim against the vendor - caveat emptor, let the buyer beware. The surveyor, however, might be liable, even though they carried out the survey in the home report for the seller. Buyers are allowed to rely on this information, and if the surveyor has been negligent, you can make a claim.