Absolute links on hml page in local directory not working

Question

All the absolute links on my html pages (which are on my hardrive) are being treated as local links and are therefore not working - i.e. Firefox is adding the local file path before the url. For example, the original link is: http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/legal/criminal-conviction-for-illegally-subletting-tenant/6518844.article
But Firefox is adding the directory path so the url string becomes: /www.insidehousing.co.uk/legal/criminal-conviction-for-illegally-subletting-tenant/6518844.article%E2%80%9D
It is also being appended with: %E2%80%9D (which, when tested from a Word page, leads to site but generates page not found error).
For testing purposes, is there any way I can reconfigure Firefox to parse my links as absolute?
Many thanks

Answer 1

Thanks, both. I have carried out cor-el's suggestion of replacing the smart quotes with dumb quotes, then tried viewing link on file again using different encoading, including UTF-16 - same result as before.
Below I've set the HTML of the whole page, as per yalam96's request (it includes cor-el's suggested fix to the "prosecute" link):
<pre><nowiki><h3>Who do you need to inform (in the UK)?</h3>
<p>If you have a mortgage, you will need to inform your provider (with most lenders this shouldn't be an issue – you do not need “consent to let” as you would if you were letting out the whole property) but you do still need to inform them; why? This is partly for the protection of your lodger, if you should default on the mortgage or die, but mostly for your own protection – if the property was destroyed or badly damaged because of the negligence of your lodger.</p>
<p>If own your property and it's leasehold, check the lease – you may need permission from the freeholder.</p>
<p>If you rent your property, you will need to firstly check with your landlord (this applies whether you rent privately or from a public landlord – Local Authority or Housing Association), and get their permission in writing, just as you would with a mortgage provider. Incidently, in the UK, a public landlord is only likely to object to the let if moving a lodger in would mean your home becomes over crowded (e.g. you have a two bed flat and your children would have to share your bedroom). They will also object – they might even <a href=&#x201d;http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/legal/criminal-conviction-for-illegally-subletting-tenant/6518844.article&#x22;>prosecute</a> - if you move out and let the whole property to the “lodger” (who wouldn't be a lodger in that case, but a full tenant, with full tenant's rights).</p>
<p>You may also need to cancel any existing residential home insurance and take out <a href=”http://www.landlordinsurance.biz/landlord-insurance-guides/landlord-insurance-faq/”>landlord insurance</a>. A few residential policies will, however, allow lodgers. Landlord insurance will not cover the lodger's possessions, they will need to get their own insurance, known as Tenant Insurance – policies can be compared on sites such as <a href=”http://www.confused.com/campaign/home-insurance/tenants-content-insurance?MediaCode=1054&kw=lodger+contents+insurance+broad&gclid=CPbbn9-Nj7MCFanItAod3GAAog”>confused.com</a></p>
<p>If you get a single occupier's discount on your council tax, you will need to inform your local authority, unless your lodger is <a href=”https://www.gov.uk/council-tax/council-tax-exemptions”>exempt</a> from paying council tax (e.g. they're a university student).</p>
<p>NB People claiming Jobseeker's Allowance and most other benefit claimants are <b>not</b> exempt – they are, however, usually entitled to Council Tax Benefit to help with some or all the cost of their council tax.</p>
<p>If you're letting on a Monday – Friday basis (to someone who only needs a week night let), this person would not normally pay council tax at your property, as they already pay against their main (family) home. However, if for whatever reason you and your Monday – Friday lodger decided that they would use your address as their main home, they would then become liable to pay council tax at your address and you would lose any single occupier's discount.</p>
<p>If you claim any kind of means tested benefit (such as job seeker's allowance, housing benefit or council tax benefit) as benefit rules currently stand (January 2013) your rental income will affect this. <b>Contribution</b> based Job Seeker's allowance (JSA(C)) will be affected if your weekly rental income exceeds £50. If you're on income based jobseeker's allowance (JSA(I)), it's very likely to be affected; however, to what extent will depend on your rental earnings and circumstances and a DWP adjudicator will decide this.</p>
<p>However, from October 2013, when Universal Credit takes effect in the UK, <a href=”http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/tenancies/lodger-rules-to-ease-impact-of-bedroom-tax/6522846.article?MsgId=57059”>a <b>public housing</b> tenant's income from renting a room will no longer affect their benefit entitlement.</a></p></nowiki></pre>