0:00:02 > 0:00:04I've been fighting your consumer battles for years,
0:00:04 > 0:00:07but the same old problems just keep flooding in.
0:00:07 > 0:00:13And it's all the usual suspects - poor customer service, faulty goods and hidden small print.
0:00:13 > 0:00:17No wonder some of you are fed up with the way you're being treated.
0:00:17 > 0:00:21What really grinds my gears is when I place an order and the company gets it wrong.
0:00:21 > 0:00:25The consumer and customer has been completely forgotten.
0:00:25 > 0:00:27And it's never their fault.
0:00:27 > 0:00:30I couldn't agree more. Things need to change,
0:00:30 > 0:00:33and we're on a mission to get companies to treat us better.
0:00:33 > 0:00:37I'll be taking on your cases and fighting your fight with the big companies.
0:00:37 > 0:00:42It makes your system sound very flawed to me.
0:00:42 > 0:00:46And I'll be showing you how to shop smart and stay one step ahead.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48She is a really good shopper!
0:00:48 > 0:00:50So remember, Don't Get Done...
0:00:50 > 0:00:51Get Dom!
0:00:54 > 0:00:57On today's show, I come to the aid of a group of people
0:00:57 > 0:01:01all driven round the bend by a van hire company.
0:01:01 > 0:01:05Alarm bells started ringing in regards to their customer service.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08It's not constructive whatsoever.
0:01:08 > 0:01:12The more I phoned back, the more ruder they became.
0:01:12 > 0:01:17How one man saved an entire village from paying over the odds for their heating fuel...
0:01:17 > 0:01:19It's a community service
0:01:19 > 0:01:23on behalf on the village that deserves it, I believe.
0:01:23 > 0:01:27Rani Price gets a foot in the door
0:01:27 > 0:01:30of the inside world of estate agents.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33- You're potentially bidding against yourself.- Absolutely!
0:01:38 > 0:01:41Every now and again, there comes a time
0:01:41 > 0:01:44when a normal car is not big enough for certain tasks -
0:01:44 > 0:01:47you know, like moving house or going on a trip.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50When that happens, nothing will come in handier
0:01:50 > 0:01:52than a nice big van.
0:01:52 > 0:01:56That's exactly what Akin Ali and his friends needed
0:01:56 > 0:01:59when they were organising a charity trip.
0:02:01 > 0:02:05We were doing the Three Peaks Challenge to raise money for Parkinson's UK.
0:02:05 > 0:02:09They needed a minibus and chose A1 National Van Hire.
0:02:09 > 0:02:11It cost us £500,
0:02:11 > 0:02:14but we had to pay a £500 deposit upfront, as well.
0:02:14 > 0:02:16The team split the cost between them
0:02:16 > 0:02:19and made the booking using one of the team's credit cards.
0:02:19 > 0:02:24Just before we left, we noticed we'd been double-charged on the deposit and minibus hire.
0:02:24 > 0:02:28After successfully completing the challenge and returning the minibus,
0:02:28 > 0:02:31the team tried to rectify the error with A1.
0:02:31 > 0:02:33We were told that we'd get a refund,
0:02:33 > 0:02:36then we were told that they needed to talk to management
0:02:36 > 0:02:38and since then, we've not heard anything.
0:02:38 > 0:02:42The team are still waiting for A1 to return the two deposits
0:02:42 > 0:02:44and the extra hire charge they took,
0:02:44 > 0:02:49to the tune of £1,543 and 56 pence.
0:02:49 > 0:02:54Understandably, they're not feeling too charitable about the situation.
0:02:54 > 0:02:58We got a lot of people to put their money into us to do this challenge,
0:02:58 > 0:03:01so it's definitely put a downer on it for us
0:03:01 > 0:03:04and definitely a downer on a trip that was actually a good trip.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07And Akin and his friends aren't alone.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11Meet Shareen Hall, who lives in Milton Keynes.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14Thanks to A1 National Van Hire,
0:03:14 > 0:03:16she's £759 out of pocket
0:03:16 > 0:03:19for hiring a van that she didn't end up using.
0:03:19 > 0:03:21It was a stressful period for Shareen,
0:03:21 > 0:03:24who had recently lost her husband.
0:03:24 > 0:03:28My late husband was living in Scotland when he passed away.
0:03:28 > 0:03:33I needed the van to go and sort out some belongings
0:03:33 > 0:03:38to, er, bring back, to clear out of the house.
0:03:38 > 0:03:43She was expecting the van to be delivered to her daughter's house in Barnsley at 10am.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46We had a phone call to say that...
0:03:46 > 0:03:51..they couldn't provide us with the van at the booked time
0:03:51 > 0:03:54because, erm,
0:03:54 > 0:03:59the tail lift on the back of the van that's been allocated to us wasn't working.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03A1 said it would take some time to send a replacement
0:04:03 > 0:04:06so Shareen found a van through another company.
0:04:06 > 0:04:10But a week later, she discovered A1 had taken the hire charge from her account,
0:04:10 > 0:04:13making her overdrawn.
0:04:13 > 0:04:19A1 told Shareen that the money would be refunded straight away. It wasn't.
0:04:19 > 0:04:24After several weeks of phone calls and emails, she took independent advice.
0:04:24 > 0:04:29I was told to send a letter to them, giving them time to respond.
0:04:29 > 0:04:34I gave them seven days because that's plenty of time.
0:04:34 > 0:04:37And then, erm,
0:04:37 > 0:04:40I still didn't hear nothing,
0:04:40 > 0:04:43so a second letter was sent
0:04:43 > 0:04:45and still nothing.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48As Shareen is no closer to getting her money back,
0:04:48 > 0:04:51she's called me in.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54And she and Akin aren't alone.
0:04:54 > 0:04:58I've had five more complaints about A1, taking the total to seven.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01More from the other disgruntled customers later.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04It's time to meet Akin and Shareen.
0:05:04 > 0:05:08It sounds to me like A1 National Van Hire
0:05:08 > 0:05:10haven't been treating their customers properly.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14I've arranged to meet a couple of them to hear it for myself.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23Hi, Shareen. Hi, Akin. Thanks for coming along.
0:05:23 > 0:05:25- Delighted to meet you. - Lovely to meet you.
0:05:25 > 0:05:27I know you guys don't know each other,
0:05:27 > 0:05:32but you do share a common problem with a company named...
0:05:32 > 0:05:34A1 National Van Hire.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36- Same with you?- Yes.
0:05:36 > 0:05:40Akin and Shareen have had money taken from their accounts when it shouldn't have been,
0:05:40 > 0:05:44in Akin's case, two lots of hire charges and deposits.
0:05:44 > 0:05:49They've paid around £2,000 and are owed back just over £1,500.
0:05:49 > 0:05:51- It's a lot of money for anybody. - Yes.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55- Who had forked that money out? - That was split between us.
0:05:55 > 0:05:59'And Shareen is £759 out of pocket
0:05:59 > 0:06:04'for a hire charge and deposit on a van she never set eyes on.'
0:06:04 > 0:06:07- You must feel like you've been robbed.- Oh, yes! Of course I do!
0:06:07 > 0:06:09It made a deeply upsetting time,
0:06:09 > 0:06:14clearing her late husband's home, even more stressful.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17It was hard. I knew that, erm,
0:06:17 > 0:06:20I was actually...
0:06:20 > 0:06:26..finalising the time that I'd had with Martin.
0:06:26 > 0:06:31The final time that I shut the front door, I did cry.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36I'm appalled by Akin and Shareen's stories.
0:06:36 > 0:06:40As they tell me about their unsuccessful attempts to reclaim their money,
0:06:40 > 0:06:43I don't feel any better.
0:06:43 > 0:06:45They said they'd look into it.
0:06:45 > 0:06:49We had a couple more calls where they said, "It's someone else's problem!"
0:06:49 > 0:06:53- or they sent us to a different department. - Fobbed you off, basically.- Yes.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56They stopped replying to that, so we sent a letter
0:06:56 > 0:07:00formalising what we'd paid and what we were owed.
0:07:00 > 0:07:02They didn't respond to that.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05We sent several emails and they didn't respond.
0:07:05 > 0:07:10Has anybody ever given you a straightforward reason why they've not refunded your money?
0:07:10 > 0:07:12No. I've not heard nothing from them.
0:07:12 > 0:07:16- So a bit like Akin, you feel you're getting fobbed off?- Absolutely, yes,
0:07:16 > 0:07:21because I was phoning them up every day, every other day,
0:07:21 > 0:07:25and every time I phoned them up, they just came up with an excuse.
0:07:25 > 0:07:29And every time I phoned them, they were absolutely downright rude!
0:07:29 > 0:07:32'I'm not surprised that the experience with A1 National Van Hire
0:07:32 > 0:07:35'has left a nasty taste for both Akin and Shareen.'
0:07:35 > 0:07:37Their customer service has been poor.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40They're certainly not a company I'd like to deal with again.
0:07:40 > 0:07:44'For Akin and his friends, it soured what should've been a celebration.'
0:07:44 > 0:07:47The money still went to charity, but we're out of pocket.
0:07:47 > 0:07:49It's quite disheartening.
0:07:49 > 0:07:53'And being without his money continues to cause problems for Akin.'
0:07:53 > 0:07:57Being a PhD student, it's money that I could definitely do with.
0:07:57 > 0:08:01'For Shareen, who can't work due to a heart condition,
0:08:01 > 0:08:03'it's been a strain.'
0:08:03 > 0:08:05How badly has this hit you, Shareen?
0:08:05 > 0:08:08It's left me in debt,
0:08:08 > 0:08:13erm, I've had bank charges for non-payment of direct debits.
0:08:13 > 0:08:17As a result of the money being taken and you never even got the van,
0:08:17 > 0:08:21- you had neighbours buying you dinner and feeding your electric meter. - Yes.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24- And my daughter. - Things got that bad?- Yes.
0:08:24 > 0:08:29I was literally scraping around for every penny that I could find
0:08:29 > 0:08:32through my pockets, through my bags.
0:08:32 > 0:08:36'As Akin and Shareen's efforts to reclaim their money have stalled,
0:08:36 > 0:08:38'I'm going to get into the driver's seat.'
0:08:38 > 0:08:42I'm going to try contacting the company
0:08:42 > 0:08:45and very politely ask for your money back and see where I go.
0:08:45 > 0:08:47I'll keep you informed.
0:08:47 > 0:08:51- Good to meet you, guys.- Thanks. - Cheerio, Shareen.- Thank you. - Take care. Bye.
0:08:53 > 0:08:55But before I start,
0:08:55 > 0:08:58I like to know a bit more about who I'm dealing with.
0:08:58 > 0:09:02Sadly, there's not that much information out there.
0:09:02 > 0:09:06On their website, A1 National Van Hire simply claim to be
0:09:06 > 0:09:10"the premier van hire and minibus hire experts in the UK".
0:09:10 > 0:09:15Time to call A1 to ask why they're withholding all these deposits.
0:09:15 > 0:09:19I know what the guvnor's called. Mr Hammond Kumar.
0:09:19 > 0:09:21Let's see if I can speak to him.
0:09:26 > 0:09:28PHONE RINGS
0:09:31 > 0:09:34Oh, hi. Could I speak to Hammond Kumar, please?
0:09:34 > 0:09:36It's Dominic Littlewood from the BBC.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39'I'm told he's not in at the moment.'
0:09:39 > 0:09:41Has he got an email address? I could drop him a line.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43'They happily give it to me.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47'It does seem to be a generic company address but it's a start.'
0:09:47 > 0:09:50Is there a mobile number I could ring him on, please?
0:09:50 > 0:09:55'The gentleman tells me he doesn't have his number, but they don't give them out anyway.'
0:09:55 > 0:10:00He is the boss, though, isn't he? 'I'm told that's right. I'll try Mr Kumar another time.'
0:10:00 > 0:10:04The boss, Mr Hammond Kumar, I've just confirmed that he is the guvnor there -
0:10:04 > 0:10:07that's always worth doing in case he denies it at a later date -
0:10:07 > 0:10:11he's out the office and won't be back for three hours.
0:10:11 > 0:10:13But I did get the email address.
0:10:13 > 0:10:18'I'm sending Hammond Kumar an email with details of all seven unhappy customers,
0:10:18 > 0:10:22'asking why A1 are still holding on to their deposits.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25'But as I get to grips with the issues of this case,
0:10:25 > 0:10:29'the question is, will I ever get to speak to Hammond Kumar?'
0:10:29 > 0:10:32Hmm... Let's try again.
0:10:35 > 0:10:40Wouldn't life be easier if we had a little insider knowledge,
0:10:40 > 0:10:42if we knew exactly how companies operated
0:10:42 > 0:10:46so, for once, we as consumers, could be ahead of the game?
0:10:46 > 0:10:50Well, I'm about to meet somebody who is fed up of keeping quiet
0:10:50 > 0:10:53and they're going to let you in on the tricks of the trade.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57Today, we're looking at estate agents.
0:10:57 > 0:11:01As property is a pricy business, it pays to be clued up.
0:11:01 > 0:11:05Our estate agent has been in the business for 22 years
0:11:05 > 0:11:09so there's not much he doesn't know about buying and selling property.
0:11:09 > 0:11:11And whilst most estate agents are reputable,
0:11:11 > 0:11:17he's going to raise the roof on the tactics used by some to get us to buy and sell.
0:11:17 > 0:11:19To protect him from industry backlash,
0:11:19 > 0:11:21we've concealed his identity.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24As an estate agent, how do you earn your money?
0:11:24 > 0:11:29Our money is obviously based on commission.
0:11:29 > 0:11:33You have to get a deal together. No deals, no commission.
0:11:33 > 0:11:37Don't be tricked by the agent that says they can get you the highest price
0:11:37 > 0:11:39because they will sign you into a long-term contract.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42Are you saying they just say the highest price
0:11:42 > 0:11:48because they know that we want the most we can get for our property, because maybe we want to move on,
0:11:48 > 0:11:51and they know full well that you're not going to get that?
0:11:51 > 0:11:57Absolutely. That's one of the tricks estate agents will use.
0:11:57 > 0:12:01The key feature for a vendor is to make sure you do your homework.
0:12:01 > 0:12:05Look on the internet to see who's got the most advertised sold,
0:12:05 > 0:12:08and choose local estate agents to come and value your house.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11So after the estate agent gets your business
0:12:11 > 0:12:14by inflating the asking price,
0:12:14 > 0:12:17how do they go about selling your property and making their commission?
0:12:17 > 0:12:23I have known for fictitious people to go round and look at properties, which are set up by the agents.
0:12:23 > 0:12:25How do you mean? Explain that a little more.
0:12:25 > 0:12:28- Your house is on the market for £200,000.- Right.
0:12:28 > 0:12:30Somebody comes and views your property
0:12:30 > 0:12:33and offers you 180,000.
0:12:33 > 0:12:38- If he put forward an offer of 180, you're going to decline it.- Mm-hm.
0:12:38 > 0:12:42If he put forward an offer of 170, which is a fictitious offer,
0:12:42 > 0:12:44you're going to decline it.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47But then if he goes back or pretends to say,
0:12:47 > 0:12:52"Look, they've come forward with their best possible offer of 178"
0:12:52 > 0:12:57you're going to be thinking, "That's 8,000 more. I'm not getting the interest."
0:12:57 > 0:13:00The agent would then say to you,
0:13:00 > 0:13:03"What about if I could get you the 180?"
0:13:03 > 0:13:08The difference between £10,000 on an estate agency fee is very minute.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11The incentive is getting some commission out of it.
0:13:11 > 0:13:13And what about hidden extras?
0:13:13 > 0:13:18When selling, you have to have an Energy Performance Certificate.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20Tell us about the EPC.
0:13:20 > 0:13:24Generally speaking, estate agents can get them for about £35.
0:13:24 > 0:13:28I'm sure I've heard estate agents say "If you come with us, we'll do that for free."
0:13:28 > 0:13:30Do not be fooled by the word "free".
0:13:30 > 0:13:35On your contract, it will say that the EPC is provided by the estate agent.
0:13:35 > 0:13:39If you want to break the contract or the property doesn't sell,
0:13:39 > 0:13:43they will charge you and it could be up to £150,
0:13:43 > 0:13:45when they would pay £35 for it.
0:13:45 > 0:13:49All EPCs have to be registered so check on the internet.
0:13:49 > 0:13:53If there's an existing one, you can download it yourself.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56Now, what do we need to look out for if we're the buyer?
0:13:56 > 0:14:01When buying a property, it's often the case there's more than one buyer interested.
0:14:01 > 0:14:06How do you know that the estate agent is looking out for you?
0:14:06 > 0:14:09The agent is looking out for himself. It's a business.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12If somebody offered you 180 for your house
0:14:12 > 0:14:15on a price band of 180 to 200,
0:14:15 > 0:14:18the agent would, or could, say
0:14:18 > 0:14:22they've already had a higher offer, knowing full well that they haven't.
0:14:22 > 0:14:26- And now you're potentially just bidding against yourself.- Absolutely!
0:14:26 > 0:14:28- I've got to ask about the sales patter.- Yes.
0:14:28 > 0:14:31When you're buying a property, you get through the door,
0:14:31 > 0:14:35what kind of things would you use to make me want to buy the property?
0:14:35 > 0:14:38You'll tell them the features of the property.
0:14:38 > 0:14:43- You're not under any legal obligation to notify them of any defects.- OK.
0:14:43 > 0:14:45If there has been a survey done,
0:14:45 > 0:14:49you're not legally obliged to give them any information about that survey.
0:14:49 > 0:14:54An estate agent is legally obliged to disclose any information that is asked.
0:14:54 > 0:14:56We cannot mislead you.
0:14:56 > 0:15:01So don't assume the estate agent will always be transparent.
0:15:01 > 0:15:05Other tips are - if you're selling, shop around.
0:15:05 > 0:15:10Don't just go with the estate agent who says they can get you the most for your property.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13If you're buying, know what the local market is
0:15:13 > 0:15:17and what price comparable properties are on sale for.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20- Thanks for coming in today. - Pleasure. Thank you for having me.
0:15:20 > 0:15:22So now you know some of the insider info,
0:15:22 > 0:15:26you've got nothing stopping you climbing that property ladder.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31I've been helping Shareen Hall and Akin Ali,
0:15:31 > 0:15:34who have complaints against A1 National Van Hire
0:15:34 > 0:15:36about withholding their deposits.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40Akin's group are owed just over £1,500
0:15:40 > 0:15:42and Shareen is owed £759.
0:15:42 > 0:15:46I said, "I'm absolutely penniless. I've got no money."
0:15:46 > 0:15:48They just didn't want to know.
0:15:48 > 0:15:52So far, I've been unable to get through to the boss of the company.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55I've received a total of seven complaints about A1,
0:15:55 > 0:15:57all with a similar story.
0:15:57 > 0:16:01Whenever we make a large purchase or a rental,
0:16:01 > 0:16:05it wouldn't be unusual for someone to request a deposit upfront.
0:16:05 > 0:16:07Fair enough.
0:16:07 > 0:16:12But what if, when the time came for you to get your deposit back,
0:16:12 > 0:16:15you found you couldn't?
0:16:19 > 0:16:23Meet Leon Heynes. He's in a Killers tribute band.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26They needed a van to get to a gig.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28The hire price was 95.99,
0:16:28 > 0:16:32with a £250 refundable deposit.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35Derek and Victoria hired a van
0:16:35 > 0:16:37to move some of their daughter's belongings.
0:16:37 > 0:16:42I realised there was a deposit being taken, and I knew that it was £500,
0:16:42 > 0:16:44and the actual cost of the van hire on the day
0:16:44 > 0:16:47was £140 and 99 pence.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50And Helen also hired a van for a house move,
0:16:50 > 0:16:53to help her parents downsize.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56They had a lot of furniture to get rid of
0:16:56 > 0:16:58so me and my sister said we'd happily relieve them of some.
0:16:58 > 0:17:02It wasn't until two weeks later, when we checked our statement,
0:17:02 > 0:17:06that we realised they'd taken a £500 deposit that we weren't aware of.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09Uh-oh. I think I know where this is going!
0:17:09 > 0:17:13After a week, I realised that my deposit hadn't been refunded.
0:17:13 > 0:17:17When I realised the deposit hadn't been returned, I was really surprised
0:17:17 > 0:17:20because I assumed it would be there within a couple of days,
0:17:20 > 0:17:25the same as the deposit was taken from out of our account.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28That's when I started telephoning them.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30Leon, Helen, Derek and Victoria
0:17:30 > 0:17:34all made contact with A1 to ask for their deposits back.
0:17:34 > 0:17:38Like Shareen and Akin, they were told the money would be refunded
0:17:38 > 0:17:40but it never was.
0:17:40 > 0:17:46Alarm bells started ringing in regards to their customer service on the first day that I called.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49They picked up the phone and didn't say what company they were.
0:17:49 > 0:17:51I had to do all the guesswork.
0:17:51 > 0:17:55The more I phoned back, the more ruder they became.
0:17:55 > 0:17:59You get passed from pillar to post, from one person to another,
0:17:59 > 0:18:03and it's not constructive whatsoever.
0:18:03 > 0:18:07And you guessed it - like Akin, Shareen and the other two people I heard from,
0:18:07 > 0:18:11these three are still waiting for their money to be refunded.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14As we've been unable to reach A1 on the phone,
0:18:14 > 0:18:17we've emailed them details of all these complaints.
0:18:17 > 0:18:22And it seems I'm not the only one who has had problems getting them on the phone.
0:18:22 > 0:18:27We were given the run-around a bit before they stopped contacting us.
0:18:27 > 0:18:29This issue has got me thinking.
0:18:29 > 0:18:31Every time we hire something,
0:18:31 > 0:18:35be it a car, a suit for a wedding or boat on a summer holiday,
0:18:35 > 0:18:37we expect to put down a deposit.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40What happens to our money when we pay a deposit
0:18:40 > 0:18:43and what can we do if it's not returned?
0:18:43 > 0:18:46Someone who knows all about this monetary minefield
0:18:46 > 0:18:49is Andy Foster from Trading Standards.
0:18:49 > 0:18:53There are two types of ways in which the company will take a deposit.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55One will be a ring-fenced arrangement
0:18:55 > 0:19:00where they will take the money - from your credit card typically -
0:19:00 > 0:19:04and that money is processed like a transaction, so debited from your account.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07The other way is some kind of refundable deposit,
0:19:07 > 0:19:09so they'll pre-authorise your credit card.
0:19:09 > 0:19:13In general terms, most reputable companies will use that money
0:19:13 > 0:19:16and put it into a separate account, like a client account,
0:19:16 > 0:19:20so they know that they have to refund it and the money is safe.
0:19:20 > 0:19:25Generally speaking, there are no legal requirements for how a company stores your money.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28But what about when it's time to return it?
0:19:28 > 0:19:30As far as your consumer rights are concerned, it's simple.
0:19:30 > 0:19:35You're entitled to your deposit so long as you satisfy your conditions of the contract.
0:19:35 > 0:19:37If a customer is unable to get their deposit back,
0:19:37 > 0:19:40go back to the business and ask them why.
0:19:40 > 0:19:44Ask them to set out the reasons why they're withholding it and try and rectify it.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47What if you end up in a dispute with a company
0:19:47 > 0:19:49who won't return your deposit?
0:19:49 > 0:19:52You need to go to Trading Standards for further help.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55Or if they're a member of the Trade Association, go to them,
0:19:55 > 0:19:57who will be able to intervene on your behalf
0:19:57 > 0:19:59and arbitrate a satisfactory outcome.
0:19:59 > 0:20:03There is one time when you will probably not get your money back
0:20:03 > 0:20:05and that is in the event of business failure.
0:20:05 > 0:20:09If the business goes into liquidation or stops trading in some way,
0:20:09 > 0:20:12the chances are your money is lost.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15This is all about choosing your company wisely.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17So do your homework.
0:20:17 > 0:20:20If you're handing over a deposit to a company,
0:20:20 > 0:20:24make sure they're reputable, with a long track record of customer satisfaction
0:20:24 > 0:20:27otherwise you might not see it again.
0:20:31 > 0:20:34Deposits ranging from £250 to £1,000
0:20:34 > 0:20:37have been withheld by A1 National Van Hire
0:20:37 > 0:20:39for all seven of the complaints I've received.
0:20:39 > 0:20:44And looking on the internet, there seems to be plenty more.
0:20:44 > 0:20:47Whenever I hear about companies that have more than one complaint about them,
0:20:47 > 0:20:50one of the first things I do is go on the internet,
0:20:50 > 0:20:52in this case, Facebook.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55I'll type in their name, A1...
0:20:56 > 0:20:58..National...
0:20:58 > 0:21:00..Van Hire,
0:21:00 > 0:21:05because I can bet your bottom dollar that if there's more than one complaint,
0:21:05 > 0:21:07there's probably a group of people complaining.
0:21:07 > 0:21:11"I contacted Watchdog, too. Not sure what step to take next."
0:21:11 > 0:21:16She should've called Don't Get Done Get Dom! Never mind.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19Someone here's contacted Leicester's Trading Standards.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22Someone's contacted their MP.
0:21:22 > 0:21:24Crikey! Need I say any more?
0:21:24 > 0:21:27I've got pages and pages of complaints.
0:21:27 > 0:21:33So far, the only meaningful communication I've had with A1 has been one-way.
0:21:33 > 0:21:37I've got to say, I'm surprised, but we've had an email from A1
0:21:37 > 0:21:40responding to our group of unhappy customers.
0:21:40 > 0:21:44They're blaming this on their PDQ machine,
0:21:44 > 0:21:46saying it wasn't working correctly.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49That's the little machine that takes your credit cards.
0:21:49 > 0:21:54However, it doesn't mention why they took some people's money twice. Strange that.
0:21:54 > 0:22:00They're saying that they've had everybody's bank details back so they're able to make the refunds,
0:22:00 > 0:22:04apart from Akin's friend Mark, who's card was used to make their booking.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07They're saying they haven't got his bank details.
0:22:07 > 0:22:11I'm not going to forget about this last problem with Akin's friend,
0:22:11 > 0:22:15but this is good news for the other six cases I've been dealing with
0:22:15 > 0:22:18who have had their deposits withheld.
0:22:18 > 0:22:22Receiving the £250 back might not seem a lot to some people,
0:22:22 > 0:22:24but it meant a big deal to myself.
0:22:24 > 0:22:29We're very pleased to have got the deposit back. We think Dom helped us immensely.
0:22:29 > 0:22:33I'd like to thank Dom for helping us customers tackle A1 and getting our money back.
0:22:33 > 0:22:37But Akin and Shareen's cases are not just about deposits.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39Shareen's case was slightly different.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42She didn't just have her deposit withheld,
0:22:42 > 0:22:46she was also charged for a van she never even saw.
0:22:46 > 0:22:51There was no way I was going to have a van through them anyway
0:22:51 > 0:22:53and give them my custom.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56And in Akin's case, A1 say they can't refund the money
0:22:56 > 0:23:01because Akin and his friends haven't provided them with bank details to make the refund.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04He told me they were hesitant to hand them over in an email
0:23:04 > 0:23:09when the company had their credit card details from the original transaction.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11But was this the right thing to do?
0:23:11 > 0:23:14One of the riskiest ways of exchanging information,
0:23:14 > 0:23:17particularly personal or financial information,
0:23:17 > 0:23:19is through email. Just don't.
0:23:19 > 0:23:23It's one of the most unsecure methods of communication that is out there.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26If you need to exchange sensitive information,
0:23:26 > 0:23:29do it in person or do it in a way that you're happy with,
0:23:29 > 0:23:30but don't do it by email.
0:23:30 > 0:23:34Sending your bank details via email
0:23:34 > 0:23:37to somebody who you already don't quite trust
0:23:37 > 0:23:39does carry an element of risk.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42You can hardly blame Akin or his friend Mark
0:23:42 > 0:23:44for erring on the side of caution.
0:23:44 > 0:23:48The battle with A1 is not over yet.
0:23:48 > 0:23:53"It has not been possible to connect your call. Please try again later."
0:23:53 > 0:23:55When the money was put back in your account,
0:23:55 > 0:23:57did Hammond Kumar or his company
0:23:57 > 0:24:00give you a letter of apology or a phone call
0:24:00 > 0:24:03- or any sort of apology at all? - No. None whatsoever.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09More and more of you are becoming consumer savvy.
0:24:09 > 0:24:13By putting your knowledge to the test, you're getting cracking results
0:24:13 > 0:24:15when it comes to your fight against the big boys.
0:24:15 > 0:24:19Here's just one story of how you did it.
0:24:20 > 0:24:21This is Howard Lilley,
0:24:21 > 0:24:25who lives in the small village of Frittenden in Kent.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28Here, the houses run their heating from oil,
0:24:28 > 0:24:30but when visiting a neighbour,
0:24:30 > 0:24:33Howard discovered that's where the similarities ended.
0:24:33 > 0:24:39We were at a Christmas drinks do in 1994, I think,
0:24:39 > 0:24:42and we were with this lovely old lady
0:24:42 > 0:24:48and she told me that she'd received a Christmas hamper from an oil supplier.
0:24:48 > 0:24:52Now, being a somewhat suspicious character, I wondered why.
0:24:52 > 0:24:57So a few days later, I asked if she would let me have a look at her invoices for oil.
0:24:57 > 0:25:00I discovered that she was paying considerably more than me.
0:25:00 > 0:25:05In those days, I think it was about seven or eight pence a litre
0:25:05 > 0:25:07and she was paying 13 or 14.
0:25:07 > 0:25:12That might sound cheap these days, but it was still a significant discrepancy.
0:25:12 > 0:25:16I felt angry that the company was taking advantage of her
0:25:16 > 0:25:19because she came from an era where, if she phoned up a company,
0:25:19 > 0:25:22she would expect them to deal honestly with her.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25She was one of these people that would trust people.
0:25:25 > 0:25:27I felt it was a breach of trust.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30But rather than just feel aggrieved,
0:25:30 > 0:25:35Howard was fired up to do something about it.
0:25:35 > 0:25:39I said to her, "This is not good.
0:25:39 > 0:25:41"How about I buy your oil for you in future?"
0:25:41 > 0:25:44because her house was a similar size to mine,
0:25:44 > 0:25:47we used about the same amount of oil.
0:25:47 > 0:25:51A seasoned negotiator from his former career in sales and marketing,
0:25:51 > 0:25:53Howard put his experience to good use.
0:25:53 > 0:25:57In my working career, I dealt with some fairly major companies
0:25:57 > 0:26:01so I was quite happy to negotiate at a senior level, if need be.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04But I'd always phoned around
0:26:04 > 0:26:09and got the best price I could from the various oil suppliers,
0:26:09 > 0:26:13so this particular time I included this lady on my order
0:26:13 > 0:26:15and did it for two of us.
0:26:15 > 0:26:20It was at this point that he realised the potential of his plan to help his neighbour.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25It just occurred to me that if I'm buying for her,
0:26:25 > 0:26:29why not try and get a tanker-load and see if we could get a better price,
0:26:29 > 0:26:30and it turns out you could.
0:26:30 > 0:26:36I spoke to a few friends and I think it was nine of us did it the first time round.
0:26:36 > 0:26:38We bought just under 18,000 litres,
0:26:38 > 0:26:42which is one of the big six-wheeler-tanker lorry-loads.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45How was Howard selling this idea to the oil companies
0:26:45 > 0:26:48whilst negotiating his next deal?
0:26:48 > 0:26:51The saving for the oil company is that they can come to one small area
0:26:51 > 0:26:56and empty a tanker very quickly, without doing a lot of mileage.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58What I'm asking them for is
0:26:58 > 0:27:03at least part of that saving in a reduced price for my members.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06Over the years, news of the scheme spread.
0:27:06 > 0:27:08I started my group, I think,
0:27:08 > 0:27:11with, erm, I believe about nine or ten people
0:27:11 > 0:27:16and I'm now up to 230 for the Frittenden group.
0:27:16 > 0:27:21So it just grew organically, if you like, for quite a few years.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24So the oil companies save money by delivering in bulk
0:27:24 > 0:27:30and, currently, 230 villagers enjoy a discount on their heating fuel.
0:27:30 > 0:27:33But wait until you hear how much they've saved.
0:27:33 > 0:27:39Personally, I have bought just under 40,000 litres of oil,
0:27:39 > 0:27:43which, if you work at an average saving of about 4.5 pence a litre,
0:27:43 > 0:27:47means that I have saved getting on for £18,000 by doing it.
0:27:47 > 0:27:50For the Frittenden Village Group,
0:27:50 > 0:27:54I've bought a total of 2.6 million litres
0:27:54 > 0:27:56over that same period of time,
0:27:56 > 0:28:00which again, at the same sort of average saving of 4.5 pence a litre,
0:28:00 > 0:28:04gives us a saving of just over £117,000.
0:28:04 > 0:28:10Yes, you heard correctly. That's £117,000.
0:28:10 > 0:28:12And it's better for the environment, as well,
0:28:12 > 0:28:17as fewer tanker trips are required to deliver the same amount of fuel.
0:28:17 > 0:28:23I think we would probably have been saving about £50 of fuel,
0:28:23 > 0:28:25having joined the group.
0:28:25 > 0:28:30I think that I get two free weeks, by Howard doing this,
0:28:30 > 0:28:31in the winter.
0:28:31 > 0:28:33Howard does a very good deal
0:28:33 > 0:28:39and we always get well below what is the advertised market rate.
0:28:39 > 0:28:41It's very, very wonderful
0:28:41 > 0:28:44to have someone like Howard doing this for us.
0:28:44 > 0:28:46Such a large number of people on his database
0:28:46 > 0:28:49means a lot of hard work for Howard,
0:28:49 > 0:28:52but he does it all out of a burning love for his home town.
0:28:52 > 0:28:57I don't charge for this because it's a community service
0:28:57 > 0:29:01on behalf of village that deserves it, I believe.
0:29:01 > 0:29:04He's a wonderful guy and his heart's in the village.
0:29:04 > 0:29:06He's doing this not for any gain of his own,
0:29:06 > 0:29:09but simply to help out other people in the village
0:29:09 > 0:29:13and to make sure that we don't get ripped off by unscrupulous companies.
0:29:13 > 0:29:16So thanks to Howard's dedication,
0:29:16 > 0:29:20the consumer, the oil suppliers and the environment are all winners.
0:29:20 > 0:29:26What's his top tip for making sure you always get the best deal?
0:29:26 > 0:29:29It is up to the buyer to negotiate.
0:29:29 > 0:29:32If you want a better price you've got to ask for it,
0:29:32 > 0:29:35you can't expect them to give it to you.
0:29:35 > 0:29:37See you again, I hope! Cheers. Bye-bye!
0:29:40 > 0:29:43I've been helping a group of people,
0:29:43 > 0:29:47all with complaints about A1 National Van Hire's less-than-A1 service,
0:29:47 > 0:29:50withholding people's deposits.
0:29:50 > 0:29:51At the time, I felt very angry.
0:29:51 > 0:29:55They're just not listening, they're not willing to give you anything.
0:29:55 > 0:29:58So far, we've been able to get a good result
0:29:58 > 0:30:00for the majority of our unhappy customers
0:30:00 > 0:30:03who have now had their deposits returned.
0:30:03 > 0:30:05But in the case of Shareen Hall,
0:30:05 > 0:30:08not only was her deposit withheld,
0:30:08 > 0:30:11she cancelled the hire when they couldn't deliver the van on time,
0:30:11 > 0:30:16yet they still took the deposit and hire charge from her.
0:30:16 > 0:30:21After about five months of Shareen trying to get her money back from A1 National Van Hire
0:30:21 > 0:30:24without any luck - and trust me, she's needed it -
0:30:24 > 0:30:27there's finally been developments in this case.
0:30:27 > 0:30:31I'm off to meet her to find out what's been going on.
0:30:40 > 0:30:43- Hiya, Shareen!- Oh, hello. - Nice to see you again.- And you.
0:30:43 > 0:30:47- Any chance of coming in? - Yes, come on in.- Thanks very much.
0:30:49 > 0:30:51- It's good to see you again.- And you.
0:30:51 > 0:30:54I've got some news for you and I believe you've got some for me.
0:30:54 > 0:30:59The situation you got yourself into when this money was taken from your account
0:30:59 > 0:31:01was pretty dire last time we met.
0:31:01 > 0:31:04I was left penniless, really.
0:31:04 > 0:31:07I'd got no money whatsoever and I was...
0:31:07 > 0:31:12My friend and my daughter were, er,
0:31:12 > 0:31:16lending me money to pay for my electric
0:31:16 > 0:31:19and feed me and different things like that.
0:31:19 > 0:31:23Shareen had been in contact with A1 multiple times herself
0:31:23 > 0:31:26regarding the return of her money, but had got nowhere.
0:31:26 > 0:31:28I'm not usually a quitter
0:31:28 > 0:31:32but I really didn't know what else to do.
0:31:32 > 0:31:36You know, I just thought I'd exhausted all avenues, really.
0:31:36 > 0:31:38Which is when she turned to me.
0:31:38 > 0:31:42But I haven't found it easy dealing with the company, either.
0:31:42 > 0:31:45Every time I've phoned and tried to speak to Hammond Kumar,
0:31:45 > 0:31:48he hasn't been available, he's not been there.
0:31:48 > 0:31:51'But I've been told Shareen does have some good news for me.'
0:31:51 > 0:31:57I had a phone call, erm, to ask me to check my bank account.
0:31:57 > 0:31:59My money had been returned,
0:31:59 > 0:32:02all £759...
0:32:02 > 0:32:04..and 18 pence.
0:32:04 > 0:32:06- The full amount?- Yes.
0:32:06 > 0:32:10When the money was put back in your account, did Hammond Kumar or his company
0:32:10 > 0:32:12give you a letter of apology or a phone call
0:32:12 > 0:32:15or any sort of apology at all?
0:32:15 > 0:32:18No. None whatsoever. There was no email, no phone call,
0:32:18 > 0:32:22no letter, no nothing. I never heard a word.
0:32:22 > 0:32:24I'm thrilled for Shareen,
0:32:24 > 0:32:28but it's disappointing that A1 or Mr Hammond Kumar haven't acknowledged their error
0:32:28 > 0:32:31and the financial difficulties they caused Shareen.
0:32:31 > 0:32:33I couldn't ask him for any compensation
0:32:33 > 0:32:35or your out-of-pocket expenses to be covered,
0:32:35 > 0:32:38but the important thing is, you have got your money back.
0:32:38 > 0:32:44- You're back in the black now and out of the red.- Yes, I am.- Good.
0:32:44 > 0:32:46I would imagine that is a huge weight off your shoulders.
0:32:46 > 0:32:48Oh, yes, unbelievable,
0:32:48 > 0:32:53because I really couldn't see me getting it back at all
0:32:53 > 0:32:58after all the phone calls and everything that I made, erm,
0:32:58 > 0:33:01and getting in touch with my bank, as well,
0:33:01 > 0:33:04I really didn't think that I would see it again.
0:33:04 > 0:33:07Shareen, on that note, I wish you all the best for the future.
0:33:07 > 0:33:09- Thank you.- Good luck.
0:33:09 > 0:33:13- Don't hesitate to call if you get any more problems like that. Cheerio.- Thank you.
0:33:13 > 0:33:16I can't thank Dom enough, actually.
0:33:16 > 0:33:18I never expected to get my money back.
0:33:18 > 0:33:21Her dealings with A1 National Van Hire are in the past,
0:33:21 > 0:33:23but there is a lesson there.
0:33:23 > 0:33:27If you're about to use a company, check them out on the internet first.
0:33:27 > 0:33:31If she had, she never would've used them.
0:33:31 > 0:33:35Shareen and five of the others who contacted me have now all been refunded.
0:33:35 > 0:33:40I was happily surprised to find my £200 had been returned by A1.
0:33:40 > 0:33:43The fact that Dom's been able to help us is absolutely fantastic.
0:33:43 > 0:33:48Hopefully, he's done a good job for everybody else, as well.
0:33:48 > 0:33:53Well, I'd like to think so, but I'm left with just one problem.
0:33:53 > 0:33:57Akin and his friends still haven't had their money returned.
0:33:57 > 0:34:02They've had £1,000 of the £1,543.56 pence they're owed
0:34:02 > 0:34:06put back onto the card by the credit card provider.
0:34:06 > 0:34:08But this is a temporary measure,
0:34:08 > 0:34:12pending the bank's own investigations into A1,
0:34:12 > 0:34:14so it's not safe yet.
0:34:14 > 0:34:19I'm really not happy. I'm going to try and speak to the owner, Hammond Kumar, once again
0:34:19 > 0:34:25to find out why Akin and his friends are still waiting for their money.
0:34:25 > 0:34:28Let me predict what's going to happen here.
0:34:28 > 0:34:30I'm either not going to be able to speak to him
0:34:30 > 0:34:32or I'm going to be told he's not there
0:34:32 > 0:34:36and he'll call me back, which won't happen.
0:34:39 > 0:34:41"It has not been possible to connect your call.
0:34:41 > 0:34:44"Please try again later."
0:34:44 > 0:34:47"It has not been possible to connect your call..."
0:34:47 > 0:34:50Have they changed their number?
0:34:50 > 0:34:51Hm...
0:34:51 > 0:34:53Let's try again.
0:34:58 > 0:35:01"It has not been possible to connect your call.
0:35:01 > 0:35:03- "Please try again later."- Hm...
0:35:04 > 0:35:07Interesting. Have they closed down
0:35:07 > 0:35:10or have they just changed their number?
0:35:10 > 0:35:12Have I become the catalyst for that?
0:35:12 > 0:35:15This case has been a difficult one to crack all along
0:35:15 > 0:35:19and this is not making me feel any better.
0:35:19 > 0:35:23I've asked Akin to do some digging into what's going on with A1
0:35:23 > 0:35:27with an organisation called Companies House.
0:35:27 > 0:35:31Who exactly are Companies House and what do they do?
0:35:31 > 0:35:34Companies House is a registry of company information
0:35:34 > 0:35:40and we record all details of limited companies.
0:35:40 > 0:35:44That allows us then to keep records,
0:35:44 > 0:35:46which we make available to the public.
0:35:46 > 0:35:49If you want to find out about a company and its status,
0:35:49 > 0:35:52it's pretty simple to access the information.
0:35:52 > 0:35:56Most of it is available for free or a small fee - 50p or £1.
0:35:56 > 0:36:01All we need is company name and/or company number.
0:36:01 > 0:36:07If I just put that in there... It's A1 National Van Hire Ltd, yes?
0:36:07 > 0:36:09You've got their accounting records there,
0:36:09 > 0:36:12when their accounts were due
0:36:12 > 0:36:15and when their last annual return was due
0:36:15 > 0:36:17and when the next one is.
0:36:17 > 0:36:19They're overdue on their return
0:36:19 > 0:36:23and the status is now "Proposal to Strike Off".
0:36:23 > 0:36:27This means that A1 will effectively be forced to close down.
0:36:27 > 0:36:29For a company to get to this stage,
0:36:29 > 0:36:32Companies House will have tried contacting them on numerous occasions
0:36:32 > 0:36:35to ensure they file the relevant paperwork.
0:36:35 > 0:36:37In the case of no response,
0:36:37 > 0:36:40a decision will be made to go down the strike-off route.
0:36:40 > 0:36:43Public notice goes in the paper The London Gazette
0:36:43 > 0:36:47and the company will be struck off around three months later.
0:36:47 > 0:36:48If they've been struck off,
0:36:48 > 0:36:52how does that affect how we can claim our money back?
0:36:52 > 0:36:55It's perhaps easier if they're still on the register
0:36:55 > 0:37:00and they'll still have obligations under the Companies Act.
0:37:00 > 0:37:05You can put an objection to the Registrar of Companies.
0:37:05 > 0:37:09You can do that by putting it in writing, so a letter or email.
0:37:09 > 0:37:13You just have to show current documentary evidence
0:37:13 > 0:37:17that you're actively pursuing the company for a debt.
0:37:17 > 0:37:20Akin has the credit card statement
0:37:20 > 0:37:24showing they were charged twice and are owed £1,543.56 pence,
0:37:24 > 0:37:27plus proof of his correspondence with A1,
0:37:27 > 0:37:32not forgetting mine, too, so he can easily provide that.
0:37:32 > 0:37:34The registrar will review it all
0:37:34 > 0:37:38and if there's reason to keep the company active,
0:37:38 > 0:37:41an objection will then be put in place,
0:37:41 > 0:37:44which would be for a six-month period.
0:37:44 > 0:37:46By stopping a company being struck off,
0:37:46 > 0:37:51anyone with a dispute has a much better chance of getting the matter resolved
0:37:51 > 0:37:57as the company remains active and details, such as addresses and phone numbers, remain traceable.
0:37:57 > 0:38:01It means Akin can still pursue A1 for his and his friend's money.
0:38:01 > 0:38:05That's great to know. It's useful that you can see all their information.
0:38:05 > 0:38:08Hopefully, you'll get your money back and resolve the issue.
0:38:08 > 0:38:11- Best of luck.- Thanks very much.- OK.
0:38:11 > 0:38:15So the next step for Akin and his friends is to write to Companies House,
0:38:15 > 0:38:18objecting to A1 being struck off. Ha!
0:38:18 > 0:38:21I'm in a better position because I know what I can do
0:38:21 > 0:38:24to stop them getting struck off the Companies House list
0:38:24 > 0:38:28and that can help me get the money back that I'm owed.
0:38:28 > 0:38:29Striking whilst the iron is hot,
0:38:29 > 0:38:33Akin's friend Mark, whose credit card was used to make the booking with A1,
0:38:33 > 0:38:37sends a letter to Companies House, objecting to them being struck off,
0:38:37 > 0:38:40including details of the money owed
0:38:40 > 0:38:43and evidence of all the contact we've had with A1.
0:38:43 > 0:38:45Speaking of contact,
0:38:45 > 0:38:48I finally heard back from the elusive Mr Hammond Kumar.
0:38:48 > 0:38:52He emailed the office and in a statement to us, he said...
0:38:59 > 0:39:02We already know this but it's good to hear it again.
0:39:02 > 0:39:04He also states...
0:39:09 > 0:39:12Nice for his customers to finally get an apology.
0:39:12 > 0:39:17But what about Akin's friend Mark and the money that is still outstanding to him?
0:39:17 > 0:39:21Well, Mr Kumar does say A1 Van Hire...
0:39:28 > 0:39:33OK, at least he's aware that Mark's credit card provider is on the case, as well.
0:39:33 > 0:39:37But the question is, what has he done about it?
0:39:37 > 0:39:40Akin and four of his buddies went on a charity hike
0:39:40 > 0:39:43and raised quite a lot of money for Parkinson's UK.
0:39:43 > 0:39:45For young lads, that's very noble of them.
0:39:45 > 0:39:49Unfortunately, because they hired their van from A1 National Van Hire,
0:39:49 > 0:39:52they were all left quite severely out of pocket.
0:39:52 > 0:39:55I'm here to give them some good news.
0:40:01 > 0:40:04Hi, Akin. Are you all right? How're you doing, bud?
0:40:04 > 0:40:09'After getting nowhere themselves with getting their money back, I took over the case.
0:40:09 > 0:40:12'Time to give Akin an update.'
0:40:12 > 0:40:14The name of the boss is Hammond Kumar.
0:40:14 > 0:40:18I phoned up and tried to speak to him on numerous occasions,
0:40:18 > 0:40:21and although I spoke to various different people,
0:40:21 > 0:40:25everybody denied being him or saying he wasn't there.
0:40:25 > 0:40:28He wouldn't address the situation He didn't return my calls.
0:40:28 > 0:40:31He didn't answer my emails. He was very, very evasive.
0:40:31 > 0:40:37Akin and his friends are owed £1,543.56 pence by A1.
0:40:37 > 0:40:39After Akin met with Companies House,
0:40:39 > 0:40:43it looked like we'd made a breakthrough with stopping A1 being struck off,
0:40:43 > 0:40:47but there's been further developments.
0:40:47 > 0:40:50HMRC - Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs -
0:40:50 > 0:40:53had beaten him to it and were in the process of winding them up,
0:40:53 > 0:40:56so Mark couldn't stop that happening.
0:40:56 > 0:41:00Now, that company does go bust, you join a long list of creditors
0:41:00 > 0:41:04and it means there's very little chance of you getting any money back
0:41:04 > 0:41:07and even less chance of getting all of your money back,
0:41:07 > 0:41:09so things aren't looking good.
0:41:09 > 0:41:14'Mark could potentially reclaim some money back through his credit card provider,
0:41:14 > 0:41:17'but it's not a guarantee.'
0:41:17 > 0:41:19As you're probably aware,
0:41:19 > 0:41:23when Mark put the complaint in to his card provider,
0:41:23 > 0:41:26they credited him back with £1,000
0:41:26 > 0:41:30on the understanding that they give A1 National Van Hire
0:41:30 > 0:41:3390 days in which to respond and try and sort this problem out.
0:41:33 > 0:41:36If they do, they'll take that £1,000 back
0:41:36 > 0:41:38and you'll have to fight it through the courts.
0:41:38 > 0:41:42If they don't, you get the £1,000 back.
0:41:42 > 0:41:44Now, here's the news...
0:41:44 > 0:41:48He didn't respond to the allegations
0:41:48 > 0:41:51either at all or with the correct information.
0:41:51 > 0:41:53And Mark's card provider
0:41:53 > 0:41:58is now going to refund the extra £543.
0:41:58 > 0:42:03- Ah, great!- Plus, the £1,000 is safe. It's money back.
0:42:03 > 0:42:06'It's fantastic news for Akin and his friends,
0:42:06 > 0:42:10'and it means that everyone who contacted me has had their money refunded.
0:42:10 > 0:42:12'What a result!'
0:42:12 > 0:42:15- How do you feel about it? - Great! That's really good news!
0:42:15 > 0:42:17- I can tell you're chuffed!- Yes!
0:42:17 > 0:42:20It's been such a struggle for all of us,
0:42:20 > 0:42:24but mainly for Mark because he's been the one that's been chasing them most.
0:42:24 > 0:42:27I'm really happy that that's been sorted.
0:42:27 > 0:42:31Akin, you and your buddies have done a lot of good work. Congratulations on that.
0:42:31 > 0:42:36- Don't let what's happened here put you off. Keep it up.- I do. - Try and make loads more.
0:42:36 > 0:42:38- It's been a pleasure.- Thank you.
0:42:38 > 0:42:41All the best, mate. Good luck with that charity work.
0:42:43 > 0:42:47You can just see the relief and happiness on Akin's face.
0:42:47 > 0:42:50Him and his buddies deserve that money more than anybody else.
0:42:50 > 0:42:53I feel really proud that I managed to get it back for him.
0:42:53 > 0:42:56Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd