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 > 0:00:09'And it's all the usual suspects.'
0:00:09 > 0:00:13'Poor customer service, faulty goods and hidden small print.'
0:00:13 > 0:00:17'No wonder some of you are fed up with the way you're being treated.'
0:00:17 > 0:00:23They think they can afford to lose customers. If you don't go back, it doesn't matter, another one walks in.
0:00:23 > 0:00:25- The customer is forgotten. - I couldn't agree more.
0:00:25 > 0:00:30Things need to change and we're on a mission to get companies to treat us better.
0:00:30 > 0:00:35'I'll be taking on your cases and fighting your fight with the big companies.'
0:00:35 > 0:00:39I think he'll be sensible and say, "Hands up. Have your money back."
0:00:39 > 0:00:43'I'll be showing you how to shop smart and stay one step ahead.'
0:00:43 > 0:00:45She's a really good shopper.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48- So remember, don't get done... - ..get Dom.
0:00:51 > 0:00:57'On today's programme, the newlyweds' brand-new car that had massive gaps.'
0:00:57 > 0:01:00Crikey! A gap like the Dartford Tunnel, that is.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03'Rani explores tenants' rights.'
0:01:03 > 0:01:05"I just popped by to see if everything was all right."
0:01:05 > 0:01:08I'm, like, "Excuse me. This is my house."
0:01:08 > 0:01:14'And the man who got rid of nuisance callers by making them pay him a fortune.'
0:01:14 > 0:01:18Then I invoiced them for 19½ minutes at £10 a minute.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26You know, buying a new car is a bit of a buzz.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29Everything you do the first time is really exciting.
0:01:29 > 0:01:31Like turning on the engine.
0:01:31 > 0:01:33ENGINE REVS
0:01:33 > 0:01:36And then, there's that lovely fresh smell.
0:01:36 > 0:01:40That brand-new, spanking, straight out of the wrapper interior.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48And then, you've got your perfectly polished and unmarked paintwork,
0:01:48 > 0:01:52like you'd expect with a brand-spanking-new motor.
0:01:52 > 0:01:57What about if the one that you picked up at the showroom wasn't up to scratch?
0:01:59 > 0:02:02'Unfortunately, that's exactly what happened to newlyweds
0:02:02 > 0:02:06Rachel Florey and husband Kevin from Bury near Manchester.'
0:02:06 > 0:02:11'They decided to celebrate their upcoming marriage by buying themselves a new carriage.'
0:02:11 > 0:02:13'A Ford Focus, to be precise.'
0:02:13 > 0:02:17'Brand-new and straight out of the Evans Halshaw showroom.'
0:02:17 > 0:02:21We decided to choose Ford because the Focus suited all of our needs.
0:02:21 > 0:02:23They're a well-known brand and we thought,
0:02:23 > 0:02:25"A new car, you're not going to get any problems with that."
0:02:25 > 0:02:27That's why you buy a new car.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30'It was a hectic moment for the couple,
0:02:30 > 0:02:33'who had more than buying a new car on their minds.'
0:02:33 > 0:02:35When we picked up the car, it was an exciting time for us,
0:02:35 > 0:02:38we were busy planning our wedding and honeymoon.
0:02:38 > 0:02:42We didn't take much notice of the car. We thought it was brand-new.
0:02:42 > 0:02:46It'll be perfect. It was a few weeks later that my father noticed
0:02:46 > 0:02:48that the rear of the car was out of alignment.
0:02:48 > 0:02:52'Yes, indeed. Unfortunately, once Rachel and Kevin had calmed down
0:02:52 > 0:02:56from the excitement of the wedding, they found their pristine new car
0:02:56 > 0:02:58was far from perfect.'
0:02:59 > 0:03:03The spoiler on one side looked a little wonky.
0:03:03 > 0:03:08There were lines running down the left-hand side of the vehicle that were symmetrical.
0:03:08 > 0:03:13But on the right-hand side there were huge gaps that you could fit your fingers in.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16'The worst affected panel seemed to be the tailgate.'
0:03:16 > 0:03:21'The couple simply hadn't thought to inspect these gaps when they collected their Focus.'
0:03:21 > 0:03:25'Like many new-car buyers they assumed that, with a factory fresh motor,
0:03:25 > 0:03:29they didn't need to worry about such things.'
0:03:29 > 0:03:32We were surprised to begin with, because you buy a new car
0:03:32 > 0:03:33and you expect it to be perfect.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36When you pick up a new car you look at paint defects,
0:03:36 > 0:03:39you don't look at build defects.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42'Rachel took the car back to her dealer, Evans Halshaw,
0:03:42 > 0:03:43'who said they'd investigate.'
0:03:43 > 0:03:47'She also raised concerns with the manufacturer Ford.'
0:03:47 > 0:03:51'It was agreed that Evans Halshaw would try and repair the alignment issues
0:03:51 > 0:03:54'and Rachel hoped this would solve the problem.'
0:03:54 > 0:03:57Evans Halshaw asked us to go and pick the vehicle up.
0:03:57 > 0:04:01We thought this meant it was repaired. We went to collect the car.
0:04:01 > 0:04:05It didn't look that much different than it did when we dropped it off.
0:04:05 > 0:04:06We highlighted this to Evans Halshaw.
0:04:06 > 0:04:11'A few days later, Evans Halshaw contacted Rachel to say that,
0:04:11 > 0:04:14'having carried out various adjustments to the tailgate,
0:04:14 > 0:04:17'the gaps now met Ford's standards.'
0:04:17 > 0:04:21'But Rachel still wasn't happy with them and worse was to come.'
0:04:21 > 0:04:23'The car soon developed other faults,
0:04:23 > 0:04:26'including windscreen wipers that wouldn't work,
0:04:26 > 0:04:28'and a problem starting their car.'
0:04:28 > 0:04:34'All told, these problems had damaged Rachel's confidence in her new Ford Focus.'
0:04:34 > 0:04:36By the sounds of it, Rachel's brand-new car
0:04:36 > 0:04:41didn't live up to its expectations and that's to say the least.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44I've come to meet her to find out what's been happening
0:04:44 > 0:04:46and also what's going on.
0:04:52 > 0:04:56- You must be Rachel. How are you doing?- Hi, nice to meet you.
0:04:56 > 0:05:02- I'm soaked through. It's pouring down.- It's always like this.- I hope you've got the kettle on.- Come in.
0:05:02 > 0:05:07'I'm keen to see for myself how the panel gaps were when the couple collected their car
0:05:07 > 0:05:10'before any adjustments were made by Evans Halshaw.'
0:05:11 > 0:05:15- Have you got pictures of what we're talking about?- Yes.- Let's see.
0:05:16 > 0:05:20- If you look at that, it looks like the boot's open.- It does.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22- And that's shut? - And that's shut.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25Crikey! A gap like the Dartford Tunnel, that is.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28If you look, comparing these two pictures.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30That's one side of the car where you can see
0:05:30 > 0:05:33it's just my fingernail in the gap.
0:05:33 > 0:05:36- On that side, my whole finger. - That's unbelievable.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39- That's how it was delivered? - That's how it was delivered.
0:05:39 > 0:05:44'Car manufacturers like Ford have strict standards for panel gaps.'
0:05:44 > 0:05:48'When cars are built, these gaps must be within a certain tolerance.'
0:05:48 > 0:05:51'Usually one or two millimetres of the agreed standard.'
0:05:51 > 0:05:56'From the photos, it seems unlikely the gaps were within tolerance when the car was delivered.'
0:05:56 > 0:06:00'But, as the tailgate has since been adjusted, we may never know for sure.'
0:06:00 > 0:06:04'The thing is, panel gaps aren't the only issue here.'
0:06:04 > 0:06:07We subsequently had problems with the ignition.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11The car just would not start.
0:06:11 > 0:06:15You would put the key in the ignition and the car would not start.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17'Having a car that wouldn't start was bad enough.'
0:06:17 > 0:06:20'At around the same time, Rachel had the unnerving experience
0:06:20 > 0:06:24'of having her windscreen wipers fail whilst driving in the rain.'
0:06:24 > 0:06:26They just wouldn't work.
0:06:26 > 0:06:31Given the torrential weather that you've witnessed in the northwest, it's not ideal.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34'Rachel reported the ignition and windscreen wiper faults to Ford
0:06:34 > 0:06:38'and a different Ford garage, Gordons of Bolton.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40'They made sure the windscreen wipers worked
0:06:40 > 0:06:42'and fixed the ignition faults.'
0:06:42 > 0:06:47'They also had another look at the tailgate to see if they could improve the alignment further.'
0:06:47 > 0:06:50'But it seemed, no matter how much adjustment was done,
0:06:50 > 0:06:54'the gaps on Rachel's car were never going to be perfect.'
0:06:54 > 0:06:58Have you ever heard the expression, "You've got a Friday afternoon car"?
0:06:58 > 0:07:01- Yeah.- Right. By that, they mean one that's been
0:07:01 > 0:07:03rushed through, one wants to get home for the weekend.
0:07:03 > 0:07:08It's an expression. Your car's like that, one which might not have gone through all the checks
0:07:08 > 0:07:12or they haven't picked up on problems when they should have done.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14But, and here's the big but,
0:07:14 > 0:07:19when you go in and say, "I would like that Ford Focus," and give them your spec,
0:07:19 > 0:07:22it then goes through a PDI, a pre-delivery inspection.
0:07:22 > 0:07:25That's when a mechanic, a qualified mechanic,
0:07:25 > 0:07:28will inspect everything. Oil levels, brake-fluid levels,
0:07:28 > 0:07:33make sure nothing's been missed, no panel damage and that car is 100% ready to be given to you.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36'Those panel gaps look pretty big in the photos,
0:07:36 > 0:07:40'yet it seems nothing was picked up by any pre-delivery inspection.'
0:07:41 > 0:07:46Most garages now are really hot on customer service.
0:07:46 > 0:07:48It's something which is fundamental to them.
0:07:48 > 0:07:53They're doing everything they can to gain customers and keep customers.
0:07:53 > 0:07:57I'm a little bit surprised that I'm here addressing a problem
0:07:57 > 0:08:00which I would have thought was quite straightforward to sort out.
0:08:00 > 0:08:02Why hasn't it happened?
0:08:02 > 0:08:04Well, in all fairness, I really don't know.
0:08:04 > 0:08:09Right. What I'd like to establish is how long had you owned the car
0:08:09 > 0:08:12when you first alerted the dealership to the problem?
0:08:12 > 0:08:16We picked it up in February and we alerted the dealership in April.
0:08:16 > 0:08:18- Two months later. - Two months, yeah.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22If it's that bad, why did it take you two months to notice it?
0:08:22 > 0:08:28When we picked the car up at the beginning of February, we were due to get married on the 3rd of March.
0:08:28 > 0:08:34We didn't spend time looking at the car, it was more toing and froing, getting ready for the wedding.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36Then we immediately went on honeymoon.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38We got married, went on honeymoon, came back.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41Then it was getting back into the swing of things with work.
0:08:41 > 0:08:46- Then it was in April that we alerted them.- Totally understandable now.
0:08:46 > 0:08:48I'm with you on the two months.
0:08:48 > 0:08:52No-one could pull you up on that. It was a busy period in your life.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56'Once Rachel noticed the panel gap issue, she was in regular contact
0:08:56 > 0:09:00'with Ford over this and the other faults that cropped up.'
0:09:00 > 0:09:05'And, when after 3½ months, she felt the car still wasn't right,
0:09:05 > 0:09:08'she and her husband decided to take action.'
0:09:08 > 0:09:11We'd just completely had enough of the whole thing,
0:09:11 > 0:09:15so we formally rejected the vehicle back in July.
0:09:15 > 0:09:16We wrote to Ford and Evans Halshaw saying
0:09:16 > 0:09:21this vehicle was of unsatisfactory quality, we were rejecting the car,
0:09:21 > 0:09:25and that we would accept an exchange replacement of the vehicle.
0:09:25 > 0:09:29After several more weeks of paperwork and processes
0:09:29 > 0:09:32that Ford were telling us they were having to go through,
0:09:32 > 0:09:34Evans Halshaw came back to us and said,
0:09:34 > 0:09:38"We'll replace the car for you but we want £3,000."
0:09:38 > 0:09:42When they said that we'd have to pay £3,000 for a replacement car,
0:09:42 > 0:09:44I was just astounded, I was gobsmacked.
0:09:44 > 0:09:49'A like-for-like replacement for Rachel's car wasn't available immediately,
0:09:49 > 0:09:54'so Ford were offering her a higher-specification car with a new type of engine.'
0:09:54 > 0:09:56'They were also asking her for a contribution
0:09:56 > 0:09:59'towards mileage and depreciation for her existing Focus,
0:09:59 > 0:10:02'which she'd now had for several months.'
0:10:02 > 0:10:04'But Rachel wasn't happy with any of this
0:10:04 > 0:10:06'and wasn't prepared to pay another penny.'
0:10:06 > 0:10:11- How did you buy it?- On finance. Part exchange and finance.
0:10:11 > 0:10:15That's not a bad thing, because, although you pay interest with the finance,
0:10:15 > 0:10:19- automatically you're covered by the Consumer Credit Act.- Right.
0:10:19 > 0:10:23'That means that, in the highly unlikely event it becomes necessary,
0:10:23 > 0:10:26we could turn to the finance company for help.'
0:10:27 > 0:10:31I can go to the finance company, who are now jointly responsible for the quality of those goods,
0:10:31 > 0:10:34and say, "Rachel's car is not as described,
0:10:34 > 0:10:37it's not fit for purpose, whatever the situation may be."
0:10:37 > 0:10:40"Give us the money back or give us another car."
0:10:40 > 0:10:42What would you actually like as an outcome?
0:10:42 > 0:10:46We wanted another car. However, after everything we've been through
0:10:46 > 0:10:50and the months of stress and heartache Ford have put us through,
0:10:50 > 0:10:53I don't want another one now. I don't want to see a Ford ever again.
0:10:53 > 0:10:55- I want my money back.- OK.
0:10:55 > 0:10:59So you want me to get on to Ford, get you a full refund.
0:10:59 > 0:11:03Slight complication because you had a part exchange.
0:11:03 > 0:11:05Their problem not yours, as far as I'm concerned.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08You want your money back, your interest back,
0:11:08 > 0:11:11no penalties for mileage and you can start again.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14- Yes, please. There you go.- OK.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17Right. I'll be conceited and say you've got the best man on the job.
0:11:17 > 0:11:21I understand the motor industry. And I also know my consumer rights.
0:11:21 > 0:11:23- I'll see what I can do.- Fantastic.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27- Thank you very much. - Good to meet you. Speak to you soon.
0:11:28 > 0:11:33Anybody who buys a brand-new car should be full of excitement.
0:11:33 > 0:11:35Rachel's not and I can understand why.
0:11:35 > 0:11:39Let's see what Ford's got to say about it, shall we?
0:11:39 > 0:11:44'Rachel's main complaint is that she's not happy with the quality of her car.'
0:11:44 > 0:11:46'But we're dealing with a true motoring giant here,
0:11:46 > 0:11:50'because Ford are the fifth-largest carmaker in the world.'
0:11:50 > 0:11:54'And were the first to mass produce cars over 100 years ago.'
0:11:54 > 0:11:57'It's time to get on the phone.'
0:11:57 > 0:12:00'To help us direct your call to the correct team,
0:12:00 > 0:12:03'please choose from one of the following options.'
0:12:03 > 0:12:05How annoying is that? I'm just going to press two.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08'I opt for customer services.'
0:12:08 > 0:12:11I'm calling from the BBC.
0:12:11 > 0:12:13Thank you.
0:12:18 > 0:12:22Here's where I get put through to a press officer.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25'Sure enough, I'm told I need to speak to their press office.'
0:12:25 > 0:12:27Thanks very much.
0:12:27 > 0:12:29'For speed, I'm just going to redial.'
0:12:29 > 0:12:33KEYPAD TONES BEEP
0:12:33 > 0:12:35I'm just trying to ring them direct.
0:12:36 > 0:12:38RINGING TONE
0:12:40 > 0:12:44Tim, good afternoon to you. It's Dominic Littlewood at the BBC.
0:12:44 > 0:12:46'Tim doesn't want us to use his voice,
0:12:46 > 0:12:49'so I fill him in on the situation with Rachel and her car.'
0:12:49 > 0:12:52There's all sorts of issues.
0:12:52 > 0:12:54I think some you'll find shocking when you see them.
0:12:54 > 0:12:56I've got photographs...
0:12:56 > 0:13:00'He asks for the name of the dealer that sold the car.'
0:13:00 > 0:13:03She bought the car initially from Evans Halshaw.
0:13:03 > 0:13:08'Not a long chat but enough to let the Ford brass know that Rachel's got me on her side.'
0:13:08 > 0:13:11That guy knows what he's talking about. I can just sense it.
0:13:11 > 0:13:17That's good for me because, once he realises exactly what I'm fighting,
0:13:17 > 0:13:19I'll be very surprised if he wants to argue with me.
0:13:19 > 0:13:24I think he'll be sensible and say, "Hands up. Have your money back."
0:13:24 > 0:13:27'But, coming up, will it be as straightforward as I had hoped?'
0:13:27 > 0:13:30Sticking that in one of the gaps, to me,
0:13:30 > 0:13:33it's a hell of a tolerance they're giving it.
0:13:37 > 0:13:42I'm Rani Price. And there is nothing that I like better than helping you, the buying public,
0:13:42 > 0:13:47through the minefield of regulations to make sure you stay savvy shoppers.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50'Consumer law can be very confusing.'
0:13:50 > 0:13:55'You've got your Sale Of Goods Act, Distance Selling, Right To Return, and it doesn't stop there.'
0:13:55 > 0:13:57'But knowing just a few of these laws
0:13:57 > 0:14:01'can not only save you money but a lot of hassle as well.'
0:14:02 > 0:14:04Do you know what this is?
0:14:04 > 0:14:06Two for a tenner.
0:14:06 > 0:14:10'Today, I'm out on the streets armed with questions for the buying public,
0:14:10 > 0:14:13'to find out if you know your consumer rights from your consumer wrongs.'
0:14:13 > 0:14:15- Do you want to be on the news?- No.
0:14:19 > 0:14:23Many people are being priced out of the housing market and forced to rent.
0:14:23 > 0:14:28The number of families renting has increased by 86% in the last five years.
0:14:28 > 0:14:33The number of complaints about landlords in the under-regulated rental sector
0:14:33 > 0:14:35has rocketed by a quarter in recent years.
0:14:35 > 0:14:40Which begs the question, do renters know their rights?
0:14:40 > 0:14:42Can I ask, do you rent a property?
0:14:42 > 0:14:46Do you rent a property? Do you? Do you? Do you? Do you? Do you? Do you?
0:14:46 > 0:14:47LAUGHS
0:14:47 > 0:14:51- You're a renter?- Yes. - You have a private landlord?- Yes.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54- Do you know your rights? - No, not really.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57- Do you know how to fight your rights? - No.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00'There seems to be some confusion on the streets.'
0:15:00 > 0:15:02'Time for some expert guidance.'
0:15:04 > 0:15:08There are 3.6 million households in the private-rental sector in Britain,
0:15:08 > 0:15:11which has gone up 41% in the last five years.
0:15:11 > 0:15:14We predict that, at the current rates, by 2025,
0:15:14 > 0:15:17one third of people in Britain will be renting their home.
0:15:17 > 0:15:22'So, first up, I want to find out how much you know about repairs.'
0:15:22 > 0:15:28'Who is actually responsible? The landlord or you, the tenant?'
0:15:28 > 0:15:31Things are going wrong. Maybe, for example, let's have a think.
0:15:31 > 0:15:35- The bathroom's leaking.- Yeah. - Who's going to sort it out?
0:15:35 > 0:15:37The letting agent.
0:15:37 > 0:15:41- The tap starts to leak, something like that. What do you do? - Call the landlord.
0:15:41 > 0:15:46If something goes wrong in your flat or your house, who do you call?
0:15:46 > 0:15:49- And don't say Ghostbusters. - I'd call the agency.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53'All three of you think that the landlord or agency
0:15:53 > 0:15:56'is always responsible for fixing household repairs.'
0:15:56 > 0:15:58'Well, think again.'
0:15:58 > 0:16:02- Do you read the small print? - Er, not really, no.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05Any major repairs are the landlord's responsibility
0:16:05 > 0:16:09and their responsibility to make sure the building's safe to live in.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12Minor repairs may be the responsibility of the tenant,
0:16:12 > 0:16:16but you should check your tenancy agreement for the rules on that.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19'But what about when you don't need to call your landlord
0:16:19 > 0:16:22'because they've already turned up at your place
0:16:22 > 0:16:25'and let themselves in without you knowing?'
0:16:25 > 0:16:28Your awful landlord, did you ever find him in your house?
0:16:28 > 0:16:30- Yeah.- You did?
0:16:30 > 0:16:33What was he doing in your house?
0:16:33 > 0:16:36Your house that you were renting from him.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39- The old one, not this one now. - Yeah, the old one.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42He was, like, "I just popped by to see if everything was all right."
0:16:42 > 0:16:45I'm, like, "Excuse me. This is my house."
0:16:45 > 0:16:50If you came home and the landlord was there just checking the boiler, what would your reaction be?
0:16:50 > 0:16:54I would be, like, "Oh, OK. Um, all right."
0:16:54 > 0:16:58Have you ever come home and somebody from the agency is in your flat?
0:16:58 > 0:17:01No. I know they're not supposed to or are allowed to come in
0:17:01 > 0:17:04- unless they give you 24 hours' notice.- Very good.
0:17:04 > 0:17:06'Well done. Right answer.'
0:17:06 > 0:17:09'It's your home and it's up to you who comes to visit.'
0:17:09 > 0:17:11'Not only that...'
0:17:11 > 0:17:14If you turn up at home and your landlord's sitting in the house
0:17:14 > 0:17:18or going through the mail saying, "I'm just checking things up."
0:17:18 > 0:17:21You can ask him to leave. It is your right.
0:17:21 > 0:17:26'But if your landlord does insist on coming into your property uninvited,
0:17:26 > 0:17:29'refuses to carry out repairs, or resolve any other dispute,
0:17:29 > 0:17:33'does your rent become a bargaining tool?'
0:17:33 > 0:17:36Would you have ever thought of withholding your rent?
0:17:36 > 0:17:39I think that would be the last step.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43I suspect, if you withhold rent, they may be able to kick you out.
0:17:43 > 0:17:46Would you ever think of withholding your rent?
0:17:46 > 0:17:48I'd think of threatening it,
0:17:48 > 0:17:50- but I don't know if I'd do it. - Well, don't.
0:17:50 > 0:17:54As a tenant, you don't have the right to withhold your rent.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57Withholding rent could put you in arrears,
0:17:57 > 0:17:59which could put you at risk of eviction.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03So, remember, when you sign on the dotted line,
0:18:03 > 0:18:06make sure you know what you've agreed to as a tenant.
0:18:06 > 0:18:08Know your rights and you won't get done.
0:18:14 > 0:18:18'I've been trying to find a way forward for Rachel Florey and husband Kevin.'
0:18:18 > 0:18:21'A couple of months after buying a brand-new Ford Focus,
0:18:21 > 0:18:25'they noticed some problems with the alignment of the tailgate.'
0:18:25 > 0:18:29- Unbelievable. That's how it was delivered? - That's how it was delivered.
0:18:29 > 0:18:33'But soon after, the car developed other faults too.'
0:18:33 > 0:18:36'The windscreen wipers stopped working.'
0:18:36 > 0:18:39'There was also a fault with the ignition.'
0:18:39 > 0:18:42'All told, these problems caused Rachel
0:18:42 > 0:18:44'to lose confidence in her Focus.'
0:18:44 > 0:18:46'So she decided to reject her car.'
0:18:46 > 0:18:49'But having now had it for a few months,
0:18:49 > 0:18:53'Rachel was asked to contribute £3,000 towards a replacement model,
0:18:53 > 0:18:57'which would have to be a different higher-spec version.'
0:18:57 > 0:19:02Obviously, for us, we'd bought a new car and we weren't happy.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04'I've already told Ford that I'm on the case.'
0:19:04 > 0:19:07'I'm keen to speak to Evans Halshaw, the dealer who sold her the car,
0:19:07 > 0:19:10'to hear their take on the problems.'
0:19:10 > 0:19:14'I've been told I need to speak to a chap called Martyn.'
0:19:14 > 0:19:19'I explained why I'm ringing and checked that he's familiar with Rachel's case,'
0:19:19 > 0:19:21'We supplied the car.'
0:19:21 > 0:19:24'After Rachel raised concerns about the panel alignment,
0:19:24 > 0:19:26'Evans Halshaw investigated
0:19:26 > 0:19:31'and told her they'd made some adjustments and then checked the gaps against Ford's tolerances.'
0:19:31 > 0:19:34'When we've checked the vehicle out,
0:19:34 > 0:19:38'the tolerances are within spec that Ford has sent to us.'
0:19:38 > 0:19:39Right.
0:19:39 > 0:19:43'When I say tolerances, I mean the tolerances of the tailgate
0:19:43 > 0:19:45'and the gaps between the tailgate
0:19:45 > 0:19:47- 'and the rear quarters, the rear panels.'- Right.
0:19:47 > 0:19:51'We've also compared it with other Focuses.'
0:19:51 > 0:19:54'Again, it's well within tolerance within other Focuses.'
0:19:54 > 0:19:58'Although Rachel was unhappy with the panel alignment on her car,
0:19:58 > 0:20:00'even after it had been adjusted,
0:20:00 > 0:20:03'Martyn says the panel gaps were within tolerances.'
0:20:03 > 0:20:09'But he questions why it was over a month before they raised concerns about their panel alignment.'
0:20:09 > 0:20:13'The lady took delivery, I think it was in February,
0:20:13 > 0:20:15'and it was probably some time late March
0:20:15 > 0:20:18'when she first brought it to our attention.'
0:20:18 > 0:20:24- Yep. She got married in between and went on honeymoon.- 'OK.'
0:20:24 > 0:20:28'The thing is, we'll never know exactly how the original gaps compared to Ford's tolerances.'
0:20:28 > 0:20:31'That's not really the point. The fact is,
0:20:31 > 0:20:35'faults like the misaligned panels caused Rachel to lose faith in her car.'
0:20:35 > 0:20:38'From what Martyn's saying, it sounds like the problem
0:20:38 > 0:20:42'was probably there when the car rolled off the production line.'
0:20:42 > 0:20:44As far as you're concerned,
0:20:44 > 0:20:47you think that's how it came out of the factory?
0:20:47 > 0:20:50- 'That's how it came out of the factory.'- Right. OK.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53- Thank you for your help. - 'Thank you. Bye.'- Bye.
0:20:54 > 0:20:59'Of course, the panel gaps aren't the only problem Rachel has experienced with her car.'
0:20:59 > 0:21:03'And her case has got me thinking about what we consumers
0:21:03 > 0:21:05'should expect from a brand-new motor.'
0:21:05 > 0:21:11If you buy a car second-hand, you'll need to spend time checking out its condition.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14Everything from whether the engine ticks over nicely...
0:21:19 > 0:21:22..to whether the bodywork has got any dents or scratches.
0:21:22 > 0:21:24Ouch!
0:21:26 > 0:21:29And all the panels should line up.
0:21:32 > 0:21:35Of course, when you buy a brand-spanking-new car,
0:21:35 > 0:21:38you shouldn't need to worry about that,
0:21:38 > 0:21:40because it's barely turned a wheel.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43But is it actually as simple as that?
0:21:46 > 0:21:49'Well, not according to Barry Wheeler.'
0:21:49 > 0:21:51'Yes, that is his name.'
0:21:51 > 0:21:53'He provides vehicle reports for insurance firms
0:21:53 > 0:21:56'and is an expert on the construction history of cars.'
0:21:56 > 0:21:58'He has heard stories of what can happen to cars
0:21:58 > 0:22:01'between leaving the factory and reaching the showroom.'
0:22:03 > 0:22:05While some cars are made in the UK,
0:22:05 > 0:22:08the vast majority of cars are made abroad. And a lot of cars
0:22:08 > 0:22:11are made in the Far East. In order for them to be sold here,
0:22:11 > 0:22:14they have to be transported halfway around the world.
0:22:14 > 0:22:19There's a lot of opportunity for damage to occur to a car during that transit process.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22They sit on docks, they're in storage yards,
0:22:22 > 0:22:24they have to be moved on and off of ships.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27There's a lot of opportunity for damage to occur to these cars.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30A lot of damage occurs, which then gets repaired
0:22:30 > 0:22:33and the cars get sold on as brand-new cars still.
0:22:33 > 0:22:37'Now, I should say here that this has nothing to do with Rachel's car
0:22:37 > 0:22:40'and nor does it apply to Ford or Evans Halshaw.'
0:22:40 > 0:22:43'But, if you're thinking about buying a new car,
0:22:43 > 0:22:47'it's worth knowing what could have happened if it was damaged in transit.'
0:22:47 > 0:22:50Manufacturers will sell a car brand-new
0:22:50 > 0:22:53even if it's had panels damaged and repaired.
0:22:53 > 0:22:55They will repair and paint it, sell it as a new car
0:22:55 > 0:22:58without informing the customer that it's been damaged and repaired.
0:22:58 > 0:23:03'Of course, the vast majority of cars reach the showroom unscathed.
0:23:03 > 0:23:05'But, if there's a lesson here, it's that,
0:23:05 > 0:23:08'even if you're buying a brand-new car,
0:23:08 > 0:23:11'you should spend plenty of time checking the condition
0:23:11 > 0:23:13'of the bodywork to make sure it's up to scratch.'
0:23:13 > 0:23:17'And, if you have any concerns, tell the dealer as soon as possible.'
0:23:23 > 0:23:25'Right, back to Rachel's case.
0:23:25 > 0:23:28'Next, I'd like to speak to Gordons of Bolton,
0:23:28 > 0:23:31'the other Ford dealer who had a look at Rachel's car.'
0:23:31 > 0:23:34'Gordons fixed the windscreen wipers and ignition issues
0:23:34 > 0:23:37'but were also asked by Ford to have another look
0:23:37 > 0:23:39'at the alignment of the tailgate.'
0:23:39 > 0:23:42'I'm keen to hear their thoughts.'
0:23:42 > 0:23:45I'm trying to get to the bottom of what the issue is.
0:23:45 > 0:23:49I've seen photos of the car, there's big problems with gaps and things.
0:23:49 > 0:23:51What causes that?
0:23:51 > 0:23:54'The chap doesn't want his voice used.'
0:23:54 > 0:23:58'But he tells me, although they've done all they can to realign the panels,
0:23:58 > 0:24:01'the gaps still aren't perfect.'
0:24:01 > 0:24:03OK. That slightly concerns me.
0:24:03 > 0:24:07If you've done everything you can to realign it and it's still not ideal,
0:24:07 > 0:24:11still not correct, what other options are left for Rachel?
0:24:11 > 0:24:16'And that's my point. If the car is never going to be perfect,
0:24:16 > 0:24:18'then who can blame Rachel for wanting to reject it
0:24:18 > 0:24:20'and have her money back?'
0:24:20 > 0:24:24'There may be light at the end of the tunnel. Since my call to Ford,
0:24:24 > 0:24:30'they've been in touch with Rachel and made an offer on behalf of them and dealer Evans Halshaw.'
0:24:30 > 0:24:35'But I've still not had any answers on exactly what went wrong with Rachel's car.'
0:24:35 > 0:24:37'So I get back on the phone to Ford.'
0:24:38 > 0:24:42Tim, good afternoon. It's Dominic Littlewood at the BBC.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45Somewhere along the line, it seems that these panels don't fit
0:24:45 > 0:24:51and quite visibly very, very... Well, shocking is the word I'd use.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54'Tim can't tell me exactly what went wrong with Rachel's Focus,
0:24:54 > 0:24:58'but I know that Ford have commissioned reports into the car.'
0:24:58 > 0:25:01'And I'd love to get my mitts on them.'
0:25:01 > 0:25:05If we can have the reports, that would be brilliant. We can put it to bed.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08'Something tells me I won't get to see those reports.'
0:25:08 > 0:25:09Thanks for your time, Tim.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14'That doesn't mean we can't get our own expert to have a look.'
0:25:14 > 0:25:18It shouldn't have been allowed to have been sold in that condition.
0:25:23 > 0:25:26Cold calls, they can drive you mad.
0:25:26 > 0:25:31But most of us would just say, "Thanks but no thanks," and hang up.
0:25:31 > 0:25:35But one man was hounded by so many cold calls,
0:25:35 > 0:25:38he decided to take action.
0:25:39 > 0:25:44'Richard Herman from Surrey is a man who appreciates a bit of peace and quiet in life.'
0:25:44 > 0:25:45'He's a small-business owner.'
0:25:45 > 0:25:49'In 2012, he decided he could quite happily work from home
0:25:49 > 0:25:51'and avoid the hurly-burly of office life.'
0:25:51 > 0:25:54'It meant he got to spend more time with his wife,
0:25:54 > 0:25:57'but he found being at home was anything but free
0:25:57 > 0:26:00'from disturbance.'
0:26:00 > 0:26:04I found I was more aware of people who knocked on the door trying to sell things.
0:26:04 > 0:26:09And more aware of the number of cold telephone calls that we received.
0:26:09 > 0:26:14'Like many, he felt there was little he could do to stop the calls.'
0:26:14 > 0:26:18'He believed his telephone number must've been sold on to one or more
0:26:18 > 0:26:21'sales companies who were free to disturb him at will.'
0:26:21 > 0:26:24It felt like somebody coming along and kind of doing this all the time,
0:26:24 > 0:26:27which isn't an acceptable lifestyle thing to do.
0:26:27 > 0:26:29In fact, talking to family and friends,
0:26:29 > 0:26:33hearing that half of them don't answer their landline any more,
0:26:33 > 0:26:37they leave it to go to answering machine or don't answer it at all.
0:26:37 > 0:26:44Which is a real abuse, that we can't have a landline to be able to talk to people.
0:26:44 > 0:26:48'One day, he received a call about PPI, payment protection insurance,
0:26:48 > 0:26:51'from a company he suspected had rung him before.'
0:26:51 > 0:26:55'Richard decided to play along with the call and pretend he was interested,
0:26:55 > 0:26:58'just to get more information about the company.'
0:26:58 > 0:27:04While talking to them, pretending that I could be a customer with them,
0:27:04 > 0:27:07I had to carry on until they gave me their company name
0:27:07 > 0:27:09and I could look it up on the internet.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13I said, "Ah, I can see your address is XYZ."
0:27:13 > 0:27:16They said it was right, so I knew who I was dealing with.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19'Richard had all the information he needed,
0:27:19 > 0:27:23'so he dropped the pretence he was interested and hit them with an ultimatum.'
0:27:23 > 0:27:29I said to them, "If you call me again, I'll charge you £10 per minute for my time."
0:27:29 > 0:27:33'It wasn't the response the company was used to getting.'
0:27:33 > 0:27:38'Richard hoped his tactic would be enough to make sure they never rang back. Some chance.'
0:27:38 > 0:27:42To my astonishment, two days later, on the 20th,
0:27:42 > 0:27:46the phone rang again with similar kind of acoustics, similar kind of script.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49And I carried on with it to find out who they actually were.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52It turned out to be the same organisation again.
0:27:52 > 0:27:58When I wasn't a customer for them, they hung up on me. But I called them back.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01I said to them, "You need to be clear, don't call me again because,
0:28:01 > 0:28:04"if you call me, I'm going to charge you again."
0:28:04 > 0:28:06"You need to get this right and not call me."
0:28:06 > 0:28:11'Richard felt he'd made it perfectly clear he intended to charge the company.'
0:28:11 > 0:28:14'Now they'd called a second time, he made good on his threats.'
0:28:14 > 0:28:18Then I invoiced them for 19½ minutes at £10 a minute.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21So I sent them an invoice for £195.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24'Richard didn't get a response to his invoice.'
0:28:24 > 0:28:27'But he had no intention of letting the company off the hook.'
0:28:27 > 0:28:30After 30 days, I hadn't heard anything from them,
0:28:30 > 0:28:35so I sent a recorded-delivery letter to their registered office
0:28:35 > 0:28:38reminding them that they had this unpaid invoice.
0:28:38 > 0:28:40'The PPI company he had invoiced
0:28:40 > 0:28:44'was quickly realising they had picked the wrong man to cold call.'
0:28:44 > 0:28:49It's good in this kind of case to show a relentlessness to somebody.
0:28:49 > 0:28:54In the first letter, the invoice, I said I want payment after 30 days.
0:28:54 > 0:28:59Bang on the 30 days, I wrote the second letter. It shows I'm awake and paying attention.
0:28:59 > 0:29:03And then saying to them, if I didn't hear from them in 11 days,
0:29:03 > 0:29:05I'd raise a small claims court.
0:29:05 > 0:29:10'Richard did finally get a response from the sales company to his threats of court action.'
0:29:10 > 0:29:13'But it wasn't what he was expecting.'
0:29:13 > 0:29:16'They sent a letter flatly denying that they'd ever called him,
0:29:16 > 0:29:18'but that didn't bother Richard at all.'
0:29:18 > 0:29:22'Unbeknownst to the company, he had a secret weapon.'
0:29:26 > 0:29:31Receiving that letter amused me more than anything else,
0:29:31 > 0:29:36because I record every phone call that I make or receive at home,
0:29:36 > 0:29:40as we do at work, so I had the recordings of all these calls.
0:29:40 > 0:29:44And in the recordings, it's got my name and their name,
0:29:44 > 0:29:46so it's very clear what's gone on.
0:29:46 > 0:29:51'There is a good reason Richard was able to record calls so quickly and easily.'
0:29:51 > 0:29:54'It's been his line of work for over 20 years.'
0:29:54 > 0:29:57One way of recording calls is with something like this,
0:29:57 > 0:30:00which can sit in the computer, as you can see here,
0:30:00 > 0:30:02or it can be used externally.
0:30:02 > 0:30:05Fit it into the computer and you plug your telephone line into it.
0:30:05 > 0:30:08And record calls straight on to the PC.
0:30:08 > 0:30:13'This is the actual recording of the phone call that Richard made.'
0:30:13 > 0:30:17'I charge my time for speaking to anybody at £10 a minute.'
0:30:17 > 0:30:21'So if anybody calls, I'll be charging them by the minute.'
0:30:21 > 0:30:24'I have an agreement that I'll be charging.'
0:30:24 > 0:30:29'Richard knew he had the kind of killer evidence to easily prove the company had been calling him.'
0:30:29 > 0:30:32When I received the two letters from them
0:30:32 > 0:30:36denying that they'd ever called me,
0:30:36 > 0:30:40that didn't upset me at all, because I knew I had 100% solid,
0:30:40 > 0:30:46cast-iron proof to play in court of my voice, my name,
0:30:46 > 0:30:49their company name all in the same audio recording.
0:30:49 > 0:30:54'So Richard took a few simple steps to start a small claims court case.'
0:30:54 > 0:30:59It's ineffectual to keep complaining to a company for month after month.
0:30:59 > 0:31:00It doesn't get anywhere.
0:31:00 > 0:31:03Obviously, nothing's happening, nobody's paying it attention.
0:31:03 > 0:31:08But the small claims court does make any company, any trader,
0:31:08 > 0:31:12which is of any size that they're not going to run away, disappear,
0:31:12 > 0:31:14it does make them respond.
0:31:14 > 0:31:17'When the company received notice of the court claim,
0:31:17 > 0:31:20'and Richard informed them he had the voice recordings,
0:31:20 > 0:31:23'they decided it was time to hang up on this argument.'
0:31:23 > 0:31:26I had a letter apologising for what had happened and offering to pay the claim.
0:31:26 > 0:31:33That was the £195 of my invoice and to refund the £25 of the court fee.
0:31:33 > 0:31:35I felt pleased not to be the victim,
0:31:35 > 0:31:37which is how I felt right at the beginning.
0:31:37 > 0:31:42But I felt this company would be careful not to call me again.
0:31:42 > 0:31:46'And they never have. It was a double victory for Richard.'
0:31:46 > 0:31:50'He got his peace and quiet from nuisance calls and he got paid.'
0:31:50 > 0:31:54'So, what does he think the key ingredients of his success were?'
0:31:54 > 0:31:56Recording the calls.
0:31:56 > 0:32:00What it was we were agreeing to. They could call me at £10 a minute.
0:32:00 > 0:32:03I was clear, definitively, who they were,
0:32:03 > 0:32:06which I got from checking the phone call against their website
0:32:06 > 0:32:09and recording that in the conversation.
0:32:09 > 0:32:12Send an invoice with a letter, very business-like and formal.
0:32:12 > 0:32:15Send a recorded letter when it's ignored.
0:32:15 > 0:32:17Then to raise the case in the small claims court
0:32:17 > 0:32:20all on the dates I'd given them beforehand,
0:32:20 > 0:32:24so they could see this was a relentless situation
0:32:24 > 0:32:27that wouldn't be stopped unless they took an action.
0:32:27 > 0:32:31'Well, good on you, Richard. You're an inspiration to us all.'
0:32:35 > 0:32:39'I've been helping out Manchester newlywed Rachel Florey,
0:32:39 > 0:32:43'who bought a brand-new car only to discover it had problems.'
0:32:43 > 0:32:46'The panels on her Ford Focus didn't line up
0:32:46 > 0:32:49'and the car has had ignition and windscreen wiper faults as well.'
0:32:49 > 0:32:53'She wants to know how a brand-new motor like hers
0:32:53 > 0:32:55'got to be in such a state.'
0:32:55 > 0:32:59- There were huge gaps you could fit your fingers in.- Crikey!
0:32:59 > 0:33:00A gap like the Dartford Tunnel.
0:33:00 > 0:33:06'I've been in touch with the dealer who sold the car, Evans Halshaw, and Ford themselves.'
0:33:06 > 0:33:08'I've asked for any reports done on Rachel's car.'
0:33:08 > 0:33:11'But none have come through.'
0:33:15 > 0:33:20'So we've asked engineer John Dubeck to meet Rachel and take a look at her car.'
0:33:20 > 0:33:24'He's a motoring expert who gives cars a forensic examination
0:33:24 > 0:33:26'to detail their history.'
0:33:26 > 0:33:30What I can see here is that somebody's had a go at adjusting
0:33:30 > 0:33:33the hinges and they've painted it afterwards.
0:33:33 > 0:33:35But the tooling marks are still there.
0:33:35 > 0:33:41'Well, that much we knew, as two separate Ford dealers have attempted to rectify the fault.'
0:33:41 > 0:33:43'But what about the rest of the car?'
0:33:44 > 0:33:47I can say that everything's original.
0:33:47 > 0:33:53But what has happened is, it's not been through the proper quality control checks.
0:33:53 > 0:33:57Those quality control checks should start in manufacture.
0:33:57 > 0:34:00It seems to have slipped through.
0:34:00 > 0:34:04- Let's have a look.- 'John's ready to deliver his verdict to Rachel.'
0:34:04 > 0:34:07'It's clear, he thinks the alignment should have been sorted earlier.'
0:34:07 > 0:34:11Shall we? I've had a look over here.
0:34:11 > 0:34:16And this is the area where I expect realignment to be carried out.
0:34:16 > 0:34:18These are the hinges for the tailgate.
0:34:18 > 0:34:23And you can see over here we've got the four mounting bolts.
0:34:23 > 0:34:26What would happen is, they would slacked those bolts off,
0:34:26 > 0:34:30reposition the tailgate until it's right,
0:34:30 > 0:34:32fasten them up, keep checking them.
0:34:32 > 0:34:36Then, once it's all right, put a little bit of paint again.
0:34:36 > 0:34:40You can actually see the marks, it's called tooling marks.
0:34:40 > 0:34:44- That means there's been a realignment process carried out.- OK.
0:34:44 > 0:34:50That process should've been carried out prior to you buying the car.
0:34:50 > 0:34:53- At the factory.- At the factory. - Yeah, OK.- If there was an issue
0:34:53 > 0:34:57with alignment, all they had to do was slacken those bolts off,
0:34:57 > 0:35:00reposition them, tighten them up again,
0:35:00 > 0:35:03- keep checking until it's within tolerances.- Right. OK.
0:35:03 > 0:35:07Clearly, they haven't done it. What's it taken to get there?
0:35:07 > 0:35:11It's taken the pre-delivery inspection not being carried out properly.
0:35:11 > 0:35:14It's taken you to bring it to their attention.
0:35:14 > 0:35:18- Unfortunately, you've had to nag them. It's not very good, is it?- No.
0:35:18 > 0:35:22'And what does John think of the alignment of the car right now?'
0:35:22 > 0:35:25- Clearly, it's a lot better than it was before.- A lot better.
0:35:25 > 0:35:30But it's not 100%. But what can you do?
0:35:30 > 0:35:33I think this is probably as far as you're going to get.
0:35:33 > 0:35:36But it's not 100%, as I say.
0:35:36 > 0:35:40The engineer from Ford said that, without cutting panels and welding,
0:35:40 > 0:35:41they couldn't improve it any more.
0:35:41 > 0:35:45It shouldn't have been allowed to have been sold in that condition.
0:35:45 > 0:35:48Given the other problems you've had with the car
0:35:48 > 0:35:51in that very short space of time,
0:35:51 > 0:35:56- I think you've got a great case to reject the car.- Yeah.
0:35:56 > 0:35:59It really confirmed what we said all along that it was down
0:35:59 > 0:36:03to the way it was built in the first place, which isn't my fault.
0:36:03 > 0:36:06I shouldn't have to deal with that. It's down to Ford.
0:36:06 > 0:36:11It's clear that, occasionally, even a brand-new car can have its faults.
0:36:11 > 0:36:15But if you've shelled out your hard-earned cash for something as pricey as a new motor,
0:36:15 > 0:36:18what are your rights when things go wrong?
0:36:20 > 0:36:24'Rachel's been disputing the issues with her car for months now.'
0:36:24 > 0:36:27'All she wants is to hand it back with no cost to her.'
0:36:27 > 0:36:31'But does the Sale Of Goods Act apply to her situation?'
0:36:32 > 0:36:36'I contacted a motoring expert to find out.'
0:36:36 > 0:36:38If your new car doesn't meet the conditions
0:36:38 > 0:36:40set out in the Sale Of Goods Act,
0:36:40 > 0:36:43then you are within your rights to reject it.
0:36:43 > 0:36:46If you've lost confidence in a vehicle,
0:36:46 > 0:36:49because it's been repaired lots of times
0:36:49 > 0:36:54and the repair wasn't successful, or if the fault continues to occur,
0:36:54 > 0:36:58then you may want to reject the vehicle.
0:36:58 > 0:37:00If it can be proven that the dealer
0:37:00 > 0:37:03has been unsuccessful in repairing the car,
0:37:03 > 0:37:05then he must replace it for you.
0:37:05 > 0:37:09'But what if the dealer says there's nothing wrong with it?'
0:37:09 > 0:37:12If a dealer has repaired your car
0:37:12 > 0:37:17and you're not happy with the repairs, you don't believe it's worked, or was done badly,
0:37:17 > 0:37:21and the dealer disagrees, then it may be worth you seeking a second opinion.
0:37:21 > 0:37:24'In Rachel's case, a second Ford dealer did look at the car
0:37:24 > 0:37:26'and did everything they could to fix it.'
0:37:26 > 0:37:29'But there was only so much they could do.'
0:37:29 > 0:37:30'With Rachel still not happy,
0:37:30 > 0:37:34'I think it's return time. But what about those timescales?'
0:37:34 > 0:37:39'Rachel didn't complain straightaway because she was busy getting married.'
0:37:39 > 0:37:44The Sale Of Goods Act says that you must reject a new car within a reasonable time.
0:37:44 > 0:37:46It doesn't actually specify what that time is.
0:37:46 > 0:37:49But I think common sense applies.
0:37:49 > 0:37:54If a fault is visible, for example, the paintwork is the wrong colour,
0:37:54 > 0:37:59that's something very obvious and you'll notice it immediately and you should act immediately.
0:37:59 > 0:38:01However, not all faults are visible,
0:38:01 > 0:38:05if they're mechanical or electrical.
0:38:05 > 0:38:09If this is the case, you wouldn't be expected to know about them immediately.
0:38:09 > 0:38:13But, basically, as soon as you are aware of the fault,
0:38:13 > 0:38:15you should act on it.
0:38:15 > 0:38:20'So you can return a car that is still faulty after repairs.'
0:38:20 > 0:38:22'That's good news for any car buyer.'
0:38:22 > 0:38:26'Now, though, it's time to head back to see Rachel to find out
0:38:26 > 0:38:29'more about the offer Ford and Evans Halshaw have made.'
0:38:29 > 0:38:33'Is it enough to put a smile back on her face?'
0:38:33 > 0:38:36- Hi, again, Rach, how are you doing? - Good to see you.
0:38:36 > 0:38:38- Can I come in?- Come on in.
0:38:42 > 0:38:46- Rachel, there's quite a lot happened since I got involved.- Certainly has.
0:38:46 > 0:38:50- Ford have got involved and started to pay more attention to you.- Yes.
0:38:50 > 0:38:53That's what we need. That's what you should've got from day one.
0:38:53 > 0:38:57- You weren't happy with the service you received, were you?- Not at all.
0:38:57 > 0:39:02I was constantly ringing, emailing, sending letters, photographs, videos,
0:39:02 > 0:39:06trying to make them realise that there is a problem with this car and they need to sort it out.
0:39:06 > 0:39:09Something I wanted to do was get an independent report.
0:39:09 > 0:39:12I'm glad you were able to witness that.
0:39:12 > 0:39:16- Talk me through what the guy said to you.- Well, he summarised
0:39:16 > 0:39:19that it happened at the factory. It was the way the car was built.
0:39:19 > 0:39:23Apart from that, he said it was not something you'd expect from a new car.
0:39:23 > 0:39:27He knows, he's seen the pictures, he knows what I've been through.
0:39:27 > 0:39:31He summed up that, if he'd have bought that car brand-new,
0:39:31 > 0:39:33he'd have rejected it immediately.
0:39:33 > 0:39:35When you hear that from an independent expert,
0:39:35 > 0:39:39- it cements what you tried to do as soon as you noticed the problems.- Exactly.
0:39:39 > 0:39:43You doubt yourself. You start to think, "Am I being unreasonable?"
0:39:43 > 0:39:46We know that, for months, we've been accommodating and patient.
0:39:46 > 0:39:50We're not asking too much of Ford, we're asking them to replace the car.
0:39:50 > 0:39:53I think you're right. At the end of the day,
0:39:53 > 0:39:55you had a car that was a Friday afternoon one.
0:39:55 > 0:39:59But it never should have reached you, the end user, the customer.
0:39:59 > 0:40:02- Ford have contacted you directly, haven't they?- Yes, they have.
0:40:02 > 0:40:06- That's since I got involved.- Uh-huh. - Since I rattled their cage.- Yeah.
0:40:06 > 0:40:08And since I said, "Give her her money back."
0:40:08 > 0:40:10What have they said to you?
0:40:10 > 0:40:15We received a letter saying that they will give us a full refund
0:40:15 > 0:40:18of both our deposit and the value of the part exchange,
0:40:18 > 0:40:20which, obviously, we're very happy with.
0:40:20 > 0:40:23'Bingo! Just the news I was hoping for.'
0:40:23 > 0:40:26'It's a really positive result for Rachel.'
0:40:26 > 0:40:31'A full refund will be paid by Evans Halshaw, the dealer who sold her the car.'
0:40:31 > 0:40:35'This means, Rachel will be able to start again with a clean sheet.'
0:40:35 > 0:40:39'And I'm pretty sure this time when she chooses her new motor,
0:40:39 > 0:40:42'it'll be getting her own pre-delivery inspection.'
0:40:42 > 0:40:45As it stands now, you've wiped your hands of the car,
0:40:45 > 0:40:48you've given it back, you're getting all your money back.
0:40:48 > 0:40:52Very happy and grateful for your involvement and everything you've done.
0:40:52 > 0:40:55Because it took me seven months to get nowhere.
0:40:55 > 0:41:00- As soon as you get involved, it seems that they came up with the answer that we wanted.- Yeah.
0:41:00 > 0:41:04But, this is what annoys me about a lot of big companies,
0:41:04 > 0:41:08you should be able to do that yourself and very easily.
0:41:08 > 0:41:12Send a message to them now. What would you suggest they do in a situation like that again?
0:41:12 > 0:41:14Improve the customer service.
0:41:14 > 0:41:17If it's something that's down to the way the car was built,
0:41:17 > 0:41:21replace the car, it's Ford's problem, it isn't the customer's problem.
0:41:21 > 0:41:25- Will you every buy Ford again? - Never. And I will never let a friend or family buy a Ford.
0:41:25 > 0:41:31Which is a shame. A big shame, because they're a big manufacturer and very good and well respected.
0:41:31 > 0:41:34- But they've let themselves down in this one.- Definitely.
0:41:34 > 0:41:36'We spoke to Ford and they told us...'
0:41:50 > 0:41:52'They also said...'
0:42:03 > 0:42:07'We also spoke to dealer Evans Halshaw, who said...'
0:42:38 > 0:42:41I'm so grateful and very happy in the end.
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