Underground Pipes Don't Get Done Get Dom

I've been fighting your consumer battles for years now.

But the same old problems just keep flooding in.

And it's all the usual suspects - poor customer service,

faulty goods and hidden small print.

No wonder some of you are fed up with the way you're being treated.

As long as you signed that contract and you're trapped, that's it,

that's all they want from you.

I couldn't agree more. Things need to change

and we're on a mission to get companies to treat us better.

I'll be taking on your cases

and fighting your fight with the big companies.

When you said she's only paying £1,000,

she's actually paid nearly £6,000, how can that be irrelevant?

And I'll be showing you how to shop smart and stay one step ahead.

So you don't turn up to the restaurant because that night, you can't be bothered, you're tired.

Can they claim compensation from you?

-So remember, don't get done...

-Get Dom.

On the programme today,

we delve into the underground world of the utility companies.

Problem pipes left one couple convinced they'd never see

the light at the end of the tunnel.

He got sucked into the hole, still holding one flag

and the other flags went down with him.

Our guide to part-worn tyres should help steer you

away from a motoring disaster.

So it looked like that, except in use in a very short period of time,

that's what happened.

And roving reporter Rani Price will be taking to the streets with

a rumbling tummy, trying to find out what you know about eating out.

It says on the menu "compulsory 15% service charge".

-Are you going to pay it?

-No.

If you suddenly find a hole in your favourite cardie,

at least you've got the option of patching it up or sewing it up.

However, if you find you've got a dirty great big hole in your driveway,

it's going to take more than a needle and thread to sort it out.

Val and Alan Lock from St Helens know that feeling only too well.

18 months ago, at the home they've been in for over 20 years,

something happened.

Holes started to appear in the ground outside the property.

The couple began to fear for their safety

and for anyone who visited them.

When anybody comes in the house are they going to be safe?

Your grandkids and your own kids, you know what I mean?

Just doesn't seem to be any end with it. Don't know what to do next.

Their saga started back in July 2011 when out of the blue a hole

appeared in their front garden.

Understandably, they called the local utility company,

United Utilities. After initial investigations,

they were told the hole had been caused by an old drain under

the road which had sunk, but the main sewer pipe was still

flowing, so they didn't try to fix it.

The dip stayed on the driveway

and they were told to talk to their own insurer,

as initially it seemed it could come under the property's boundary.

As it seemed it was their problem, they decided to live with it.

But three months later, they woke up to a worse shock.

A much bigger hole had appeared in front of their garage, just as the couple were due to go away.

I didn't expect anything that big at all. When it collapsed,

I just couldn't believe it that we'd had it at the front and now we'd got

this at the back, it was just like a continuous nightmare going on.

The couple decided that they would sort the problem themselves

and as a temporary measure to make it safe,

Alan filled in the hole and they went away on holiday.

But the break didn't relax them enough for what was to come.

In December 2011, the street in front of their home flooded,

affecting all their neighbours too. The couple believed the flooding

and the dips on their drive were part of the same problem.

A large team from United Utilities turned up to fix the flooding

and Val and Alan thought they were going to

fix their driveway at the same time.

They got all the floods sorted out, all the houses that the water was

overflowing into their drives, that ceased and the road opened up again.

So then they all packed up and went away.

But the flooding and dips on the driveway were just the tip of the iceberg.

It's now over a year later and the couple's garden

and drive has more holes in it.

Throughout that time,

United Utilities have been working to resolve the problem

and have excavated back and front to try and work out what's going on.

But no-one's any the wiser

and the stress of the situation is taking its toll on Alan and Val.

We're just so concerned. We don't know how many holes there is,

when it's going to go down.

We're just so terrified that somebody's going to have a

major accident.

The couple want to know exactly what's going on under their property

and more importantly, what's going to be done to fix the problem

and restore their garden and driveway back to its former glory.

But so far, United Utilities haven't been able to provide all of those answers.

I've come to meet the couple at their daughter's house up the road, to hear more about their troubles.

-Hi there. Alan? Nice to meet you.

-And you, mate.

-Do you want to come in?

-Yes, please.

-This is Val.

-Hi. Oh, lovely.

So this is the problem - the driveway is starting to collapse.

-Yes.

-OK. When was the first time you noticed the driveway collapsing?

It was about 18 months ago.

I know that after the floods and the fact that a hole appeared by their garage, the couple were very

worried that the dip on their front drive was part of a bigger problem with underground pipes.

Alan and Val asked the Consumer Council for Water to get involved and in March 2012,

United Utilities organised a dig in their front garden.

It proved quite risky, as the ground gave way under one of the workmen.

It was a potentially dangerous situation,

but the team did get a result.

So in March 2012, you were quite happy,

you thought everything had been sorted out.

Is there a "but" coming?

Yes, because they repaired the pipe, they refilled the hole,

but then they couldn't match our black paving,

so we were just left with an incomplete drive.

United Utilities say the original blocks

they took up were crumbling and couldn't be put back,

so they offered to replace them with best match blocks instead.

But the Locks weren't happy with that and the matter ended up

with United Utilities' legal services department.

Eventually, it was agreed they would use reclaimed paving blocks

to repair the drive, but the couple's driveway nightmares were far from over.

-Then you started noticing more problems, correct?

-Yes.

-How many dips are we talking about?

-Six. About six.

-Right, a considerable amount.

So you realised at this point your problems hadn't gone away, they were just getting worse.

Yes.

Alan and Val were worried that United Utilities'

repair to the sewer pipe under the driveway hadn't got to the bottom of the problem after all.

United Utilities said they would carry on investigating, but the

couple say they weren't kept well informed about what was going on.

In the meantime, Alan decided to carry out some

repairs of his own with the help of a friend.

We were trying to build it up ourselves,

so he was actually laying the flags and Alan was helping him

because he's quite a good stocky lad.

And he collapsed inside the hole.

And then this guy got sucked into the hole?

He got sucked into the hole, still holding one flag.

And the other flags went down with him.

-Was he injured?

-He was shocked and he'd got some scratches on his leg.

But he's quite a strong, stocky guy and the nightmare in my mind was

that my six-year-old grandson had been playing there the day before.

Because the ground looked OK once they'd levelled it all out.

So you must have told United Utilities that all

-of a sudden you've got this big crater on your driveway.

-Yep.

-Tell me they rushed round and sorted it out immediately.

-No.

It were about ten o'clock that night, we reported it in the morning when it had happened.

It was about ten o'clock at night.

I had to ring back twice before to check that someone was coming

to have a look what was happening. They put the fencing round.

They put fencing round it and then there was one and then another,

a couple of different engineers.

I think they were trying to find out what the issue

was before they started the dig.

That was part of the problem.

-Yeah.

-And that's when we said to them,

"It's gone at the front and now it's gone at the back. What's happening in the middle?"

All we got was, "Just let us concentrate on this first."

To be fair to United Utilities, it was clear there was something very

seriously wrong under the house and there was going to be no quick fix.

The collapse in front of the garage was linked to another leaking

pipe, which was also repaired, but the couple wanted a full

investigation to prevent any further dips or collapses.

In September 2012,

United Utilities commissioned a specialist report which used

hi-tech radar equipment to look at the ground

and pipework beneath the surface.

Obviously, they must have had some sort of engineer's report.

-Have you ever seen it?

-No.

We did ask for a copy of this report and we've asked for reports

of what they are doing at the moment and we've had nothing.

-They've refused to give it to you?

-No, they said they had a report,

but they couldn't understand what was on this report.

-Doesn't fill you full of confidence, does it?

-No, it doesn't.

'Alan and Val aren't clear about what exactly is going on with their

'drive, so I'll be glad to contact United Utilities on their behalf

'and ask some very key questions.'

I'll see if I can find out what the delay is, why things haven't been sorted out

and also what the actual problem is, which I think will be quite interesting.

If someone would have sat down with us with that first collapse

and said, "We need to investigate this", I'd have been a happy person.

It just seems to go from bad to worse now.

I just don't want to go back to that house any more.

It's not my home any more.

And as a result, the couple have to spend a lot of time

at their daughter Jo's house.

It can't make you feel very good,

-sleeping at night knowing that you're house is disappearing.

-Yes.

-You're not sleeping very well then?

-No.

-Both of you?

-Yes.

Both of us, no.

Val, how have you found the customer service?

Not very good. Not very good at all.

If I've wanted to find anything out, I've always had to ring them.

You just get fed up of waiting for someone to come back to us.

They actually did compensate us

with a £50 cheque for the cost of all the phone calls.

The £50 was a reimbursement.

It should be said that the couple and United Utilities

are still talking and investigations are still ongoing.

What the couple want more than anything are some clear answers

about what is going on and exactly what's going

to be done to fix their problems once and for all.

They are spending a lot of time at their daughter Jo's house

and she's concerned about the kind of impact the driveway saga is having on them.

Every time we get together, all we talk about is what's wrong

with the property and what has to be rectified.

The stress situation, how it's affecting them healthwise.

It's all we seem to talk about.

Mum and Dad are quite sociable

and we do have a lot of get-togethers as a family

and they won't invite anybody round at the moment

because they worried about what the state of the property looks like.

Nobody can park their car on the drive and it really is affecting

their lives on a daily basis and there is really no need for it.

I'll do my best for you. Don't worry too much.

I know you've had a bit of a rough time and thank you for your time.

Lovely. OK.

Well, it looks like I've got some digging to do.

As a company, United Utilities are big in the North.

As many as seven million people use their products

and they are responsible for providing water

to places like Greater Manchester and Merseyside.

And they are Britain's biggest listed water utility company

with profits of hundreds of millions of pounds.

You know, for everybody who thinks the life of a TV presenter

is all glamorous and nice, warm offices, it's not.

Here I am in my boring, lonely hotel room.

United Utilities. Expect a phone call.

I want to find out where United Utilities are

with their investigations and whether there are any the wiser

as to the root cause of the problem and what can be done to fix it.

After trying customer services,

I end up speaking to a young lady in the press office.

She doesn't want her voice used but don't worry,

I'll keep you in the loop.

We've had a couple come to us

with a problem relating to United Utilities.

It is something you have been addressing.

You have served them with a notice that you are about to go

on to the land and repair these holes.

This couple are quite concerned because they've got quite a large driveway,

that there are other problems throughout the driveway and that the same thing is going to happen.

There's no doubt that United Utilities are working to try and resolve the problem

but Alan and Val would like some commitment that the whole driveway

is going to be investigated and that individual holes won't just be patched up.

You had a radar report done on it

and an independent guy went down and did this report.

But you had two guys from United Utilities who both said

they actually need to find somebody to try and decipher the report.

They admitted they didn't really understand it.

I'm not sure I've actually used the right technical term here.

The couple whose house it is are telling me it's a radar report.

It's some sort of ultrasound or radar report or some specialist report.

We just wondered if we could get the ball rolling, try and find out what the state of play is

and see if we could have a copy of this report and find out what you guys are going to do.

How does that sound?

She says she will certainly look into it.

Nice talking to you. Bye-bye.

I always like it when I make my first call

because it gives me a good idea of what people are going to be like.

I spoke to a lady there and I've got to say, charming. Let's hope it stays that way.

I'm Rani Price and there is nothing I like better than helping you,

the buying public, through the minefield of regulations

to make sure you stay savvy shoppers.

Now, consumer law can be very confusing.

You've got your Sale Of Goods Act, Distance Selling,

Right To Return and it doesn't stop there.

But knowing just a few of these laws can save you not only money

but a lot of hassle as well.

Do you know what this is?

Today, I'm out on the streets, armed with questions to put to you, the buying public,

to find out if you know your consumer rights from your consumer wrongs.

-It says on the menu, compulsory 15% service charge.

-Compulsory?

Over the last 20 years, the amount we spend in restaurants has doubled.

And since we're getting so much practice, I thought I would put you to the test

and find out if you know your restaurant rights from your wrongs.

-Do you chaps like to eat out?

-We do, indeed.

I do when I get the opportunity.

-How do you like eating out?

-I love it.

I could get a lot of yeses to this question as so many of us eat out every week

and once in a while, the experience ends in the call to your local trading standards team.

Trading standards are sometimes contacted by members of the public

who have got complaints about restaurants.

This can be overcharging, it can be poor quality service

or it can even be illnesses caused by foods that they've eaten.

Of course, some problems don't stem from the food.

They come from not getting any.

What happens if the restaurant double-books?

So here's a little scenario for you. You've booked an amazing restaurant.

It is somewhere your mum has always wanted to go and you think,

for her birthday you're going to take her.

You turn up, all glammed up,

and unfortunately they don't have your reservation.

They have double-booked and now you don't have a table.

-What are you going to do?

-Complain.

I think I'd complain. I think I'd be unhappy about it.

You've waited for months for this table.

I would be angry and I'd probably demand, I don't know,

that they'd book us a table the next day or something.

I'd have to complain. There has to be a complaint.

-Do you think you have any right if you've booked a table?

-Definitely.

-Can you claim compensation from them?

-I don't know.

-Would you ever think of doing that?

-No.

-I wouldn't.

-Well, you could try to.

You could say, "I've travelled all the way here,

"I had to get a taxi because I've got my best heels on."

So it seems most people think not

but would we actually stand some chance

of getting culinary compensation if the restaurant turned us away.

If you turn up and you find that your table's been double-booked,

you might have a claim against the restaurant for a breach of contract.

When you book a table, you're actually entering into a legally binding contract

and if the trader fails to deliver that, then you may have a claim against them.

Surprising, eh?

No-one said the magic compensation word, although you all thought you'd complain.

But what happens if we the consumer get cold feet

and don't turn up for our reservation?

So the table's turned.

You're going out for this meal and your mum turns round and says,

"Son, it's very kind, but I've never really liked that restaurant. Let's not go."

You didn't turn up on the night because you were just too tired.

So can they claim compensation from you?

I've got no idea.

They have this table waiting, looking so beautiful, just for you and your mum.

I don't know. I would say no, but then I have no idea.

Maybe this bloke knows.

I've heard of something of such where if you book in advance

and if you don't cancel within a certain period,

that you are liable to pay some sort of compensation.

So yes, they would obviously have some sort of stipulation.

Kind of.

They can claim something back off you as well.

Some restaurants do say you have to cancel within 24 hours,

but if you don't give notice and don't turn up and the restaurant hasn't said that,

the restaurant could actually say,

"Well, we lost out on a table tonight. There were meant to be two paying customers.

"We couldn't fill the table. So therefore, you should compensate us."

But the chances are, they're not going to come knocking on your door.

Well, paying for a no-show doesn't affect all of us, I guess,

but here's something which hits all diners - service charges.

You're at the restaurant. It's amazing.

It's just what you thought it was going to be,

until the grumpy waiter comes along.

No interest in you.

He gets the whole meal wrong. He doesn't even notice you're there.

It's just terrible service.

-But it says on the menu, compulsory 15% service charge.

-Compulsory?

-It does say that on some menus now. So are you going to pay it?

-No.

You've refused to pay it but now they're saying,

"If you don't pay it, we're going to call the police."

What are the police going to do about it?

I don't think the police would be terribly impressed.

-It's a civil matter between you and the restaurant.

-Exactly.

If they said, "We-re going to call the police", would you pay it?

If it went down the long route, I think I just pay it.

I would still complain though. I would want something out of it.

So two people wouldn't pay and one might with a complaint. Who's right?

If you receive really bad service in a restaurant,

you may feel you don't want to pay that service charge that comes on the bill.

What we would suggest doing at trading standards is paying under protest.

Make it very clear in writing, perhaps on the back of the bill or the receipt,

that you're paying under the protest and that you are only paying it

because you don't want them to call the police, for example.

When you get home, you should write a letter to the manager of the restaurant,

saying you received bad service and that you're looking to reclaim that service charge.

If they still refuse to do that, you may need to consider taking county court action against them.

So remember our restaurant rules and you're guaranteed a good night out.

I've been in the north-west,

helping out a couple with a whole lot of trouble in their garden.

Over the last 18 months, Val and Alan Lock's driveway has had several

collapses with dips and holes appearing in the front and back.

It's gone at the back, it's gone at the front.

Our main concern is that the middle bit,

is that going to collapse on us?

I'm talking to United Utilities to see

if we can get to the bottom of when the problems will be fixed.

Broken pipes deep below the driveway seem to be the problem.

But getting a solution or even confirmation of what's wrong

has dragged on and the couple fear the worst.

I'm also trying to get United Utilities to send me

a copy of a report they had done.

They used specialist equipment that scanned the ground under the driveway.

The Locks believe the team who did it found important information

but United Utilities say it's too complex to understand.

Alan is not so sure.

This particular guy told me that there are big issues on this drive.

That there is voids down there.

There have been several e-mails back and forth between me

and United Utilities and they say they are looking at getting the report.

The couple feel that after more than a year

they have not been able to get a resolution and want me to help.

So, I want to talk to an expert.

The company has been working to try and rectify the problems

with Alan and Val's drive.

Trouble is, the couple feel they haven't been as well-informed

about what's been going on as they should've been.

But there has been a development.

A few days after my first call to the company,

the couple are given a start date for further investigation work.

They say this was planned before I contacted them

and the couple are pleased to see things happening.

We received a letter from United Utilities

saying that they were going to start the job this Monday.

We're hoping everything will go right

with the different guys that are coming.

Electricians, builders and the guys who are going to do the dig.

We're hoping it all goes to plan. I can't see it doing.

With work about to start, maybe we'll find out if pipes are the problem.

But it's not an area most people know anything about.

Let's be honest.

We take it for granted that all our waste water

just goes down the drain and disappears.

But when one of those drains starts causing havoc,

trying to get it fixed can leave us feeling completely washed out.

Surveyors are the experts in assessing what state

a property's drains and pipework are in.

That includes taking a close interest in all other types

of pipes that feed in or out of your house.

You will have pipes serving the gas meter,

electricity meter, trains, water mains.

Typically, the sorts of things you'd find on the property.

The water main will come up to a stopcock just outside the boundary or a water meter.

That's where it terminates and the responsibility from the boundary onwards is the householder.

Similarly, with the drain. In other words, the hedge or the brick wall before the pavement.

So up to the pavement is the boundary but the other side of that is your responsibility.

Of course, in the Locks' case, the problem is believed to have stemmed

from a sewer and drainage pipe outside of their property,

so United Utilities were obliged to deal with it.

But if not, there's always insurance. If you have it.

Building insurance covers escape of water claims.

If you had a leak, it would cover the resulting damage

but not the repair of the pipe.

They are under the policy, a typical policy,

there is damage cover for accidental damage to drains.

But it needs to be accidental, like if you are putting in a fence post

and you went straight through your drain, that would be covered.

But otherwise, there's no actual cover

to pick up those bits and pieces.

That's why these independent insurance people

try and get you to take out cover, which is a good idea

but you just need to make sure

you're not taking out cover that's already covered under your policy.

Whatever happens, the best thing to do is take the advice of a surveyor.

My top tips for the consumer,

when it comes to pipework below the property, would be to be observant.

If you're buying a new property, have as much survey as you can

and don't take things for granted.

If there is a change in something, have a look and carry out

further investigation, rather than having a problem later on.

Good advice. Chances are your home has some kind of drainage pipe

so it's good to know who's responsibility it is if there's a problem.

And up in St Helens, it seems the work has begun.

-Well, it's started.

-I can't believe it's even started!

The plan is to take down the carport

and much of the drive to see what's down there.

The team doing the job would rather we didn't film them doing it.

Well, they've actually turned up today.

They told me, I just asked them how long

and approximately three to four weeks before they finish the garage.

Luckily enough,

the electrician is now going in to take the electrics out and

then the builder is going in,

and he has just turned up and all so this is fantastic!

It's great that work is under way

but that age-old question still remains,

what exactly are the workmen going to be doing

'and will they be investigating the whole driveway?

'We've exchanged a few e-mails with United Utilities

'but they said they'd rather deal with the couple direct than me.

'That's fine in relation to the ongoing work

'but I still need answers about what has gone on beforehand.'

Crikey! E-mails going backwards and forwards,

as far as United Utilities are concerned.

Mr And Mrs Lock phoned us yesterday and said, "What is happening?"

I'm going to ring United Utilities

and see if they'll give me an answer.

Things are happening at the house now,

I just want to establish exactly what.

Hello, press office.

Could I speak to somebody, please,

about an ongoing situation with Mr and Mrs Lock.

Who am I speaking to, by the way?

Hello, Sean. Yes, I've received your e-mails back.

'The chap I'm speaking to would rather we didn't use his voice

'and tells me someone would need to call me back.'

Is there any reason we can't talk today, Sean?

'He says he'll pass on my request to the right people and get back to me.

'Fair enough.'

Can I just leave you with a question, Sean,

cos Mr and Mrs Lock called us yesterday

and they were hoping for an update on what was happening

so that's what I'm actually ringing for, see if I can find that out.

'He won't give me an answer but he will pass on the query.'

And you, Sean. Nice talking to you. Bye-bye.

'I may not have got any answers today

'but I'm confident they'll come through soon.'

Well, looks like this case is on the right track

but for those of you in a similar situation, there is an organisation

which deals with hundreds of complaints like theirs every year.

The Consumer Council for Water.

There are two regulators in the water industry.

There's Ofwat, the financial regulator,

that actually sets the prices for water companies,

and we are the customer service regulator.

We deal with water companies when they provide poor service to customers

and make sure those customers are put back

in a position where they are not disadvantaged.

And for anyone fearful that they could have a costly pipe nightmare

waiting in their garden, Steve has some good news.

With drainage pipes, the situation used to be very complicated

but thankfully, that was simplified last year,

back in October 2012, where the government changed the legislation

on who was responsible for drains.

The situation is now that a customer is only responsible for a drain

within the boundary of their private land, within their garden,

if it serves one property.

Anything outside of their property they are not responsible for

so they don't have the burden that they used to have.

So all shared drains on private land now are the responsibility

of the water company to clear.

And that also means that the drains customers used to be responsible for, which were out in the highway,

underneath the public pavement under public roads, they are now all

the responsibility of water companies to repair and maintain.

The responsibility for pipes does vary from property to property

because some properties can actually share a water pipe with a neighbour,

a terraced house, for example, can share a water pipe with a number of different properties.

Pipes leading to a block of flats would be the responsibility

of all the owners or occupiers of that particular block of flats.

And as ever, our experts can tell you where to go if you still need answers.

If anybody has questions,

cos it can be quite difficult to ascertain where your drains are,

where they go, where they go after they leave your property,

if you do have any questions about it,

it's well worth ringing your water company.

They'll probably point you in the right direction.

All water companies have advice on their website

about private drains and sewers

and indeed at the Consumer Council for Water,

we have maps and guides on our website

which will be able to explain to customers which sewer belongs to who.

We get thousands of e-mails asking for our help but unfortunately,

we can't answer all of them.

What we can do is warn you about some of the common consumer pitfalls so you don't get done.

In these budget-conscious days,

maybe you've had to make a few cutbacks

and buy some own brand products on the weekly shop

but buying some cut-price products needs a bit of thinking about.

Here's our guide to part worn tyres.

Part worn tyres are basically second-hand tyres.

You'd have them on a second-hand car

but some people buy them and fit them to their own cars,

as Nick Evans from Bristol Trading Standards knows only too well.

We rely on tyres. Our lives depend upon them.

With each tyre on the road, the print is about the size of the flat of your hand

and you've got four of those on the road.

If you are going round a corner very fast,

that's all you've got between you and the hedge.

Part worn tyres will have less tread than new ones

so it's vital that consumers know if they are buying one.

Tyres have to be marked as part worn

and if they're not marked as part worn,

that seller commits a criminal offence.

One of the things that anybody checking a tyre will need to know

is that there are no tears, no bulges,

there is the correct tread depth.

They can be safe if the right checks are conducted.

And some part worn tyres have led to serious legal cases,

such as the one Bristol Trading Standards investigated.

The tyre had been sold to someone

who hadn't realised what they were buying.

It all went wrong when they tried to drive with it.

This is the tyre that we took in as the complaint item,

and the tyre that was subjected to a close examination by an expert.

If you can imagine how this was when this was fitted,

it would have looked more or less like a new tyre

so it looked like that.

Except in use, in a very short period of time,

that's what happened.

The tyre twisted and warped as soon as it was driven on.

It wouldn't hold the road and hadn't even been marked as part worn.

The Trading Standards team contacted an expert

who examined the tyre fully. His report was remarkable.

The tyre expert came and he was amazing.

He submitted a very long report

and in that report he was able to say that this tyre was 16 years old.

It had been made originally in the Michelin factory in Italy.

He was able to say it had been fitted to a wheel

twice in its lifetime.

He was able to say that the wire strengthening

within the tyre was corroded.

In other words, rusted.

And because of that, effectively, the inside of the tyre

had become detached and that's what made it a dangerous tyre.

And when I saw that report, clearly it was something that we had to do something about.

There was no issue with the manufacture of the tyre,

just what had happened over the intervening years.

The driver who brought it was lucky to have noticed the problems

whilst driving but Trading Standards traced the worn tyre back

to the garage that sold it and successfully prosecuted the owner.

The outcome of the court case

was that the person we charged was convicted of the offences.

He was fined £3,000 for the supply of a dangerous tyre,

he was fined £500 for the misleading omission,

with regards to it being a new tyre,

and he was also fined £500

for not marking the tyre wall part worn, as he should have done.

With the court costs that were charged to him

and the compensation, the total bill to him was £7,000.

So what do you need to know about checking out a part worn tyre?

Well, a good place to start is to ask a man with 20 years experience in testing them.

Department for Transport statistics show

that over 1,100 accidents in 2011 were related to tyre-related issues.

Tyres are an important safety concern that people should be aware of.

That's over 20 accidents per week relating to tyres.

One recent survey looked at 50 part worn tyres

and found an amazing one third had serious safety concerns.

Steve has a collection of some that demonstrate some common faults.

You might think when you buy these tyres that they look pretty good.

In fact, this one here has got plenty of tread depth

but if we actually look at the age of the tyre,

we have a code here that explains the age of the tyre.

This tyre is actually 18 years old.

And some tyres need an experienced eye to spot their problems.

So here again we have a tyre that doesn't look too bad at first glance.

Plenty of tread depth.

But when we look inside the tyre, we can see it has had a puncture repair.

Which you can see on the inside of the tyre, there.

And when we look at the outside,

where that puncture's been carried out,

we can see there's still quite a serious hole there.

When a puncture repair is done,

there are British standards that people should adhere to

when they repair these tyres and this hasn't been done.

This hole here means that moisture can get into the tyre,

it can rust the cords of the tyre, which are made of steel,

and cause a serious problem when the car is out on the road.

So in this case we see there's a significant bulge in the side wall.

This means the tyre has taken a severe impact,

it's broken some of the cords in the tyre,

which give the structural integrity to the tyre.

So the tyre is weak in this area.

Part worn tyres are a real safety concern

and people must be aware of the precautions they must take before buying these tyres.

So if you are thinking of buying part worn tyres, remember what the experts say.

If a consumer has brought a part worn tyre

and are worried about the safety of that tyre,

they should really go back to the dealer where they bought the tyres

and he should be able to explain that the tyre's been inspected.

If they're not clear that the tyre is safe,

they can always contact Trading Standards for further information.

I'm back up north in St Helens to see the Locks.

It's been a long old wait but there is a sight I want to see for myself,

it's the sight of progress being made on that driveway.

Hi, Val. Hi, Alan. How are you doing, guys? All right?

'It looks like a building site around here,

'and I mean that in a good way.'

I tell you what, it might be an eyesore

-but at least things are happening, hey?

-I know. Thank goodness.

-It has got to be a big relief for you, hasn't it?

-Definitely.

I tell you what, I want to find out everything that's been going on but it's taters in the mould here.

I know I'm from down south but shall we go inside and have a cup of tea?

-Definitely.

-Well volunteered, Alan.

It's lovely to see you smile again because last time we met,

you looked like you had a lot of problems

which were worrying you a lot, you did say that.

But of course, things are on the up now.

You had 18 months of misery, haven't you? Just remind me of everything.

Well, it was just a nightmare. It wasn't going anywhere.

One of the frightening parts was the collapse at the back,

-where one of Alan's friends fell into it.

-Yeah, big hole.

And that was really frightening.

And they came and said they were going to get that sorted.

And we're going down the right lines now.

'There's no doubt that things have started moving a lot

'quicker in the last few weeks.'

United Utilities said this remedial work would have happened

regardless of my involvement,

but it's clear Alan and Val are happy to see progress.

That's all you wanted for the last 18 months.

I think what happened is great.

They've pulled everything out, all the stops.

I had an e-mail quite recently, as well, which said that the holes

they are digging are going to be 6.2 metres deep.

We are talking about 20 odd feet.

That's massive.

It's double the depth of most swimming pools, you know.

But you know, it shows now that they are not coming round and just patching things up.

The work going on is so extensive that the couple have moved out.

United Utilities are paying the cost for a hotel for them,

although they're actually staying at their daughter's.

I asked them to come stay with me because I could look after them

and my mum was in a really depressed state.

I didn't want them to move into a hotel,

I didn't want them to be isolated.

I wanted to look after her and she's been here with us.

The children have had to move into the same room, which is no hardship.

They're fine doing that. Mum and Dad are in Nathan's bedroom

and we have all just been muddling along together.

But there's no place like home, as the saying goes,

and at least there's signs of progress there.

So that's a big bonus.

The fact the work is being done

and we know they've thrown everything at this.

You've got workmen out there seven days a week, haven't you?

Yeah, they're really trying now.

These lads are doing their best. You can't fault them.

To be fair to United Utilities,

this has clearly been a very tricky problem to sort.

They tell us there were a number of unmapped private drains

and that the Locks' road used to be a mining area.

They say the complexity of the work means it has required

a lot of planning but the main thing now

is there is light at the end of the tunnel for Alan and Val.

It's nice to know that what has been said, it's been taken forward.

-Perfect. Just what you wanted.

-Absolutely great.

-Huge relief?

-Huge relief, yes!

'And it seems to me that for Val there's now been a change of heart.'

I didn't even want to come into this house but now,

I'm coming back in it without going, "This is a nightmare".

-You know?

-Yeah. Are you looking forward to getting back in?

I'm looking forward to coming back now.

You've had a lot of weight on your shoulders the last 18 months.

We contacted United Utilities and they gave us a statement which,

amongst other things, said:

They say, it was always our intention to find out if our pipes were responsible

and after launching a thorough excavated investigation,

one of the two United Utilities sewers under the drive

was found to be faulty so both will be replaced.

They also say:

Once finished, they say they will return the Locks' drive,

carport, garage and garden to good as new condition and that:

And that's something all the family is really looking forward to.

The fact my parents will get their home back means the world to them

because as much as they have been OK with us,

you know, they've been staying with us,

it's not like having your own place

and getting their own lives back

and they want to just put the whole situation behind them

and get on with their lives.

I tell you what, it's all looking good now, isn't it? All on the up.

So obviously, another months and you'll be back in here.

Fingers crossed.

-Alan, good to see you again.

-Thank you.

-And you as well.

-Thank you very much.

-Right. Who's going to show me out?

Valerie and Alan were planning on spending their golden years in that house and sadly,

because of what's been going on, they fell out of love with it.

I'm glad to say that now is a thing of the past.

They've got their home back.

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