0:00:02 > 0:00:03'My name's Dominic Littlewood
0:00:03 > 0:00:06'and I'm passionate about taking on your consumer battles.
0:00:06 > 0:00:11'In fact, taking companies to task has become my goal in life.'
0:00:11 > 0:00:14I'm looking for about £20,000 to sort this out once and for all.
0:00:14 > 0:00:18'Big or small - no company is excused from my quest to ensure
0:00:18 > 0:00:20'that you get what you're entitled to.'
0:00:20 > 0:00:23Have to wait for them to ring me back... Oh, so frustrating!
0:00:23 > 0:00:26'Whether it's getting your money back...'
0:00:26 > 0:00:28It was just unacceptable as a customer to be told no.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31'..or taking on your contract conundrums...'
0:00:31 > 0:00:33The response I got was not satisfactory
0:00:33 > 0:00:36because they failed to give me the information I asked for.
0:00:36 > 0:00:38'..I'm on your side.'
0:00:39 > 0:00:40'On today's show,
0:00:40 > 0:00:44'the motoring organisation that left one of its customers high and dry.'
0:00:44 > 0:00:49I just still cannot believe that they would come out
0:00:49 > 0:00:51to a 19-year-old lad who has broken down
0:00:51 > 0:00:55and decide that their position was
0:00:55 > 0:00:58that they were just going to drive away and leave him.
0:00:58 > 0:01:02'We show you how to navigate the knotty world of insurance.'
0:01:02 > 0:01:05Always check the small print and always check that you are getting covered, basically!
0:01:05 > 0:01:09'And the battle that boiled over for one energy provider's
0:01:09 > 0:01:10'long-suffering customer.'
0:01:11 > 0:01:14I was getting really frustrated
0:01:14 > 0:01:19and annoyed that I had been paying these monthly instalments
0:01:19 > 0:01:22for them to repair my boiler and they weren't doing it.
0:01:22 > 0:01:26I'm taking on your consumer problems to make sure you don't get done!
0:01:31 > 0:01:33If you saw a crime, an accident or a fire,
0:01:33 > 0:01:36you'd know who to dial, right? 999.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39But what about if it was one of those other emergency services?
0:01:39 > 0:01:42You know, like your house flooding, getting locked out,
0:01:42 > 0:01:44or even your car breaking down.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47Well, from plumbers to locksmiths to car recovery services,
0:01:47 > 0:01:50there's somebody out there to cover every eventuality.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53But I've heard from someone whose emergency service
0:01:53 > 0:01:55DIDN'T live up to its reputation.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59'Meet Mark Endacott.
0:01:59 > 0:02:01'He lives in York with his girlfriend,
0:02:01 > 0:02:04'but makes frequent trips down to Devon to visit his family and
0:02:04 > 0:02:06'he's written to me about a problem
0:02:06 > 0:02:09'he's had with his breakdown service.'
0:02:09 > 0:02:11They'd always been there when it had been something local,
0:02:11 > 0:02:14within ten miles they'd bring us back no problem,
0:02:14 > 0:02:18but as soon as it's the big one, the one that you actually WANT them for
0:02:18 > 0:02:21and NEED them for, that's when they let us down.
0:02:21 > 0:02:26'That day in March 2012, 19-year-old Mark was driving down to Devon
0:02:26 > 0:02:29'to help out on the family farm.'
0:02:29 > 0:02:31It's a sheep farm, so I've got to come down
0:02:31 > 0:02:34and help Dad with the lambing cos it's pretty full-on.
0:02:34 > 0:02:36'It can involve a lot of night shifts,
0:02:36 > 0:02:40'being up at three/four o'clock in the morning sometimes.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42'It's a lot of work.'
0:02:42 > 0:02:47'The journey from York to Mark's village of Spreyton, near Exeter,
0:02:47 > 0:02:50'is over 300 miles and takes around five hours.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53'Mark set off at lunchtime, hoping to be there for early evening.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56'But no sooner had he hit the dual carriageway,
0:02:56 > 0:02:58'than he ran into difficulty.'
0:03:00 > 0:03:06I got about 300 yards down the A64 when I realised that I'd lifted off
0:03:06 > 0:03:09the accelerator, but the car was continuing to speed up
0:03:09 > 0:03:11and me engine was just going crazy,
0:03:11 > 0:03:14it was revving up at 5,500rpm, maxing out.
0:03:14 > 0:03:16So I pulled off onto the hard shoulder,
0:03:16 > 0:03:18put my hazards on and turned the engine off
0:03:18 > 0:03:21and the engine continued to rev even when I pulled the key out,
0:03:21 > 0:03:23which was also quite worrying!
0:03:24 > 0:03:27'Eventually the engine stopped with a bang...'
0:03:30 > 0:03:32'..leaving Mark stranded on the hard shoulder.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35'But at this stage, he wasn't unduly worried.'
0:03:35 > 0:03:39At that point I was very glad to know that... "It's all right,
0:03:39 > 0:03:42"I've got an RAC card in me wallet, I've got the number there,
0:03:42 > 0:03:44"I can ring 'em and it shouldn't be too long
0:03:44 > 0:03:46"before I'm back on me journey."
0:03:46 > 0:03:49'Mark's dad Roy had taken out a family policy with the RAC,
0:03:49 > 0:03:53'which included everything from Home Start and Roadside Assistance
0:03:53 > 0:03:57'to the promise that if your car couldn't be fixed,
0:03:57 > 0:04:01'the RAC would take you and it to a destination of your choice
0:04:01 > 0:04:04'anywhere in mainland UK.'
0:04:04 > 0:04:06We took out the package that provided all the bells and whistles
0:04:06 > 0:04:09that would just mean that if anything went wrong,
0:04:09 > 0:04:13they would bring whoever it was and their car home safely.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16So that just gave peace of mind to parents who were just
0:04:16 > 0:04:18concerned with 17-year-olds out on the road.
0:04:19 > 0:04:23'Mark put in a call to the RAC and two hours later a mechanic arrived.
0:04:23 > 0:04:27'Unfortunately, his prognosis for Mark's car wasn't good.'
0:04:29 > 0:04:32He asked whether I'd put oil in the car and I hadn't,
0:04:32 > 0:04:34I'd checked the oil level, it was fine.
0:04:34 > 0:04:38And then he... He proceeded to tell me that
0:04:38 > 0:04:42he thought there WAS too much oil in the car and that as such,
0:04:42 > 0:04:46the engine had run off and the turbo had broken,
0:04:46 > 0:04:48all the turbo fins gone through the engine
0:04:48 > 0:04:50and destroyed the engine, really.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52'The mechanic decided the best course of action would be to take
0:04:52 > 0:04:56'the car to a local garage in Leeds to see if they could fix it.'
0:04:58 > 0:05:02'Unfortunately, the garage concluded that the engine was beyond repair
0:05:02 > 0:05:05'and that Mark would need a new one to complete his journey.'
0:05:06 > 0:05:12So I said to the RAC patrol guy, "OK, well, what can I do, then?
0:05:12 > 0:05:15"Are you going to take me home? Can I take me car home?"
0:05:15 > 0:05:19And he advised that I ring the RAC and speak to them.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22'Mark's family policy clearly stated
0:05:22 > 0:05:25'that if the car couldn't be fixed, the RAC would take the driver
0:05:25 > 0:05:29'and the car to a destination of the driver's choice.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32'So Mark assumed that they would take him down to Devon.
0:05:32 > 0:05:34'But when he called the RAC to discuss this,
0:05:34 > 0:05:36'he was in for a shock.'
0:05:37 > 0:05:40They were saying that because the patrolman had said
0:05:40 > 0:05:43it was oil too full, it was driver error,
0:05:43 > 0:05:46they didn't have any responsibility to do anything with me.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49'They also said that it would take ten hours to get the car to Devon
0:05:49 > 0:05:52'and that this would exceed the permitted hours
0:05:52 > 0:05:54'for the driver of the recovery vehicle.
0:05:54 > 0:05:57'But it didn't end there. Because Mark's car was an older model,
0:05:57 > 0:06:00'they didn't think it warranted being taken all the way to Devon
0:06:00 > 0:06:03'because it wouldn't be financially viable to repair it
0:06:03 > 0:06:04'once it got there.'
0:06:08 > 0:06:11'At a loss as to what to do, Mark called his dad,
0:06:11 > 0:06:13'who couldn't believe what he was hearing.'
0:06:14 > 0:06:17I said that's NOT the way it works, we have a policy that says
0:06:17 > 0:06:20it'll bring you home, it doesn't matter how long it takes,
0:06:20 > 0:06:22if they have to do it in stages with convoys of different people
0:06:22 > 0:06:25driving at different stages, it really doesn't matter.
0:06:25 > 0:06:30'Mark repeated all this to the RAC patrolman, but to no avail.'
0:06:32 > 0:06:35No matter how much I told the RAC that, they turned around
0:06:35 > 0:06:38and told me, "No, it's driver error, there is no contract here.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41"It's driver error, it's your fault, we don't have to take you anywhere."
0:06:41 > 0:06:44'And then the patrolman did something
0:06:44 > 0:06:46'which stunned both Mark and his dad.'
0:06:47 > 0:06:50Eventually, it got to the point where the RAC patrolman left.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55So I rang Dad and just said to him...
0:06:56 > 0:06:59"The RAC patrolman's just left me here, he's gone.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02"I'm just sat here in this garage with these garage folk, I'm..."
0:07:03 > 0:07:06"I'm left, I'm stranded here."
0:07:06 > 0:07:08And I said to him, "You have got to be joking!"
0:07:08 > 0:07:10He said, "No, he's just driven off and left me here."
0:07:10 > 0:07:13'As the garage had to close for the night
0:07:13 > 0:07:15'and had no room for Mark's motor,
0:07:15 > 0:07:17'it was left on the road along with Mark.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20'Fortunately, Mark had a friend who lived nearby.
0:07:20 > 0:07:22'He gave her a call and she came and collected him
0:07:22 > 0:07:24'and took him back to York.'
0:07:26 > 0:07:28'The following day, he took a train down to Devon,
0:07:28 > 0:07:31'paid for by his dad at a cost of £102.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34'Unsurprisingly, Roy was fuming.'
0:07:36 > 0:07:39This was for specific instances like this,
0:07:39 > 0:07:42where we needed the driver and the car
0:07:42 > 0:07:45to be brought to the destination of your choice
0:07:45 > 0:07:47and it just didn't happen.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50'Roy got straight on the phone to the RAC.'
0:07:52 > 0:07:55I contacted the RAC and spoke to them
0:07:55 > 0:07:58and explained what had happened and they said,
0:07:58 > 0:08:01"Oh, well, if you fill in a complaints procedure form
0:08:01 > 0:08:03"we'll investigate it."
0:08:03 > 0:08:06So I filled in all the paperwork, sent it all through to them...
0:08:07 > 0:08:08..and didn't hear anything.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11'A week later, Roy sent them another e-mail
0:08:11 > 0:08:13'and another one the day after that.
0:08:13 > 0:08:15'And eventually he got a response,
0:08:15 > 0:08:18'but it was far from what he was expecting.'
0:08:19 > 0:08:21There was absolutely no recognition
0:08:21 > 0:08:23that anything had gone wrong with this.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25They didn't acknowledge that they'd made a mistake
0:08:25 > 0:08:27in leaving the son by the road
0:08:27 > 0:08:29and according to the complaints procedure,
0:08:29 > 0:08:30everything had been done by the book.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35'And as far as Roy was concerned, that just wasn't good enough.'
0:08:36 > 0:08:40Here's me, the little guy, being turned over by the big organisation,
0:08:40 > 0:08:42they haven't delivered on what they were supposed to,
0:08:42 > 0:08:45I thought, "Actually, I think Dom might be the person
0:08:45 > 0:08:47"that could really help me here."
0:08:47 > 0:08:50I'll tell you what, we have got one very unhappy customer here
0:08:50 > 0:08:52because he's been a member with the RAC
0:08:52 > 0:08:55and been paying them money for 18 years now.
0:08:55 > 0:08:59'Roy complained to the RAC 21 months ago
0:08:59 > 0:09:02'and STILL hasn't had any satisfactory resolution
0:09:02 > 0:09:04'to his case.'
0:09:04 > 0:09:06I think it's time I put an e-mail in to them.
0:09:06 > 0:09:10'The RAC is one of the largest motoring organisations in the UK.
0:09:10 > 0:09:14'It has over seven million members and prides itself on offering
0:09:14 > 0:09:17'customers peace of mind when they're out on the roads.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20'Which is exactly why Roy signed up.'
0:09:20 > 0:09:23They seemed to be offering the best deal at the time
0:09:23 > 0:09:26and they'd got a good reputation, so we went with them.
0:09:26 > 0:09:30'Why do the RAC think people should sign up to their service?
0:09:30 > 0:09:34'Well, here's their advertising campaign from summer 2013.'
0:09:35 > 0:09:38The RAC advert promises you peace of mind and a helping hand
0:09:38 > 0:09:40when you're out and about.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45'This summer, we want you to get where you're going.'
0:09:45 > 0:09:49From Leeds to Devon? Not if your name's Mark Endacott.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52'That's why every RAC patrol
0:09:52 > 0:09:54'is equipped with over 500 parts and tools
0:09:54 > 0:09:56'and one qualified mechanic,
0:09:56 > 0:09:59'so we can fix four out of five cars at the roadside.'
0:09:59 > 0:10:01Unless, of course,
0:10:01 > 0:10:04your car is too old.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06'We don't just tow you to a garage...'
0:10:06 > 0:10:07And leave you there?
0:10:07 > 0:10:10'We bring the garage to you.'
0:10:10 > 0:10:13Unless the breakdown was your own fault.
0:10:13 > 0:10:17'Join today and get two months' membership free.
0:10:17 > 0:10:19'Motorists, we salute you.'
0:10:19 > 0:10:22'More like ABANDON YOU in Mark's case!
0:10:22 > 0:10:25'I would say that peace of mind is the last thing Mark Endacott got
0:10:25 > 0:10:28'from the RAC, and they certainly didn't get him
0:10:28 > 0:10:30'to where he was going.'
0:10:31 > 0:10:34'So I need to ask the RAC a few questions.
0:10:34 > 0:10:36'I want to know...'
0:10:48 > 0:10:50'Now, I've put all this in an e-mail,
0:10:50 > 0:10:52'so let's see what they come back with.'
0:11:01 > 0:11:04Phones, cars, houses, even our health,
0:11:04 > 0:11:07there's an insurance policy out there that will cover
0:11:07 > 0:11:08every aspect of our lives,
0:11:08 > 0:11:12but they don't always come up trumps when we get dealt a bad card.
0:11:12 > 0:11:16'And that's why, as consumers, it's good for us to be aware
0:11:16 > 0:11:18'that the devil is in the detail.'
0:11:18 > 0:11:22With my cat they said, "Your cat's got a broken front leg in the past,
0:11:22 > 0:11:25"so we're not going to insure your cat's front leg,"
0:11:25 > 0:11:27which to me, seems ridiculous.
0:11:27 > 0:11:29So always check the small print
0:11:29 > 0:11:31and always check that you're getting covered...
0:11:31 > 0:11:33well, for every leg, basically!
0:11:33 > 0:11:37'Insurance can seem quite daunting, but it's up to us, as consumers,
0:11:37 > 0:11:39'to check that we've got sufficient cover.
0:11:39 > 0:11:43'And I've got just the person to give us the lowdown
0:11:43 > 0:11:45'on where you stand with your insurers.'
0:11:46 > 0:11:48We help customers access suitable insurance for them,
0:11:48 > 0:11:50so they might be struggling,
0:11:50 > 0:11:52maybe they were in a nonstandard situation,
0:11:52 > 0:11:54they've got a medical condition and they want travel insurance,
0:11:54 > 0:11:56they've got convictions
0:11:56 > 0:11:58and they want some motor insurance...
0:11:58 > 0:12:00So we can help match them up with a suitable broker
0:12:00 > 0:12:04who's a specialist in that area, so they can have a solution.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07I am constantly receiving your e-mails
0:12:07 > 0:12:11complaining about insurance companies and it's no surprise!
0:12:11 > 0:12:13When you take a look at some of these policies,
0:12:13 > 0:12:15you'd need a PHD to fill one in!
0:12:16 > 0:12:18I think people can suffer from information overload,
0:12:18 > 0:12:21so they get policy booklets and where do they start?
0:12:21 > 0:12:22Do they want to read the entire thing?
0:12:22 > 0:12:25So they... Also we have problems as well when people buy online,
0:12:25 > 0:12:27we think the problem's magnified
0:12:27 > 0:12:28because they just go click, click, buy
0:12:28 > 0:12:31and they don't always check that that policy's suitable for them -
0:12:31 > 0:12:34how much is the excess, what are the exclusions?
0:12:34 > 0:12:36So it's very important that they do check and they speak to someone
0:12:36 > 0:12:39and they check they've got the right policy for them.
0:12:39 > 0:12:41Now, here's an interesting one for you.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44I've been contacted by a lady called Sue
0:12:44 > 0:12:45who had to cancel her holiday
0:12:45 > 0:12:47because she was admitted into hospital.
0:12:47 > 0:12:51Now, Sue did have travel insurance, but they refused to pay out
0:12:51 > 0:12:54cos it turns out that Sue had had tests for her condition
0:12:54 > 0:12:56in the previous 12 months.
0:12:56 > 0:12:58But Sue didn't think she needed to tell them
0:12:58 > 0:13:01because the tests came back as negative.
0:13:01 > 0:13:03Sadly, Sue, you were wrong.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05Every insurance company is different,
0:13:05 > 0:13:07but commonly, most insurers will say,
0:13:07 > 0:13:10"Have you been to the doctor in the last 12 months?
0:13:10 > 0:13:12"Have you been to hospital in the last 12 months?
0:13:12 > 0:13:14"Are you on any medication? Is it stable?"
0:13:14 > 0:13:16So those scenarios, whatever the situation,
0:13:16 > 0:13:18they'll want to know about it.
0:13:18 > 0:13:22They probably won't charge any more if it's just something fairly basic,
0:13:22 > 0:13:23but it is very, very important
0:13:23 > 0:13:26you disclose anything within those time periods.
0:13:28 > 0:13:30'The advice is clear - be completely upfront
0:13:30 > 0:13:33'and transparent with your insurers, as it will only be you
0:13:33 > 0:13:36'who ends up losing out by leaving out the details.'
0:13:36 > 0:13:39It's not just Sue who's contacted me,
0:13:39 > 0:13:41it seems a lot of you are missing out on payouts
0:13:41 > 0:13:44because YOU'VE failed to tell your insurance company
0:13:44 > 0:13:46something which would affect a claim.
0:13:46 > 0:13:48They call that "nondisclosure".
0:13:48 > 0:13:51It used to be the case that insurance companies would ask
0:13:51 > 0:13:53the policy holders to disclose any material fact
0:13:53 > 0:13:55that a prudent underwriter would want to know,
0:13:55 > 0:13:58but, of course, do consumers know what those facts are?
0:13:58 > 0:14:00So now there's been a change to consumer insurance law
0:14:00 > 0:14:03and that means that the insurance industry will ask
0:14:03 > 0:14:05the exact questions they need to know answers to.
0:14:05 > 0:14:07So nothing should be missed.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10Providing the customer answers honestly and positively,
0:14:10 > 0:14:12then all the information will be there
0:14:12 > 0:14:14and their claim should be paid.
0:14:14 > 0:14:18Good news for all of us, but I wonder where it leaves Laura.
0:14:18 > 0:14:21Laura contacted me after being involved in a car accident
0:14:21 > 0:14:24and she had to have operations because of fractures.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27Laura put a claim in to her insurance company,
0:14:27 > 0:14:30but they said serious injury is only covered
0:14:30 > 0:14:33if it involves the loss of a limb.
0:14:34 > 0:14:36'So, if like Laura, you're not happy with
0:14:36 > 0:14:39'the response of your insurers, what's the next step?'
0:14:41 > 0:14:44Complain to your insurance company that you're dealing with,
0:14:44 > 0:14:45try and work it out.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48If that doesn't happen, look in the back of the policy booklet
0:14:48 > 0:14:50and you can formally write to the chief executive of that insurer,
0:14:50 > 0:14:52they'll have about eight weeks to reply
0:14:52 > 0:14:55and if you're still not happy you can go to the
0:14:55 > 0:14:56Financial Ombudsman Service.
0:14:56 > 0:14:58It's free for customers and they will come down
0:14:58 > 0:15:01and they will look in detail at it, they're very customer friendly
0:15:01 > 0:15:04and any decision they make will be binding on the insurance company.
0:15:04 > 0:15:08So if they say to the insurer, "You have to pay," they have to pay.
0:15:10 > 0:15:12Some great advice there and by following it,
0:15:12 > 0:15:16you can make sure that your insurance cover works for you.
0:15:16 > 0:15:18First of all, when you're applying for insurance,
0:15:18 > 0:15:20answer all the questions honestly and accurately.
0:15:20 > 0:15:22Secondly, make sure the policy's suitable for you,
0:15:22 > 0:15:25that it covers all the limits and areas that you want it to.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28And then finally, make sure you're aware of its limitations
0:15:28 > 0:15:29and its exclusions,
0:15:29 > 0:15:31what doesn't it cover?
0:15:33 > 0:15:36And remembering those should mean you don't get done.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49'I've been looking into a complaint made against the RAC
0:15:49 > 0:15:51'by Roy Endacott and his son Mark.
0:15:51 > 0:15:55'Roy had been a loyal member of the RAC for 18 years,
0:15:55 > 0:15:58'taking comfort from the notion that they would always be there
0:15:58 > 0:16:02'should he or his family run into difficulty out on the roads.'
0:16:04 > 0:16:08Just having the RAC available to call out wherever you were
0:16:08 > 0:16:12in the country, was just a comfort to know.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15'But now his trust in them has been seriously eroded
0:16:15 > 0:16:18'after his 19-year-old son was abandoned
0:16:18 > 0:16:20'on his way from York to Devon.'
0:16:22 > 0:16:27I just still cannot believe that they would come out to
0:16:27 > 0:16:30a 19-year-old lad who has broken down and the car is obviously
0:16:30 > 0:16:32NOT going to get him to his destination
0:16:32 > 0:16:35and decide that their position
0:16:35 > 0:16:38was they were just going to drive away and leave him.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41'Thanks only to a friend, Mark managed to get home to York
0:16:41 > 0:16:44'and then got a train to Devon the following day.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47'But his car was left sitting at the side of the road,
0:16:47 > 0:16:49'outside a garage in Leeds
0:16:49 > 0:16:52'and the family were eventually obliged to scrap it.'
0:16:52 > 0:16:55I think we got £180 for a car with four new tyres
0:16:55 > 0:16:59and a tank full of fuel on it... that probably, the tyres
0:16:59 > 0:17:02and the fuel, would have been more than the 180 quid!
0:17:02 > 0:17:04So it really didn't do us
0:17:04 > 0:17:07any favours having to scrap it in that way.
0:17:07 > 0:17:11'I want to get to the bottom of what went wrong here.
0:17:11 > 0:17:13'So I e-mailed the RAC a couple of days ago
0:17:13 > 0:17:16'to get their side of the story and, hey presto,
0:17:16 > 0:17:17'I've got a response.'
0:17:17 > 0:17:21Pete Williams from the RAC has e-mailed my office
0:17:21 > 0:17:25and said that Mr Endacott cancelled his agreement in May 2012,
0:17:25 > 0:17:28so they thought the problem would be put to bed.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31He then said, "Does he want it reopened again?"
0:17:31 > 0:17:32I said, "Yes, course he does!"
0:17:32 > 0:17:36So they've now said they're going to have another look into it.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38I've got a good feeling about this one.
0:17:40 > 0:17:43'There are 44 million licensed drivers in the UK.
0:17:43 > 0:17:49'And last year we travelled over 300 billion miles on UK roads.
0:17:49 > 0:17:53'Perhaps unsurprisingly, quite a few of us also broke down.
0:17:53 > 0:17:57'There were 212,000 breakdowns last year on motorways alone,
0:17:57 > 0:18:00'meaning the recovery service were kept busy.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03'So with this many vehicle users and this number of breakdowns,
0:18:03 > 0:18:06'how common is it for customers
0:18:06 > 0:18:07'to be let down by their recovery service?'
0:18:07 > 0:18:09Hi, Emma.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11'I'm going to ask someone who should know.'
0:18:12 > 0:18:14Emma, you're a motoring consumer journalist,
0:18:14 > 0:18:16so you hear about all sorts of problems.
0:18:16 > 0:18:21Have you ever heard about one of the big breakdown recovery services
0:18:21 > 0:18:24ever NOT getting somebody down when they WERE covered
0:18:24 > 0:18:26and then refuse to get them home?
0:18:26 > 0:18:28Well, I'm sure it does happen, but I have to say,
0:18:28 > 0:18:31this is not something that we come across very often at all,
0:18:31 > 0:18:33I think it's very rare.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36I think in the main, the rescue and recovery business
0:18:36 > 0:18:38is very reliable, and, you know,
0:18:38 > 0:18:40you pay for peace of mind and usually get it.
0:18:40 > 0:18:44But, of course, there will be instances where people are let down,
0:18:44 > 0:18:46as is the case in any industry.
0:18:46 > 0:18:50Can you think of any acceptable reason why that wouldn't happen?
0:18:50 > 0:18:51No, not really.
0:18:51 > 0:18:55If you've paid for a certain amount of cover, then you should get it.
0:18:55 > 0:18:57Really what you need to do is just make sure you know
0:18:57 > 0:18:59what your policy covers you for.
0:18:59 > 0:19:01I think that's the main mistake a lot of people make,
0:19:01 > 0:19:04is that they think they've paid for more cover than they actually have,
0:19:04 > 0:19:06so just read the terms and conditions,
0:19:06 > 0:19:08know what you're buying and then relax.
0:19:10 > 0:19:11'Following that chat,
0:19:11 > 0:19:14'I'm wondering whether there was anything in Roy and Mark's
0:19:14 > 0:19:17'terms and conditions that might justify the RAC
0:19:17 > 0:19:18'leaving Mark at the roadside.'
0:19:20 > 0:19:25I've pulled up an online version of Roy's RAC policy document.
0:19:25 > 0:19:27And it clearly states here that he does have
0:19:27 > 0:19:30At Home, Roadside, Recovery and Onward Travel
0:19:30 > 0:19:32for him and his family.
0:19:32 > 0:19:34So what exactly does all that cover mean?
0:19:34 > 0:19:37Well, their definition for Roadside is, quote:
0:19:37 > 0:19:40"We'll fix your vehicle at the roadside,
0:19:40 > 0:19:43"as long as you're over a quarter of a mile away from home.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46"If we are unable to fix your vehicle,
0:19:46 > 0:19:49"we'll tow you up to ten miles to a destination of your choice,
0:19:49 > 0:19:52"local garage or a place of safety."
0:19:52 > 0:19:54So, box ticked, he's got that.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56Recovery means:
0:19:56 > 0:19:59"We'll take you, up to seven passengers and your car
0:19:59 > 0:20:03"to a chosen destination anywhere in mainland UK."
0:20:03 > 0:20:05Again, box ticked. He's got that.
0:20:06 > 0:20:08Onward Travel means:
0:20:08 > 0:20:11"We'll ensure that your travel plans are not seriously interrupted
0:20:11 > 0:20:14"if your car cannot complete the journey.
0:20:14 > 0:20:15"We will provide you with
0:20:15 > 0:20:17"a replacement vehicle for up to three days,
0:20:17 > 0:20:21"or overnight accommodation or alternative transport costs."
0:20:21 > 0:20:24Now, we know for a fact that Mark wasn't given the option
0:20:24 > 0:20:26of where he was going to be taken to,
0:20:26 > 0:20:29he was simply dropped off at a local garage.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32He was told that they wouldn't take him all the way back to Devon
0:20:32 > 0:20:35because it was too far, his car wasn't worth it,
0:20:35 > 0:20:38plus the driver would have gone over his ten-hour shift.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41He also wasn't offered a replacement vehicle
0:20:41 > 0:20:45or an overnight accommodation, or alternative transport costs.
0:20:45 > 0:20:47So, there is a discrepancy between what the RAC
0:20:47 > 0:20:50are promising here in their policy document
0:20:50 > 0:20:53and what the Endacott family were actually offered, which is not good.
0:20:54 > 0:20:57'So, where do Roy and Mark actually stand here?
0:20:57 > 0:21:02'The London Association of Recovery Operators is a trade organisation
0:21:02 > 0:21:06'that represents recovery companies, including the RAC,
0:21:06 > 0:21:08'so they should be able to tell us
0:21:08 > 0:21:11'exactly what kind of service customers can expect.'
0:21:11 > 0:21:15The recovery industry has changed a great deal over the last 25 years.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18Cars have become a lot more reliable,
0:21:18 > 0:21:20less volumes of traffic out there.
0:21:20 > 0:21:24This has then led to inconsistencies of work to recovery operators,
0:21:24 > 0:21:26which has impacted on their business
0:21:26 > 0:21:28and their availability to provide a service.
0:21:28 > 0:21:32'What are the most common call-outs?'
0:21:32 > 0:21:35Feedback from our members tell us that the
0:21:35 > 0:21:39most common causes of breakdown are flat or faulty tyres,
0:21:39 > 0:21:44flat or faulty batteries, followed by accidents and misfuels
0:21:44 > 0:21:47and electrical faults, starter motors and alternators.
0:21:47 > 0:21:52Roughly 10% of breakdowns are caused by human error.
0:21:52 > 0:21:56'Mark Endacott was told his breakdown was due to human error,
0:21:56 > 0:21:58'but should that mean he's left stranded?'
0:21:59 > 0:22:02If the customer has full breakdown cover,
0:22:02 > 0:22:05then he is entitled to have the car moved to the garage of his choosing.
0:22:05 > 0:22:09'But that didn't happen because Mark was also told his car was
0:22:09 > 0:22:11'old and beyond repair.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14'Now, I didn't see any exclusions in his policy to cover this.'
0:22:15 > 0:22:18The age of the car shouldn't impact on...
0:22:18 > 0:22:21On the ability for the recovery operator to do the job.
0:22:21 > 0:22:23As long as he has the relevant cover
0:22:23 > 0:22:27or is willing to pay for that service, it shouldn't be an issue.
0:22:27 > 0:22:31'That's exactly what I thought. So, what about those driving hours?
0:22:31 > 0:22:34'I mean, after all, it is a long way between Leeds and Exeter.'
0:22:34 > 0:22:38There are laws that will regulate the amount of driving hours
0:22:38 > 0:22:41that a recovery operator will be able to work
0:22:41 > 0:22:43and this will very much impact
0:22:43 > 0:22:45on the service that the consumer receives.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49'These laws come from the EU
0:22:49 > 0:22:52'and they give the maximum daily driving time as nine hours.
0:22:52 > 0:22:56'But despite these laws, Mark does say that companies can use
0:22:56 > 0:23:00'a relay system to transport vehicles and provide a courtesy car
0:23:00 > 0:23:03'to the customer to make sure they get from A to B.
0:23:03 > 0:23:05'Well, that clearly didn't happen in this case.'
0:23:06 > 0:23:09They've been called upon, in a breakdown,
0:23:09 > 0:23:14to deliver on what the premium was paid for.
0:23:14 > 0:23:15And they drove off.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18I still cannot believe they would do that.
0:23:18 > 0:23:19'Nor me.
0:23:19 > 0:23:20'So what does Mark advise
0:23:20 > 0:23:23'if you have a complaint against your service provider?'
0:23:23 > 0:23:25If the customer is not happy with their breakdown cover,
0:23:25 > 0:23:28they should talk to their service provider,
0:23:28 > 0:23:31just to make sure they are entitled to that full service.
0:23:31 > 0:23:33If they don't get any joy with the call handler,
0:23:33 > 0:23:36talk to their manager or supervisor.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39'That's all well and good, but in Roy and Mark's case
0:23:39 > 0:23:42'they had no joy getting a response to their complaints
0:23:42 > 0:23:44'with anyone at the RAC,
0:23:44 > 0:23:47'and I'm convinced they didn't get the service they should have.'
0:23:47 > 0:23:51Time to call the RAC and find out what's gone wrong in Roy's case.
0:23:51 > 0:23:55They're probably just going to be saying, "I'm ever so sorry, it shouldn't have happened,"
0:23:55 > 0:23:57which is fair enough, we all make mistakes, but then I'll say,
0:23:57 > 0:24:00"Well, hang on, what are you going to do about it?"
0:24:00 > 0:24:03DIALLING TONE
0:24:03 > 0:24:07'I get through to his voice mail, so I leave a message.'
0:24:09 > 0:24:10Hi, Pete, good morning to you.
0:24:10 > 0:24:12It's Dominic Littlewood calling from the BBC.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15I wonder if you'd be kind enough to give us a call back, please.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17'I'm sure he will, but if he doesn't,
0:24:17 > 0:24:20'I'll just try him again a little later on.'
0:24:23 > 0:24:26Now, one of the things Mark was told was that his breakdown
0:24:26 > 0:24:29'was due to driver error, something he's always denied.
0:24:29 > 0:24:33'But what kind of driver errors DO cause breakdowns
0:24:33 > 0:24:35'and what can you do to avoid them?
0:24:35 > 0:24:38'I've come to meet mechanic Jim Piercy at his garage
0:24:38 > 0:24:39'in southeast London.'
0:24:41 > 0:24:44Hello, Jim, nice to meet you. Thanks for agreeing to see me.
0:24:44 > 0:24:45I want a bit of advice.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48A lot of the time, people keep driving and driving
0:24:48 > 0:24:50until they do break down and then it causes panic stations.
0:24:50 > 0:24:52Show us what people should be doing, then.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55The first thing they should be doing is checking their oil level,
0:24:55 > 0:24:58which is... On most cars now, the dipstick will have a colour on it.
0:24:58 > 0:25:00Yeah.
0:25:00 > 0:25:02You take the dipstick out, you clean it first.
0:25:02 > 0:25:06Make sure it's bone dry and once it's bone dry,
0:25:06 > 0:25:08you put it back in the dipstick hold,
0:25:08 > 0:25:10all the way down and straight the way out.
0:25:10 > 0:25:14- Yeah.- And then you can see the oil onto the crease,
0:25:14 > 0:25:16which is the mark that shows this is OK.
0:25:16 > 0:25:18Now, the person I'm trying to help out
0:25:18 > 0:25:19was told the reason his car had broken down
0:25:19 > 0:25:22was because it had TOO MUCH oil in it.
0:25:22 > 0:25:23Does that sound like a genuine reason?
0:25:23 > 0:25:26Yeah, that's just as bad as having not enough oil in it
0:25:26 > 0:25:29because with too much oil, it burns the oil,
0:25:29 > 0:25:32the oil goes into the catalytic converter and it soots it up
0:25:32 > 0:25:34and it stops it from running.
0:25:34 > 0:25:36So it's important not to go under or over?
0:25:36 > 0:25:38Yep, just as important, yeah.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40If you go under, of course, what's the worst-case scenario?
0:25:40 > 0:25:43Engine failure. Engine'll seize, it's a throwaway.
0:25:43 > 0:25:45OK, what are the other important things, then?
0:25:45 > 0:25:48One people would worry about is the water, the coolant.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50- We used to have a radiator with a cap on...- Yep.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52..it doesn't exist any more, does it?
0:25:52 > 0:25:55No. Usually they're an expansion tank and they've got a screw on top
0:25:55 > 0:25:58and they should, or most of them do, carry a warning.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01- Never remove it when it's hot. - Right.
0:26:01 > 0:26:03- Because they build up pressure. - Yeah, OK. Like a volcano?
0:26:03 > 0:26:05And it's steam, yeah, added pressure
0:26:05 > 0:26:07and if you try to take it off, you'll just...
0:26:07 > 0:26:10- The water'll go, pffft, over the top, dangerous. - You'll burn yourself.
0:26:10 > 0:26:14But once it's chilled - you should do it in the morning before you start off on your journey -
0:26:14 > 0:26:15just unscrew the cap.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18- You're not just filling it with water.- Or antifreeze.
0:26:18 > 0:26:22Or antifreeze, it should be a mix, usually around about a 50-50 mix.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25'And Jim has one more simple piece of advice to help us
0:26:25 > 0:26:28'avoid the dreaded breakdown.'
0:26:28 > 0:26:30Get your car serviced once a year.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33'Well, I have to say, it's encouraging to know
0:26:33 > 0:26:37'that some of the more minor vehicle malfunctions CAN be avoided
0:26:37 > 0:26:39'if you just spend a little bit of time
0:26:39 > 0:26:41'keeping on top of basic maintenance.
0:26:41 > 0:26:44'Now, I need to get back onto the RAC.'
0:26:46 > 0:26:47'Morning, press office.'
0:26:47 > 0:26:49Oh, hi, good morning, is Pete Williams there, please?
0:26:49 > 0:26:51'Speaking.'
0:26:51 > 0:26:53Oh, Pete, hi, good morning, it's Dominic Littlewood from the BBC.
0:26:53 > 0:26:55'Hi, hi, how are you?'
0:26:55 > 0:26:56I'm all right, thanks, Pete,
0:26:56 > 0:26:58I haven't caught you at a bad time, have I?
0:26:58 > 0:26:59- 'No, no, it's fine.' - Ah, brilliant.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02Pete, I think you were half expecting my call.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05You're obviously quite familiar with the story, I think, aren't you, Pete?
0:27:05 > 0:27:06'Yes, I am.'
0:27:06 > 0:27:09Just want to know...what went wrong with Mr Endacott.
0:27:11 > 0:27:12'Yeah, basically, you know,
0:27:12 > 0:27:16'we reviewed the decision that was made back in, sort of...
0:27:16 > 0:27:18'Whilst his first approach to us was in March,
0:27:18 > 0:27:22'I think the actual breakdown was 12 March, was it?'
0:27:22 > 0:27:24I've got 19 March.
0:27:24 > 0:27:26- '19 March, right, OK.'- Yeah.
0:27:26 > 0:27:32'Obviously we reviewed how we'd handled the breakdown and the call
0:27:32 > 0:27:35'and we'd stood by that decision.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37'Obviously, now, you've come back to us,
0:27:37 > 0:27:40'we've reviewed it and actually, we don't agree,
0:27:40 > 0:27:44'we don't feel we served Mr Endacott appropriately in that instance.'
0:27:44 > 0:27:48'This is good news, hopefully we might get somewhere.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51'Pete goes on to say that they're looking into
0:27:51 > 0:27:53'what they can do to rectify this.
0:27:53 > 0:27:55'But I still want to try and get to the bottom
0:27:55 > 0:27:57'of why this happened in the first place.'
0:27:57 > 0:28:00Pete, can I just ask you one or two questions?
0:28:00 > 0:28:02When I read the story about this and heard all about it,
0:28:02 > 0:28:04what slightly concerned me -
0:28:04 > 0:28:06it's an older vehicle, it's a Y-reg car -
0:28:06 > 0:28:08would there be a difference in this breakdown
0:28:08 > 0:28:12if it was a newer, more expensive or even a sort of...
0:28:12 > 0:28:14you know, a high-end vehicle?
0:28:14 > 0:28:16'I don't believe so.
0:28:16 > 0:28:19'I can't understand why that would be any different,
0:28:19 > 0:28:22'but I can certainly ask the question of our operational team
0:28:22 > 0:28:23'and the customer service guys.'
0:28:23 > 0:28:26The other thing I'd like to ask is what's the procedure
0:28:26 > 0:28:29if the destination journey is going to be a long one?
0:28:29 > 0:28:32So more than, say, 12 hours or 300 miles.
0:28:32 > 0:28:34Do you have a certain cut-off point where a driver can't drive
0:28:34 > 0:28:36or won't drive, for whether it's legal reasons
0:28:36 > 0:28:39or just your own guidelines, or something?
0:28:39 > 0:28:41'There is an awful lot of legislation
0:28:41 > 0:28:44- 'around the mileage a driver can travel.'- Yeah.
0:28:44 > 0:28:49'Also, obviously, it's dependent on the level of cover somebody has.
0:28:49 > 0:28:52'If it's a recovery to home
0:28:52 > 0:28:55'and you're talking about hundreds of miles,
0:28:55 > 0:28:57'then we would actually have to
0:28:57 > 0:29:01'engage a proper recovery vehicle driver and they would be using tacho
0:29:01 > 0:29:06'and meet the laws of the road in terms of driver hours.
0:29:06 > 0:29:10'But there shouldn't be a limit on the distance they would travel.'
0:29:10 > 0:29:13So if something goes over hours, what would happen then?
0:29:13 > 0:29:16Would they then be put in a hotel?
0:29:16 > 0:29:19Would they then just be dropped off at a local garage?
0:29:19 > 0:29:22'Yeah, we have an Onward Travel level of cover,
0:29:22 > 0:29:24'there we'd potentially put the driver on a train
0:29:24 > 0:29:27'and recover the vehicle in time as well.
0:29:27 > 0:29:30'And there we can use a couple of recovery drivers.
0:29:30 > 0:29:32'It might be that they meet sort of halfway at Birmingham
0:29:32 > 0:29:34'and the vehicle's then relayed on another vehicle,
0:29:34 > 0:29:37- 'where they're starting afresh on a new tacho, so...'- Yeah.
0:29:37 > 0:29:40'Let me get the insight from the guys who deal with this
0:29:40 > 0:29:42'on a day-to-day basis and I'll come back to you.'
0:29:42 > 0:29:44If you could clarify that it'd be very interesting.
0:29:44 > 0:29:45'Absolutely, OK.'
0:29:45 > 0:29:48Smashing. Nice talking to you, Pete, I'll wait for you to call back.
0:29:48 > 0:29:50Thank you, then. Bye-bye.
0:29:51 > 0:29:53Right, I eventually got to speak to Pete from the RAC,
0:29:53 > 0:29:56I put a few questions to him and I've asked for some money back.
0:29:56 > 0:29:57Nothing greedy.
0:29:57 > 0:30:00He said he's going to give me a call back this afternoon,
0:30:00 > 0:30:04so, that's about... three hours away, let's see.
0:30:13 > 0:30:15When the unexpected happens, it's nice to know that
0:30:15 > 0:30:18you've got peace of mind and help is at hand.
0:30:18 > 0:30:21And there are loads of home emergency policies out there
0:30:21 > 0:30:23to protect you when things go wrong.
0:30:23 > 0:30:25But I've heard from a lady whose boiler insurance
0:30:25 > 0:30:27left her out in the cold.
0:30:27 > 0:30:31'Jean Bailey, from Buckinghamshire, had a battle that boiled over
0:30:31 > 0:30:32'with her energy supplier E.ON.
0:30:32 > 0:30:36'It all began in her previous home in Staffordshire.'
0:30:37 > 0:30:40I lived in the house for 24 years,
0:30:40 > 0:30:47but the boiler I had only installed nine, ten years previous to that.
0:30:47 > 0:30:49'Jean had the boiler serviced every year
0:30:49 > 0:30:53'and when she switched her energy supplier three years ago,
0:30:53 > 0:30:54'for that extra peace of mind,
0:30:54 > 0:30:58'Jean took out a boiler service contract with E.ON.'
0:30:58 > 0:31:02Initially, the monthly contract was about £20.
0:31:02 > 0:31:07I set up a direct debit to pay for the monthly instalments.
0:31:07 > 0:31:10The contract, as far as I was aware,
0:31:10 > 0:31:13covered spare parts, service, everything.
0:31:13 > 0:31:17'And for two years, everything was cosy with the boiler,
0:31:17 > 0:31:19'but then in mid-November...'
0:31:19 > 0:31:22When I got up in the morning the house was cold,
0:31:22 > 0:31:25so I realised that it hadn't come on.
0:31:25 > 0:31:27So I would go downstairs and have a look
0:31:27 > 0:31:29and the pilot light wasn't on.
0:31:29 > 0:31:32In the evening it would probably be OK,
0:31:32 > 0:31:36but the following evening it maybe wouldn't come on again.
0:31:36 > 0:31:39That's when I realised there's something wrong with it.
0:31:39 > 0:31:43I rang E.ON, told them what the problem was, and they said, yes,
0:31:43 > 0:31:45they would send an engineer out.
0:31:45 > 0:31:48'And almost a week later, help finally arrived.'
0:31:48 > 0:31:51When the young lad came, he looked at the boiler,
0:31:51 > 0:31:54but went upstairs to the linen cupboard,
0:31:54 > 0:31:58decided that there was some wires or something needed to be replaced,
0:31:58 > 0:32:02replaced them, tried the boiler again
0:32:02 > 0:32:06and it did come on, so I thought the boiler was repaired.
0:32:07 > 0:32:14The next morning the house was cold and I was not a happy bunny!
0:32:14 > 0:32:18'I can imagine! But the same engineer came straight back round.'
0:32:18 > 0:32:21He'd had a look at all the wires
0:32:21 > 0:32:24that he had put in and one of them was loose,
0:32:24 > 0:32:29so he repaired it, tried it again and it did come on and it was fine.
0:32:29 > 0:32:33I think it was fine for about two days after that.
0:32:33 > 0:32:34'Is that all?!
0:32:34 > 0:32:37'The boiler went back to its old ways of intermittingly working!
0:32:37 > 0:32:40'This became all the more frustrating
0:32:40 > 0:32:42'as Jean was planning to put her house on the market
0:32:42 > 0:32:45'and she couldn't do that with a busted boiler.'
0:32:45 > 0:32:49I was getting really frustrated and annoyed
0:32:49 > 0:32:52that I had been paying monthly instalments
0:32:52 > 0:32:55for them to repair my boiler and they weren't doing it.
0:32:55 > 0:32:57'And what followed was another engineer's visit,
0:32:57 > 0:33:02'followed by a report, followed by a fourth visit!'
0:33:02 > 0:33:06He stripped the boiler, put seals all around the boiler,
0:33:06 > 0:33:09and it worked while he was there.
0:33:09 > 0:33:12Three, four days after that, it started intermittently
0:33:12 > 0:33:17coming on and off, and by this time I had had enough.
0:33:17 > 0:33:18'I don't blame you.
0:33:18 > 0:33:22'Four visits and no fix, it's not what you pay £20 a month for,
0:33:22 > 0:33:23'that's for sure.
0:33:23 > 0:33:27'Having put her house on the market, Jean took drastic action.'
0:33:28 > 0:33:33I decided that I must try and get an independent contractor
0:33:33 > 0:33:35to come out and repair the boiler.
0:33:35 > 0:33:38I went on the internet, found this lad
0:33:38 > 0:33:43and he said he would come and have a look.
0:33:43 > 0:33:46I was aware that I would have to pay it out of my own money,
0:33:46 > 0:33:48but I needed my boiler repaired.
0:33:49 > 0:33:52'Enter plumber Gary Everson.'
0:33:53 > 0:33:55The other contractor said that it actually wasn't her boiler,
0:33:55 > 0:33:58it was the pump and the zone valve that was faulty
0:33:58 > 0:34:00and they replaced both of them.
0:34:00 > 0:34:03'So E.ON thought it was to do with her central heating system,
0:34:03 > 0:34:05'not the boiler.'
0:34:05 > 0:34:07As far as I'm concerned, the diagnosis was wrong.
0:34:07 > 0:34:10It was the actual boiler at fault, not the central heating system.
0:34:10 > 0:34:13The problem with Jean's boiler was intermittent,
0:34:13 > 0:34:16it was the switch and the flume that was causing the problem.
0:34:16 > 0:34:20When the independent engineer told me that there was two parts
0:34:20 > 0:34:25that it could have been, I was so pleased that someone
0:34:25 > 0:34:30could tell me there was a problem and that he could repair it.
0:34:30 > 0:34:35'Gary came back the next day with the parts and the job was done.'
0:34:35 > 0:34:38Once I had the parts, they were very easy to fit.
0:34:38 > 0:34:40The job took me roughly around four hours.
0:34:40 > 0:34:43That included the first visit and then the second visit.
0:34:43 > 0:34:47'And from that moment on, the boiler worked and Jean sold the house,
0:34:47 > 0:34:49'but she was still boiling at E.ON
0:34:49 > 0:34:52'having paid them approximately 500 smackers
0:34:52 > 0:34:56'and she now had forked out £306 for parts and labour to Gary.
0:34:56 > 0:34:59'It does make you wonder what was the point of having
0:34:59 > 0:35:02'the E.ON protection plan in the first place!'
0:35:02 > 0:35:05I cancelled the direct debit,
0:35:05 > 0:35:07I decided I wasn't paying for something
0:35:07 > 0:35:09if I wasn't getting a service
0:35:09 > 0:35:14and then I decided to write to them confirming that
0:35:14 > 0:35:17and complaining that after four times
0:35:17 > 0:35:19they did not repair the boiler.
0:35:20 > 0:35:24'But the one thing Jean failed to ask for was a reimbursement
0:35:24 > 0:35:27'of the cost of calling out the independent engineer.'
0:35:28 > 0:35:31'E.ON allowed Jean to cancel
0:35:31 > 0:35:34'and waived the £84 cancellation fee as a gesture of goodwill.
0:35:34 > 0:35:36'I should think so, too.'
0:35:37 > 0:35:40'But did Jean handle this situation in the best way?
0:35:40 > 0:35:43'Let's see what Which? have to say.'
0:35:46 > 0:35:49If you're taking out, for example, a boiler repair contract and
0:35:49 > 0:35:53you're having repeated visits to try and fix a problem with your boiler,
0:35:53 > 0:35:55then obviously that's pretty frustrating
0:35:55 > 0:35:58and you're going to expect the boiler repair contract to cover you
0:35:58 > 0:36:00to get the job done.
0:36:00 > 0:36:03If that's not happening, then the best course of action
0:36:03 > 0:36:06is to make a case against the supplier
0:36:06 > 0:36:07of that boiler repair contract
0:36:07 > 0:36:09and say that the work being carried out is not being done
0:36:09 > 0:36:12to a level of reasonable skill and care
0:36:12 > 0:36:15and that's under the Supply of Goods and Services Act.
0:36:15 > 0:36:18So, if you made that point in writing to the company,
0:36:18 > 0:36:20the onus does sit with them to make sure that
0:36:20 > 0:36:22the contract that you formed
0:36:22 > 0:36:24is being carried out with reasonable skill and care.
0:36:24 > 0:36:27'So, ultimately, the law is on your side
0:36:27 > 0:36:29'if the problem isn't getting fixed.'
0:36:30 > 0:36:33'We wrote to E.ON about Jean's case and they told us...'
0:36:45 > 0:36:47'We asked them about paying her back
0:36:47 > 0:36:48'for the independent engineer's costs.
0:36:48 > 0:36:51'They said that they had been unaware
0:36:51 > 0:36:53'another fault had happened and...'
0:37:02 > 0:37:03'So, no money then.'
0:37:06 > 0:37:08Jean did what most of us would do
0:37:08 > 0:37:11and she took matters into her own hands.
0:37:11 > 0:37:13Now, sadly, she's been left out of pocket,
0:37:13 > 0:37:17but I suppose on the flip side, at least she's finally warm.
0:37:22 > 0:37:26'I've been trying to get some recompense for Roy Endacott,
0:37:26 > 0:37:29'whose son Mark was let down by the RAC after breaking down
0:37:29 > 0:37:31'a long way from home.'
0:37:32 > 0:37:35I just cannot believe a patrolman would just drive...
0:37:35 > 0:37:37If he'd said, "I'll take you to the station or where can I take..."
0:37:37 > 0:37:40To just drive off and leave him there, a young lad on his own...
0:37:40 > 0:37:43I still don't understand it at all.
0:37:43 > 0:37:45'I spoke to the press officer a few days ago and asked him
0:37:45 > 0:37:48'some questions about Roy and Mark's case.
0:37:48 > 0:37:51'He promised to get back to me with some answers to those questions
0:37:51 > 0:37:53'and I've just received an e-mail from him.
0:37:53 > 0:37:55'This is what it says...'
0:38:16 > 0:38:20'He also admits that the RAC has many options for handling
0:38:20 > 0:38:24'long-distance recoveries, including using several linked resources,
0:38:24 > 0:38:26'and adds that...'
0:38:45 > 0:38:47'Well, it's too late for that in the Endacotts' case
0:38:47 > 0:38:49'because the car has already been scrapped.
0:38:49 > 0:38:52'But in addition to their apology, the RAC is also offering Mark
0:38:52 > 0:38:56'and Roy some recompense, and I'm on my way to Devon to tell them
0:38:56 > 0:38:57'exactly what's on offer.'
0:39:00 > 0:39:03Well, after a very long 3½-hour drive down from London
0:39:03 > 0:39:06to Exeter St Davids, I've finally arrived at Roy and Mark's farm.
0:39:06 > 0:39:08Very glad I didn't break down on the way, I've got to say.
0:39:08 > 0:39:11However, I haven't really planned this one out very well
0:39:11 > 0:39:14because it's soaking wet, there's puddles everywhere
0:39:14 > 0:39:17and I've come dressed as if I'm going to a wedding reception.
0:39:26 > 0:39:28- SHEEP BLEATS - Pardon?
0:39:28 > 0:39:31- Morning, Roy. Morning, Mark. - Morning.
0:39:31 > 0:39:34- Nice to meet you both.- And you. - How you doing?- How are you?
0:39:34 > 0:39:37Got to say, it's a total contrast to my normal day in the office, you know?
0:39:37 > 0:39:39- I'm sure. - I'm a London boy, a city boy.
0:39:39 > 0:39:40I tell you what, though,
0:39:40 > 0:39:43it was a long drive down just from London alone.
0:39:43 > 0:39:46Took me about 3½ hours, was pouring down,
0:39:46 > 0:39:48but I remember thinking at the time, "It's not the sort of road
0:39:48 > 0:39:51"you'd want to be breaking down on and not have some sort of backup,"
0:39:51 > 0:39:53and, of course, that's what happened to you, wasn't it?
0:39:53 > 0:39:56Yeah, I know... It wasn't great not having a car
0:39:56 > 0:39:59to get around with for a little while there.
0:39:59 > 0:40:03There's also a lack of cafes. Is there one around here where I can perhaps get a cup of tea?
0:40:03 > 0:40:04Shall we go indoors and have a cup of tea?
0:40:04 > 0:40:07Ah, that's very kind of you, thanks very much, lead the way.
0:40:07 > 0:40:10'Now, the main things Roy and Mark were after from the RAC
0:40:10 > 0:40:13'was an apology and some compensation.
0:40:13 > 0:40:15'So I'm hoping they're going to be happy.'
0:40:17 > 0:40:19I've spoken to the RAC, they are embarrassed about this.
0:40:19 > 0:40:22They have written to us, they have given you an apology,
0:40:22 > 0:40:24which I'll pass on to you and they would also like to give you
0:40:24 > 0:40:27a small token, it's £30 worth of high street vouchers.
0:40:27 > 0:40:30You're not going to book six weeks in the Seychelles with that,
0:40:30 > 0:40:32it's more a token just to say, "Look, sorry, here we go,
0:40:32 > 0:40:34"have those and go and spend them on whatever."
0:40:34 > 0:40:37Roy, again, they've apologised to you.
0:40:37 > 0:40:40They are embarrassed about the situation, they'll learn from it.
0:40:40 > 0:40:44What they're going to do for you is basically what you want -
0:40:44 > 0:40:48your £205 premium that you've paid, they're going to refund that to you.
0:40:48 > 0:40:51The train fare that you paid was just under £103,
0:40:51 > 0:40:54they're going to refund you that money as well.
0:40:54 > 0:40:59They also are going to offer you a family membership
0:40:59 > 0:41:02free for the next year, the same level of cover
0:41:02 > 0:41:05that you had before, they want to entice you back as a customer.
0:41:05 > 0:41:08OK, that's great. I mean, that's all we ever wanted,
0:41:08 > 0:41:11but just couldn't get through the door
0:41:11 > 0:41:15to get them to... address any of that.
0:41:15 > 0:41:17Would you consider going back to them?
0:41:17 > 0:41:20Yeah, I would, I think, it's just the acknowledgement
0:41:20 > 0:41:22that they got it wrong and I think the importance is
0:41:22 > 0:41:25that this doesn't happen to somebody else.
0:41:25 > 0:41:27Yeah, exactly, and I think bringing it to our attention has been
0:41:27 > 0:41:30very beneficial because hopefully somebody in the future
0:41:30 > 0:41:33in a similar situation - particularly if it's a young lady -
0:41:33 > 0:41:37hopefully won't ever fall into the position that you found yourself in.
0:41:37 > 0:41:39How do you feel about everything?
0:41:39 > 0:41:42Yeah, I'm just glad I got an apology, really.
0:41:42 > 0:41:44- That's...- That was important.
0:41:44 > 0:41:46That was what I wanted, was just them to say sorry
0:41:46 > 0:41:49for stranding me up there.
0:41:49 > 0:41:54- Just, that makes me a lot happier about the situation.- Yeah.
0:41:54 > 0:41:55And I'd just like to say thank you to you
0:41:55 > 0:41:57because without your input,
0:41:57 > 0:41:59we wouldn't have got any redress on this at all.
0:41:59 > 0:42:03I thank you for bringing it to my attention because all we all want as consumers is good customer service,
0:42:03 > 0:42:05- that's all we want, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:42:05 > 0:42:07- We've paid for something, give us what we paid for.- Yeah.
0:42:07 > 0:42:11Look after us, yeah, or lose us for ever, you know.
0:42:11 > 0:42:14Right, I'm going to be off, back to London, it's a 3½-hour journey.
0:42:14 > 0:42:17I don't suppose you've got a couple of lamb chops going spare before I set off?
0:42:17 > 0:42:19MARK AND ROY LAUGH
0:42:23 > 0:42:24What I like about this story is
0:42:24 > 0:42:26Roy and Mark weren't being unreasonable,
0:42:26 > 0:42:28they didn't want anything out of the ordinary,
0:42:28 > 0:42:31they just wanted their out-of-pocket expenses back
0:42:31 > 0:42:33and they wanted the RAC to get a wake-up call to make sure
0:42:33 > 0:42:37that this sort of situation never happens to anybody else again.
0:42:37 > 0:42:40And I think I've achieved BOTH of those.
0:42:40 > 0:42:43I think Dom's really done a great job in getting the result
0:42:43 > 0:42:46that we all wanted, which was just an apology,
0:42:46 > 0:42:51we got compensation for both Mark's train fare
0:42:51 > 0:42:53and the annual subscription,
0:42:53 > 0:42:55and just the recognition
0:42:55 > 0:42:57that this shouldn't happen to anybody else either
0:42:57 > 0:43:00because I think that's the biggest thing of all
0:43:00 > 0:43:01to come out of this,
0:43:01 > 0:43:04that I wouldn't want any other parent to have their child
0:43:04 > 0:43:05left by the roadside
0:43:05 > 0:43:08and the patrolman to just drive off and leave them there.
0:43:08 > 0:43:10That's got to be the best outcome of all.