0:00:02 > 0:00:05We asked you who's left you feeling ripped off when it comes to your
0:00:05 > 0:00:09holidays and you came back with a catalogue of travel disasters!
0:00:09 > 0:00:11We save hard all year.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14We look forward to a holiday with our family.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16We felt absolutely desperate.
0:00:16 > 0:00:19This was never a three-star hotel. I wouldn't give it two.
0:00:19 > 0:00:22So, whether it's a deliberate rip-off, a simple mistake or
0:00:22 > 0:00:26indeed a catch in the small print, we'll find out why you're
0:00:26 > 0:00:29out of pocket and what you can do about it.
0:00:29 > 0:00:32Your stories. Your money.
0:00:32 > 0:00:34This is Rip Off Britain.
0:00:35 > 0:00:39Hello and thanks for joining us on Rip Off Britain - where today we're
0:00:39 > 0:00:42investigating more of your holiday stories. And where better to have
0:00:42 > 0:00:46based ourselves than the very sunny island of Gran Canaria to do it.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48You've got that in one, but as ever,
0:00:48 > 0:00:51the cases we'll be looking into have come straight from you.
0:00:51 > 0:00:55And though we've a real mixed bag of travel disasters coming up,
0:00:55 > 0:00:58most of them involve some sort of commonplace situation that, let's
0:00:58 > 0:01:02face it, any one of us could very easily find ourselves in - whether
0:01:02 > 0:01:05that's worrying about the security of your luggage, or hiring a car.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07I've certainly be caught out by that one.
0:01:07 > 0:01:09Whatever the circumstance, in each case we'll be looking
0:01:09 > 0:01:14at a decision has been made that's had some very costly repercussions.
0:01:14 > 0:01:16Sometimes devastatingly so.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19Which is why we really do hope that when you hear what went
0:01:19 > 0:01:22wrong for these people, you will have a much better idea of how to
0:01:22 > 0:01:25make sure exactly the same thing doesn't happen to you.
0:01:26 > 0:01:30'Coming up, an emergency abroad and why a big-name insurer
0:01:30 > 0:01:35'refused to pay the £24,000 bill that followed.'
0:01:35 > 0:01:38I hope that these people that sit in these insurance offices
0:01:38 > 0:01:41realise it's not just a number.
0:01:41 > 0:01:43It's actually a human being they're talking to.
0:01:43 > 0:01:45'And a hard lesson in security
0:01:45 > 0:01:49'that left this couple's holiday in tatters.'
0:01:49 > 0:01:52Other people...it's a warning to them.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55Don't leave valuables in a locked suitcase thinking it's locked
0:01:55 > 0:01:57and nobody can get into it.
0:02:02 > 0:02:05Next, a company that we've featured on this programme before.
0:02:05 > 0:02:10They sold the dream of an investment opportunity in the sun.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14Retirement properties that held the promise of big returns
0:02:14 > 0:02:17by renting them out to other holiday-makers.
0:02:17 > 0:02:21It all seemed very simple, unfortunately for many people who
0:02:21 > 0:02:23have handed over their life savings,
0:02:23 > 0:02:25it's turned out to be anything but.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28Many of the properties haven't even been built.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31And so instead of being able to look forward to a retirement
0:02:31 > 0:02:33with a regular income,
0:02:33 > 0:02:36they are facing a very uncertain future indeed.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42In 2012, Rip Off Britain told the story of James
0:02:42 > 0:02:44and Christine McBride and their son Greg.
0:02:44 > 0:02:48That was five years after they'd invested £75,000
0:02:48 > 0:02:52in an off-plan cabana on the Caribbean Island of St Vincent
0:02:52 > 0:02:55in the Grenadines, through a company called Harlequin Property.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00- ON COMPUTER:- Welcome to Harlequin Property.
0:03:00 > 0:03:02The McBrides had bought the property at what they'd been
0:03:02 > 0:03:05told was half its market value
0:03:05 > 0:03:07and were assured that it would be ready for them to rent out
0:03:07 > 0:03:10less than two years after they signed the contract.
0:03:10 > 0:03:14But then the couple heard the build had been delayed.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17I contacted Harlequin and asked them, "What's the situation?
0:03:17 > 0:03:21"I've heard from a third party that the resort has been delayed
0:03:21 > 0:03:24"and you haven't informed us and is that the case?"
0:03:24 > 0:03:25To which they responded and they said,
0:03:25 > 0:03:29"Yeah, actually it was going to be delayed by about two years."
0:03:29 > 0:03:33In fact, after three and a half years,
0:03:33 > 0:03:36the resort still hadn't been completed.
0:03:36 > 0:03:39And with James and Christine relying on the rental income to fund their
0:03:39 > 0:03:43retirement, that had a disastrous impact on the family finances.
0:03:43 > 0:03:48It left us in the position of having virtually nothing left in the bank.
0:03:48 > 0:03:52And having to rely on others to continue to live, if you like.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54Not a good position to be in.
0:03:54 > 0:04:00Not having an income from it, and the worry about where all
0:04:00 > 0:04:03the money had gone, it all started to kick in.
0:04:03 > 0:04:08I was frightened, I suppose, that we had invested in something
0:04:08 > 0:04:11that was going to go down the drain.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14Well, it was at that point, having abandoned hope of ever
0:04:14 > 0:04:19seeing their property completed, that the family came to us.
0:04:19 > 0:04:21By now, they just wanted their deposit back
0:04:21 > 0:04:24and when we intervened, they got it.
0:04:24 > 0:04:28Harlequin returned their £75,000 in full.
0:04:28 > 0:04:30It was a great result for the McBrides.
0:04:30 > 0:04:34But we've heard from other families who bitterly regret
0:04:34 > 0:04:37entrusting their life savings to Harlequin Property.
0:04:37 > 0:04:41I've lost more sleep over Harlequin than anything else in my life...
0:04:43 > 0:04:47and the fear of never seeing our money again and what the future
0:04:47 > 0:04:50would hold for us without that money...
0:04:50 > 0:04:53doesn't really bear thinking about.
0:04:53 > 0:04:57Joy and Reg Wickham's dealings with Harlequin began in 2010.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00They too were hoping to fund their retirement with a rental
0:05:00 > 0:05:02property in the sun.
0:05:02 > 0:05:04We had this lump sum of £40,000.
0:05:04 > 0:05:06We didn't want to put our money
0:05:06 > 0:05:08into something that's going to take 10-15 years
0:05:08 > 0:05:10to start showing a return.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13We wanted something that would show a return as soon as possible
0:05:13 > 0:05:15to sort of coincide with my retirement.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20After hearing about Harlequin from a financial advisor,
0:05:20 > 0:05:23the couple visited the company's HQ to learn more
0:05:23 > 0:05:25and decided to invest.
0:05:25 > 0:05:29We put down the initial deposit of 40,500
0:05:29 > 0:05:33against the purchase price of 135,000.
0:05:33 > 0:05:36That was for an off-plan studio apartment
0:05:36 > 0:05:39on the Two Rivers Resort in the Dominican Republic.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41But the following year, when the couple were given
0:05:41 > 0:05:45an opportunity to visit another Harlequin site that was being
0:05:45 > 0:05:48built in St Lucia, alarm bells began to ring.
0:05:48 > 0:05:53Three-quarters of the site was still in the process of being built.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56I was quite concerned that,
0:05:56 > 0:05:58yeah, this one's nowhere near finished
0:05:58 > 0:06:02and our investment hasn't even been started on, let alone finished.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04Their concerns turned out to be well founded.
0:06:04 > 0:06:08Completion on their resort was delayed too.
0:06:08 > 0:06:10We were told, "No, it's like a year behind
0:06:10 > 0:06:12"and it's going to be 2013."
0:06:12 > 0:06:15We were a little bit choked because we wanted something to give us
0:06:15 > 0:06:17a return as soon as possible.
0:06:18 > 0:06:23By the time 2013 arrived, Reg had been diagnosed with cancer
0:06:23 > 0:06:26and both he and Joy were no longer working.
0:06:26 > 0:06:30With all their savings tied up with Harlequin, they were desperate
0:06:30 > 0:06:33for cash and asked the company to give them their deposit back.
0:06:33 > 0:06:37But with no money forthcoming, they pinned their hopes on a clause
0:06:37 > 0:06:40in the contract, which stated that if the building was not completed
0:06:40 > 0:06:46by 30th June 2014 then the couple would be entitled to a refund.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49So that's when we thought we should be entitled for them
0:06:49 > 0:06:51to definitely give us our money back.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54So the couple had to bide their time,
0:06:54 > 0:06:57counting down the days to when they expected to be refunded.
0:06:57 > 0:07:00But to raise cash, they felt they had no choice
0:07:00 > 0:07:04but to sell their much-loved home in the UK and downsize.
0:07:04 > 0:07:06That was our dream home.
0:07:08 > 0:07:12We still have a nice home, but I don't feel at home here.
0:07:13 > 0:07:15You all right?
0:07:15 > 0:07:17SHE SOBS
0:07:18 > 0:07:22As the refund deadline approached, Joy and Reg received a call
0:07:22 > 0:07:25from the boss of Harlequin Property, David Ames, who told them
0:07:25 > 0:07:27that the company was restructuring
0:07:27 > 0:07:29and that their best chance of recovering their money
0:07:29 > 0:07:33was to move it into what he called an investment trust.
0:07:33 > 0:07:35But when they examined the small print,
0:07:35 > 0:07:39they saw a condition of doing that would be agreeing to give up
0:07:39 > 0:07:43the right to take any legal action against Harlequin.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46We didn't want to join the Trust because the Trust wanted to tie
0:07:46 > 0:07:50our hands behind our back and say that we would no way bad-mouth
0:07:50 > 0:07:56Harlequin or ask for our money back or anything else.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59And they said that if you joined the Trust, you may get something
0:07:59 > 0:08:01sorted out in five years' time.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04But I told him on the phone that
0:08:04 > 0:08:07I might not be here in five years' time.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09So the couple rejected the offer,
0:08:09 > 0:08:13believing the breach of contract date represented their best hope
0:08:13 > 0:08:15of getting their money back.
0:08:15 > 0:08:17But when that date finally arrived,
0:08:17 > 0:08:20the couple was told that the company restructuring was ongoing
0:08:20 > 0:08:22and it wouldn't be until mid-2015
0:08:22 > 0:08:25that its financial position would be any clearer.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28For Reg and Joy, that was too long to wait.
0:08:29 > 0:08:33We need our money back so that we can generate an income
0:08:33 > 0:08:37with that money to help us as we approach retirement.
0:08:38 > 0:08:42But they fear the prospect of that happening is further away than ever.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44Harlequin Property has gone into liquidation
0:08:44 > 0:08:47and the couple are now dealing with another arm of the business,
0:08:47 > 0:08:49Harlequin Hotels and Resorts.
0:08:51 > 0:08:55The company told us it has "sincere regret" for Reg
0:08:55 > 0:08:59and Joy's circumstances, but it's "working hard to restructure
0:08:59 > 0:09:02"the business and realise the goals of all types of investor."
0:09:02 > 0:09:06It added that "cancellation is simply not possible" while that
0:09:06 > 0:09:09restructuring goes on, because of the "impact on cash flow."
0:09:09 > 0:09:12The company said delays had been caused by a "perfect storm"
0:09:12 > 0:09:16of difficulties in which it includes "the global recession,
0:09:16 > 0:09:19"contractor fraud, defamatory campaigns
0:09:19 > 0:09:21"and new FCA regulations,"
0:09:21 > 0:09:23but insists that it's now making
0:09:23 > 0:09:28"significant progress" and "an end is in sight."
0:09:28 > 0:09:32But it says key to that is the Trust recommended to Reg and Joy the
0:09:32 > 0:09:36"workings and benefits" of which it insists they have "misunderstood."
0:09:36 > 0:09:39For example, Harlequin says clauses restricting
0:09:39 > 0:09:42investors from taking legal action are there to protect its funding
0:09:42 > 0:09:46and allow "a better chance of financial success."
0:09:47 > 0:09:50If the Trust is successful, the company hopes it can
0:09:50 > 0:09:54"satisfy all investor demands" even if that means,
0:09:54 > 0:09:57as in this case, letting people cancel.
0:09:58 > 0:10:01But in the meantime, it's not just the people we've spoken to
0:10:01 > 0:10:05who are interested in Harlequin's business affairs.
0:10:05 > 0:10:09In 2013, the Serious Fraud Office and Essex police began
0:10:09 > 0:10:12investigating complaints relating to the Harlequin Group.
0:10:12 > 0:10:15An investigation that they've told us is still ongoing.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20We asked international property lawyer Stefano Lucatello about
0:10:20 > 0:10:25Reg and Joy's case and he told us it's an all too familiar a story.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28Buying off-plan is a risk in any country
0:10:28 > 0:10:30because you're buying a dream.
0:10:30 > 0:10:34You are buying from a developer who has put a set of either CGIs,
0:10:34 > 0:10:38computer generated images, in front of you or a set of paper plans.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41You must do your homework, you must check the developer,
0:10:41 > 0:10:44check the agent, check where the development is going to happen
0:10:44 > 0:10:46and check the track record of the developer.
0:10:46 > 0:10:50And only when you are 110% certain of what's going to happen,
0:10:50 > 0:10:51move forward.
0:10:51 > 0:10:55But if what will happen next for Reg, Joy and all the other investors
0:10:55 > 0:10:59who worry they're left out of pocket is unclear,
0:10:59 > 0:11:03one thing is certain - they all rue the day they ever got involved
0:11:03 > 0:11:05with Harlequin Property.
0:11:05 > 0:11:07We need that money as a cushion to see us
0:11:07 > 0:11:09through the years we've got left.
0:11:10 > 0:11:14I just think what a difference our lives would be
0:11:14 > 0:11:17if we'd never put the money into Harlequin in the first place.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27Next, falling seriously ill on holiday is a nightmare
0:11:27 > 0:11:29that you hope will never ever happen to you.
0:11:29 > 0:11:31I hope it never happens to you.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34But, if the worst does happen, the last thing you'd want is to
0:11:34 > 0:11:36be saddled with the cost of paying for any
0:11:36 > 0:11:39kind of treatment, which is why most of us do the sensible thing
0:11:39 > 0:11:42and buy travel insurance to cover just that.
0:11:42 > 0:11:46However, as our next couple found out, if, for whatever reason,
0:11:46 > 0:11:49your travel insurance company decides it doesn't want to help
0:11:49 > 0:11:52then I'm afraid the nightmare can soon descend to a whole new level.
0:11:55 > 0:11:59One reason we like to go on holiday is to give our bodies a little TLC,
0:11:59 > 0:12:01hoping a week or two in the sun can pep us up
0:12:01 > 0:12:03and make us feel better.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06And that was exactly what Liz and Derek Armit had in mind
0:12:06 > 0:12:10when they set off to Majorca in August last year.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13We've been abroad every year, sometimes twice,
0:12:13 > 0:12:15three times a year, we just love it.
0:12:15 > 0:12:17We just love going on holiday.
0:12:17 > 0:12:22Liz is one of five million people in the UK who suffers with asthma
0:12:22 > 0:12:26but not so severely that it stops her doing the things she likes.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29I've had asthma since I was a child.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32Never really caused me a lot of problems.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35But just before she was due to leave for Majorca,
0:12:35 > 0:12:38Liz felt under the weather so went to her GP
0:12:38 > 0:12:42who prescribed two of her usual inhalers.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45Just for her peace of mind more than anything,
0:12:45 > 0:12:50Elizabeth went to the doctor's on the Friday, and he gave a thorough check
0:12:50 > 0:12:54over, and said that she was fine, that it would probably do her good.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58And the final task the couple completed before they left
0:12:58 > 0:13:01was buying their travel insurance.
0:13:01 > 0:13:07We actually got the woman from the Post Office to help us
0:13:07 > 0:13:12fill it in, and we got her to check what we had filled in.
0:13:12 > 0:13:16- So we thought we had covered everything.- Covered everything, yeah.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22Liz and Derek boarded their plane and jetted off to the sun.
0:13:24 > 0:13:26But five days into their holiday,
0:13:26 > 0:13:30Liz began to feel short of breath and collapsed.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33As we were walking from where the bar was, through the hotel,
0:13:33 > 0:13:36she says to me, "Derek," she says, "I can't breathe."
0:13:36 > 0:13:40I knew just by looking at her something serious was wrong because
0:13:40 > 0:13:43she literally, she just started turning blue in front of me.
0:13:43 > 0:13:48I started to do mouth to mouth, and CPR and I had to
0:13:48 > 0:13:54shout on the gentleman behind the reception counter, to phone for
0:13:54 > 0:13:55an ambulance and a doctor.
0:13:55 > 0:13:59Because I knew that she was getting worse.
0:13:59 > 0:14:00That's when you start thinking
0:14:00 > 0:14:03there's something seriously wrong here.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05An ambulance was called, and not too soon,
0:14:05 > 0:14:07because Liz had stopped breathing
0:14:07 > 0:14:10and had to be resuscitated by paramedics.
0:14:10 > 0:14:14In the midst of the emergency, a doctor took Derek to one side
0:14:14 > 0:14:16with a request he wasn't quite expecting.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19The doctor sat me down on the chair,
0:14:19 > 0:14:25and I had to hand over 120 euros in cash, before he would let me go.
0:14:25 > 0:14:28It turned out that the ambulance was taking them
0:14:28 > 0:14:31to a private hospital for which he would have to pay.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34But in a panic and not wanting to cause any delay to Liz's
0:14:34 > 0:14:37treatment, Derek rushed back to their hotel to grab some cash.
0:14:37 > 0:14:41The doctor advised me to go and get any medication that Liz was taking,
0:14:41 > 0:14:45and then, like, so the insurance documentation and her passport,
0:14:45 > 0:14:47which I did.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50I got to the hospital and I got sat down.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53Obviously, I was very upset and the receptionist took
0:14:53 > 0:14:56all my paperwork and one of the doctors came out and said,
0:14:56 > 0:14:59"Do you have your wife's medication?" And I just handed the bag over,
0:14:59 > 0:15:01not thinking what was in it, you know, I just handed the bag over.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06Liz had suffered a respiratory spasm.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09And as the doctors continued their treatment, a series of further
0:15:09 > 0:15:11episodes put her into a coma.
0:15:11 > 0:15:15There's nothing worse than seeing your wife lying there.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18And she had the tube down her throat, which was keeping her alive.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23But while Derek was with his wife in the Intensive Care Unit,
0:15:23 > 0:15:28he received a phone call from his insurance company, AXA.
0:15:28 > 0:15:30She says, "Just to let you know we don't think your wife
0:15:30 > 0:15:34"was entirely honest when she was filling in the policy."
0:15:35 > 0:15:38AXA insisted that in the bag Derek had collected there'd been
0:15:38 > 0:15:42three inhalers, rather than the maximum of two that anyone
0:15:42 > 0:15:45with asthma is allowed to use under their terms and conditions.
0:15:45 > 0:15:47And that invalidated the policy.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51I've never been on three inhalers.
0:15:51 > 0:15:56I've only ever been on two inhalers at any given time.
0:15:57 > 0:16:01But I'm afraid AXA wasn't having any of Derek's protests
0:16:01 > 0:16:05and after more than two weeks of treatment in the private hospital,
0:16:05 > 0:16:08the company confirmed that it would not be paying the bill.
0:16:11 > 0:16:16What's actually worse is the fact that...
0:16:16 > 0:16:19you feel so helpless.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22When the person that you love is lying there, you don't
0:16:22 > 0:16:26know how you're going to get her home, you don't speak the language...
0:16:27 > 0:16:31..and for somebody to phone you
0:16:31 > 0:16:35and throw this on top of what you went through,
0:16:35 > 0:16:38I wouldn't wish this on anybody.
0:16:39 > 0:16:43Derek just couldn't understand where the mysterious third inhaler
0:16:43 > 0:16:44had come from.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46And it was only when he spoke to their daughter Denise
0:16:46 > 0:16:49that the explanation became clear.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52Denise too is asthmatic
0:16:52 > 0:16:55and is prescribed a different type of inhaler from her mum.
0:16:55 > 0:16:59And she had inadvertently left one in the family's travel bag.
0:17:01 > 0:17:05What usually happens is when we go on holiday, we've got
0:17:05 > 0:17:09the one bag that we use, it's got the usual paracetamol,
0:17:09 > 0:17:14bite cream, and antiseptic creams, and what usually happens is
0:17:14 > 0:17:17I put my inhaler in the same bag.
0:17:17 > 0:17:19I just handed the whole bag over at the time,
0:17:19 > 0:17:22not thinking what was in it. It's the same when she's back here.
0:17:22 > 0:17:26She carries an EpiPen for our grandson, but it's not hers.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29I had explained this to AXA that I had left it in there,
0:17:29 > 0:17:32and there was no amount of persuasion
0:17:32 > 0:17:34to convince them any differently.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39It seemed the medical team in Majorca had incorrectly
0:17:39 > 0:17:41assumed that the third inhaler belonged to Liz
0:17:41 > 0:17:45and had passed that information on to AXA.
0:17:45 > 0:17:49By now, Liz was starting to recover and after 16 days of private
0:17:49 > 0:17:52health care, was ready to be discharged from hospital.
0:17:52 > 0:17:56But because AXA had refused their claim, along with the discharge
0:17:56 > 0:17:58notice, came a hospital bill.
0:17:58 > 0:18:00And it was a big one.
0:18:01 > 0:18:05She had gave me a total bill, every single thing was itemised on it,
0:18:05 > 0:18:08and the cost was at the side of every medication,
0:18:08 > 0:18:10everything single thing that was done
0:18:10 > 0:18:12and at the bottom was a total and it was 30,000 euros
0:18:12 > 0:18:14or something like that.
0:18:16 > 0:18:20The bill, the equivalent of just over £24,000,
0:18:20 > 0:18:22had a 30-day deadline to pay.
0:18:22 > 0:18:26Derek desperately tried to convince AXA of the truth
0:18:26 > 0:18:27of what had really happened.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31But the insurance giant refused to change its position.
0:18:31 > 0:18:35There's no way I've got 30,000 euros that I can pay this bill
0:18:35 > 0:18:37and it's just such a worry.
0:18:37 > 0:18:39We don't know what the outcome is going to be.
0:18:39 > 0:18:41We don't know what the next step is.
0:18:41 > 0:18:45She's supposed to remain calm to get the full recovery we're
0:18:45 > 0:18:51looking for and how can you do that with a 30,000 euro bill
0:18:51 > 0:18:53hanging over your head?
0:18:53 > 0:18:54It's just been horrendous.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59But when we contacted AXA about this case, the company replied
0:18:59 > 0:19:03with some very good news indeed. The insurer told us
0:19:03 > 0:19:06it was sorry to hear of the problems experienced by Liz
0:19:06 > 0:19:09with her claim and "would like to take this opportunity to
0:19:09 > 0:19:13"apologise for any distress or inconvenience caused."
0:19:14 > 0:19:18After a full review of the claim, it has now been settled in full.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22They have also paid 2,000 euros to Derek to cover his costs,
0:19:22 > 0:19:25as well as an extra £500.
0:19:26 > 0:19:28And although Liz and Derek are delighted
0:19:28 > 0:19:33the prospect of having to pay that 30,000 euro bill has now gone away,
0:19:33 > 0:19:34they're still trying to sort
0:19:34 > 0:19:39through the mix of emotions caused by everything they've been through.
0:19:39 > 0:19:43I hope that these people that sit in these insurance offices realise
0:19:43 > 0:19:47it's not just a number, it's actually a human being they're talking to.
0:19:47 > 0:19:49I can't fault the hospital cos without them,
0:19:49 > 0:19:52I didn't think I was even going to get her home.
0:19:58 > 0:20:00Still to come here on Rip Off Britain,
0:20:00 > 0:20:03the hire car that cost this couple nearly three times
0:20:03 > 0:20:05as much as they'd expected.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08That's when I started getting a little bit angry
0:20:08 > 0:20:09cos it was a lot of money.
0:20:09 > 0:20:13People can't afford to spend that sort of money and just lose it.
0:20:17 > 0:20:20Once again, we've opened up our pop-up shop
0:20:20 > 0:20:22and this year we've come to one of the biggest shopping centres
0:20:22 > 0:20:26- in the West Midlands.- We've brought along the entire team, to make sure
0:20:26 > 0:20:29we give you the tools and the information you need to ensure
0:20:29 > 0:20:32that the next time you hand over your cash, you're not ripped off.
0:20:34 > 0:20:38Kenneth Palmer came to see Simon Calder with a cautionary tale.
0:20:38 > 0:20:40He and his wife were looking forward to celebrating
0:20:40 > 0:20:43their granddaughter's wedding in Australia.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46But when they set off in their car for the airport,
0:20:46 > 0:20:48they quickly found themselves in quite a jam.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52The journey would take normally take one hour at most.
0:20:52 > 0:20:54We allowed four hours,
0:20:54 > 0:20:59being anxious, got on North Circular Road and the traffic just stopped.
0:20:59 > 0:21:01- How many hours were you stuck in the motorway for?- Three hours.
0:21:01 > 0:21:04Three hours. Did you ring the airline? Or anybody?
0:21:04 > 0:21:07No, had we been regular travellers, things like this
0:21:07 > 0:21:11people say afterwards, "Oh, you should have phoned the airline
0:21:11 > 0:21:13"or the airport or done this or done that,"
0:21:13 > 0:21:16but, when you're stuck in traffic, you're really...
0:21:16 > 0:21:18- Helpless.- Yeah. - Nothing you can do about it.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21And when you got to the desk what did they say
0:21:21 > 0:21:24- or what did you say to them? Just like, "Tough?"- They said,
0:21:24 > 0:21:26"You must go back to the agency."
0:21:26 > 0:21:28We phoned first thing next day, and the agency said,
0:21:28 > 0:21:30"Oh, the tickets have been voided."
0:21:30 > 0:21:32Nothing at all.
0:21:32 > 0:21:34See, I thought...
0:21:34 > 0:21:38I realised I'd missed the outward bound flight,
0:21:38 > 0:21:41but we thought you could use the return flight,
0:21:41 > 0:21:43so they just said, "You've got to pay again!"
0:21:43 > 0:21:44Is that correct?
0:21:44 > 0:21:48That is absolutely standard. There are very few airlines
0:21:48 > 0:21:51which say, "You missed you're flight, we're really sorry.
0:21:51 > 0:21:53- "Of course, your return is still valid."- Yeah.
0:21:53 > 0:21:57And they'll even say, "Ken, sorry you missed your plane.
0:21:57 > 0:22:01"Give us £40, £50, £60, we'll put you on the very next one
0:22:01 > 0:22:04"and of course you'll be able to fly back." That's the exception, though.
0:22:04 > 0:22:08Other airlines simply say, "Check in deadline is one hour,
0:22:08 > 0:22:10"you turn up with 59 minutes to go,
0:22:10 > 0:22:12"not only are we going to cancel your flight,
0:22:12 > 0:22:14"we're going to cancel the entire reservation
0:22:14 > 0:22:16- "and there's nothing you can do about that."- I'm shocked.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19- Not like I just didn't turn up.- Oh, well. Unfortunately it is a no-show
0:22:19 > 0:22:22- in the airlines' book. I'm not justifying...- That's not fair!
0:22:22 > 0:22:26Well! That's the conditions that Ken's signed up to.
0:22:26 > 0:22:29I'm really sorry. But hopefully people will learn from your...
0:22:29 > 0:22:30I'd have been crying, Ken,
0:22:30 > 0:22:33but anyway, thank you so much for sharing that awful situation.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35Thanks for the time, anyway.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38We've heard plenty of similar stories from people who,
0:22:38 > 0:22:40for whatever reason, didn't fly on
0:22:40 > 0:22:42the original outward flight they'd booked.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45So, if you don't get on that flight, you will find that any
0:22:45 > 0:22:48remaining flights on that booking, including the one home,
0:22:48 > 0:22:50could have been cancelled as well.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52It's a very useful piece of information
0:22:52 > 0:22:54and you can find lots more travel advice on a factsheet
0:22:54 > 0:22:56that Simon's put together on our website...
0:23:04 > 0:23:07Next, keeping your possessions safe while you're away is always
0:23:07 > 0:23:10going to be near the top of anyone's priorities.
0:23:10 > 0:23:14So a good strong case that you can lock might seem a wise investment.
0:23:14 > 0:23:15But the truth is,
0:23:15 > 0:23:18you can't guarantee that any bag will withstand a thief
0:23:18 > 0:23:22who is really determined to get their hands on what's inside.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26Margaret and Brian Poole from Eastleigh near Southampton
0:23:26 > 0:23:29consider themselves to be seasoned travellers.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32We've been travelling abroad for about 45 years, I should say.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35- Yeah. Yeah. We've done many places. Been many places.- Yeah.
0:23:35 > 0:23:39Been to many places over...over that period of time.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42We probably travel abroad two or three times a year.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45Until recently, each time they travelled they thought
0:23:45 > 0:23:49they'd done enough to keep their belongings safe.
0:23:49 > 0:23:53I think we're very...security conscious.
0:23:53 > 0:23:58We've...we've always taken two hard suitcases with us.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01We always leave them in the room, locked.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04And as far as Margaret and Brian were concerned,
0:24:04 > 0:24:07their hard suitcases were the best ones for the job.
0:24:08 > 0:24:13It's as solid as a rock. Two good locks.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18Whoever would attempt to get into a case like this?
0:24:18 > 0:24:21And what happened to us, you just wouldn't expect.
0:24:21 > 0:24:25But it was during a trip to the Canary Islands in March 2014
0:24:25 > 0:24:28that the couple realised their cases were not as secure
0:24:28 > 0:24:30as they had hoped.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33So, we booked a holiday for a week in Fuerteventura.
0:24:33 > 0:24:35We didn't want any worries, just...
0:24:35 > 0:24:37just get on the plane, go there.
0:24:38 > 0:24:39The hotel they were staying in
0:24:39 > 0:24:44was the four-star Barcelo Fuerteventura Thalasso Spa.
0:24:44 > 0:24:48We've travelled for so many years. We've always used a suitcase.
0:24:48 > 0:24:50We've always locked it, taken the key with us.
0:24:50 > 0:24:54It didn't even enter our mind about not being safe.
0:24:55 > 0:24:59In fact, Margaret and Brian were so confident that their cases
0:24:59 > 0:25:02were robust enough to keep secure anything inside
0:25:02 > 0:25:06that they didn't feel the need to use the hotel safe in their room.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08Instead, they made sure their valuables were kept
0:25:08 > 0:25:10locked in their luggage.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14And that included two bracelets of such financial
0:25:14 > 0:25:17and sentimental value that they'd brought them
0:25:17 > 0:25:21on a holiday rather than leave them unprotected back in the UK.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24I thought instead of leaving them here, leave them at home,
0:25:24 > 0:25:26I'll take them with me
0:25:26 > 0:25:28because I thought, "They'll be safer if I take them with me
0:25:28 > 0:25:30"than if I leave them in the house."
0:25:30 > 0:25:33We did what we normally do on holiday.
0:25:33 > 0:25:37We locked the jewellery in the case along with...
0:25:38 > 0:25:40..money.
0:25:40 > 0:25:44The reason we locked them in the case is because when we first
0:25:44 > 0:25:48started to travel there were no things like safes in the room.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53All went well until the third day of their holiday.
0:25:53 > 0:25:56When we returned, we didn't notice anything amiss.
0:25:56 > 0:26:00Margaret said to me after we'd been in the room for five minutes or so,
0:26:00 > 0:26:06"Why have you left your beach towel on the side near the sink?"
0:26:06 > 0:26:10And I said, "Well..." You know, "..I haven't. I haven't."
0:26:10 > 0:26:13Then I turned to the case and I looked at the case
0:26:13 > 0:26:16and I could see two...
0:26:16 > 0:26:21two notch things where the case had been jimmied open.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24Realising that their suitcase had been tampered with,
0:26:24 > 0:26:27Brian looked inside to see if anything was missing.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30We had credit cards in there and money.
0:26:30 > 0:26:34The credit cards had been left, but the money had been taken.
0:26:34 > 0:26:38I had my two jewellery boxes. I looked in there, opened those
0:26:38 > 0:26:41and saw that the jewellery had gone.
0:26:41 > 0:26:44Brian, I think, went and phoned the hotel manager,
0:26:44 > 0:26:46told them what had happened
0:26:46 > 0:26:49and this guy said he would come down.
0:26:49 > 0:26:55I went to our friends who were next door, told them what had happened.
0:26:55 > 0:26:57SHE CRIES
0:26:57 > 0:26:59I'm sorry.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03It's just... It's just bringing it all back.
0:27:04 > 0:27:07Brian and Margaret reported the theft to the local police,
0:27:07 > 0:27:10who sent detectives to investigate.
0:27:10 > 0:27:12But with no sign of forced entry
0:27:12 > 0:27:16and the hotel claiming that the electronic door key records showed
0:27:16 > 0:27:19that nobody had entered the room other than Brian and Margaret,
0:27:19 > 0:27:21there was little that could be done to help.
0:27:23 > 0:27:27There was absolutely no sign of forced entry whatsoever.
0:27:28 > 0:27:30Which was even more surprising.
0:27:30 > 0:27:32The hotel, of course, claimed that it was me.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35I mean, how do you explain
0:27:35 > 0:27:40someone trying to put the blame on you when you know full well it's...
0:27:40 > 0:27:42it's not your fault.
0:27:42 > 0:27:43You've done nothing wrong.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46Made me angry that they would blame us
0:27:46 > 0:27:49for something that we had the loss, not them. Ha!
0:27:52 > 0:27:55What's more, because there was a safe provided in the room which the
0:27:55 > 0:27:58couple hadn't used, the hotel said it couldn't take any
0:27:58 > 0:28:01responsibility for Brian and Margaret's losses.
0:28:05 > 0:28:07The couple have since claimed on their travel
0:28:07 > 0:28:09insurance for some of their missing items,
0:28:09 > 0:28:13but they don't feel the pay-out has covered all that they lost.
0:28:14 > 0:28:17I knew in claiming that we wouldn't be getting a great
0:28:17 > 0:28:19deal for the loss we'd suffered.
0:28:19 > 0:28:21Went through the process
0:28:21 > 0:28:27and at the end of the day, they awarded us £250.
0:28:27 > 0:28:31We'd lost jewellery, money, suitcase and a lot of stress.
0:28:32 > 0:28:36When we contacted the management at the hotel where all this happened,
0:28:36 > 0:28:38they told us that though dismayed and sorry
0:28:38 > 0:28:42about the couple's experience, they "firmly reject" Margaret
0:28:42 > 0:28:43and Brian's version of events,
0:28:43 > 0:28:47saying an internal investigation found no doors were forced,
0:28:47 > 0:28:50no-one else entered the room with an electronic key,
0:28:50 > 0:28:54and video cameras haven't revealed "anything that could help."
0:28:54 > 0:28:56They wouldn't comment further because the matter
0:28:56 > 0:28:59"is still being investigated by Spanish police authorities,"
0:28:59 > 0:29:04but reiterated that even in a hotel like theirs, considered to be safe,
0:29:04 > 0:29:08they would "strongly recommend" using the safe in each bedroom.
0:29:09 > 0:29:12But Margaret and Brian have learned a hard lesson
0:29:12 > 0:29:14that they're keen to share.
0:29:14 > 0:29:18Other people...it's a warning to them.
0:29:18 > 0:29:21Don't leave valuables in a locked suitcase thinking it's locked
0:29:21 > 0:29:23and nobody can get into it because they can.
0:29:23 > 0:29:26If they can get into your room, they can get into your suitcase.
0:29:35 > 0:29:39Our travel expert, Simon Calder, has flown, sailed, driven
0:29:39 > 0:29:43and indeed cycled to thousands of destinations all around the world.
0:29:43 > 0:29:46So we asked him to let us in on some of his top secrets,
0:29:46 > 0:29:49this time, the city of Prague.
0:29:52 > 0:29:54In the early 1990s,
0:29:54 > 0:29:57Prague was reborn as the capital of the Czech Republic
0:29:57 > 0:29:59and the tourists flocked in.
0:29:59 > 0:30:03Many are drawn by its extraordinary cultural heritage.
0:30:03 > 0:30:05It was here that Mozart's operas were first performed
0:30:05 > 0:30:07over 200 years ago.
0:30:08 > 0:30:12For anyone who likes to combine culture with travel,
0:30:12 > 0:30:16Prague is paradise, and it's much cheaper than most European capitals.
0:30:16 > 0:30:22To enjoy opera or classical music is so much more affordable than London.
0:30:22 > 0:30:26You can pick up a ticket for a top-notch concert for under £6,
0:30:26 > 0:30:31so no need to deal with those touts in 17th century costumes
0:30:31 > 0:30:35who may overcharge you or even give you a fake ticket.
0:30:36 > 0:30:39And it's not only the ticket sellers you need to be
0:30:39 > 0:30:42wary of on the streets of the city.
0:30:42 > 0:30:44Your papers, please?
0:30:44 > 0:30:47Beware of the Czech fake check.
0:30:47 > 0:30:52Two bogus policemen will show you some fake ID, they'll then
0:30:52 > 0:30:55demand to see your passport, they'll rifle through it, and hand it
0:30:55 > 0:30:58back to you, then they say they're looking for counterfeit
0:30:58 > 0:31:02currency and they need to see your wallet. Again you hand it over,
0:31:02 > 0:31:05they go through it, and hand it back with apologies.
0:31:05 > 0:31:07Only later do you realise
0:31:07 > 0:31:12that they've removed all the high-value notes by sleight of hand.
0:31:12 > 0:31:16The Foreign Office specifically warns that no police officer
0:31:16 > 0:31:19in the Czech Republic is allowed to ask to see your money.
0:31:26 > 0:31:28Let's face it, for an awful lot of people the real
0:31:28 > 0:31:31pleasure of going on holiday means that you're able to chill out
0:31:31 > 0:31:35and relax by the pool or on the beach, but you know there
0:31:35 > 0:31:38are just as many people who would much prefer to go out and explore.
0:31:38 > 0:31:41And one of the simplest ways of doing that is very often just
0:31:41 > 0:31:45to hire a car and then for some, just driving around can become
0:31:45 > 0:31:48a major part of the holiday's experience.
0:31:48 > 0:31:50But you know, car hire, particularly
0:31:50 > 0:31:53when you hire overseas, is a subject that you write to us
0:31:53 > 0:31:58an awful lot. Not least because all too often your rental comes
0:31:58 > 0:32:02with a whole bewildering array of extra charges, waivers, taxes,
0:32:02 > 0:32:07and guarantees all the things that bump up the basic price far beyond
0:32:07 > 0:32:10the bargain you might have thought you were getting in the first place.
0:32:10 > 0:32:14And that could mean, just like the couple in our next film,
0:32:14 > 0:32:17that you are in for a very nasty surprise when you get the bill.
0:32:20 > 0:32:21There are few things that John
0:32:21 > 0:32:25and Teresa Bloxham love more than the freedom of the open road.
0:32:25 > 0:32:27And like most fans of an epic road trip,
0:32:27 > 0:32:31they reckon there's only one place to go for that - America.
0:32:31 > 0:32:35You can drive along. You don't have to stick to a particular itinerary.
0:32:35 > 0:32:40You've got the freedom just to choose where you go, what you do.
0:32:40 > 0:32:44John and Teresa decided to mark their retirement with a road trip
0:32:44 > 0:32:46to end all road trips.
0:32:46 > 0:32:49They spent three years planning the 15,000-mile, three-month
0:32:49 > 0:32:53driving holiday that would see them zigzag across America.
0:32:53 > 0:32:57We have actually been to America quite a few times before.
0:32:57 > 0:33:01We had decided that instead of looking to live over there,
0:33:01 > 0:33:04we would just go and have a massive holiday
0:33:04 > 0:33:07and travel as much as we could.
0:33:07 > 0:33:10Such a big trip was going to cost, but when the airline
0:33:10 > 0:33:13with whom they booked their flights offered them what seemed like
0:33:13 > 0:33:18a great deal on a hire car, John and Teresa were quick to snap it up.
0:33:18 > 0:33:22It was with one of the leading names in the hire car business, Avis.
0:33:22 > 0:33:26And with the quote clearly stating an estimated total of just
0:33:26 > 0:33:30over 2,500 for the full three months rental,
0:33:30 > 0:33:32it was within budget too.
0:33:32 > 0:33:35We'd been planning it for so long that we couldn't wait to go,
0:33:35 > 0:33:38it was nerve-racking to know we weren't going to be
0:33:38 > 0:33:44home for three months, but it was the adventure of just going off,
0:33:44 > 0:33:46just doing what we wanted to do.
0:33:48 > 0:33:51John and Teresa finally landed in Orlando to begin
0:33:51 > 0:33:55their trip of a lifetime in June 2013.
0:33:55 > 0:33:58We found the desk for the car hire, went straight there.
0:33:58 > 0:34:02The guy in the check-in desk couldn't have been more helpful
0:34:02 > 0:34:04if he tried, he was very friendly.
0:34:04 > 0:34:07He was asking us where we were going, we told him
0:34:07 > 0:34:10and he said, "We'll try and find you a low mileage car,"
0:34:10 > 0:34:13which I thought was quite good of him.
0:34:14 > 0:34:18But it was at this point, as often happens when picking up a car
0:34:18 > 0:34:21after a long flight, that things got a little bit confusing.
0:34:21 > 0:34:24John and Teresa say the Avis rep offered them
0:34:24 > 0:34:27an upgrade on their car, which they understood would only cost them
0:34:27 > 0:34:30a few hundred dollars more than their original quote.
0:34:30 > 0:34:32So they accepted.
0:34:32 > 0:34:36But when the rep came back with the paperwork John noticed
0:34:36 > 0:34:40the figures seemed to be suggesting a different amount entirely.
0:34:40 > 0:34:43When I was signing it I noticed a monthly
0:34:43 > 0:34:46hire for each of the months we were going to be away.
0:34:46 > 0:34:49The couple was now being asked to sign a separate form
0:34:49 > 0:34:52for each of the three months they were booking and it seemed
0:34:52 > 0:34:56that rather than paying around 2,800 for the full three months
0:34:56 > 0:34:58they were actually being asked to pay
0:34:58 > 0:35:00about that amount for each month.
0:35:00 > 0:35:03I queried with him the fact that the paperwork looked like we were
0:35:03 > 0:35:07going to be charged that amount every month.
0:35:07 > 0:35:11And I asked him about that and he said, "No, that is the total cost,
0:35:11 > 0:35:14"but we have to show that cost on each of the forms,
0:35:14 > 0:35:16"but that is the one price."
0:35:17 > 0:35:21Reassured by what he was hearing, John signed the documents
0:35:21 > 0:35:24and he and Teresa started their road trip.
0:35:25 > 0:35:28Holiday was going great, we moved on from Pensacola,
0:35:28 > 0:35:34went down to New Orleans into Texas, El Paso, Albuquerque
0:35:34 > 0:35:36and then we hit Route 66 down heading west.
0:35:38 > 0:35:43A month into their trip, a charge for 2,842 from Avis
0:35:43 > 0:35:45appeared on their credit card.
0:35:45 > 0:35:49John and Teresa assumed that meant that the full payment for all
0:35:49 > 0:35:51three months rental in one go.
0:35:51 > 0:35:54We were expecting at some point to pay for the car and the fact
0:35:54 > 0:35:58that they'd taken it then rather than later really wasn't an issue.
0:35:58 > 0:36:03Over the next month, the couple covered another 3,800 miles.
0:36:03 > 0:36:06They passed through nine states and sailed down the Mississippi
0:36:06 > 0:36:08on a paddle steamer.
0:36:08 > 0:36:12Their trip couldn't have been going better until John noticed
0:36:12 > 0:36:18that Avis had taken a further 2,694 from their credit card.
0:36:18 > 0:36:22I thought it was just a mistake and we'd be able to rectify it
0:36:22 > 0:36:25when we spoke to Avis. So, I thought,
0:36:25 > 0:36:27"It will only be a few weeks before we're back in Orlando
0:36:27 > 0:36:30"and I'll go back to the desk and sort it out with them then."
0:36:30 > 0:36:35In the final month of their trip, the couple covered another
0:36:35 > 0:36:382,000 miles, passed through a further eight states
0:36:38 > 0:36:40before returning to Florida
0:36:40 > 0:36:44where they hoped to finally sort out the car hire charges.
0:36:44 > 0:36:49When we got back to Florida, we went to the Avis desk at Orlando
0:36:49 > 0:36:52International spoke to the guy there, explained that we'd been
0:36:52 > 0:36:57charged twice, he dug the paperwork out and said, "No, that's right."
0:36:57 > 0:37:01I then explained what we agreed when I signed the forms originally,
0:37:01 > 0:37:05what we'd been told then and he shrugged his shoulders
0:37:05 > 0:37:07and said, "Well, I think you've got a good deal."
0:37:07 > 0:37:11As instead of 2,800 it was going to cost us about 8,500
0:37:11 > 0:37:15I couldn't say I agreed with him cos we could have bought a car for that.
0:37:15 > 0:37:19It wasn't clear where or how such a fundamental
0:37:19 > 0:37:23misunderstanding about the price had arisen.
0:37:23 > 0:37:26But instead of arguing whilst still in Orlando, John
0:37:26 > 0:37:29and Teresa decided to pick it up with Avis when they got home.
0:37:29 > 0:37:34We were determined that we weren't going to let that spoil
0:37:34 > 0:37:36what we'd already had.
0:37:36 > 0:37:38We felt sure that as soon as we got back
0:37:38 > 0:37:43we had paperwork to say how much that should have cost us.
0:37:43 > 0:37:47Back home, John e-mailed the Avis UK head office
0:37:47 > 0:37:49and explained the situation.
0:37:49 > 0:37:53They said they would contact the American branch
0:37:53 > 0:37:56and get back to us within a couple of weeks and they were quite
0:37:56 > 0:38:00helpful, they were quite friendly and sounded quite sympathetic.
0:38:02 > 0:38:05Avis did look into the case but when they came back to John
0:38:05 > 0:38:09and Teresa it wasn't the news the couple wanted to hear.
0:38:09 > 0:38:12It seemed that the upgrade the couple had accepted in Orlando
0:38:12 > 0:38:15had effectively ripped up their original booking
0:38:15 > 0:38:20and the three monthly charges they'd paid instead were in fact correct.
0:38:20 > 0:38:22The company had said the details had all been laid
0:38:22 > 0:38:25out in the paperwork and because John and Teresa had signed
0:38:25 > 0:38:29the contract accepting them, there was nothing now that could be done.
0:38:29 > 0:38:32Their attitude was that we'd signed the contracts
0:38:32 > 0:38:34and as far as they were concerned that stood,
0:38:34 > 0:38:36they weren't going to do anything about it.
0:38:36 > 0:38:38That's when I started getting a little bit angry
0:38:38 > 0:38:40cos it was a lot of money.
0:38:40 > 0:38:44People can't afford to spend that sort of money and just lose it.
0:38:44 > 0:38:47If they'd have told us at the beginning
0:38:47 > 0:38:49that it was going to be 8,500,
0:38:49 > 0:38:51we would have said, "Thanks very much but no, thank you,"
0:38:51 > 0:38:53and gone somewhere else.
0:38:53 > 0:38:56We contacted Avis UK about this case.
0:38:56 > 0:38:58They wouldn't discuss it with us directly
0:38:58 > 0:39:02because of "customer privacy," but said they had got in touch
0:39:02 > 0:39:05with John and Teresa directly "to reach a resolution
0:39:05 > 0:39:07"concerning their rental."
0:39:08 > 0:39:10John told us Avis has made them
0:39:10 > 0:39:14an offer over the phone of just over £1,600.
0:39:14 > 0:39:17When they told AVIS they were planning to reject it,
0:39:17 > 0:39:20AVIS said this would be its final offer.
0:39:20 > 0:39:23But John says he is still unsure whether to accept.
0:39:23 > 0:39:26If ever you've hired a car when you've been abroad,
0:39:26 > 0:39:29then perhaps you, too, have been baffled by all facts
0:39:29 > 0:39:32and the figures on the paperwork that gets thrust in front of you.
0:39:32 > 0:39:35Maybe you've just come off a long flight, you're a bit tired,
0:39:35 > 0:39:38you're disorientated or there's a great long queue in front of you
0:39:38 > 0:39:41and really all you want to do is just get out of the airport
0:39:41 > 0:39:44and get on your way. Is it any wonder that we receive
0:39:44 > 0:39:48as many complaints about what you get charged for car hire as we do?
0:39:48 > 0:39:51It's possible, of course, that you didn't quite understand the
0:39:51 > 0:39:53terms of what you were signing for.
0:39:53 > 0:39:57Or maybe you were persuaded to take on extra insurance, an upgrade,
0:39:57 > 0:40:00things that bump up the price that you're going to pay
0:40:00 > 0:40:03which means that you end up with a bill which is an awful lot more
0:40:03 > 0:40:04than you originally expected.
0:40:06 > 0:40:09That's why the body that represents the UK car rental industry
0:40:09 > 0:40:13insists that customers need to make sure they understand the deals
0:40:13 > 0:40:16and contracts they've signed up to
0:40:16 > 0:40:18so there's no confusion later on.
0:40:18 > 0:40:20It's in the interest of both consumers
0:40:20 > 0:40:24and our members to ensure that transparency is
0:40:24 > 0:40:27maximised in the whole booking process, so that consumers
0:40:27 > 0:40:30are made aware very early on in the process what is the price
0:40:30 > 0:40:33that they're going to pay to drive away the car or van
0:40:33 > 0:40:37that they want to rent. If you're hiring a car abroad,
0:40:37 > 0:40:40there's a number of basic steps to take
0:40:40 > 0:40:43which can ensure that your experience is going to be a good one.
0:40:43 > 0:40:46You have to really understand the terms and conditions
0:40:46 > 0:40:48that you're singing up to of any contract
0:40:48 > 0:40:51and print them off the website, take the time to read them
0:40:51 > 0:40:53before you actually make the booking.
0:40:53 > 0:40:56So when you go to the desk to collect the keys of your vehicle,
0:40:56 > 0:40:58you're prepared.
0:40:58 > 0:41:02Of course, John and Teresa had thought they were prepared
0:41:02 > 0:41:05but still, once at the desk, somehow it all unravelled.
0:41:05 > 0:41:08They also knew their trip of a lifetime wouldn't be cheap,
0:41:08 > 0:41:12but they never imagined what they paid for their hire car would
0:41:12 > 0:41:14end up as much as it did.
0:41:14 > 0:41:18This is a huge amount of money. We're now living on a pension
0:41:18 > 0:41:21and I think that makes the impact even bigger.
0:41:23 > 0:41:25Not something anybody could afford to lose.
0:41:36 > 0:41:38Here at Rip Off Britain we're always ready
0:41:38 > 0:41:41to investigate your stories and not just about holidays.
0:41:43 > 0:41:46You might have a cautionary tale of your own
0:41:46 > 0:41:48and want to share the mistakes you made with us
0:41:48 > 0:41:50so that other people don't do the same.
0:41:52 > 0:41:54You can write to us at...
0:42:03 > 0:42:05Or you can send us an e-mail to...
0:42:10 > 0:42:14Well, as we've been hearing, when something doesn't go to plan
0:42:14 > 0:42:18on holiday, it can lead to all sorts of unexpected costs and expense.
0:42:18 > 0:42:21And while of course you can never prepare for every eventuality,
0:42:21 > 0:42:25you can at least limit your risks by being absolutely 100% clear
0:42:25 > 0:42:27on what it is you think you're paying for.
0:42:27 > 0:42:29That's really vital advice.
0:42:29 > 0:42:32And if you're in any way unsure, then take extra advice.
0:42:32 > 0:42:34Don't assume that something's necessarily
0:42:34 > 0:42:36as straightforward as you think.
0:42:36 > 0:42:38Because while it's not true of all our stories today,
0:42:38 > 0:42:39certainly in some cases,
0:42:39 > 0:42:43if the information that's come to light now had been known a little
0:42:43 > 0:42:46earlier on, then a very different decision may well have been made.
0:42:46 > 0:42:48Isn't hindsight a wonderful thing?
0:42:48 > 0:42:50We could all be so clever, couldn't we?
0:42:50 > 0:42:51But it is true that
0:42:51 > 0:42:55if you're prepared to do a bit of extra research or checking right
0:42:55 > 0:42:58at the start, you could save yourself an awful lot of grief later on.
0:42:58 > 0:43:01So our very heartfelt thanks to all of those people who were
0:43:01 > 0:43:04prepared to share their experiences with us today.
0:43:04 > 0:43:07Well, we will be back to look at even more of your stories very soon,
0:43:07 > 0:43:09so do please keep them coming.
0:43:09 > 0:43:11But until then, from everyone on the team, bye-bye.
0:43:11 > 0:43:13- Goodbye.- Thanks for your company.