0:00:02 > 0:00:04We asked you who's left you feeling ripped off
0:00:04 > 0:00:06when it comes to your holidays.
0:00:06 > 0:00:09And you came back with a catalogue of travel disasters.
0:00:09 > 0:00:16I was absolutely mortified. I'm upset, I'm angry and I'm frustrated.
0:00:16 > 0:00:19It's the inconvenience, it's the stress.
0:00:19 > 0:00:22It's upsetting.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25So whether it's a deliberate rip-off...a simple mistake or
0:00:25 > 0:00:27a catch in the small print...
0:00:27 > 0:00:29we'll find out why you're
0:00:29 > 0:00:32out of pocket and what you can do about it.
0:00:32 > 0:00:34Your stories. Your money.
0:00:34 > 0:00:35This...is Rip-Off Britain.
0:00:37 > 0:00:39Hello and welcome to Rip-Off Britain.
0:00:39 > 0:00:43Along with a little sunshine from the lovely island of Lanzarote,
0:00:43 > 0:00:46we'll be bringing you plenty of unmissable tips and advice -
0:00:46 > 0:00:49particularly when it comes to making sure that your holiday isn't
0:00:49 > 0:00:53interrupted by anyone or ANYTHING... that you didn't expect.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56And believe me - some of the, how shall we put it,
0:00:56 > 0:00:58"uninvited guests" you've been telling us about
0:00:58 > 0:01:01are the last thing you'd want to be hosting wherever you are -
0:01:01 > 0:01:04but especially when you've gone away for a well-deserved break.
0:01:04 > 0:01:06You'll see exactly what we're talking about in a minute -
0:01:06 > 0:01:08but just to give you a little hint,
0:01:08 > 0:01:11- a few of the holiday gate-crashers are living creatures!- Oh!
0:01:11 > 0:01:14And you don't have to be holidaying abroad to come across these
0:01:14 > 0:01:17particular critters - you could actually run into them
0:01:17 > 0:01:19in the UK as well.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22But fortunately, not everything that we're investigating today can
0:01:22 > 0:01:24move or crawl...!
0:01:24 > 0:01:26Because we're also going to be having the low-down on a
0:01:26 > 0:01:30holiday essential that we guarantee you take whenever you go away.
0:01:30 > 0:01:34But I bet the chances are that you're not actually using it properly.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38Coming up... The seaside gets scary -
0:01:38 > 0:01:42but are our favourite resorts REALLY under attack from above?
0:01:43 > 0:01:46They're actually quite threatening large birds
0:01:46 > 0:01:49- when they just come upon you out of nowhere.- We see them
0:01:49 > 0:01:52as a flying pest - sort of the same as rats.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57And it's a summer holiday essential - but is there ANY
0:01:57 > 0:02:01benefit in splashing out on a more expensive sunscreen?
0:02:01 > 0:02:06If we have two SPF products that retail at different price points,
0:02:06 > 0:02:10the SPF protection that you receive from them would be identical.
0:02:13 > 0:02:16Now, let's be absolutely honest - one of the most unwelcome
0:02:16 > 0:02:20intrusions on what should be a lovely, peaceful holiday is noise.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23And when it's so bad that every moment by the pool is going
0:02:23 > 0:02:26to be ruined by the distinctive drilling and banging
0:02:26 > 0:02:29of building work, you might expect that you'd be warned in advance,
0:02:29 > 0:02:33especially if you've splashed out to stay at a five-star hotel,
0:02:33 > 0:02:35as the family in our next story had done.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40When taxi driver Gary Griffiths decided to take his wife
0:02:40 > 0:02:45and two daughters on a fortnight's holiday back in August 2015,
0:02:45 > 0:02:48he was determined to do it in style.
0:02:48 > 0:02:52And after saving up for two years, he found the perfect Florida break -
0:02:52 > 0:02:56combining ten days' hectic activity in Orlando
0:02:56 > 0:03:02and then a peaceful stay at a luxury beach resort in Miami.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05The kids were so looking forward to going to the theme parks
0:03:05 > 0:03:08and everything that goes with it all, the nice weather
0:03:08 > 0:03:11and then going down to Miami for the last four days, to relax.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14I was looking forward to sitting by the pool relaxing,
0:03:14 > 0:03:16the kids would be in the pool and I could sit there
0:03:16 > 0:03:19and read a book... and pass the time of day.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22Sounds absolutely perfect!
0:03:22 > 0:03:25And the first part of the holiday certainly lived up to the
0:03:25 > 0:03:27family's expectations.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30Orlando was fantastic - it's out of this world.
0:03:30 > 0:03:32The hotel we stayed in was fantastic.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35That had eight or nine swimming pools and we had all
0:03:35 > 0:03:39the theme parks to choose from, all the different rides to go on.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43After all that excitement, lazing around the pool was what the
0:03:43 > 0:03:46family was anticipating from the rest of their trip.
0:03:46 > 0:03:51And that's why they'd chosen the five-star Eden Roc hotel in Miami.
0:03:51 > 0:03:56But when they arrived, I'm afraid things weren't quite what they'd expected...
0:03:56 > 0:03:59When we came into the foyer of the hotel, the ceiling to floor
0:03:59 > 0:04:02was covered in dustsheets and there was building work going on,
0:04:02 > 0:04:05grinding noise. And we were just, like, "What is going on here?
0:04:05 > 0:04:07"What have we let ourselves in for?"
0:04:07 > 0:04:09We just looked at each other as if...
0:04:09 > 0:04:11"Are we really in the right hotel?"
0:04:11 > 0:04:16You know, cos this is a five-star hotel to finish a holiday off on.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19But there was no mistake. This WAS the correct hotel.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22The receptionist told the family that it was undergoing
0:04:22 > 0:04:26a major refurbishment programme, that indeed had started three months previously.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29What's more, Gary says the hotel claimed that his
0:04:29 > 0:04:31tour operator, Thomson, had been
0:04:31 > 0:04:35informed about the extent of the building works MONTHS beforehand.
0:04:35 > 0:04:39That was news to us, cos we'd actually booked the holiday
0:04:39 > 0:04:43a year before, so they've had plenty of time to let us know.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46Four days before we went on holiday, we went into the local travel agent's
0:04:46 > 0:04:50to upgrade the room in Miami. They said we couldn't do it
0:04:50 > 0:04:52because it was a package deal
0:04:52 > 0:04:55but they never once mentioned about the building work going on.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01The family had no choice but to try and make the best of it,
0:05:01 > 0:05:06hoping that the building works might not be as bad as they first appeared.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09But as Gary was soon to find out, that would not be easy.
0:05:09 > 0:05:13We got the keys to the room, we went up to the room, which was
0:05:13 > 0:05:16fantastic - the views. And then, when we opened the patio doors,
0:05:16 > 0:05:19the noise that hit us was amazing.
0:05:19 > 0:05:20LOUD GRINDING
0:05:20 > 0:05:22It was a grinding noise
0:05:22 > 0:05:25coming from down below, but we were 17 floors up and it was just
0:05:25 > 0:05:27really, really loud.
0:05:28 > 0:05:33The noise was piercing, really, it was constant grinding noises
0:05:33 > 0:05:37and there was pressure washers going off, stone cleaners.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40Everywhere you turned, there was noise at different levels
0:05:40 > 0:05:42but constant.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45Me and my wife spoke to each other and thought we best film it
0:05:45 > 0:05:47and take pictures, cos no-one will believe
0:05:47 > 0:05:51the level of noise that is going on, on such a luxury five-star hotel,
0:05:51 > 0:05:55that they could put you there and expect you to be happy with it.
0:05:55 > 0:05:59But the disruption wasn't just confined to their room.
0:05:59 > 0:06:03The main swimming pool was closed - leaving only two smaller pools open.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06And in any case, the noise from the building works meant
0:06:06 > 0:06:09relaxing by the pool - indeed the whole point of staying at this
0:06:09 > 0:06:13hotel in the first place - was looking highly unlikely...
0:06:13 > 0:06:17Well, we went down to the pool and the noise was unbearable.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19We were just, like...
0:06:19 > 0:06:22And in between the pools they were doing building work as well.
0:06:22 > 0:06:26Gary went down to reception to speak to the manager to complain.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29But all the hotel could offer was eight drinks tokens for the bar...
0:06:29 > 0:06:31Incidentally, by the pool.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34Basically, "Go and sit there with the noise
0:06:34 > 0:06:37"and have a free drink on us." Which is just a joke.
0:06:37 > 0:06:42It was far from the relaxing end to the trip that they'd been hoping for.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45We were annoyed and angry and the girls were upset cos they wanted to
0:06:45 > 0:06:50sit by the pool and play in the pool all day. It was just an inconvenience
0:06:50 > 0:06:52for everyone, you couldn't relax there, so it was a case
0:06:52 > 0:06:55of going out of the hotel to get away,
0:06:55 > 0:06:57which defeated the whole object of
0:06:57 > 0:06:59coming to stay and relax by the pool.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02It ruined the holiday, to be honest.
0:07:02 > 0:07:06Once back in the UK, Gary got in touch with the holiday company, Thomson,
0:07:06 > 0:07:10asking why he had not been told about the building work in advance -
0:07:10 > 0:07:14as travel industry guidelines say he should have been.
0:07:14 > 0:07:18The company replied saying it does TRY to advise holiday-makers
0:07:18 > 0:07:22about building work and regretted not doing so in this case
0:07:22 > 0:07:27but that such works are something over which they have limited control.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30None of which washes with our travel expert, Simon Calder.
0:07:30 > 0:07:34Here's a fact of holiday life, if you're going to a resort, well,
0:07:34 > 0:07:38there's going to be some building or renovation work going on somewhere,
0:07:38 > 0:07:43that's just the nature of the travel industry. But the crucial point is
0:07:43 > 0:07:47how much is it going to affect your enjoyment of the holiday?
0:07:47 > 0:07:51In cases like this, where there's building work going on,
0:07:51 > 0:07:53there are two very simple tests -
0:07:53 > 0:07:56does the holiday company know about it in advance and
0:07:56 > 0:08:00is it likely seriously to impair the holiday?
0:08:00 > 0:08:02This poor family did exactly the right things -
0:08:02 > 0:08:05they took it up with the hotel, they took it up with the
0:08:05 > 0:08:09tour operator, but they are still a long way from getting satisfaction.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11A long way, indeed.
0:08:11 > 0:08:15Thomson did offer the family £460 in holiday vouchers.
0:08:15 > 0:08:20But Gary doesn't feel that makes up for the disastrous end to the trip.
0:08:20 > 0:08:24Extremely disappointed that such a major holiday company
0:08:24 > 0:08:27can wash their hands of a major complaint as if it's nothing.
0:08:27 > 0:08:30It might be nothing to them, but they've ruined our luxury holiday
0:08:30 > 0:08:33that we were so looking forward to.
0:08:33 > 0:08:37Now, what should happen in a situation like this is not simply that
0:08:37 > 0:08:40you're TOLD about any works... But if they're major ones you're
0:08:40 > 0:08:44offered the opportunity to transfer your booking somewhere else.
0:08:44 > 0:08:46So, in this case, what went wrong?
0:08:47 > 0:08:50We asked Thomson exactly that, and it told us that it relies
0:08:50 > 0:08:55on its resort partners advising on any building work, but that, in this case,
0:08:55 > 0:08:57despite what Gary was told at the time...
0:08:59 > 0:09:02The company told us that it does...
0:09:02 > 0:09:05the progress of work to the hotels it works with.
0:09:05 > 0:09:06And said that...
0:09:08 > 0:09:11Thomson said it's...
0:09:11 > 0:09:13caused to Gary and his family
0:09:13 > 0:09:15and it's offered them £1,500
0:09:15 > 0:09:19as a further gesture of goodwill, which Gary HAS accepted.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23But despite that, Gary would still have preferred -
0:09:23 > 0:09:27however late in the day - to have been warned about the building work
0:09:27 > 0:09:30so that the family could have changed its plans.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33Even if we would've got told in the travel agent's four days before
0:09:33 > 0:09:36we went, when we were in there, "There's building work,"
0:09:36 > 0:09:40we would've stayed in Orlando and enjoyed the luxury there
0:09:40 > 0:09:43of the five-star hotel, and all the theme parks were on our doorstep.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47So, we had no reason to drive 250 miles to a building site.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55Now, if the stories in last summer's papers are to be believed,
0:09:55 > 0:09:58something synonymous with the British seaside that we've
0:09:58 > 0:10:02tended to regard as little more than an occasional nuisance has
0:10:02 > 0:10:04now become a dangerous menace.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07We're talking about seagulls.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09They've been known in the past for stealing the odd chip here
0:10:09 > 0:10:12and there, but stories in the tabloids recently
0:10:12 > 0:10:15have accused them of attacking dogs and even people.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18So - how worried should we be?
0:10:18 > 0:10:21Is this just a silly-season exaggeration or are these
0:10:21 > 0:10:24birds more of a pest than perhaps we'd realised?
0:10:26 > 0:10:28SINISTER SCORE
0:10:32 > 0:10:34It's like a scene from a Hitchcock movie,
0:10:34 > 0:10:37rather than the coastal resorts of Britain.
0:10:37 > 0:10:38Tourists ducking for cover,
0:10:38 > 0:10:41protecting their fish and chips and shading
0:10:41 > 0:10:44their ice creams - all because of a terrifying threat from above...
0:10:45 > 0:10:49I've had a couple of ice creams stolen within five minutes before.
0:10:49 > 0:10:53They're actually quite threatening large birds
0:10:53 > 0:10:56when they just come upon you out of nowhere.
0:10:56 > 0:11:00We see them as a flying pest, sort of the same as rats.
0:11:00 > 0:11:05If there's food everywhere, they're bound to come down and attack you.
0:11:05 > 0:11:09The summer of 2015 saw reports of seagulls swooping down onto
0:11:09 > 0:11:12people or animals all around the coast.
0:11:12 > 0:11:16Most attacks were to steal food, but in the most serious ones
0:11:16 > 0:11:20the birds killed a pet tortoise and a Yorkshire terrier in Cornwall.
0:11:21 > 0:11:25Seagull panic in the county reached fever pitch and during a summer visit,
0:11:25 > 0:11:30even the Prime Minister had something to say on the subject.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33Reading the papers this morning about how aggressive the seagulls
0:11:33 > 0:11:37are now in St Ives, for instance, I mean, we do have a problem
0:11:37 > 0:11:40and I was listening to the MPs about this last night and I think
0:11:40 > 0:11:43it's the start of a conversation about something needing to be done.
0:11:43 > 0:11:47St Ives, nestled on the northern tip of the county,
0:11:47 > 0:11:50has had its fair share of problems with gulls, but whilst
0:11:50 > 0:11:54the council says things are no worse than they've been in previous years,
0:11:54 > 0:11:57some of the town's business owners - such as Gordon Mackie,
0:11:57 > 0:12:01who runs a fish-and-chip shop on the harbour front - disagree.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05Well, I've lived with them now for over 30 years in St Ives
0:12:05 > 0:12:08and I'm finding now that the increasing amount of attacks
0:12:08 > 0:12:12can have a detrimental effect, particularly on businesses.
0:12:12 > 0:12:17Gordon says the gulls have become a real pest for his customers.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20I've seen my customers affected on various occasions.
0:12:20 > 0:12:24It's more fixed on attacking food items rather than trying to
0:12:24 > 0:12:27injure animals or humans.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30There has been a lot of distress caused,
0:12:30 > 0:12:32particularly to younger children
0:12:32 > 0:12:35when they do lose an ice cream, or some chips or a pasty.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39Because all gull species are protected,
0:12:39 > 0:12:44there's a limit to what the council can do to combat the problem.
0:12:44 > 0:12:46They've turned to some innovative solutions,
0:12:46 > 0:12:50like broadcasting seagull distress calls through loudspeakers to
0:12:50 > 0:12:54put them off, pricking seagull eggs so they don't hatch,
0:12:54 > 0:12:57and even releasing birds of prey to scare them away.
0:12:58 > 0:13:02But locals like Gordon still think this isn't enough.
0:13:02 > 0:13:06There are a multitude of businesses around the town that have issues with seagulls,
0:13:06 > 0:13:09right from people trading onto the street to people trading onto the beach.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12There's no measure been put in place so far that has had any
0:13:12 > 0:13:16real effect on problems with seagulls in the town.
0:13:16 > 0:13:19MUSIC: Surfin' Bird by The Trashmen
0:13:19 > 0:13:22Gull expert Peter Rock has been studying the birds for over
0:13:22 > 0:13:3030 years, and in 2014 counted around 240 breeding pairs in St Ives alone.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32Numbers are growing,
0:13:32 > 0:13:36and as a consequence of that we are seeing more and more incidents.
0:13:36 > 0:13:41Peter has spent years painstakingly monitoring the birds by putting
0:13:41 > 0:13:46rings around their legs, and as of 2015 he recorded 498 colonies
0:13:46 > 0:13:51on the British mainland, with one numbering almost 3,000 pairs.
0:13:53 > 0:13:57Up and down the country there is certainly a large problem,
0:13:57 > 0:14:02particularly in places where the colony size is very large.
0:14:02 > 0:14:06Here in St Ives, the colony is only 240 pairs.
0:14:06 > 0:14:10Bristol, for instance, is ten times that number.
0:14:10 > 0:14:14Local authorities nationwide are keen to stop the gulls posing
0:14:14 > 0:14:17a problem, but Peter's research has helped explain why many
0:14:17 > 0:14:21deterrents don't seem to be having the desired effect.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24We have a load of so-called tried and tested methods,
0:14:24 > 0:14:28weird and wonderful things - and they don't really do very much.
0:14:28 > 0:14:31We're dealing with birds which are at the high end
0:14:31 > 0:14:34of avian intelligence, not the low end, which means
0:14:34 > 0:14:38because they're smart they are quite easily able to overcome
0:14:38 > 0:14:41most everything that's been thrown at them,
0:14:41 > 0:14:44spikes and tension wires and plastic eagle owls.
0:14:44 > 0:14:45Plastic eagle owls - for goodness' sake.
0:14:45 > 0:14:49Whoever thought a plastic eagle owl was ever going to scare anything?
0:14:49 > 0:14:51It's a piece of plastic.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54True. Well, that deterrent is even less effective
0:14:54 > 0:14:56when a gull is trying to protect its young,
0:14:56 > 0:14:58something Peter blames for attacks
0:14:58 > 0:15:00that have injured people and killed pets.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03In the end, we're talking about parents
0:15:03 > 0:15:07protecting their offspring, that's the be-all and end-all of that.
0:15:07 > 0:15:11And they have no desire whatsoever to do anything aggressive to
0:15:11 > 0:15:14human beings except for that reason.
0:15:14 > 0:15:18Baby seagulls start to hatch at the same time as the tourist season
0:15:18 > 0:15:21begins to peak, and this is when their parents will start
0:15:21 > 0:15:25to target people who might look like they're posing a threat.
0:15:25 > 0:15:30The birds will swoop at you but come to only about six feet away.
0:15:30 > 0:15:32And it looks very, very aggressive
0:15:32 > 0:15:35and lots of people think that's an attack. Actually, it isn't.
0:15:35 > 0:15:39That's another way of them saying more forcefully that you need to go.
0:15:39 > 0:15:43If you're not going, the next stage is
0:15:43 > 0:15:48they will defecate all over you with surprising accuracy and...
0:15:48 > 0:15:52Or regurgitate, or both at the same time.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55Lovely(!) Well, nobody wants that on a day at the seaside, do they?
0:15:55 > 0:15:58So, if you think a gull attack is imminent,
0:15:58 > 0:16:00Peter has one key piece of advice.
0:16:00 > 0:16:02Get up against a wall,
0:16:02 > 0:16:06because in order to hit you they'd really have to do some majestical flying.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09But rather than being an aggressive attack, it's usually
0:16:09 > 0:16:12the case that a swooping seagull simply wants to snatch food
0:16:12 > 0:16:15out of the hands of unsuspecting tourists.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19And that's a message that St Ives Town Council
0:16:19 > 0:16:21is keen to reiterate.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24It told us that, short of banning people from eating
0:16:24 > 0:16:28in the street - which it cannot and would not wish to do - and tackling
0:16:28 > 0:16:32the problem of food litter, with solutions such as specially designed bins,
0:16:32 > 0:16:36it has to rely on education and awareness among the public.
0:16:37 > 0:16:40The council also urged food outlets to consider the amount of food
0:16:40 > 0:16:45they sell as takeaways, and to warn their customers about taking
0:16:45 > 0:16:48care about how they eat and dispose of their rubbish outside.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52So, while it seems there's no sudden need to panic -
0:16:52 > 0:16:56and certainly no reason to be put off going to the seaside -
0:16:56 > 0:16:59if you'd rather not have to protect your pasties from greedy gulls,
0:16:59 > 0:17:03then Peter has some common-sense advice.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05Don't buy any food out in the open.
0:17:05 > 0:17:06HE CHUCKLES
0:17:06 > 0:17:09But if you're going to do that, then protect it.
0:17:09 > 0:17:12Make sure that you don't wave it around a lot.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15If you're going to eat it out in the open air,
0:17:15 > 0:17:17why don't you get up against a wall?
0:17:17 > 0:17:19Why don't you, if you're going to sit on the beach,
0:17:19 > 0:17:21sit up against the sea wall?
0:17:21 > 0:17:24In order to grab your food, the gulls would have then to do some
0:17:24 > 0:17:26amazing flying.
0:17:33 > 0:17:37Still to come on Rip-Off Britain... the holiday-maker who found herself
0:17:37 > 0:17:40both the bed AND breakfast for some unwanted guests...
0:17:42 > 0:17:47When I woke up, I was really itchy, covered in bites all up my arms and legs.
0:17:47 > 0:17:52There was just loads of black bugs crawling on me and on the sheets.
0:17:52 > 0:17:54I was just like, "Oh, my God, what are these?"
0:18:01 > 0:18:03Once again, we're ready to open up our
0:18:03 > 0:18:05Rip-Off Britain pop-up shop.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08Now this time we've come to one of the busy shopping centres
0:18:08 > 0:18:10right in the heart of Nottingham.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13For two days only, we've brought our team of experts out on the road
0:18:13 > 0:18:16so that we can give advice face-to-face.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19We've got a terrific team here that are ready to give you all
0:18:19 > 0:18:22the tools and all the information you need
0:18:22 > 0:18:23to ensure that the next time you
0:18:23 > 0:18:26hand over your hard-earned cash you won't be ripped off.
0:18:30 > 0:18:34Paul Mann came to see travel journalist Lisa Francesca Nand
0:18:34 > 0:18:37after a family holiday was ruined due to the airline
0:18:37 > 0:18:39cancelling their flight.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42We could have gone with another airline but because it was
0:18:42 > 0:18:47school holidays, the cost of the flight had trebled, quadrupled.
0:18:47 > 0:18:49Give me a ballpark figure, what kind of sum are we talking about?
0:18:49 > 0:18:51£2,500, £3,000 for the flights...
0:18:51 > 0:18:52- Just for the air tickets?- Yes.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55And you'd paid how much for the accommodation?
0:18:55 > 0:18:57I'd paid £1,000 and my daughter had paid just a bit more,
0:18:57 > 0:18:59cos there was more of them.
0:18:59 > 0:19:03And the owner, quite rightly, had said cos it was so close
0:19:03 > 0:19:07to the departure date, he couldn't resell the apartment.
0:19:07 > 0:19:08So we cancelled it, we never bothered.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10- Cancelled everything? - Yep, the whole lot.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13Did you get any money back at all off this?
0:19:13 > 0:19:17We got money for the flight tickets, but we didn't get any
0:19:17 > 0:19:20compensation for the apartment that we'd already bought.
0:19:20 > 0:19:23- Did you take out any kind of insurance?- We certainly did.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26So you would have expected then to have, what,
0:19:26 > 0:19:29something back for the accommodation you'd paid, but you didn't?
0:19:29 > 0:19:31- No. - It's a tale of woe, Lisa, isn't it?
0:19:31 > 0:19:34It is, and unfortunately this is one of the things when you don't
0:19:34 > 0:19:37book a package holiday, which, by the way, I completely agree with.
0:19:37 > 0:19:39I love booking things separately myself.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42But unfortunately, one of the issues is your contract is
0:19:42 > 0:19:46directly with the owner and you've got no backup if things go wrong.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49I have had a look through your insurance policy and unfortunately
0:19:49 > 0:19:51this one has a clause saying,
0:19:51 > 0:19:53"We are not responsible if this happens."
0:19:53 > 0:19:56The one thing I do have to ask you is,
0:19:56 > 0:19:58how did you pay, on what sort of card did you pay for this?
0:19:58 > 0:20:02- It was on a credit card. - Now...- Ha!- Bingo.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05You should, under the Consumer Credit Act,
0:20:05 > 0:20:08have the right to claim anything between £100
0:20:08 > 0:20:11and £30,000, you should have the right to
0:20:11 > 0:20:14claim that back through your credit-card provider.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17So that's your next course of action, contact your credit-card people
0:20:17 > 0:20:20and hopefully they'll be able to sort it out for you...
0:20:20 > 0:20:23Well, I'm about to book next year's holiday already this year, so...
0:20:23 > 0:20:25- What lessons have you learnt? - Book it on a credit card.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27And have a wonderful holiday this time.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29Thank you very much.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33Outside the shop, we set up our gripe area, where you came along to
0:20:33 > 0:20:37tell us about all the things that really get you steaming!
0:20:37 > 0:20:39And holiday expert Simon Calder
0:20:39 > 0:20:43couldn't resist sharing what winds HIM up, too!
0:20:44 > 0:20:48It's a fantastic time to be a traveller but there's
0:20:48 > 0:20:50some things I get really cross about!
0:20:50 > 0:20:53First thing - roaming charges.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56Sure, the European Union is very good at saying
0:20:56 > 0:20:59you can't charge more than really a few pence a minute
0:20:59 > 0:21:03or a few pence per text, but once you get outside Europe...
0:21:03 > 0:21:07And that could just be as far as Turkey, suddenly you could be up to
0:21:07 > 0:21:09£1 a minute or even more.
0:21:09 > 0:21:13And it's worse still if you're downloading stuff from the internet,
0:21:13 > 0:21:17so make sure you know how much you're going to be paying.
0:21:20 > 0:21:23Goodnight, sleep tight, and don't let the bedbugs bite.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26Well, we've probably all had that said to us
0:21:26 > 0:21:27at some time in our lives.
0:21:27 > 0:21:29We might have even said it ourselves!
0:21:29 > 0:21:32But while most of us will then go on to have a very peaceful,
0:21:32 > 0:21:34insect-free night, some people, I'm afraid, aren't so lucky
0:21:34 > 0:21:39and end up sharing their beds with some VERY unwanted guests.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42Now, that would be bad enough if it was at home,
0:21:42 > 0:21:45but it's certainly not what you expect to find in the hotel beds
0:21:45 > 0:21:47that you've booked for your holiday.
0:21:48 > 0:21:52Fuerteventura - the second-largest of the Canary Islands,
0:21:52 > 0:21:55and one that enjoys near year-round sunshine.
0:21:55 > 0:22:00It's a popular choice for those wanting a slightly lower-key holiday
0:22:00 > 0:22:02than on neighbouring Tenerife.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04And it's the destination of choice for the Lorenz family -
0:22:04 > 0:22:08mum Tracey, dad Karl and 12-year-old Sophie.
0:22:09 > 0:22:11Ready!
0:22:13 > 0:22:17Their most recent trip - in October, 2014 - was a seven-night
0:22:17 > 0:22:21all-inclusive stay at the two-star Alisios Playa, a complex
0:22:21 > 0:22:25of apartments. They'd booked through online travel agent On The Beach,
0:22:25 > 0:22:30paying £780 for flights, transfers and the accommodation.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33Situated just 300 metres from the beach,
0:22:33 > 0:22:36the family couldn't wait to relax and enjoy their holiday.
0:22:40 > 0:22:45We unpacked. Went up to the beach.
0:22:45 > 0:22:47A few hours later, come back,
0:22:47 > 0:22:51I was a bit tired, thought I'd have a lay down in the room.
0:22:51 > 0:22:54But things were about to go rapidly downhill...thanks to some
0:22:54 > 0:22:57particularly unwelcome visitors.
0:22:57 > 0:23:02When I woke up, I was really itchy, covered in bites all up my arms
0:23:02 > 0:23:07and legs, I had bites up my face, in my ears, where my face was on
0:23:07 > 0:23:13the pillow, across my back, my front, literally covered in bites.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18And it wasn't just BITES that Tracey was covered in.
0:23:18 > 0:23:22I lifted up the sheets, and there was bugs all in the bed,
0:23:22 > 0:23:25it was just black bugs crawling on me
0:23:25 > 0:23:26and on the sheets.
0:23:28 > 0:23:30There was loads, too many to count.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33I was just like, "Oh, my God, what are these?"
0:23:33 > 0:23:35And sort of got up, sort of
0:23:35 > 0:23:39brushing them off of me, called my husband in. He came in, he went,
0:23:39 > 0:23:41"Oh, my God, what are they?"
0:23:41 > 0:23:44I said, "I don't know, but they've bitten me all over."
0:23:44 > 0:23:47Tracey was convinced that the unwanted visitors
0:23:47 > 0:23:51to their apartment were bedbugs - small, bloodsucking insects
0:23:51 > 0:23:53that TEND to come out at night.
0:23:53 > 0:23:57And not wanting to spend another minute in their company, she headed
0:23:57 > 0:24:00to the hotel reception to see what could be done to get rid of them.
0:24:00 > 0:24:04They came in, stripped all the bedding off, took...
0:24:04 > 0:24:07Put it in plastic bags and took it away,
0:24:07 > 0:24:11took the whole bed unit away and put in a new bed.
0:24:12 > 0:24:16But it seemed that the uninvited roommates were determined to
0:24:16 > 0:24:18stick around.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21Later that night, just as Tracey
0:24:21 > 0:24:24and her daughters were about to drop off to sleep...
0:24:24 > 0:24:27We started seeing the bugs coming out from the headboards
0:24:27 > 0:24:31and the sockets, and behind the pictures on the walls and everything again.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34And we just said, "We can't stay in that room, you know,
0:24:34 > 0:24:37"get more bites, we just can't."
0:24:37 > 0:24:39By this time, it's nearly ten o'clock,
0:24:39 > 0:24:42there's no-one on reception again, there's nothing we can do at that
0:24:42 > 0:24:44time of night...
0:24:44 > 0:24:47So there's no holiday reps for On The Beach there, so we
0:24:47 > 0:24:52ended up, all three of us, sleeping on the sofa in the front room.
0:24:52 > 0:24:56The following morning, the family were moved to another apartment.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58And in the cold light of day,
0:24:58 > 0:25:02it became clear to see the extent of the damage the bugs had caused.
0:25:03 > 0:25:08It was terribly uncomfortable because of the itching and burning.
0:25:08 > 0:25:12And the heat wasn't helping, because it made it,
0:25:12 > 0:25:14you know, more irritating.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16It was very upsetting because we, you know,
0:25:16 > 0:25:22go on holiday to enjoy a break, get a bit of warmth from the winter weather,
0:25:22 > 0:25:27and it just wasn't enjoyable at all.
0:25:27 > 0:25:31Tracey was prescribed a steroid cream and injections to help relieve
0:25:31 > 0:25:35the itching, but she couldn't get the bedbugs out of her mind...
0:25:35 > 0:25:40It spoilt it completely, you know, it ruined the holiday for all of us.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43But was Tracey right in thinking that the insects that had bitten her
0:25:43 > 0:25:45were bedbugs?
0:25:45 > 0:25:48Determined to get to the bottom of what had caused her
0:25:48 > 0:25:50so much irritation,
0:25:50 > 0:25:54she brought TWO of the undesirable bedfellows back to the UK.
0:25:54 > 0:25:58These are the bugs that were in the bed when I woke up
0:25:58 > 0:26:01and was itching.
0:26:01 > 0:26:03Martin Harvey is the president
0:26:03 > 0:26:06of the British Pest Control Association.
0:26:06 > 0:26:08He knows a thing or two about creepy-crawlies.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11So we asked him to take a look at the specimens that Tracey had
0:26:11 > 0:26:12brought back.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17Bedbugs are around six millimetres long.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20Their abdomen, which is their hindquarters,
0:26:20 > 0:26:25is like a shield shape and they're rust red, brown type of colour.
0:26:25 > 0:26:30There are certain signs that you can look for to spot a bedbug problem.
0:26:30 > 0:26:34And those would be there's a characteristic smell
0:26:34 > 0:26:37when there's a very heavy bedbug problem.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40And that smell is a sickly-sweet, almondy smell.
0:26:41 > 0:26:46You normally see blood spots around the headboard of a bed
0:26:46 > 0:26:51but also around the buttons that hold a mattress together and around
0:26:51 > 0:26:55the joints of a bed where the bed is actually bolted together.
0:26:55 > 0:27:01These are small gaps where this very flat insect can hide and can breed.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04So, was Tracey's hunch correct?
0:27:04 > 0:27:07In my opinion, having had a good look at these samples,
0:27:07 > 0:27:11there is no doubt in my mind that Tracy's been bitten by bedbugs.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15After being virtually eradicated in the developed world
0:27:15 > 0:27:20in the 1980s, the bedbug population is once more on the rise.
0:27:20 > 0:27:24Though still rare, it's thought an increase in travel and movement
0:27:24 > 0:27:28around the world, and the possibility that the bugs have grown resistant
0:27:28 > 0:27:32to chemicals used to treat them, are to thank for their growing numbers.
0:27:32 > 0:27:34And Dr James Logan from
0:27:34 > 0:27:37the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
0:27:37 > 0:27:39says they're not in the slightest bit fussy
0:27:39 > 0:27:43about the standard of accommodation in which they find themselves.
0:27:43 > 0:27:47It doesn't matter whether it's a five-star hotel or one of the cheapest hostels that
0:27:47 > 0:27:52you can find, bedbugs can invade pretty much anywhere like that.
0:27:52 > 0:27:55The best thing you can do is just be aware, when you're travelling,
0:27:55 > 0:27:59especially in tropical countries, that there might be
0:27:59 > 0:28:02bedbugs around and minimise the risk of them getting into your luggage
0:28:02 > 0:28:04and you bringing them home. Make use of the luggage racks,
0:28:04 > 0:28:08because that keeps your luggage off the ground. And one of the classic ways that
0:28:08 > 0:28:12bedbugs can be transported is that they climb inside your luggage that's
0:28:12 > 0:28:16on the ground or in your clothes, so the key is to be neat and tidy,
0:28:16 > 0:28:20keep your luggage off the ground and zipped up, so the bedbugs can't get in.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24Those are certainly good tips for the rest of us,
0:28:24 > 0:28:26but I'm afraid they're too late for Tracey.
0:28:26 > 0:28:30She complained to On The Beach when she returned to the UK
0:28:30 > 0:28:35and was offered a refund of £173 - half the cost of the accommodation.
0:28:35 > 0:28:37But as far as she was concerned,
0:28:37 > 0:28:39this really didn't make up for what happened.
0:28:39 > 0:28:41It did ruin the holiday.
0:28:41 > 0:28:45Because we wanted to go and relax, and we couldn't do that.
0:28:45 > 0:28:48You know, having to spend twice a day
0:28:48 > 0:28:50traipsing up to the doctor's to get injections,
0:28:50 > 0:28:52three times a day putting cream on,
0:28:52 > 0:28:55couldn't go in the pool, couldn't sunbathe.
0:28:55 > 0:28:57When we contacted On The Beach,
0:28:57 > 0:29:01the website Tracey used to book her break, the company told us that,
0:29:01 > 0:29:05on the rare occasions customers experience problems on holiday, it
0:29:05 > 0:29:09always advises them to get in touch while they're still at the resort.
0:29:09 > 0:29:11As Tracey didn't do this,
0:29:11 > 0:29:15it was unable to help resolve the situation at the time.
0:29:15 > 0:29:18But after we got involved, On The Beach liaised with the
0:29:18 > 0:29:22hotel provider it used to arrange the accommodation,
0:29:22 > 0:29:24and this provider has now offered Tracey
0:29:24 > 0:29:26a full refund of the hotel cost.
0:29:26 > 0:29:31And on top of that, On The Beach has offered a further £220
0:29:31 > 0:29:33as a gesture of goodwill.
0:29:33 > 0:29:36We also contacted the Alisios Playa Apartments,
0:29:36 > 0:29:40who told us that this is the first time a situation like this
0:29:40 > 0:29:43has occurred, and the affected areas were cleaned with steam
0:29:43 > 0:29:46and a high-pressure vacuum following the complaints.
0:29:46 > 0:29:48The management also pointed out it had covered
0:29:48 > 0:29:52the cost of Tracey's medical treatment while on holiday.
0:29:53 > 0:29:57But for Tracey, while the bites have now gone, the memories
0:29:57 > 0:30:01of her trip to Fuerteventura will last a lot longer.
0:30:01 > 0:30:05Never in my life have I experienced anything like that.
0:30:05 > 0:30:08I wouldn't wish it on anybody, it's horrible.
0:30:17 > 0:30:21Our travel expert Simon Calder is sharing his top tips
0:30:21 > 0:30:24on favourite destinations across the globe.
0:30:24 > 0:30:27This time, Copenhagen,
0:30:27 > 0:30:30a city where Simon knows how to start saving money
0:30:30 > 0:30:32as soon as you arrive.
0:30:33 > 0:30:36Wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen.
0:30:36 > 0:30:38The Danish capital is a real beauty,
0:30:38 > 0:30:42best seen from the canal that cuts through the city.
0:30:42 > 0:30:45You could take an expensive harbour tour,
0:30:45 > 0:30:49or hop aboard one of the little yellow water buses
0:30:49 > 0:30:51that run every 10 or 20 minutes.
0:30:51 > 0:30:55And the best time to do that is as soon as you arrive.
0:30:55 > 0:30:59That's because a ticket from the airport into town
0:30:59 > 0:31:00is valid for two hours.
0:31:00 > 0:31:04The train ride only takes 12 minutes, giving you bags of time
0:31:04 > 0:31:09to get more value out of the ticket. Best invested in boat transport.
0:31:11 > 0:31:15With one of the longest pedestrianised shopping streets
0:31:15 > 0:31:18in Europe, Copenhagen is retail heaven.
0:31:18 > 0:31:21But there are also plenty of places to wander for free
0:31:21 > 0:31:23and give your credit card a well-earned rest.
0:31:23 > 0:31:30Like the trampolines built into the walkway on the Havnegade promenade.
0:31:30 > 0:31:34Both children and adults can bounce for free.
0:31:34 > 0:31:37And if you get tired of jumping, cross the bridge
0:31:37 > 0:31:40and go for a free swim instead.
0:31:40 > 0:31:45Open-air swimming with the city's skyline in view is a real experience.
0:31:45 > 0:31:49The harbour baths of Copenhagen open all summer long
0:31:49 > 0:31:50and are completely free.
0:31:50 > 0:31:52The water's sparkling clean
0:31:52 > 0:31:54and there's everything from diving towers
0:31:54 > 0:31:57to pools dedicated entirely to children.
0:31:59 > 0:32:02You might be reluctant to leave this European highlight,
0:32:02 > 0:32:06but when you do, there's one final way to save a few Danish kroner.
0:32:06 > 0:32:09Have you noticed that at airports worldwide,
0:32:09 > 0:32:11the price of eating and drinking tends to treble
0:32:11 > 0:32:13compared with outside?
0:32:13 > 0:32:18Well, at Copenhagen airport, terminal two, middle of the ground floor,
0:32:18 > 0:32:22there's a supermarket selling food and drink at normal prices.
0:32:22 > 0:32:27And they provide tables and chairs for you to enjoy a drink
0:32:27 > 0:32:29and something to eat before your flight.
0:32:29 > 0:32:33Possibly the best budget airport bar in the world.
0:32:35 > 0:32:39Saving money is a piece of kage.
0:32:39 > 0:32:40That's Danish for cake.
0:32:45 > 0:32:46Well, as you can see, lots of people
0:32:46 > 0:32:49are having a wonderful holiday down there on the beach.
0:32:49 > 0:32:51But coming up, a holiday essential that I guarantee
0:32:51 > 0:32:55you don't know quite as much about as you think you do.
0:32:55 > 0:32:56Or at least not yet.
0:32:56 > 0:32:59Sun cream is something you may think you've got the measure of,
0:32:59 > 0:33:01but get ready for some surprises.
0:33:01 > 0:33:03Not just about how you should use it,
0:33:03 > 0:33:06but especially when it comes to what you pay for it.
0:33:06 > 0:33:09Because if you reckon you're getting better protection by slapping
0:33:09 > 0:33:12on all the stuff you've splashed out more for,
0:33:12 > 0:33:15well, that's not generally the case.
0:33:15 > 0:33:19If I could offer you only one tip for the future,
0:33:19 > 0:33:22sunscreen would be it.
0:33:23 > 0:33:26We've been told for years that, before hitting the beach,
0:33:26 > 0:33:28we need to slap on the sunscreen.
0:33:28 > 0:33:34And it's estimated that UK consumers spend over £180 million a year
0:33:34 > 0:33:36on the white stuff.
0:33:36 > 0:33:39But although we've got the message that we need to put it on,
0:33:39 > 0:33:43even back in Blighty, how much else do we really know about sun cream?
0:33:43 > 0:33:46And are we getting as much protection as we should do?
0:33:51 > 0:33:55The Trafford Synchronised Swimming Club spends a lot of time
0:33:55 > 0:33:56with their bodies on show.
0:33:56 > 0:34:00So keeping their skin in tiptop condition is always a priority.
0:34:00 > 0:34:04But how well do they look after it when they're out in the sun?
0:34:04 > 0:34:07- WHISTLE - OK, that's great, guys. Well done.
0:34:07 > 0:34:10I've been burnt in the past, and obviously it's painful,
0:34:10 > 0:34:12it doesn't look very nice.
0:34:12 > 0:34:14So, yeah, I always make sure I put sun cream on.
0:34:14 > 0:34:16It's very important to protect your skin,
0:34:16 > 0:34:20especially because sometimes you don't realise how strong the sun is.
0:34:20 > 0:34:22OK, good. Shoulders out, everybody.
0:34:24 > 0:34:26The swimmers may think they know their onions
0:34:26 > 0:34:30when it comes to sunscreen, but are they using it properly?
0:34:30 > 0:34:32Hi, girls!
0:34:32 > 0:34:35We asked sun-protection expert Professor Brian Diffey to test
0:34:35 > 0:34:39them on the areas that he thinks most of us typically get wrong.
0:34:39 > 0:34:43Starting with that all-important number on the front of the bottle.
0:34:43 > 0:34:46Can anyone tell me what that number stands for?
0:34:46 > 0:34:50How much protection it gives for your skin from the UV?
0:34:50 > 0:34:53So, what number do you have on your bottle?
0:34:53 > 0:34:54- 50+.- 50+.
0:34:54 > 0:34:58OK, but you don't know what the 50 really refers to?
0:34:58 > 0:35:00Not really.
0:35:00 > 0:35:02The SPF, or sun protection factor,
0:35:02 > 0:35:04is the key thing most of us look at.
0:35:04 > 0:35:08It's the measure of how well a cream prevents UVB rays
0:35:08 > 0:35:11from damaging the skin, in comparison to using none at all.
0:35:13 > 0:35:18If you take an SPF 20, for example, and you put it on your skin,
0:35:18 > 0:35:20you would end up with a 20th of the exposure
0:35:20 > 0:35:23to the sun's ultraviolet, burning rays
0:35:23 > 0:35:27that you would get if you hadn't applied the sunscreen.
0:35:28 > 0:35:32But the SPF is not the only thing you need to understand.
0:35:32 > 0:35:36Turn to the back of the bottle and you'll see a star rating.
0:35:36 > 0:35:37Now, what's that all about?
0:35:39 > 0:35:43Is it the quality of the SPF in the product?
0:35:43 > 0:35:44No, not at all, no.
0:35:44 > 0:35:48So nobody really knows what the star rating means?
0:35:48 > 0:35:50- No.- No.
0:35:50 > 0:35:54What it does is to give a measure of the spectrum of protection.
0:35:54 > 0:35:56That is, how broad the protection is
0:35:56 > 0:36:00across the ultraviolet region of the sun's rays.
0:36:00 > 0:36:02The higher the number of stars,
0:36:02 > 0:36:05the greater the spectrum, or width, of protection.
0:36:06 > 0:36:10The star rating acts as a guide to how widely the cream protects
0:36:10 > 0:36:13you from all types of rays - including the ones that can
0:36:13 > 0:36:16cause ageing and even lead to cancer.
0:36:16 > 0:36:20To add to the confusion, there's no relation between the SPF
0:36:20 > 0:36:22and the star system.
0:36:22 > 0:36:24Some bottles with really high SPF
0:36:24 > 0:36:27don't come with the best star ratings.
0:36:27 > 0:36:29And that means that when you're choosing sun cream,
0:36:29 > 0:36:32the SPF shouldn't be your first and only priority.
0:36:34 > 0:36:38The first thing to do is to turn the bottle over,
0:36:38 > 0:36:40and look for the star rating.
0:36:40 > 0:36:43Choose one that has four or five stars.
0:36:43 > 0:36:48That way, you're getting good spectrum, or breadth of protection.
0:36:48 > 0:36:50And then turn it over and choose one...
0:36:50 > 0:36:54Make sure it's at least medium, high or very high protection,
0:36:54 > 0:36:57so you're getting good power of protection.
0:36:58 > 0:37:02Seena Seka has been working in the sun-cream industry
0:37:02 > 0:37:04for something like 20 years.
0:37:04 > 0:37:07As chief product developer at this factory in Manchester, he's
0:37:07 > 0:37:12the brains behind the formulation of over 12 brands of sun-care products.
0:37:12 > 0:37:15And while there may be differences in the way they feel on the skin
0:37:15 > 0:37:17and their exact composition,
0:37:17 > 0:37:20fundamentally, they're all made the same way.
0:37:21 > 0:37:24In a bottle of sun cream you have sun filters,
0:37:24 > 0:37:28you have moisturisers, water-resistant ingredients.
0:37:28 > 0:37:32Maybe one or two skin-conditioning ingredients.
0:37:32 > 0:37:37And when you combine them all together with water and energy,
0:37:37 > 0:37:39you have a sun cream.
0:37:39 > 0:37:42All the brands of sun cream made at the factory have unique
0:37:42 > 0:37:46formulations - and widely differing prices in the shops.
0:37:46 > 0:37:49But the difference in cost rarely has anything to do with how
0:37:49 > 0:37:53effective they are at blocking out those harmful rays.
0:37:53 > 0:37:56This one sells for £1,
0:37:56 > 0:38:01this one will retail for between £3-£5,
0:38:01 > 0:38:04and this one will retail for £8-£9.
0:38:04 > 0:38:08The difference in prices in sun-care products is
0:38:08 > 0:38:14based around the things that you add in to the base material,
0:38:14 > 0:38:19as well as the brand scope of the product.
0:38:19 > 0:38:22But however much you pay, there's one thing that will not change.
0:38:23 > 0:38:28If we have two SPF products that retail at different price points,
0:38:28 > 0:38:32the SPF protection that you receive from them would be identical.
0:38:32 > 0:38:36You won't get better protection by buying a more
0:38:36 > 0:38:40expensive SPF 20 than a cheaper SPF 20.
0:38:41 > 0:38:43So while you can save your pennies
0:38:43 > 0:38:46and still get exactly the same protection, the one crucial thing
0:38:46 > 0:38:52that does affect how well your sun cream works is how you put it on.
0:38:52 > 0:38:54Back at the swimming pool, Professor Diffey's finding
0:38:54 > 0:38:58out that that's where things can get really messy.
0:38:58 > 0:38:59Excellent.
0:39:01 > 0:39:04You'll only get the level of protection promised by SPF
0:39:04 > 0:39:06if you apply a certain thickness.
0:39:06 > 0:39:08So if you're not putting enough on,
0:39:08 > 0:39:11it simply won't do the job you think it will.
0:39:11 > 0:39:15I'd like you to take some sunscreen in the way you normally would,
0:39:15 > 0:39:17and just put some on.
0:39:17 > 0:39:20Brian has calculated how much sun cream our swimmers need to apply
0:39:20 > 0:39:23on one arm to get the full protection promised on the pack.
0:39:23 > 0:39:27And he's given them that exact amount in these little pots.
0:39:27 > 0:39:29But we've only asked the swimmers
0:39:29 > 0:39:31to apply as much as they think they need.
0:39:31 > 0:39:33If you were about to go sunbathing now,
0:39:33 > 0:39:36everybody would feel comfortable with that amount, is that right?
0:39:36 > 0:39:38- Yep.- Yeah.
0:39:38 > 0:39:40In fact, not one of our six swimmers
0:39:40 > 0:39:43applied all the sunscreen we gave them.
0:39:43 > 0:39:46April applied the smallest proportion - just 28% of what
0:39:46 > 0:39:49she would need to apply to get the SPF on the bottle.
0:39:49 > 0:39:53Jill was next - she applied a third of the sun cream.
0:39:53 > 0:39:56Danielle and Sarah both put on around half
0:39:56 > 0:39:57of their allotted sun cream.
0:39:57 > 0:40:01And Jehan put on just a little bit more, at 60%.
0:40:01 > 0:40:04Only Abi - who told us she burns easily,
0:40:04 > 0:40:06and so is particularly careful -
0:40:06 > 0:40:10came close to putting on the full amount, with 86% applied.
0:40:10 > 0:40:13It means, in the end, that none of our swimmers
0:40:13 > 0:40:15would be getting as much protection as they'd assumed.
0:40:16 > 0:40:18Roughly, it worked out that they put on
0:40:18 > 0:40:21about a half of what was in the pot.
0:40:21 > 0:40:26What this means is that if the sunscreen was labelled SPF 30,
0:40:26 > 0:40:30in reality, they'd only be getting protection equivalent
0:40:30 > 0:40:32to about an SPF 15.
0:40:32 > 0:40:35And if they'd used an SPF-labelled 20 sunscreen,
0:40:35 > 0:40:38it meant they would have ended up with about only tenfold protection.
0:40:38 > 0:40:40- Are you surprised by that?- Yeah.
0:40:40 > 0:40:43- Did any of you know that before?- No.
0:40:43 > 0:40:47To see how much they'd need to use to get full SPF,
0:40:47 > 0:40:51Brian asks the swimmers to apply the rest of the cream in their pots.
0:40:51 > 0:40:53April, tell me, how does that feel?
0:40:53 > 0:40:55It's horrible, it's really thick.
0:40:55 > 0:40:59- And if you were on the beach would you put that much on?- No.- No?
0:40:59 > 0:41:02The swimmers might be surprised by how much cream they really
0:41:02 > 0:41:07need to put on, but the result is exactly what Brian had expected.
0:41:07 > 0:41:09When people use a high-factor sunscreen
0:41:09 > 0:41:15they will often get sunburnt, simply because of inadequate application.
0:41:15 > 0:41:18People aren't putting on, and don't wish to put on,
0:41:18 > 0:41:22the amount of sunscreen that is used in the laboratory.
0:41:22 > 0:41:26So the SPF numbers that we see on the bottle really don't
0:41:26 > 0:41:30reflect reality in the numerical value of protection that
0:41:30 > 0:41:33people think they might be getting.
0:41:33 > 0:41:36Regularly reapplying thin layers of cream will usually mean
0:41:36 > 0:41:39you'll build up thicker layers of protection.
0:41:39 > 0:41:43But for our swimmers, this has been an eye-opening experiment.
0:41:43 > 0:41:46I was quite shocked at how much sun cream you have to put on to
0:41:46 > 0:41:49just get the SPF that it says on the front of the bottle.
0:41:49 > 0:41:52It's made me think. For many, many years
0:41:52 > 0:41:55I've not been putting the right amount of sunscreen on myself,
0:41:55 > 0:41:59and I've not really given myself as much protection as I should be doing.
0:42:04 > 0:42:07If you've got a story you'd like us to investigate,
0:42:07 > 0:42:10you can get in touch with us via our Facebook page -
0:42:10 > 0:42:12BBCRipOffBritain -
0:42:12 > 0:42:16our website - bbc.co.uk/ripoffbritain -
0:42:16 > 0:42:19or e-mail...
0:42:21 > 0:42:23Or if you want to send us a letter,
0:42:23 > 0:42:25then our new address is...
0:42:37 > 0:42:40I don't know about you, girls, but I am still itching all over
0:42:40 > 0:42:43from seeing those bedbugs earlier on in the programme.
0:42:43 > 0:42:46Not, by the way, the souvenir you hope to bring back from your holiday.
0:42:46 > 0:42:47So remember that advice -
0:42:47 > 0:42:50do not leave your luggage on the floor of the bedroom.
0:42:50 > 0:42:54Yes, another of those little gems of advice we've heard today.
0:42:54 > 0:42:57So whether you're trying to avoid seagulls swooping on your food,
0:42:57 > 0:42:59or working out if it's really worth shelling out for that
0:42:59 > 0:43:01more expensive sun cream,
0:43:01 > 0:43:04let's hope some of the tips we've heard today turn out to be useful.
0:43:04 > 0:43:05They always are, Julia.
0:43:05 > 0:43:09And, of course, you may have some holiday hints and tips of your own
0:43:09 > 0:43:12so please do feel free to share them on our Facebook page.
0:43:12 > 0:43:14But I'm afraid that's where we have to leave you for today.
0:43:14 > 0:43:17We'll be back investigating more of your stories very soon.
0:43:17 > 0:43:21But until then, thanks for joining us today, from all of us on the team,
0:43:21 > 0:43:22- bye-bye.- Bye.- Bye.