0:00:03 > 0:00:05We asked you who's left you feeling ripped off
0:00:05 > 0:00:07when it comes to your holidays,
0:00:07 > 0:00:11and you came back with a catalogue of travel disasters.
0:00:11 > 0:00:12This can't be happening.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15It's a nightmare! Wake me up from it, please.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18It was just a shambles.
0:00:18 > 0:00:21That's the best way to say it, it was just a shambles.
0:00:21 > 0:00:24So whether it's a deliberate rip-off,
0:00:24 > 0:00:27a simple mistake or indeed a catch in the small print,
0:00:27 > 0:00:30we'll find out why you were out of pocket,
0:00:30 > 0:00:31and what you can do about it.
0:00:31 > 0:00:33Your stories, your money.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35This is Rip-Off Britain.
0:00:37 > 0:00:41Hello, and thanks so much for joining us here in Tenerife
0:00:41 > 0:00:44for our very special series that's investigating disasters
0:00:44 > 0:00:46that can happen when you're away on holiday.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48Now today, we're going to be setting our sights
0:00:48 > 0:00:51on some of the biggest names in the travel business.
0:00:51 > 0:00:54Some of them have been with us for years,
0:00:54 > 0:00:56and have got years of experience.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59Others, with more a recently-won reputation,
0:00:59 > 0:01:00are, kind of, new kids on the block
0:01:00 > 0:01:03but, either way, as far as you're concerned,
0:01:03 > 0:01:05they are still getting it wrong.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07Now, it may be that that's the reason you chose to book
0:01:07 > 0:01:10with a particular company in the first place,
0:01:10 > 0:01:12because it had a familiar name, a certain image -
0:01:12 > 0:01:16or it's simply regarded as having the best deals -
0:01:16 > 0:01:17but, while you might assume
0:01:17 > 0:01:19that going with one of the bigger players
0:01:19 > 0:01:21buys you better service if things do go wrong,
0:01:21 > 0:01:24I'm afraid that isn't how the cases we'll be looking at
0:01:24 > 0:01:26actually panned out. Far from it.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29Indeed, the people who'll be sharing their stories with us today
0:01:29 > 0:01:30all feel incredibly let down
0:01:30 > 0:01:33by the way their situations were handled.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35They'd hoped for better from a big name
0:01:35 > 0:01:37but, in fact they'd say that,
0:01:37 > 0:01:39instead of living up to expectations,
0:01:39 > 0:01:42these well-known companies actually made things worse.
0:01:43 > 0:01:45Coming up...
0:01:45 > 0:01:48The hidden charge adding hundreds of dollars to American hotel bills.
0:01:48 > 0:01:50So, what are you paying for?
0:01:50 > 0:01:51And is it legal?
0:01:51 > 0:01:54The hotel's being greedy and it's just spoiling it.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57It's just spoiling all the holiday for people like me and my wife,
0:01:57 > 0:01:58and anybody else who is going.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01Your normal, average holiday-maker.
0:02:02 > 0:02:06And how your home could end up being advertised on Airbnb
0:02:06 > 0:02:08for holiday-makers to rent,
0:02:08 > 0:02:10without you knowing anything about it.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13When we eventually got the house back,
0:02:13 > 0:02:14the damage was such
0:02:14 > 0:02:17that there were burn marks on all the furniture,
0:02:17 > 0:02:19so something had been going on in there -
0:02:19 > 0:02:20I just don't know what.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25When you book a holiday,
0:02:25 > 0:02:28you'll typically assume that the price per night
0:02:28 > 0:02:30that's been advertised or you've been quoted,
0:02:30 > 0:02:33is going to be the total price that you'll pay
0:02:33 > 0:02:34when you finish.
0:02:34 > 0:02:36But not necessarily
0:02:36 > 0:02:39because, if you're one of almost four million Britons
0:02:39 > 0:02:42who regularly jet off to the United States each year,
0:02:42 > 0:02:46you may well have spotted that an increasing number of hotels
0:02:46 > 0:02:49are adding an extra charge to the bill.
0:02:49 > 0:02:50And it's one that,
0:02:50 > 0:02:54whether you use the services that it's supposed to be covering or not,
0:02:54 > 0:02:56you've got no choice but to pay up.
0:03:00 > 0:03:02Viva Las Vegas!
0:03:02 > 0:03:05A city of high rollers and high living
0:03:05 > 0:03:06that, from the moment they saw it,
0:03:06 > 0:03:09convinced Colin Towel and wife Lynne
0:03:09 > 0:03:11they'd won the holiday jackpot,
0:03:11 > 0:03:13and they've been coming back ever since.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17The reason why we like going back to Vegas
0:03:17 > 0:03:19is because it's just a mad, exciting city.
0:03:19 > 0:03:23It's got an atmosphere of nowhere else you can go,
0:03:23 > 0:03:25probably anywhere in the world.
0:03:25 > 0:03:26When you go in the hotels
0:03:26 > 0:03:28and you see all these high-roller gamblers
0:03:28 > 0:03:31from all over the world, it's so entertaining.
0:03:31 > 0:03:33It's unbelievable.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36And, though they enjoy a bit of action on the slot machines,
0:03:36 > 0:03:40they don't gamble when it comes to budgeting for their holiday.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44It's an expensive holiday, and it's something you save up all year for.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47We try to get the best deal we can,
0:03:47 > 0:03:50we're checking on the internet sites and things like that,
0:03:50 > 0:03:53and with this travel agent.
0:03:53 > 0:03:54But on their most recent trips,
0:03:54 > 0:03:57they've started to feel that the odds are stacked against them
0:03:57 > 0:04:01when it comes to working out how much cash they'll need to put aside
0:04:01 > 0:04:02for their holiday...
0:04:02 > 0:04:04because, when they've made it to the hotel,
0:04:04 > 0:04:06they've found themselves being asked to fork out
0:04:06 > 0:04:09a few dollars more than they'd like,
0:04:09 > 0:04:12thanks to an extra "resort fee" slapped on the bill.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15We've been going to Las Vegas since 2005
0:04:15 > 0:04:20and, when we started going, there was nothing like any resort fees
0:04:20 > 0:04:22but, in the last couple of years,
0:04:22 > 0:04:24these resort fees have crept in.
0:04:24 > 0:04:26It's an underhand tactic, the way they do it
0:04:26 > 0:04:29because the price of the room
0:04:29 > 0:04:31is in bold, big numbers,
0:04:31 > 0:04:35whereas the additional resort fees is in small print.
0:04:37 > 0:04:38Often, very small.
0:04:38 > 0:04:40And sometimes, as we'll see,
0:04:40 > 0:04:42it may not immediately be shown at all.
0:04:42 > 0:04:47A hotel's resort fee is typically a fixed daily charge added to the bill
0:04:47 > 0:04:49to cover anything from Wi-Fi
0:04:49 > 0:04:51through to bottled water or a daily paper,
0:04:51 > 0:04:53to the use of the pool and the gym.
0:04:53 > 0:04:5512. 12. It's a winner.
0:04:55 > 0:04:57Well done, well done.
0:04:57 > 0:04:58Some of the services it includes
0:04:58 > 0:05:02you might previously have expected to get for free
0:05:02 > 0:05:05or you may have no interest or intention of using them -
0:05:05 > 0:05:08but rather than being optional, they're mandatory,
0:05:08 > 0:05:09so you'll be forced to pay
0:05:09 > 0:05:12even if you didn't use anything that it covers.
0:05:12 > 0:05:16I feel really upset about having to pay for something that I don't use.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19If it's an extra, you pay for it as an extra.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22You should not be paying for things that you just don't use at all.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24But that's not the way most Vegas hotels see it.
0:05:24 > 0:05:28And a charge once limited to only high-end resorts
0:05:28 > 0:05:30has, over the last few years,
0:05:30 > 0:05:33come to be the norm wherever you stay on the Strip.
0:05:33 > 0:05:35Controversial these fees may be,
0:05:35 > 0:05:39but they're also completely legal after being signed off by the
0:05:39 > 0:05:41US Government's consumer protection agency,
0:05:41 > 0:05:45the Federal Trade Commission, in 2012.
0:05:45 > 0:05:49As long as hotels make clear what surcharges are for
0:05:49 > 0:05:51before customers make a booking,
0:05:51 > 0:05:54then a resort fee is totally above board.
0:05:54 > 0:05:56But on Colin and Lynne's last trip,
0:05:56 > 0:05:59because they hadn't known about the resort fees in advance,
0:05:59 > 0:06:02they were able to successfully persuade the hotel
0:06:02 > 0:06:04that they shouldn't have to pay it.
0:06:04 > 0:06:06They hit us with them at the reception desk.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09We argued it, and we says, "We didn't get told.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11"We didn't know anything about these resort fees,"
0:06:11 > 0:06:13and we got, you know, they let us off.
0:06:13 > 0:06:15We got the resort fees waived.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19But this year,
0:06:19 > 0:06:22because the couple now did know about the fees before booking,
0:06:22 > 0:06:25the hotel wasn't prepared to waive them
0:06:25 > 0:06:27and, as the charge can quickly mount up,
0:06:27 > 0:06:30in this case, the daily fee was an extra $32 -
0:06:30 > 0:06:32Colin and Lynne felt they'd no choice
0:06:32 > 0:06:34but to choose somewhere cheaper,
0:06:34 > 0:06:37further away from the strip at the heart of the Vegas action.
0:06:39 > 0:06:41Everything's happening on the strip,
0:06:41 > 0:06:43but we've no option this time.
0:06:43 > 0:06:45The only other option was...
0:06:45 > 0:06:47just to boycott Vegas.
0:06:47 > 0:06:49We just wasn't going to go.
0:06:49 > 0:06:53After seeing what a money-spinner resort fees can be,
0:06:53 > 0:06:57even those Vegas hotels that had initially held out against them,
0:06:57 > 0:06:59have now embraced these extra charges,
0:06:59 > 0:07:02leaving Colin and Lisa worried that they'll soon be priced out of
0:07:02 > 0:07:05holidaying there altogether.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09They're not just a small percentage of what your room rate would be.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12They could be 25, they could be 30%, or more,
0:07:12 > 0:07:14of what your room rate is.
0:07:15 > 0:07:19But this time, what happens in Vegas
0:07:19 > 0:07:22certainly hasn't stayed in Vegas.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24Resort fees are now catching on
0:07:24 > 0:07:27in many other popular American destinations, too.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29In the Florida Keys,
0:07:29 > 0:07:32you could have up to $39 a night stuck on the bill
0:07:32 > 0:07:34and, in New York,
0:07:34 > 0:07:36hotels may add around $43
0:07:36 > 0:07:38to their nightly fees.
0:07:38 > 0:07:40Such a big addition to your bill
0:07:40 > 0:07:42is something you'll want to know about
0:07:42 > 0:07:44as soon as you make an enquiry
0:07:44 > 0:07:46on how much a room is going to cost.
0:07:46 > 0:07:48But some say that doesn't always happen
0:07:48 > 0:07:51and that the resort fee may be hidden away,
0:07:51 > 0:07:54so you'll be drawn in by the lower headline rate.
0:07:55 > 0:07:59That's just one of the reasons why American senator Claire McCaskill
0:07:59 > 0:08:01has been campaigning against them.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04There is a rate for a hotel,
0:08:04 > 0:08:06and you think, "Boy, that's a good deal."
0:08:06 > 0:08:09Then you get to the hotel, you check in and, when you check out,
0:08:09 > 0:08:13there is a fee on your bill that you weren't anticipating
0:08:13 > 0:08:17and, all of a sudden, that good deal turns into a very bad deal.
0:08:17 > 0:08:19We believe that's deceptive.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22I think we need to change that.
0:08:22 > 0:08:26Senator McCaskill wants the States to fall more in line with the EU,
0:08:26 > 0:08:31where hotel booking sites and travel agents are required to be clear
0:08:31 > 0:08:35about all extra fees and what they're for,
0:08:35 > 0:08:39which explains why, here in the UK, travel website Expedia
0:08:39 > 0:08:43got into bother with the Advertising Standards Authority
0:08:43 > 0:08:46over how clearly these resort fees were displayed.
0:08:46 > 0:08:50The company was told to change an ad for a deal on a hotel in New York
0:08:50 > 0:08:53which it stated included all taxes and fees
0:08:53 > 0:08:58when, in fact, a resort fee of an extra $30 per person, per day,
0:08:58 > 0:09:00would be added on.
0:09:00 > 0:09:02And, as far as Colin is concerned,
0:09:02 > 0:09:05it still isn't always easy to spot these extra charges
0:09:05 > 0:09:08unless you really scour the small print.
0:09:08 > 0:09:12The price for the hotel is showing in bold numbers
0:09:12 > 0:09:16of a price of ?1,804 per person -
0:09:16 > 0:09:18but, just below that, there's...
0:09:18 > 0:09:20In small numbers,
0:09:20 > 0:09:24it's showing a price which it's saying is due at the hotel,
0:09:24 > 0:09:29but it doesn't say exactly what the money is for.
0:09:29 > 0:09:30If they want to be fair,
0:09:30 > 0:09:33the price should be in bold numbers,
0:09:33 > 0:09:37so everybody can see what the price is, what they're going to be paying.
0:09:38 > 0:09:40Our research team had a good look at the websites
0:09:40 > 0:09:43of some of the biggest names in the travel industry,
0:09:43 > 0:09:45and there's certainly quite a variation
0:09:45 > 0:09:48in how the Vegas resort fees are made clear.
0:09:48 > 0:09:52Ebookers, Expedia and Hotels.com
0:09:52 > 0:09:55all reference them next to the headline price,
0:09:55 > 0:09:57in a smaller font.
0:09:57 > 0:09:59However, you do have to dig a bit deeper
0:09:59 > 0:10:02to find out exactly what the charge is for.
0:10:02 > 0:10:06Opodo and Booking.com also highlight the resort fee
0:10:06 > 0:10:08close to the room rate,
0:10:08 > 0:10:11but you could possibly miss it if you're not paying enough attention.
0:10:11 > 0:10:15But Lastminute.com keeps the information about the charges to...
0:10:15 > 0:10:17Well, the last minute.
0:10:17 > 0:10:20We had to click through to book,
0:10:20 > 0:10:22then select a drop-down menu
0:10:22 > 0:10:25and read through a pretty lengthy bit of text
0:10:25 > 0:10:29to find any reference to the extra fee that you'll need to pay.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32The company told us it doesn't include the resort fee
0:10:32 > 0:10:36in its final price because it isn't part of the actual room rate
0:10:36 > 0:10:38and is paid directly to the hotel.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41But, it says the relevant information is made clear...
0:10:46 > 0:10:49Meanwhile, the headline hotel price on Virgin's website
0:10:49 > 0:10:52doesn't include the resort fee either.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54We had to scroll right down to the bottom of the page
0:10:54 > 0:11:00to find any mention of it being an additional charge, paid locally.
0:11:00 > 0:11:02Virgin told us, however,
0:11:02 > 0:11:05it does adequately reference these charges on its site across...
0:11:08 > 0:11:10But it says it will now go even further,
0:11:10 > 0:11:12and has added additional information
0:11:12 > 0:11:14to its main Las Vegas page.
0:11:16 > 0:11:18Finally, Thomas Cook's hotel prices
0:11:18 > 0:11:21don't take into account those Vegas resort fees,
0:11:21 > 0:11:25only flagging them at the very final stage,
0:11:25 > 0:11:26when you're about to pay.
0:11:26 > 0:11:28The company told us the information
0:11:28 > 0:11:32is clearly set out in the hotel information section of the website,
0:11:32 > 0:11:35but it's taking steps to make sure that the information is included
0:11:35 > 0:11:37earlier in the process.
0:11:39 > 0:11:43Well, all the travel companies we contacted stress they try to be
0:11:43 > 0:11:46as open and transparent with pricing as possible,
0:11:46 > 0:11:48and it's clear, at least, that some of them
0:11:48 > 0:11:51are as exasperated with resort fees as the rest of us,
0:11:51 > 0:11:53with several big names saying they're one of the most...
0:11:59 > 0:12:01Colin would agree with that and,
0:12:01 > 0:12:04while it's the hotels he is most irritated with
0:12:04 > 0:12:06for bumping up their prices,
0:12:06 > 0:12:10he does feel that holiday companies should always include resort fees
0:12:10 > 0:12:13in the main advertised price.
0:12:13 > 0:12:15What they could do to make it fairer
0:12:15 > 0:12:18is include the resort fees in the total price.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21That's the only fair way to do it.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24You shouldn't have to be paying for something that you don't use.
0:12:31 > 0:12:33Our travel expert, Simon Calder,
0:12:33 > 0:12:36has all the secrets to save you money on your travels.
0:12:36 > 0:12:38He's also full of tips on everything -
0:12:38 > 0:12:40from how to avoid the crowds
0:12:40 > 0:12:43to the best way to steer clear of those tourist traps.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48This time, he's got tips on how to avoid some new
0:12:48 > 0:12:50and very classic scams.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53How long does it take to get from an airport into town?
0:12:53 > 0:12:55Usually a good half-hour, isn't it?
0:12:55 > 0:12:59Sometimes an hour. But sometimes, unscrupulous taxi drivers
0:12:59 > 0:13:04have been known to say to people, "Oh, is it your first time here?"
0:13:04 > 0:13:05And if you say, "Yes, it is,"
0:13:05 > 0:13:09they'll take you for a run right around the houses.
0:13:09 > 0:13:10Costing you big bucks.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13I think we've all been there.
0:13:13 > 0:13:15Ask at the information desk at the airport
0:13:15 > 0:13:18how much the fare should be and whether it's a fixed rate
0:13:18 > 0:13:20or if you pay what's shown on meter.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26Here's a taxi problem that's particularly acute
0:13:26 > 0:13:30in countries where they have high denomination notes.
0:13:30 > 0:13:34You've got 50,000 pesos or roubles, or whatever.
0:13:34 > 0:13:35You hand it to the driver.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38Ahh! He drops it.
0:13:38 > 0:13:40Even more mysteriously,
0:13:40 > 0:13:43when he picks it up, it's turned into a 5,000 note.
0:13:43 > 0:13:47So, that means you'll get change from that
0:13:47 > 0:13:50and he has pocketed 45,000 of your money.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53The way to avoid it, well,
0:13:53 > 0:13:56when I'm handing over a high-value note,
0:13:56 > 0:13:58I say, "I'm giving you 50,000,"
0:13:58 > 0:14:02so there's no room at all for any dispute.
0:14:02 > 0:14:06Good man, Simon. And if you've survived the journey in from the
0:14:06 > 0:14:08airport without being ripped off... Thanks very much.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10..don't let your guard down.
0:14:10 > 0:14:12Popular destinations for tourists
0:14:12 > 0:14:15are also popular with street criminals.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18Almost all the locals you meet have your best interest at heart,
0:14:18 > 0:14:20but there are the occasional rogues.
0:14:20 > 0:14:22Watch out for pickpockets.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25If you get a warning like that, what's the first thing you do?
0:14:25 > 0:14:27You check your pockets,
0:14:27 > 0:14:31revealing to the whole world exactly where your valuables are.
0:14:31 > 0:14:35These days, plenty of us take valuable technology on holiday
0:14:35 > 0:14:38in the shape of laptops and Smartphones,
0:14:38 > 0:14:41but I'm afraid we don't always bring them home.
0:14:41 > 0:14:45Summer in the city, and it's the best of all possible worlds.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48You've got a glass of wine, you're checking your messages,
0:14:48 > 0:14:52and then a fellow tourist arrives to seek your help.
0:14:53 > 0:14:55Of course, you're happy to oblige,
0:14:55 > 0:14:58giving directions as best as you can.
0:14:58 > 0:15:00So nice to be able to help a fellow tourist -
0:15:00 > 0:15:04and only then do you realise your phone's gone. Ahh!
0:15:05 > 0:15:09Holiday scams are designed to take advantage of your good nature,
0:15:09 > 0:15:13so Simon has one last warning of a time-honoured con.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16How many times have you been in a big tourist attraction
0:15:16 > 0:15:19and somebody has asked you to take their picture?
0:15:19 > 0:15:22But it's not always as innocent as it looks.
0:15:22 > 0:15:24As you find out when you...
0:15:24 > 0:15:26hand the camera back.
0:15:26 > 0:15:30They're going to swear that you dropped it and you've broken it,
0:15:30 > 0:15:32and YOU have to pay them some money,
0:15:32 > 0:15:34otherwise it's going to turn very nasty indeed!
0:15:40 > 0:15:43Now, when the online rental company Airbnb
0:15:43 > 0:15:46came storming onto the market nine years ago,
0:15:46 > 0:15:47it transformed the travel industry.
0:15:47 > 0:15:48it transformed the travel industry.
0:15:48 > 0:15:50Homeowners got the opportunity to make money
0:15:50 > 0:15:54by letting out their property and tourists were able to stay in places
0:15:54 > 0:15:58giving a more authentic, and often budget-friendly, taste of a city.
0:15:58 > 0:16:00Now, the company's growth since then
0:16:00 > 0:16:02has been nothing short of spectacular
0:16:02 > 0:16:05and it's now estimated to be worth, wait for it...
0:16:05 > 0:16:07$30 billion.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10But, as we highlighted last year, the opportunities it's created
0:16:10 > 0:16:14have also been exploited by fraudsters who've used Airbnb
0:16:14 > 0:16:18to advertise accommodation that simply does not exist,
0:16:18 > 0:16:21leaving holiday-makers stranded on arrival at their destination.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24Well, now it seems that there's a new problem,
0:16:24 > 0:16:26and it's one that really does raise questions
0:16:26 > 0:16:30as to whether Airbnb is doing enough to police its own site.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35It promises to be a unique holiday experience
0:16:35 > 0:16:37where, instead of being simply a tourist,
0:16:37 > 0:16:40you can immerse yourself in the culture of a city
0:16:40 > 0:16:43by staying in the home of a local as if it was your own home.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46'Wherever you go, don't go there.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48'Live there.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52'Even if it's just for a night.'
0:16:53 > 0:16:57Airbnb's rental website has helped over 60 million people
0:16:57 > 0:17:01in 191 countries either to stay in someone else's home
0:17:01 > 0:17:03or welcome holiday-makers into theirs.
0:17:07 > 0:17:12And until recently, Peter Mannion from Bristol has been a big fan.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15I've used it for holidays all around the world.
0:17:15 > 0:17:17We've had some lovely holidays -
0:17:17 > 0:17:19Cape Town, Hawaii,
0:17:19 > 0:17:21Los Angeles, San Francisco -
0:17:21 > 0:17:24and we've used Airbnb in all of them
0:17:24 > 0:17:26and we've stayed in some super places.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30Now, as that suggests, Peter loves to travel,
0:17:30 > 0:17:32so much so that -
0:17:32 > 0:17:36as well as staying in various Airbnb properties around the globe -
0:17:36 > 0:17:38several years ago, he bought a holiday home of his own
0:17:38 > 0:17:41near Alicante in Spain.
0:17:41 > 0:17:45It's a detached house in a piece of land with its own pool.
0:17:45 > 0:17:49It's a nice property, very quiet, very remote.
0:17:49 > 0:17:51But, four years ago,
0:17:51 > 0:17:54Peter realised that work commitments meant he was no longer
0:17:54 > 0:17:57getting quite as much use out of his Spanish property,
0:17:57 > 0:18:00so he decided to rent it out to tenants instead.
0:18:00 > 0:18:05It was interesting, going from having it as a holiday home,
0:18:05 > 0:18:08and only using it ourselves exclusively,
0:18:08 > 0:18:12to then letting it on a long-term let
0:18:12 > 0:18:15and knowing that your house is now going to become...
0:18:15 > 0:18:18almost owned by somebody else for 11 months,
0:18:18 > 0:18:21and that was a tough thing to do, for me,
0:18:21 > 0:18:25because we actually watched this house being built.
0:18:25 > 0:18:29It was half built when we saw it and decided to buy it.
0:18:29 > 0:18:33And so we had some great times as a family.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39Peter let his property out through a Spanish management company,
0:18:39 > 0:18:42at a cost of 750 euros a month,
0:18:42 > 0:18:46and everything with the arrangement appeared to be going very well -
0:18:46 > 0:18:48until, that is, early last year,
0:18:48 > 0:18:51when he began to receive complaints from his Spanish neighbour.
0:18:51 > 0:18:53She started to tell us
0:18:53 > 0:18:57that there were lots of different people visiting the house
0:18:57 > 0:19:01and she could never contact our tenant,
0:19:01 > 0:19:03who was in there.
0:19:03 > 0:19:07The security company monitoring the property then rang to say that -
0:19:07 > 0:19:09when an alarm had gone off -
0:19:09 > 0:19:12it, too, hadn't been able to get a response from his tenants.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15So, Peter contacted the Spanish management company
0:19:15 > 0:19:17and asked them to take a look.
0:19:17 > 0:19:21We spoke to the management company, and they would go round there.
0:19:21 > 0:19:23The difficult part was that they
0:19:23 > 0:19:25suddenly couldn't get access to our house.
0:19:25 > 0:19:27DOG BARKS
0:19:27 > 0:19:30There were two terrier-type dogs, big ones,
0:19:30 > 0:19:32Staffordshire bull terriers or something -
0:19:32 > 0:19:35ugly things, I've seen a film of them...
0:19:36 > 0:19:40..that just barked consistently at the gate.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42He never answered the gate.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45Our agent went there
0:19:45 > 0:19:4820 days on the trot, twice a day,
0:19:48 > 0:19:51and couldn't get access to anything.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54And that really was the catalyst for,
0:19:54 > 0:19:55"Right, we need to go out there,
0:19:55 > 0:19:57"take a look and see what's going on."
0:19:58 > 0:20:00Peter's wife planned the trip
0:20:00 > 0:20:03and went straight to the Airbnb website
0:20:03 > 0:20:07to find somewhere they could stay close to their own property.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10But, when she did, she made a startling discovery.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13One of the properties she came across looked very familiar
0:20:13 > 0:20:15and it didn't take too long to realise that,
0:20:15 > 0:20:18without them having known anything about it,
0:20:18 > 0:20:22their home was being advertised for rent on Airbnb.
0:20:24 > 0:20:29I thought, "That just can't be right. That's such a surprise.
0:20:29 > 0:20:31"Why...? How could somebody do that?"
0:20:34 > 0:20:36Good question. And, to be sure it wasn't a mistake,
0:20:36 > 0:20:38Peter asked one of his friends
0:20:38 > 0:20:41to try and make a booking through the Airbnb site
0:20:41 > 0:20:45and, sure enough, the tenant quickly confirmed that the property
0:20:45 > 0:20:47was indeed available for rent.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52Peter worked out that, by letting the home on Airbnb,
0:20:52 > 0:20:56his tenant would have been making a very tidy profit.
0:20:56 > 0:21:01My property was listed at ?707 for a week.
0:21:01 > 0:21:05So, that's about ?100 a night and that was in June.
0:21:05 > 0:21:10So working on that principle,
0:21:10 > 0:21:12in one week, he could pay his monthly rent.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18But by subletting the house without permission,
0:21:18 > 0:21:21Peter's tenant was not only breaking the rules of his tenancy agreement,
0:21:21 > 0:21:25he was also putting Peter into a very difficult situation
0:21:25 > 0:21:28and he might have been doing it for years.
0:21:28 > 0:21:30The issue is my liability,
0:21:30 > 0:21:35as the owner of the property, and there are certain obligations,
0:21:35 > 0:21:38under Spanish law and under insurance and coverage
0:21:38 > 0:21:40for the people letting it.
0:21:42 > 0:21:44Now, you might think that,
0:21:44 > 0:21:47as soon as Peter explained the situation to Airbnb,
0:21:47 > 0:21:49that the company would remove the listing...
0:21:49 > 0:21:51but you have to think again.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54First, trying to actually speak to anybody there
0:21:54 > 0:21:57proved a nearly impossible task.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00There was no-one to talk to, you can only e-mail,
0:22:00 > 0:22:02and that became, then, impossible
0:22:02 > 0:22:05because the responses were clearly coming from a computer.
0:22:05 > 0:22:10And when Peter did eventually hear back from Airbnb,
0:22:10 > 0:22:13he was quite simply gobsmacked by the response.
0:22:13 > 0:22:15My house could only be removed
0:22:15 > 0:22:18by whoever had done it in the first place.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21The frustration of that was incredible
0:22:21 > 0:22:23because I'd explained to Airbnb
0:22:23 > 0:22:27that this was my house and the tenant was breaking the rules.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30It seemed to matter little.
0:22:32 > 0:22:34Peter even resorted to e-mailing
0:22:34 > 0:22:38the title deeds of the property to Airbnb to prove ownership,
0:22:38 > 0:22:40but the company continued to insist
0:22:40 > 0:22:43that only the member who'd put up the listing
0:22:43 > 0:22:44was able to take it down.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47I had no control over the situation.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50It was impossible for me to be able to do anything.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53I couldn't talk to my tenant, I can't talk to Airbnb
0:22:53 > 0:22:57and I certainly can't talk to the subtenants,
0:22:57 > 0:23:01so my lack of knowledge and my lack of ability to know what's going on
0:23:01 > 0:23:05in my own house was of deep concern to me.
0:23:06 > 0:23:07Understandably.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10Unable to get Airbnb to remove the listing,
0:23:10 > 0:23:14Peter even tried contacting the tenant to request that
0:23:14 > 0:23:17the listing was removed, but he didn't respond.
0:23:17 > 0:23:21So, Peter had no choice but to start formal eviction proceedings.
0:23:21 > 0:23:23Two months later, the tenant finally left
0:23:23 > 0:23:26but without having paid for the damage to the property,
0:23:26 > 0:23:29paying the utility bills, or the last two months' rent.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32All of which Peter estimates totted up to 6,000 euros
0:23:32 > 0:23:35and, on top of that,
0:23:35 > 0:23:38the Airbnb listing was still active.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41We asked him once again, after he'd left,
0:23:41 > 0:23:43would he please take the house off?
0:23:43 > 0:23:47And eventually he took it off Airbnb and it's no longer on there.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51With the listing finally offline and the tenant evicted,
0:23:51 > 0:23:54Peter was, at long last, able to access the property
0:23:54 > 0:23:56but I'm afraid it had been left in a pretty poor state.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02When we eventually got the house back, the damage was such
0:24:02 > 0:24:06that there were burn marks on all the furniture
0:24:06 > 0:24:09and, I mean, most of the furniture was wrecked anyway.
0:24:09 > 0:24:10We had to throw it away.
0:24:10 > 0:24:14So, something had been going on in there.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17I just don't know what and I'm unable to find out,
0:24:17 > 0:24:19which is equally annoying.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24The fact is that, as far as Peter's concerned,
0:24:24 > 0:24:26it appears to be relatively simple
0:24:26 > 0:24:29for someone to advertise a property on Airbnb
0:24:29 > 0:24:30that they don't even own.
0:24:31 > 0:24:35This experience tells me that they don't know who is the owner
0:24:35 > 0:24:38and who has the ability to let that property
0:24:38 > 0:24:40and whether they're breaking any laws.
0:24:41 > 0:24:45Unfortunately, it seems that Peter's case isn't an isolated one.
0:24:45 > 0:24:47Here in the UK, a growing number of landlords
0:24:47 > 0:24:51are launching possession proceedings against tenants
0:24:51 > 0:24:55who have sublet their property via Airbnb without permission.
0:24:56 > 0:25:00When we got in touch with the company, it told us that it does ask
0:25:00 > 0:25:02advertisers to certify that they have...
0:25:05 > 0:25:08And it reminds them to check and follow local rules before they list
0:25:08 > 0:25:11and indeed to check all of that throughout the year.
0:25:11 > 0:25:13It adds that isolated incidents are rare
0:25:13 > 0:25:17and it takes appropriate action on issues brought to its attention.
0:25:17 > 0:25:21It says, in this case, it passed on a letter from Peter to the tenant,
0:25:21 > 0:25:23who did eventually remove the listing.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29Well, clearly, after all he went through, Peter thinks that Airbnb
0:25:29 > 0:25:32should do more checks on its advertisers
0:25:32 > 0:25:35but solicitor Gary Rycroft doesn't agree.
0:25:35 > 0:25:37When you are booking through a site like Airbnb,
0:25:37 > 0:25:40it's important to remember that they are just a booking site.
0:25:40 > 0:25:42They are putting you, someone who wants a room,
0:25:42 > 0:25:45in touch with someone who has a room available.
0:25:45 > 0:25:46They aren't taking on responsibility
0:25:46 > 0:25:49for checking out the facts about that room,
0:25:49 > 0:25:52they aren't checking out if that person has the legal right
0:25:52 > 0:25:53to rent the room to you
0:25:53 > 0:25:56and they aren't giving any warranty as to your safety
0:25:56 > 0:25:57while you're staying there.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00So you, as the consumer, as the person booking the room,
0:26:00 > 0:26:03have to take it upon yourself to do diligent checks
0:26:03 > 0:26:05to make sure you're getting what you expect to get
0:26:05 > 0:26:08and that you are going to be safe while you're there.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13But you know, those checks are easier said than done.
0:26:13 > 0:26:15Unless, before you confirm any booking on the site,
0:26:15 > 0:26:18you're prepared to ask the person renting the property
0:26:18 > 0:26:20to e-mail proof of ownership.
0:26:22 > 0:26:26Which is why, I'm afraid, Peter, once such an ardent fan of Airbnb,
0:26:26 > 0:26:30is now no longer confident of ever using it again.
0:26:30 > 0:26:34I'm very concerned about how I go forward in the future.
0:26:34 > 0:26:40There needs to be a change in terms of how Airbnb monitor properties
0:26:40 > 0:26:44and how they validate whether the property is owned
0:26:44 > 0:26:46and who owns the property.
0:26:46 > 0:26:50My concern now is, when I book a property on Airbnb,
0:26:50 > 0:26:51am I allowed to?
0:26:59 > 0:27:01If you've got a story you'd like us to investigate,
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0:27:52 > 0:27:54Well, I think it's pretty clear from our stories today that,
0:27:54 > 0:27:57just because there's a big name involved,
0:27:57 > 0:27:59doesn't necessarily mean that they're going to assist you
0:27:59 > 0:28:02in the way that you would expect if things start to go wrong.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05Well, if you feel let down by a big name, and not just in
0:28:05 > 0:28:08the world of holidays, then do please tell us why.
0:28:08 > 0:28:10We've got lots of programmes coming up,
0:28:10 > 0:28:13covering a huge range of consumer topics
0:28:13 > 0:28:16and it's your experiences that shape them all.
0:28:16 > 0:28:19For now, though, thanks a lot for watching and, from all of us here,
0:28:19 > 0:28:20goodbye. Goodbye. Bye-bye.
0:29:00 > 0:29:00You surely don't think that we could
0:29:00 > 0:29:01set up house together like man and wife?