0:00:02 > 0:00:04We asked you who's left you feeling ripped off
0:00:04 > 0:00:05when it comes to your holidays,
0:00:05 > 0:00:09and you came back with a catalogue of travel disasters.
0:00:09 > 0:00:11This can't be happening.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14It's a nightmare! Wake me up from it, please.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16It was just a shambles.
0:00:16 > 0:00:20That's the best way to say it, it was just a shambles.
0:00:20 > 0:00:22So whether it's a deliberate rip-off,
0:00:22 > 0:00:26a simple mistake or indeed a catch in the small print,
0:00:26 > 0:00:28we'll find out why you were out of pocket,
0:00:28 > 0:00:30and what you can do about it.
0:00:30 > 0:00:32Your stories, your money.
0:00:32 > 0:00:34This is Rip-Off Britain.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39Hello, and thanks so much for joining us here in Tenerife
0:00:39 > 0:00:42for our very special series that's investigating disasters
0:00:42 > 0:00:45that can happen when you're away on holiday.
0:00:45 > 0:00:47Now today, we're going to be setting our sights
0:00:47 > 0:00:50on some of the biggest names in the travel business.
0:00:50 > 0:00:52Some of them have been with us for years,
0:00:52 > 0:00:54and have got years of experience.
0:00:54 > 0:00:57Others, with more a recently-won reputation,
0:00:57 > 0:00:59are, kind of, new kids on the block
0:00:59 > 0:01:01but, either way, as far as you're concerned,
0:01:01 > 0:01:03they are still getting it wrong.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06Now, it may be that that's the reason you chose to book
0:01:06 > 0:01:08with a particular company in the first place,
0:01:08 > 0:01:11because it had a familiar name, a certain image -
0:01:11 > 0:01:14or it's simply regarded as having the best deals -
0:01:14 > 0:01:16but, while you might assume
0:01:16 > 0:01:18that going with one of the bigger players
0:01:18 > 0:01:20buys you better service if things do go wrong,
0:01:20 > 0:01:22I'm afraid that isn't how the cases we'll be looking at
0:01:22 > 0:01:24- actually panned out.- Far from it.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27Indeed, the people who'll be sharing their stories with us today
0:01:27 > 0:01:29all feel incredibly let down
0:01:29 > 0:01:31by the way their situations were handled.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34They'd hoped for better from a big name
0:01:34 > 0:01:35but, in fact they'd say that,
0:01:35 > 0:01:37instead of living up to expectations,
0:01:37 > 0:01:40these well-known companies actually made things worse.
0:01:42 > 0:01:43Coming up...
0:01:43 > 0:01:47The hidden charge adding hundreds of dollars to American hotel bills.
0:01:47 > 0:01:49So, what are you paying for?
0:01:49 > 0:01:50And is it legal?
0:01:50 > 0:01:53The hotel's being greedy and it's just spoiling it.
0:01:53 > 0:01:55It's just spoiling all the holiday for people like me and my wife,
0:01:55 > 0:01:57and anybody else who is going.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59Your normal, average holiday-maker.
0:02:00 > 0:02:04And how your home could end up being advertised on Airbnb
0:02:04 > 0:02:06for holiday-makers to rent,
0:02:06 > 0:02:09without you knowing anything about it.
0:02:09 > 0:02:11When we eventually got the house back,
0:02:11 > 0:02:12the damage was such
0:02:12 > 0:02:15that there were burn marks on all the furniture,
0:02:15 > 0:02:17so something had been going on in there -
0:02:17 > 0:02:19I just don't know what.
0:02:22 > 0:02:23When you book a holiday,
0:02:23 > 0:02:26you'll typically assume that the price per night
0:02:26 > 0:02:28that's been advertised or you've been quoted,
0:02:28 > 0:02:31is going to be the total price that you'll pay
0:02:31 > 0:02:33when you finish.
0:02:33 > 0:02:34But not necessarily
0:02:34 > 0:02:37because, if you're one of almost four million Britons
0:02:37 > 0:02:41who regularly jet off to the United States each year,
0:02:41 > 0:02:45you may well have spotted that an increasing number of hotels
0:02:45 > 0:02:48are adding an extra charge to the bill.
0:02:48 > 0:02:49And it's one that,
0:02:49 > 0:02:52whether you use the services that it's supposed to be covering or not,
0:02:52 > 0:02:55you've got no choice but to pay up.
0:02:59 > 0:03:01Viva Las Vegas!
0:03:01 > 0:03:03A city of high rollers and high living
0:03:03 > 0:03:05that, from the moment they saw it,
0:03:05 > 0:03:07convinced Colin Towel and wife Lynne
0:03:07 > 0:03:09they'd won the holiday jackpot,
0:03:09 > 0:03:12and they've been coming back ever since.
0:03:13 > 0:03:15The reason why we like going back to Vegas
0:03:15 > 0:03:18is because it's just a mad, exciting city.
0:03:18 > 0:03:21It's got an atmosphere of nowhere else you can go,
0:03:21 > 0:03:23probably anywhere in the world.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25When you go in the hotels
0:03:25 > 0:03:27and you see all these high-roller gamblers
0:03:27 > 0:03:29from all over the world, it's so entertaining.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31It's unbelievable.
0:03:31 > 0:03:35And, though they enjoy a bit of action on the slot machines,
0:03:35 > 0:03:39they don't gamble when it comes to budgeting for their holiday.
0:03:39 > 0:03:43It's an expensive holiday, and it's something you save up all year for.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45We try to get the best deal we can,
0:03:45 > 0:03:49we're checking on the internet sites and things like that,
0:03:49 > 0:03:51and with this travel agent.
0:03:51 > 0:03:53But on their most recent trips,
0:03:53 > 0:03:55they've started to feel that the odds are stacked against them
0:03:55 > 0:03:59when it comes to working out how much cash they'll need to put aside
0:03:59 > 0:04:01for their holiday...
0:04:01 > 0:04:03because, when they've made it to the hotel,
0:04:03 > 0:04:05they've found themselves being asked to fork out
0:04:05 > 0:04:07a few dollars more than they'd like,
0:04:07 > 0:04:11thanks to an extra "resort fee" slapped on the bill.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14We've been going to Las Vegas since 2005
0:04:14 > 0:04:18and, when we started going, there was nothing like any resort fees
0:04:18 > 0:04:21but, in the last couple of years,
0:04:21 > 0:04:22these resort fees have crept in.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25It's an underhand tactic, the way they do it
0:04:25 > 0:04:27because the price of the room
0:04:27 > 0:04:30is in bold, big numbers,
0:04:30 > 0:04:34whereas the additional resort fees is in small print.
0:04:35 > 0:04:37Often, very small.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39And sometimes, as we'll see,
0:04:39 > 0:04:41it may not immediately be shown at all.
0:04:41 > 0:04:45A hotel's resort fee is typically a fixed daily charge added to the bill
0:04:45 > 0:04:47to cover anything from Wi-Fi
0:04:47 > 0:04:50through to bottled water or a daily paper,
0:04:50 > 0:04:52to the use of the pool and the gym.
0:04:52 > 0:04:53- 12.- 12.- It's a winner.
0:04:53 > 0:04:55Well done, well done.
0:04:55 > 0:04:57Some of the services it includes
0:04:57 > 0:05:00you might previously have expected to get for free
0:05:00 > 0:05:03or you may have no interest or intention of using them -
0:05:03 > 0:05:07but rather than being optional, they're mandatory,
0:05:07 > 0:05:08so you'll be forced to pay
0:05:08 > 0:05:11even if you didn't use anything that it covers.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14I feel really upset about having to pay for something that I don't use.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17If it's an extra, you pay for it as an extra.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20You should not be paying for things that you just don't use at all.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23But that's not the way most Vegas hotels see it.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26And a charge once limited to only high-end resorts
0:05:26 > 0:05:28has, over the last few years,
0:05:28 > 0:05:31come to be the norm wherever you stay on the Strip.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34Controversial these fees may be,
0:05:34 > 0:05:37but they're also completely legal after being signed off by the
0:05:37 > 0:05:40US Government's consumer protection agency,
0:05:40 > 0:05:44the Federal Trade Commission, in 2012.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47As long as hotels make clear what surcharges are for
0:05:47 > 0:05:49before customers make a booking,
0:05:49 > 0:05:52then a resort fee is totally above board.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55But on Colin and Lynne's last trip,
0:05:55 > 0:05:57because they hadn't known about the resort fees in advance,
0:05:57 > 0:06:00they were able to successfully persuade the hotel
0:06:00 > 0:06:03that they shouldn't have to pay it.
0:06:03 > 0:06:05They hit us with them at the reception desk.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08We argued it, and we says, "We didn't get told.
0:06:08 > 0:06:10"We didn't know anything about these resort fees,"
0:06:10 > 0:06:12and we got, you know, they let us off.
0:06:12 > 0:06:14We got the resort fees waived.
0:06:16 > 0:06:17But this year,
0:06:17 > 0:06:21because the couple now did know about the fees before booking,
0:06:21 > 0:06:23the hotel wasn't prepared to wave them
0:06:23 > 0:06:25and, as the charge can quickly mount up,
0:06:25 > 0:06:29in this case, the daily fee was an extra 32 -
0:06:29 > 0:06:31Colin and Lynne felt they'd no choice
0:06:31 > 0:06:32but to choose somewhere cheaper,
0:06:32 > 0:06:36further away from the strip at the heart of the Vegas action.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39Everything's happening on the strip,
0:06:39 > 0:06:41but we've no option this time.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44The only other option was...
0:06:44 > 0:06:45just to boycott Vegas.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48We just wasn't going to go.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51After seeing what a money-spinner resort fees can be,
0:06:51 > 0:06:55even those Vegas hotels that had initially held out against them,
0:06:55 > 0:06:58have now embraced these extra charges,
0:06:58 > 0:07:01leaving Colin and Lisa worried that they'll soon be priced out of
0:07:01 > 0:07:04holidaying there altogether.
0:07:04 > 0:07:08They're not just a small percentage of what your room rate would be.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11They could be 25, they could be 30%, or more,
0:07:11 > 0:07:13of what your room rate is.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16It's just one big rip-off.
0:07:16 > 0:07:18The hotel's being greedy, really greedy,
0:07:18 > 0:07:21and they're all jumping on the bandwagon
0:07:21 > 0:07:23and it's just spoiling it.
0:07:23 > 0:07:25It's just spoiling all the holiday for people like me and my wife,
0:07:25 > 0:07:29and anybody else who is going - your normal, average holiday-maker.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32We've heard from other visitors to Vegas
0:07:32 > 0:07:35who have been left distinctly poker-faced by the resort fees
0:07:35 > 0:07:38that are being added to their hotel bills,
0:07:38 > 0:07:40including Mick Fraser from Preston.
0:07:40 > 0:07:44Many people I know, and I've been going for a good few years now,
0:07:44 > 0:07:48to Vegas, have been walloped with their credit card when they get there.
0:07:48 > 0:07:50You will pay and you will get charged.
0:07:50 > 0:07:52There's no getting away with it.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55And Peter Whalley, from Blackburn,
0:07:55 > 0:07:58found himself hit with an unexpected fee
0:07:58 > 0:08:01that, over the holiday, added up to 360.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04I wasn't happy, to say the least,
0:08:04 > 0:08:09and feel that this is the hoteliers of Las Vegas,
0:08:09 > 0:08:11who put this hidden cost on
0:08:11 > 0:08:13to the price of the rooms,
0:08:13 > 0:08:15and I feel it's wrong
0:08:15 > 0:08:18and it's not within most families' budgets.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22But this time, what happens in Vegas
0:08:22 > 0:08:25certainly hasn't stayed in Vegas.
0:08:25 > 0:08:27Resort fees are now catching on
0:08:27 > 0:08:31in many other popular American destinations, too.
0:08:31 > 0:08:32In the Florida Keys,
0:08:32 > 0:08:36you could have up to 39 a night stuck on the bill
0:08:36 > 0:08:37and, in New York,
0:08:37 > 0:08:40hotels may add around 43
0:08:40 > 0:08:42to their nightly fees.
0:08:42 > 0:08:43Such a big addition to your bill
0:08:43 > 0:08:45is something you'll want to know about
0:08:45 > 0:08:47as soon as you make an enquiry
0:08:47 > 0:08:49on how much a room is going to cost.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52But some say that doesn't always happen
0:08:52 > 0:08:54and that the resort fee may be hidden away,
0:08:54 > 0:08:58so you'll be drawn in by the lower headline rate.
0:08:59 > 0:09:03That's just one of the reasons why American senator Claire McCaskill
0:09:03 > 0:09:04has been campaigning against them.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07There is a rate for a hotel,
0:09:07 > 0:09:09and you think, "Boy, that's a good deal."
0:09:09 > 0:09:13Then you get to the hotel, you check in and, when you check out,
0:09:13 > 0:09:17there is a fee on your bill that you weren't anticipating
0:09:17 > 0:09:21and, all of a sudden, that good deal turns into a very bad deal.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23We believe that's deceptive.
0:09:23 > 0:09:25I think we need to change that.
0:09:25 > 0:09:30Senator McCaskill wants the States to fall more in line with the EU,
0:09:30 > 0:09:35where hotel booking sites and travel agents are required to be clear
0:09:35 > 0:09:38about all extra fees and what they're for,
0:09:38 > 0:09:42which explains why, here in the UK, travel website Expedia
0:09:42 > 0:09:46got into bother with the Advertising Standards Authority
0:09:46 > 0:09:49over how clearly these resort fees were displayed.
0:09:49 > 0:09:54The company was told to change an ad for a deal on a hotel in New York
0:09:54 > 0:09:57which it stated included all taxes and fees
0:09:57 > 0:10:02when, in fact, a resort fee of an extra 30 per person, per day,
0:10:02 > 0:10:03would be added on.
0:10:03 > 0:10:05And, as far as Colin is concerned,
0:10:05 > 0:10:08it still isn't always easy to spot these extra charges
0:10:08 > 0:10:11unless you really scour the small print.
0:10:11 > 0:10:15The price for the hotel is showing in bold numbers
0:10:15 > 0:10:19of a price of £1,804 per person -
0:10:19 > 0:10:22but, just below that, there's...
0:10:22 > 0:10:24In small numbers,
0:10:24 > 0:10:28it's showing a price which it's saying is due at the hotel,
0:10:28 > 0:10:32but it doesn't say exactly what the money is for.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34If they want to be fair,
0:10:34 > 0:10:36the price should be in bold numbers,
0:10:36 > 0:10:40so everybody can see what the price is, what they're going to be paying.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43The frustration that travellers like Colin feel
0:10:43 > 0:10:46is shared by our travel expert, Simon Calder.
0:10:46 > 0:10:50It's really very straightforward, what these hotels are doing.
0:10:50 > 0:10:56They want to disguise how much a room in their hotel actually costs.
0:10:56 > 0:10:58They know, if you're searching online
0:10:58 > 0:11:00on a price comparison website,
0:11:00 > 0:11:02their hotel is going to feature well
0:11:02 > 0:11:05and they think, "OK, we're going to have to take a loss
0:11:05 > 0:11:07"on the prices we're showing online
0:11:07 > 0:11:10"but, of course, once people get here and we add on that resort fee,
0:11:10 > 0:11:12"we'll be showing a profit."
0:11:12 > 0:11:14If you're going through a travel agent,
0:11:14 > 0:11:19you have every right to expect that that person will tell you in advance
0:11:19 > 0:11:22if there are any added extras.
0:11:24 > 0:11:26Our research team had a good look at the websites
0:11:26 > 0:11:29of some of the biggest names in the travel industry,
0:11:29 > 0:11:31and there's certainly quite a variation
0:11:31 > 0:11:35in how the Vegas resort fees are made clear.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38Ebookers, Expedia and Hotels.com
0:11:38 > 0:11:41all reference them next to the headline price,
0:11:41 > 0:11:43in a smaller font.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45However, you do have to dig a bit deeper
0:11:45 > 0:11:49to find out exactly what the charge is for.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52Opodo and Booking.com also highlight the resort fee
0:11:52 > 0:11:54close to the room rate,
0:11:54 > 0:11:57but you could possibly miss it if you're not paying enough attention.
0:11:57 > 0:12:01But Lastminute.com keeps the information about the charges to...
0:12:01 > 0:12:04Well, the last minute.
0:12:04 > 0:12:06We had to click through to book,
0:12:06 > 0:12:08then select a drop-down menu
0:12:08 > 0:12:11and read through a pretty lengthy bit of text
0:12:11 > 0:12:15to find any reference to the extra fee that you'll need to pay.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18The company told us it doesn't include the resort fee
0:12:18 > 0:12:22in its final price because it isn't part of the actual room rate
0:12:22 > 0:12:24and is paid directly to the hotel.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27But, it says the relevant information is made clear...
0:12:32 > 0:12:36Meanwhile, the headline hotel price on Virgin's website
0:12:36 > 0:12:38doesn't include the resort fee either.
0:12:38 > 0:12:40We had to scroll right down to the bottom of the page
0:12:40 > 0:12:46to find any mention of it being an additional charge, paid locally.
0:12:46 > 0:12:48Virgin told us, however,
0:12:48 > 0:12:52it does adequately reference these charges on its site across...
0:12:54 > 0:12:56But it says it will now go even further,
0:12:56 > 0:12:58and has added additional information
0:12:58 > 0:13:00to its main Las Vegas page.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05Finally, Thomas Cook's hotel prices
0:13:05 > 0:13:08don't take into account those Vegas resort fees,
0:13:08 > 0:13:11only flagging them at the very final stage,
0:13:11 > 0:13:12when you're about to pay.
0:13:12 > 0:13:14The company told us the information
0:13:14 > 0:13:18is clearly set out in the hotel information section of the website,
0:13:18 > 0:13:21but it's taking steps to make sure that the information is included
0:13:21 > 0:13:23earlier in the process.
0:13:25 > 0:13:29Well, all the travel companies we contacted stress they try to be
0:13:29 > 0:13:32as open and transparent with pricing as possible,
0:13:32 > 0:13:34and it's clear, at least, that some of them
0:13:34 > 0:13:37are as exasperated with resort fees as the rest of us,
0:13:37 > 0:13:40with several big names saying they're one of the most...
0:13:46 > 0:13:47Colin would agree with that and,
0:13:47 > 0:13:50while it's the hotels he is most irritated with
0:13:50 > 0:13:52for bumping up their prices,
0:13:52 > 0:13:56he does feel that holiday companies should always include resort fees
0:13:56 > 0:13:59in the main advertised price.
0:13:59 > 0:14:01What they could do to make it fairer
0:14:01 > 0:14:05is include the resort fees in the total price.
0:14:05 > 0:14:07That's the only fair way to do it.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10You shouldn't have to be paying for something that you don't use.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19Now, when the online rental company Airbnb
0:14:19 > 0:14:22came storming onto the market nine years ago,
0:14:22 > 0:14:24it transformed the travel industry.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27Homeowners got the opportunity to make money
0:14:27 > 0:14:30by letting out their property and tourists were able to stay in places
0:14:30 > 0:14:34giving a more authentic, and often budget-friendly, taste of a city.
0:14:34 > 0:14:36Now, the company's growth since then
0:14:36 > 0:14:39has been nothing short of spectacular
0:14:39 > 0:14:41and it's now estimated to be worth, wait for it...
0:14:41 > 0:14:4330 billion.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46But, as we highlighted last year, the opportunities it's created
0:14:46 > 0:14:50have also been exploited by fraudsters who've used Airbnb
0:14:50 > 0:14:54to advertise accommodation that simply does not exist,
0:14:54 > 0:14:57leaving holiday-makers stranded on arrival at their destination.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00Well, now it seems that there's a new problem,
0:15:00 > 0:15:02and it's one that really does raise questions
0:15:02 > 0:15:06as to whether Airbnb is doing enough to police its own site.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11It promises to be a unique holiday experience
0:15:11 > 0:15:13where, instead of being simply a tourist,
0:15:13 > 0:15:16you can immerse yourself in the culture of a city
0:15:16 > 0:15:19by staying in the home of a local as if it was your own home.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22'Wherever you go, don't go there.
0:15:22 > 0:15:24'Live there.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28'Even if it's just for a night.'
0:15:29 > 0:15:33Airbnb's rental website has helped over 60 million people
0:15:33 > 0:15:37in 191 countries either to stay in someone else's home
0:15:37 > 0:15:40or welcome holiday-makers into theirs.
0:15:43 > 0:15:48And until recently, Peter Mannion from Bristol has been a big fan.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51I've used it for holidays all around the world.
0:15:51 > 0:15:53We've had some lovely holidays -
0:15:53 > 0:15:55Cape Town, Hawaii,
0:15:55 > 0:15:57Los Angeles, San Francisco -
0:15:57 > 0:16:00and we've used Airbnb in all of them
0:16:00 > 0:16:03and we've stayed in some super places.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07Now, as that suggests, Peter loves to travel,
0:16:07 > 0:16:08so much so that -
0:16:08 > 0:16:12as well as staying in various Airbnb properties around the globe -
0:16:12 > 0:16:15several years ago, he bought a holiday home of his own
0:16:15 > 0:16:17near Alicante in Spain.
0:16:17 > 0:16:21It's a detached house in a piece of land with its own pool.
0:16:21 > 0:16:25It's a nice property, very quiet, very remote.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27But, four years ago,
0:16:27 > 0:16:31Peter realised that work commitments meant he was no longer
0:16:31 > 0:16:34getting quite as much use out of his Spanish property,
0:16:34 > 0:16:37so he decided to rent it out to tenants instead.
0:16:37 > 0:16:41It was interesting, going from having it as a holiday home,
0:16:41 > 0:16:44and only using it ourselves exclusively,
0:16:44 > 0:16:48to then letting it on a long-term let
0:16:48 > 0:16:51and knowing that your house is now going to become...
0:16:51 > 0:16:54almost owned by somebody else for 11 months,
0:16:54 > 0:16:58and that was a tough thing to do, for me,
0:16:58 > 0:17:01because we actually watched this house being built.
0:17:01 > 0:17:05It was half built when we saw it and decided to buy it.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09And so we had some great times as a family.
0:17:12 > 0:17:16Peter let his property out through a Spanish management company,
0:17:16 > 0:17:19at a cost of 750 euros a month,
0:17:19 > 0:17:22and everything with the arrangement appeared to be going very well -
0:17:22 > 0:17:24until, that is, early last year,
0:17:24 > 0:17:27when he began to receive complaints from his Spanish neighbour.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30She started to tell us
0:17:30 > 0:17:34that there were lots of different people visiting the house
0:17:34 > 0:17:37and she could never contact our tenant,
0:17:37 > 0:17:39who was in there.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43The security company monitoring the property then rang to say that -
0:17:43 > 0:17:45when an alarm had gone off -
0:17:45 > 0:17:48it, too, hadn't been able to get a response from his tenants.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51So, Peter contacted the Spanish management company
0:17:51 > 0:17:54and asked them to take a look.
0:17:54 > 0:17:58We spoke to the management company, and they would go round there.
0:17:58 > 0:17:59The difficult part was that they
0:17:59 > 0:18:02suddenly couldn't get access to our house.
0:18:02 > 0:18:03DOG BARKS
0:18:03 > 0:18:06There were two terrier-type dogs, big ones,
0:18:06 > 0:18:09Staffordshire bull terriers or something -
0:18:09 > 0:18:11ugly things, I've seen a film of them...
0:18:12 > 0:18:16..that just barked consistently at the gate.
0:18:16 > 0:18:18He never answered the gate.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21Our agent went there
0:18:21 > 0:18:2420 days on the trot, twice a day,
0:18:24 > 0:18:27and couldn't get access to anything.
0:18:27 > 0:18:30And that really was the catalyst for,
0:18:30 > 0:18:31"Right, we need to go out there,
0:18:31 > 0:18:33"take a look and see what's going on."
0:18:34 > 0:18:37Peter's wife planned the trip
0:18:37 > 0:18:39and went straight to the Airbnb website
0:18:39 > 0:18:43to find somewhere they could stay close to their own property.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46But, when she did, she made a startling discovery.
0:18:46 > 0:18:50One of the properties she came across looked very familiar
0:18:50 > 0:18:52and it didn't take too long to realise that,
0:18:52 > 0:18:54without them having known anything about it,
0:18:54 > 0:18:58their home was being advertised for rent on Airbnb.
0:19:00 > 0:19:05I thought, "That just can't be right. That's such a surprise.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08"Why...? How could somebody do that?"
0:19:10 > 0:19:13Good question. And, to be sure it wasn't a mistake,
0:19:13 > 0:19:14Peter asked one of his friends
0:19:14 > 0:19:17to try and make a booking through the Airbnb site
0:19:17 > 0:19:21and, sure enough, the tenant quickly confirmed that the property
0:19:21 > 0:19:23was indeed available for rent.
0:19:25 > 0:19:29Peter worked out that, by letting the home on Airbnb,
0:19:29 > 0:19:32his tenant would have been making a very tidy profit.
0:19:32 > 0:19:38My property was listed at £707 for a week.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41So, that's about £100 a night and that was in June.
0:19:41 > 0:19:46So working on that principle,
0:19:46 > 0:19:49in one week, he could pay his monthly rent.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54But by subletting the house without permission,
0:19:54 > 0:19:58Peter's tenant was not only breaking the rules of his tenancy agreement,
0:19:58 > 0:20:01he was also putting Peter into a very difficult situation
0:20:01 > 0:20:04and he might have been doing it for years.
0:20:04 > 0:20:06The issue is my liability,
0:20:06 > 0:20:11as the owner of the property, and there are certain obligations,
0:20:11 > 0:20:15under Spanish law and under insurance and coverage
0:20:15 > 0:20:16for the people letting it.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19Even more upsetting was the fact
0:20:19 > 0:20:23that he simply had no idea who was using his beloved holiday home
0:20:23 > 0:20:26or indeed what damage they might be causing.
0:20:26 > 0:20:32The thought that I have no control over who is in my house is really...
0:20:32 > 0:20:33..really perturbs me.
0:20:33 > 0:20:38And what impact those people have on my neighbour,
0:20:38 > 0:20:41who lives behind and is a woman on her own.
0:20:43 > 0:20:45Now, you might think that,
0:20:45 > 0:20:48as soon as Peter explained the situation to Airbnb,
0:20:48 > 0:20:50that the company would remove the listing...
0:20:50 > 0:20:52but you have to think again.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55First, trying to actually speak to anybody there
0:20:55 > 0:20:58proved a nearly impossible task.
0:20:58 > 0:21:01There was no-one to talk to, you can only e-mail,
0:21:01 > 0:21:03and that became, then, impossible
0:21:03 > 0:21:07because the responses were clearly coming from a computer.
0:21:07 > 0:21:11And when Peter did eventually hear back from Airbnb,
0:21:11 > 0:21:14he was quite simply gobsmacked by the response.
0:21:14 > 0:21:16My house could only be removed
0:21:16 > 0:21:19by whoever had done it in the first place.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22The frustration of that was incredible
0:21:22 > 0:21:24because I'd explained to Airbnb
0:21:24 > 0:21:28that this was my house and the tenant was breaking the rules.
0:21:29 > 0:21:31It seemed to matter little.
0:21:33 > 0:21:35Peter even resorted to e-mailing
0:21:35 > 0:21:39the title deeds of the property to Airbnb to prove ownership,
0:21:39 > 0:21:41but the company continued to insist
0:21:41 > 0:21:44that only the member who'd put up the listing
0:21:44 > 0:21:46was able to take it down.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48I had no control over the situation.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51It was impossible for me to be able to do anything.
0:21:51 > 0:21:55I couldn't talk to my tenant, I can't talk to Airbnb
0:21:55 > 0:21:58and I certainly can't talk to the subtenants,
0:21:58 > 0:22:02so my lack of knowledge and my lack of ability to know what's going on
0:22:02 > 0:22:06in my own house was of deep concern to me.
0:22:07 > 0:22:08Understandably.
0:22:08 > 0:22:12Unable to get Airbnb to remove the listing,
0:22:12 > 0:22:15Peter even tried contacting the tenant to request that
0:22:15 > 0:22:18the listing was removed, but he didn't respond.
0:22:18 > 0:22:22So, Peter had no choice but to start formal eviction proceedings.
0:22:22 > 0:22:24Two months later, the tenant finally left
0:22:24 > 0:22:27but without having paid for the damage to the property,
0:22:27 > 0:22:30paying the utility bills, or the last two months' rent.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33All of which Peter estimates totted up to 6,000 euros
0:22:33 > 0:22:36and, on top of that,
0:22:36 > 0:22:39the Airbnb listing was still active.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42We asked him once again, after he'd left,
0:22:42 > 0:22:44would he please take the house off?
0:22:44 > 0:22:48And eventually he took it off Airbnb and it's no longer on there.
0:22:49 > 0:22:53With the listing finally offline and the tenant evicted,
0:22:53 > 0:22:55Peter was, at long last, able to access the property
0:22:55 > 0:22:58but I'm afraid it had been left in a pretty poor state.
0:23:00 > 0:23:04When we eventually got the house back, the damage was such
0:23:04 > 0:23:07that there were burn marks on all the furniture
0:23:07 > 0:23:10and, I mean, most of the furniture was wrecked anyway.
0:23:10 > 0:23:11We had to throw it away.
0:23:11 > 0:23:15So, something had been going on in there.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18I just don't know what and I'm unable to find out,
0:23:18 > 0:23:20which is equally annoying.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25The fact is that, as far as Peter's concerned,
0:23:25 > 0:23:27it appears to be relatively simple
0:23:27 > 0:23:30for someone to advertise a property on Airbnb
0:23:30 > 0:23:31that they don't even own.
0:23:32 > 0:23:36This experience tells me that they don't know who is the owner
0:23:36 > 0:23:39and who has the ability to let that property
0:23:39 > 0:23:41and whether they're breaking any laws.
0:23:42 > 0:23:46Unfortunately, it seems that Peter's case isn't an isolated one.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49Here in the UK, a growing number of landlords
0:23:49 > 0:23:52are launching possession proceedings against tenants
0:23:52 > 0:23:56who have sublet their property via Airbnb without permission.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01When we got in touch with the company, it told us that it does ask
0:24:01 > 0:24:03advertisers to certify that they have...
0:24:06 > 0:24:09And it reminds them to check and follow local rules before they list
0:24:09 > 0:24:12and indeed to check all of that throughout the year.
0:24:12 > 0:24:14It adds that isolated incidents are rare
0:24:14 > 0:24:18and it takes appropriate action on issues brought to its attention.
0:24:18 > 0:24:22It says, in this case, it passed on a letter from Peter to the tenant,
0:24:22 > 0:24:24who did eventually remove the listing.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30Well, clearly, after all he went through, Peter thinks that Airbnb
0:24:30 > 0:24:33should do more checks on its advertisers
0:24:33 > 0:24:36but solicitor Gary Rycroft doesn't agree.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38When you are booking through a site like Airbnb,
0:24:38 > 0:24:41it's important to remember that they are just a booking site.
0:24:41 > 0:24:43They are putting you, someone who wants a room,
0:24:43 > 0:24:46in touch with someone who has a room available.
0:24:46 > 0:24:48They aren't taking on responsibility
0:24:48 > 0:24:50for checking out the facts about that room,
0:24:50 > 0:24:53they aren't checking out if that person has the legal right
0:24:53 > 0:24:54to rent the room to you
0:24:54 > 0:24:57and they aren't giving any warranty as to your safety
0:24:57 > 0:24:58while you're staying there.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01So you, as the consumer, as the person booking the room,
0:25:01 > 0:25:04have to take it upon yourself to do diligent checks
0:25:04 > 0:25:06to make sure you're getting what you expect to get
0:25:06 > 0:25:09and that you are going to be safe while you're there.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14But you know, those checks are easier said than done.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16Unless, before you confirm any booking on the site,
0:25:16 > 0:25:19you're prepared to ask the person renting the property
0:25:19 > 0:25:21to e-mail proof of ownership.
0:25:23 > 0:25:28Which is why, I'm afraid, Peter, once such an ardent fan of Airbnb,
0:25:28 > 0:25:31is now no longer confident of ever using it again.
0:25:31 > 0:25:35I'm very concerned about how I go forward in the future.
0:25:35 > 0:25:41There needs to be a change in terms of how Airbnb monitor properties
0:25:41 > 0:25:45and how they validate whether the property is owned
0:25:45 > 0:25:47and who owns the property.
0:25:47 > 0:25:51My concern now is, when I book a property on Airbnb,
0:25:51 > 0:25:52am I allowed to?
0:26:00 > 0:26:02Still to come on Rip-Off Britain,
0:26:02 > 0:26:05the holiday organisation keen to reassure travellers
0:26:05 > 0:26:08it's got their backs, but is that always the case?
0:26:08 > 0:26:11It's just very disappointing and very...
0:26:12 > 0:26:17..disturbing, really, that that's how they perceive themselves
0:26:17 > 0:26:20and that's how they put themselves out to us as customers.
0:26:23 > 0:26:25Our travel expert, Simon Calder,
0:26:25 > 0:26:28has all the secrets to save you money on your travels.
0:26:28 > 0:26:31He's also full of tips on everything -
0:26:31 > 0:26:32from how to avoid the crowds
0:26:32 > 0:26:35to the best way to steer clear of those tourist traps.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40This time, he's got tips on how to avoid some new
0:26:40 > 0:26:42and very classic scams.
0:26:42 > 0:26:46How long does it take to get from an airport into town?
0:26:46 > 0:26:48Usually a good half-hour, isn't it?
0:26:48 > 0:26:52Sometimes an hour. But sometimes, unscrupulous taxi drivers
0:26:52 > 0:26:56have been known to say to people, "Oh, is it your first time here?"
0:26:56 > 0:26:58And if you say, "Yes, it is,"
0:26:58 > 0:27:01they'll take you for a run right around the houses.
0:27:01 > 0:27:03Costing you big bucks.
0:27:03 > 0:27:05I think we've all been there.
0:27:05 > 0:27:07Ask at the information desk at the airport
0:27:07 > 0:27:11how much the fare should be and whether it's a fixed rate
0:27:11 > 0:27:13or if you pay what's shown on meter.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18Here's a taxi problem that's particularly acute
0:27:18 > 0:27:22in countries where they have high denomination notes.
0:27:22 > 0:27:26You've got 50,000 pesos or roubles, or whatever.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28You hand it to the driver.
0:27:28 > 0:27:30Ahh! He drops it.
0:27:30 > 0:27:32Even more mysteriously,
0:27:32 > 0:27:36when he picks it up, it's turned into a 5,000 note.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39So, that means you'll get change from that
0:27:39 > 0:27:43and he has pocketed 45,000 of your money.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46The way to avoid it, well,
0:27:46 > 0:27:48when I'm handing over a high-value note,
0:27:48 > 0:27:51I say, "I'm giving you 50,000,"
0:27:51 > 0:27:55so there's no room at all for any dispute.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58Good man, Simon. And if you've survived the journey in from the
0:27:58 > 0:28:01- airport without being ripped off... - Thanks very much.
0:28:01 > 0:28:02..don't let your guard down.
0:28:02 > 0:28:04Popular destinations for tourists
0:28:04 > 0:28:07are also popular with street criminals.
0:28:07 > 0:28:11Almost all the locals you meet have your best interest at heart,
0:28:11 > 0:28:12but there are the occasional rogues.
0:28:12 > 0:28:14Watch out for pickpockets.
0:28:14 > 0:28:18If you get a warning like that, what's the first thing you do?
0:28:18 > 0:28:19You check your pockets,
0:28:19 > 0:28:24revealing to the whole world exactly where your valuables are.
0:28:24 > 0:28:27These days, plenty of us take valuable technology on holiday
0:28:27 > 0:28:30in the shape of laptops and Smartphones,
0:28:30 > 0:28:33but I'm afraid we don't always bring them home.
0:28:33 > 0:28:38Summer in the city, and it's the best of all possible worlds.
0:28:38 > 0:28:41You've got a glass of wine, you're checking your messages,
0:28:41 > 0:28:44and then a fellow tourist arrives to seek your help.
0:28:46 > 0:28:47Of course, you're happy to oblige,
0:28:47 > 0:28:50giving directions as best as you can.
0:28:50 > 0:28:53So nice to be able to help a fellow tourist -
0:28:53 > 0:28:56and only then do you realise your phone's gone. Ahh!
0:28:57 > 0:29:01Holiday scams are designed to take advantage of your good nature,
0:29:01 > 0:29:05so Simon has one last warning of a time-honoured con.
0:29:05 > 0:29:08How many times have you been in a big tourist attraction
0:29:08 > 0:29:12and somebody has asked you to take their picture?
0:29:12 > 0:29:15But it's not always as innocent as it looks.
0:29:15 > 0:29:17As you find out when you...
0:29:17 > 0:29:18hand the camera back.
0:29:18 > 0:29:22They're going to swear that you dropped it and you've broken it,
0:29:22 > 0:29:24and YOU have to pay them some money,
0:29:24 > 0:29:27otherwise it's going to turn very nasty indeed!
0:29:33 > 0:29:35Now, if you've ever booked a package holiday,
0:29:35 > 0:29:38you may well be familiar with this,
0:29:38 > 0:29:39it's the logo of ABTA,
0:29:39 > 0:29:42it's the Association of British Travel Agents.
0:29:42 > 0:29:44The organisation that doesn't just represent the industry
0:29:44 > 0:29:47but has a role in protecting us as well.
0:29:47 > 0:29:51Seeing these four letters on a company's website or brochure
0:29:51 > 0:29:53should be the reassurance that,
0:29:53 > 0:29:55if anything goes wrong while you're away,
0:29:55 > 0:29:57you'll be able to get some help.
0:29:57 > 0:29:59But I'm afraid some of you have been telling us that -
0:29:59 > 0:30:01when your holiday has fallen short of the mark -
0:30:01 > 0:30:04so, too, has the help you've had from ABTA.
0:30:04 > 0:30:08Indeed one couple in particular, Mike and Hannah Hamm from Margate,
0:30:08 > 0:30:11were left wondering if there was really anything more to ABTA
0:30:11 > 0:30:13than just those four letters.
0:30:17 > 0:30:21Waves lapping on the shore, soft, sandy beaches.
0:30:21 > 0:30:24Scenes like this are the stuff holiday dreams are made of.
0:30:26 > 0:30:27But when a trip goes wrong,
0:30:27 > 0:30:31you'll want someone to turn to who can help sort everything out.
0:30:31 > 0:30:34And that's what we're always encouraged to believe we'll get
0:30:34 > 0:30:36if we book a holiday with a company that's backed
0:30:36 > 0:30:39by the Association of British Travel Agents
0:30:39 > 0:30:41or ABTA.
0:30:41 > 0:30:43All members abide by our code of conduct,
0:30:43 > 0:30:45while all package and flight-plus holidays
0:30:45 > 0:30:47they sell are financially protected.
0:30:49 > 0:30:53And the recommendation in ABTA's ads to "look for the logo"
0:30:53 > 0:30:56has certainly got through to the people we spoke to.
0:30:56 > 0:30:59I think they cover you by way of some form of guarantee
0:30:59 > 0:31:00if something goes wrong.
0:31:00 > 0:31:05I would expect that it would be offering me some kind of insurance.
0:31:05 > 0:31:07You see the ABTA logo
0:31:07 > 0:31:10and you assume that every element of your holiday is covered.
0:31:12 > 0:31:15And it was because of the ABTA logo that Mike Hamm, from Margate,
0:31:15 > 0:31:20and his wife Hannah were happy to book their most recent holiday.
0:31:20 > 0:31:23It was our second anniversary and I wanted somewhere...
0:31:24 > 0:31:25idyllic, romantic...
0:31:27 > 0:31:29..to take my wife for a little celebration.
0:31:31 > 0:31:33So, Mike splashed out and booked a trip
0:31:33 > 0:31:35to the Greek island of Mykonos
0:31:35 > 0:31:37with a company called Travel Republic,
0:31:37 > 0:31:40whose website displays that all-important ABTA logo.
0:31:41 > 0:31:44We'd never been to Mykonos.
0:31:44 > 0:31:47We had particularly liked Greece previously,
0:31:47 > 0:31:49and Greek islands,
0:31:49 > 0:31:53and we'd heard that this was an idyllic, beautiful place to go.
0:31:53 > 0:31:55We were going to have an amazing time.
0:31:56 > 0:31:58And if, for any reason, they didn't,
0:31:58 > 0:32:02thanks to that logo, Mike knew who to call.
0:32:02 > 0:32:05I felt that, should anything go wrong, I could contact ABTA,
0:32:05 > 0:32:08they would deal with the holiday company
0:32:08 > 0:32:10or the hotel, on my behalf,
0:32:10 > 0:32:14and rectify any of these problems and deal with it for me.
0:32:15 > 0:32:19But that isn't how things worked out because, thanks to all the companies
0:32:19 > 0:32:22that might now be involved in a typical holiday booking,
0:32:22 > 0:32:24the support you will get from ABTA
0:32:24 > 0:32:27won't necessarily be what you expected.
0:32:27 > 0:32:30As Mike discovered himself too late.
0:32:30 > 0:32:33From the moment they arrived at the hotel,
0:32:33 > 0:32:35it was clear that the trip wasn't going to be
0:32:35 > 0:32:38quite what he and his wife were hoping for.
0:32:38 > 0:32:39We arrived late,
0:32:39 > 0:32:43opened the door and it was, literally, a building site.
0:32:43 > 0:32:46There was plasterboard, hammers,
0:32:46 > 0:32:50nail guns, scaffolding. It was just incredible.
0:32:51 > 0:32:55Staff explained that the hotel was being repaired after a severe flood
0:32:55 > 0:32:59and they immediately agreed to move the couple to a sister hotel,
0:32:59 > 0:33:02but Mike wasn't impressed with his first night there either.
0:33:02 > 0:33:05Two o'clock in the morning,
0:33:05 > 0:33:08I woke up and I actually thought there was people in my room.
0:33:08 > 0:33:09I've jumped out of bed, turned the lights on,
0:33:09 > 0:33:11there's no-one in the room, what's going on?
0:33:11 > 0:33:14And the room next door, it was like, the wall was so thin,
0:33:14 > 0:33:17I could hear everything they were doing.
0:33:17 > 0:33:22The next morning, Mike complained again and was moved to a third hotel
0:33:22 > 0:33:26but, with a whole day and night of their five-day trip gone,
0:33:26 > 0:33:28he wasn't at all happy.
0:33:28 > 0:33:31I'm very frustrated, at this point,
0:33:31 > 0:33:34and I'm almost booking my own flight home.
0:33:34 > 0:33:37My wife, sort of, talked me down, calmed me down a bit,
0:33:37 > 0:33:40said, "Look, it is a beautiful place, the island..."
0:33:41 > 0:33:45"..even if we don't stay at the hotel, we'll spend our days on the beach."
0:33:47 > 0:33:51And for the last few days of their holiday, Mike was able to relax
0:33:51 > 0:33:55but, when they got back to the UK, he complained to Travel Republic,
0:33:55 > 0:33:58which agreed to take the matter up with the company it had
0:33:58 > 0:34:02used to book his rooms, a business called Hotelbeds.
0:34:02 > 0:34:06Word soon came back that Hotelbeds was prepared
0:34:06 > 0:34:11to offer a refund of £210, around 35% of the accommodation costs,
0:34:11 > 0:34:15but Mike didn't think that was good enough because the whole trip
0:34:15 > 0:34:18had been based around a hotel that had let him down.
0:34:18 > 0:34:22In my opinion, it goes deeper than that because, had I not liked
0:34:22 > 0:34:25the hotel and wanted to go to that particular hotel,
0:34:25 > 0:34:27I wouldn't have booked a flight to go there.
0:34:27 > 0:34:31It's the whole package that I need compensation for.
0:34:31 > 0:34:35So I replied and said, in bold letters,
0:34:35 > 0:34:38"Your offer of 35% of the accommodation cost
0:34:38 > 0:34:40"is NOT acceptable."
0:34:41 > 0:34:43Unhappy with what he'd been offered,
0:34:43 > 0:34:47Mike decided to take his complaint further and put to good use
0:34:47 > 0:34:49the ABTA logo that had given him the reassurance
0:34:49 > 0:34:53to book with Travel Republic in the first place...
0:34:53 > 0:34:55but he was surprised by ABTA's response.
0:34:56 > 0:34:59I then got a reply saying,
0:34:59 > 0:35:01"We've spoken to Travel Republic,
0:35:01 > 0:35:05"you booked your room with Hotelbeds...
0:35:06 > 0:35:11"..they are not ABTA registered so, therefore, we can't do anything...
0:35:11 > 0:35:13"and that is the end of it."
0:35:13 > 0:35:17They wouldn't look into it any further because these individual
0:35:17 > 0:35:21companies, who were not Travel Republic, were not ABTA registered.
0:35:24 > 0:35:27So, while Travel Republic was a member of ABTA,
0:35:27 > 0:35:29the company it had used to book accommodation wasn't,
0:35:29 > 0:35:31so ABTA said it couldn't help.
0:35:31 > 0:35:35Which, as far as Mike's concerned, is rather at odds
0:35:35 > 0:35:39with the impression you might get from seeing its ads.
0:35:39 > 0:35:41'But if you can't resolve an issue
0:35:41 > 0:35:42'with one of our members,
0:35:42 > 0:35:44'ABTA can help, and you can access
0:35:44 > 0:35:47'our independent complaints resolution service.
0:35:47 > 0:35:49'So, always look for the ABTA logo.'
0:35:49 > 0:35:52After watching an advert like that, that's all singing, all dancing,
0:35:52 > 0:35:55"We're the best, we're going to help you, we'll look after you,"
0:35:55 > 0:35:57it just increases the frustration.
0:35:57 > 0:36:00Because it's blatantly not correct.
0:36:00 > 0:36:02The advert's not correct.
0:36:02 > 0:36:05And you can see why he might think that,
0:36:05 > 0:36:07but things aren't quite so clear cut.
0:36:07 > 0:36:12So how exactly does ABTA help if your holiday doesn't go to plan?
0:36:12 > 0:36:15Well, if you book a full package through one of its members,
0:36:15 > 0:36:19it'll cover the cost of your holiday if that company goes bust,
0:36:19 > 0:36:21it will even get you home if you're currently abroad.
0:36:21 > 0:36:23Added to that,
0:36:23 > 0:36:26ABTA members all agree to comply with certain standards
0:36:26 > 0:36:29and, if you can't resolve your complaint direct with them,
0:36:29 > 0:36:31then ABTA can organise arbitration
0:36:31 > 0:36:34to find a solution that suits both sides
0:36:34 > 0:36:37but, as Mike discovered, all that changes
0:36:37 > 0:36:39if the ABTA member you've booked with
0:36:39 > 0:36:42gets part of your trip from a third party
0:36:42 > 0:36:45because the protection you might assume you're getting
0:36:45 > 0:36:48doesn't automatically filter down.
0:36:50 > 0:36:52We put Mike in touch with our travel expert, Simon Calder,
0:36:52 > 0:36:56who explained Travel Republic's site does make that clear,
0:36:56 > 0:36:59though you might not instantly realise the significance.
0:36:59 > 0:37:02I've had a look at the Travel Republic
0:37:02 > 0:37:04and at the bottom right, small letters, it does say,
0:37:04 > 0:37:07"Oh, by the way, we're an agent only
0:37:07 > 0:37:10"AND if anything goes wrong with any part of your holiday,
0:37:10 > 0:37:13"well, your quarrel is with the supplier."
0:37:13 > 0:37:17So, effectively, "Good luck, everybody."
0:37:17 > 0:37:19I wouldn't have booked with Travel Republic
0:37:19 > 0:37:23had I known that there was no actual affiliation, with ABTA,
0:37:23 > 0:37:25for the booking.
0:37:25 > 0:37:28The fact that it was on the website doesn't mean a thing.
0:37:31 > 0:37:33Now, had the supplier - in this case, Hotelbeds -
0:37:33 > 0:37:35been an ABTA member,
0:37:35 > 0:37:37then ABTA would not only have been able to investigate
0:37:37 > 0:37:39Mike's complaint directly,
0:37:39 > 0:37:42it would also have been able to award additional compensation
0:37:42 > 0:37:43if it felt that was appropriate.
0:37:45 > 0:37:48But Simon thinks that, unless you're booking a complete package holiday
0:37:48 > 0:37:51or at the very least a flight and accommodation
0:37:51 > 0:37:53together from the same company,
0:37:53 > 0:37:56then ABTA protection may not amounting to much anyhow...
0:37:59 > 0:38:03..and I'm afraid that's how Mike feels, too.
0:38:03 > 0:38:05Go on, then. Up, up, up.
0:38:05 > 0:38:09If there had not been an ABTA logo on the Travel Republic website,
0:38:09 > 0:38:11I wouldn't have booked.
0:38:11 > 0:38:15I would have looked elsewhere for a company that did have ABTA on it
0:38:15 > 0:38:20because, up until I found out that it means nothing,
0:38:20 > 0:38:24I actually felt that it did hold quite a big sway
0:38:24 > 0:38:27as to my protection as a consumer.
0:38:29 > 0:38:32Well, when we put Mike's concerns to ABTA,
0:38:32 > 0:38:34it reiterated that, in this case,
0:38:34 > 0:38:36Travel Republic, an ABTA member, was...
0:38:38 > 0:38:41And Hotelbeds, as we know, not an ABTA member,
0:38:41 > 0:38:45was the service provider with whom Mike actually had his contract.
0:38:45 > 0:38:49But it's sorry to hear that the couple is unhappy so, since filming,
0:38:49 > 0:38:52ABTA has offered Mike access to its arbitration service,
0:38:52 > 0:38:54although it went on to tell us
0:38:54 > 0:38:57that it does consider that Travel Republic has met its obligations
0:38:57 > 0:39:00under the organisation's code of conduct.
0:39:00 > 0:39:03And Travel Republic itself echoed that,
0:39:03 > 0:39:05telling us it follows ABTA's code of conduct
0:39:05 > 0:39:08to provide customers with the best service
0:39:08 > 0:39:11and it will assist to make sure suitable outcomes are reached
0:39:11 > 0:39:13for any complaints it receives.
0:39:13 > 0:39:15It went on to say that it works with a...
0:39:19 > 0:39:22But as those suppliers are detailed
0:39:22 > 0:39:25in the booking conditions, before a trip is confirmed,
0:39:25 > 0:39:28there is an opportunity to check which of them is ABTA-registered.
0:39:30 > 0:39:34There was, however, better news from the Myconian hotel company
0:39:34 > 0:39:37that owns the first two hotels Mike stayed in.
0:39:37 > 0:39:40Anxious to reverse the couple's negative impression,
0:39:40 > 0:39:42it's offered them a three-night stay
0:39:42 > 0:39:44in one of their hotels absolutely free.
0:39:48 > 0:39:51With more of us than ever now booking through companies that sell
0:39:51 > 0:39:54holidays made up of elements from different suppliers
0:39:54 > 0:39:56rather than one simple package,
0:39:56 > 0:39:59former financial ombudsman Martin James believes
0:39:59 > 0:40:02we'd be better served if the industry could establish
0:40:02 > 0:40:04its own independent ombudsman service
0:40:04 > 0:40:09to protect all customers, rather than have us rely on an organisation
0:40:09 > 0:40:11more limited in who it can help.
0:40:11 > 0:40:15ABTA is a trade body which allows you to make complaints to them
0:40:15 > 0:40:19and they arbitrate. They basically negotiate on your behalf
0:40:19 > 0:40:21between you and one of their members.
0:40:21 > 0:40:25But that's very, very different to making a complaint to an ombudsman
0:40:25 > 0:40:27or indeed going through the courts.
0:40:27 > 0:40:30And if you're not satisfied, you may find that the courts
0:40:30 > 0:40:32are the only options available to you.
0:40:32 > 0:40:36Giving organisations, like ABTA or indeed other trade bodies,
0:40:36 > 0:40:41an ombudsman service or more regulations that they have to follow
0:40:41 > 0:40:43would empower consumers more.
0:40:43 > 0:40:46So you don't find yourself stuck in the middle of a number of
0:40:46 > 0:40:49companies arguing about something bad that's happened to you.
0:40:51 > 0:40:52But until that happens,
0:40:52 > 0:40:55keep in mind that, whatever you might assume from its ads,
0:40:55 > 0:40:58the help you'll get from ABTA will depend entirely
0:40:58 > 0:41:01on the nature and detail of the holiday you've booked
0:41:01 > 0:41:05and, as Mike's found out too late, there can be more factors involved
0:41:05 > 0:41:08than simply whether a company displays that ABTA logo.
0:41:08 > 0:41:14In the future, if I book something, I won't expect that kind of backup.
0:41:14 > 0:41:18I'll just make the most of the holiday, enjoy it while I'm there,
0:41:18 > 0:41:20and hope that nothing goes wrong.
0:41:28 > 0:41:30If you've got a story you'd like us to investigate,
0:41:30 > 0:41:33we now have even more ways to get in touch.
0:41:33 > 0:41:36You can join in the conversation on our Facebook page.
0:41:36 > 0:41:38Just look for BBC Rip Off Britain.
0:41:39 > 0:41:41As well as the most up-to-date news,
0:41:41 > 0:41:44you'll also find exclusive behind-the-scenes clips
0:41:44 > 0:41:46and pictures from the show.
0:41:47 > 0:41:49Or you can log onto our website...
0:41:52 > 0:41:55..where there's plenty of advice and fact sheets
0:41:55 > 0:41:57full of tips on how to avoid getting ripped off.
0:41:59 > 0:42:01If you'd like to send us an e-mail,
0:42:01 > 0:42:02then our address is...
0:42:05 > 0:42:07Or if you want to send us a letter,
0:42:07 > 0:42:09then our new address is...
0:42:20 > 0:42:23Well, I think it's pretty clear from our stories today that,
0:42:23 > 0:42:25just because there's a big name involved,
0:42:25 > 0:42:28doesn't necessarily mean that they're going to assist you
0:42:28 > 0:42:31in the way that you would expect if things start to go wrong.
0:42:31 > 0:42:34You may actually find that their responsibilities
0:42:34 > 0:42:36are rather more limited than you first realised.
0:42:36 > 0:42:38How true is that?
0:42:38 > 0:42:41But meanwhile, I was particularly interested to hear it all spelt out
0:42:41 > 0:42:45what the travel Association ABTA will and won't help with.
0:42:45 > 0:42:48Now, we've had it all drummed into us, year after year,
0:42:48 > 0:42:50to look out for the ABTA logo but, to be honest,
0:42:50 > 0:42:52while I have done that, I hadn't
0:42:52 > 0:42:55really stopped to think fully about what it actually means.
0:42:55 > 0:42:56No, me neither.
0:42:56 > 0:43:00Well, if you feel let down by a big name, and not just in
0:43:00 > 0:43:03the world of holidays, then do please tell us why.
0:43:03 > 0:43:05We've got lots of programmes coming up,
0:43:05 > 0:43:07covering a huge range of consumer topics
0:43:07 > 0:43:10and it's your experiences that shape them all.
0:43:10 > 0:43:13For now, though, thanks a lot for watching and, from all of us here,
0:43:13 > 0:43:15- goodbye.- Goodbye.- Bye-bye.