0:00:02 > 0:00:05We asked you who's left you feeling ripped off when it comes to your
0:00:05 > 0:00:09holidays, and you came back with a catalogue of travel disasters.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12When we got to the hotel, it wasn't to the standard...
0:00:12 > 0:00:15We felt totally ripped off, and we paid to move somewhere else.
0:00:15 > 0:00:16It happens all the time,
0:00:16 > 0:00:21that somebody else has paid less for the holiday that I paid more for.
0:00:21 > 0:00:24So, whether it's a deliberate rip-off,
0:00:24 > 0:00:26a simple mistake or a catch in the small print,
0:00:26 > 0:00:29we'll find out why YOU'RE out of pocket,
0:00:29 > 0:00:31and what you can do about it.
0:00:31 > 0:00:33Your stories, your money.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36This is Rip-Off Britain.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40Hello, and welcome to Rip-Off Britain,
0:00:40 > 0:00:43where this time we're bringing a taste of summer into your homes.
0:00:43 > 0:00:47For this series, we've come to the island of Tenerife in the Canaries.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50We're here to investigate some of the stories you've sent us
0:00:50 > 0:00:54about holidays that you've told us have gone horribly wrong.
0:00:54 > 0:00:56Disastrously so, in some cases.
0:00:56 > 0:01:01And the people that we're going to be hearing from would all say that when things DID start to go wrong,
0:01:01 > 0:01:04they were very much left to themselves to sort it out.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07Which, when you're thousands of miles from home, let's face it,
0:01:07 > 0:01:09is by no means an easy thing.
0:01:09 > 0:01:11Not a good position to be in.
0:01:11 > 0:01:13And what makes these particular stories worse
0:01:13 > 0:01:15is that none of the situations
0:01:15 > 0:01:18we'll be hearing about should ever have happened in the first place.
0:01:18 > 0:01:22As you'll see, it really is staggering how some of them are actually handled.
0:01:22 > 0:01:24And it's left several of the people involved
0:01:24 > 0:01:27not just seriously annoyed, but seriously out of pocket as well.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32Coming up - of all the jaw-dropping stories you've sent us
0:01:32 > 0:01:35about holiday villas, this tops the lot.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38Just wait till you hear what happened
0:01:38 > 0:01:40to these sisters and their husbands.
0:01:40 > 0:01:45Sheila was in tears. I was only just holding myself together.
0:01:46 > 0:01:49And five years after investing their savings
0:01:49 > 0:01:50in holiday homes in the sun,
0:01:50 > 0:01:54why are these viewers' dream properties still not built?
0:01:54 > 0:01:56We haven't been able to retire,
0:01:56 > 0:02:00because we've lost our only capital.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03I would love to take my grandchild,
0:02:03 > 0:02:05but we can't do anything.
0:02:08 > 0:02:12Now, you often tell us about your disastrous experiences
0:02:12 > 0:02:13of booking a villa abroad.
0:02:13 > 0:02:16But it's rare to hear of such a catalogue of disasters
0:02:16 > 0:02:19that befell two sisters who actually contacted us
0:02:19 > 0:02:21while they were still away.
0:02:21 > 0:02:23Through no fault of their own,
0:02:23 > 0:02:26they and their husbands found themselves booked into villas
0:02:26 > 0:02:28they should never have been sent to.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35It was almost like, this is just my worst nightmare.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40We just couldn't get in, and our hearts just sunk.
0:02:44 > 0:02:46It was a world away from the relaxing break
0:02:46 > 0:02:50that sisters Sheila Thorpe and Mo Hutson had been hoping for.
0:02:51 > 0:02:53Two years previously, they'd had
0:02:53 > 0:02:57such a great trip to Orlando, Florida with their husbands
0:02:57 > 0:03:00that when they started planning a holiday for August 2016,
0:03:00 > 0:03:03they went straight back to the company they'd used
0:03:03 > 0:03:09the previous time - a UK-based company called 3501 Travel Ltd.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11And they asked to book into the exact same villa
0:03:11 > 0:03:13in Haines City, Florida.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18When the agent told us that the villa was available,
0:03:18 > 0:03:20- we were chuffed to bits, weren't we? - Oh, ecstatic.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23We were really excited, because, you know,
0:03:23 > 0:03:26we had happy memories associated with the villa.
0:03:28 > 0:03:33Sheila and Mo paid almost £3,200 for a three-week stay in the villa,
0:03:33 > 0:03:35including car hire.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37They paid by bank transfer,
0:03:37 > 0:03:40and were told by 3501 Travel Ltd
0:03:40 > 0:03:43that a confirmation of their booking would be sent to them
0:03:43 > 0:03:45four weeks before their departure.
0:03:45 > 0:03:49In fact, it didn't arrive until a week before they were due to travel.
0:03:49 > 0:03:50That was a bit unsettling,
0:03:50 > 0:03:54but all concerns were forgotten once their flight landed
0:03:54 > 0:03:56and they were on their way to the villa
0:03:56 > 0:03:58they'd been so looking forward to revisiting.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03When we were arriving at the property,
0:04:03 > 0:04:06I mean, we know the area very, very well
0:04:06 > 0:04:10and driving in, we knew exactly the way to go,
0:04:10 > 0:04:12and we're going, "Oh, there it is..."
0:04:14 > 0:04:18From the outside, the villa looked just as they remembered.
0:04:18 > 0:04:23But, when Sheila tried to get INSIDE the property, using the access code
0:04:23 > 0:04:26that 3501 Travel Ltd had sent them,
0:04:26 > 0:04:27she found the number wouldn't work.
0:04:29 > 0:04:31I don't think anyone believed me at first.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33- No.- I was trying the lock box, and I thought, "Have I got it right,
0:04:33 > 0:04:35"have I got the number right? Yes, I've got it right."
0:04:35 > 0:04:37Tried it again, tried it again,
0:04:37 > 0:04:39and then everyone came and tried it.
0:04:39 > 0:04:43And we just couldn't get in, and our hearts just sunk.
0:04:43 > 0:04:47Instead of the welcoming holiday home they were expecting,
0:04:47 > 0:04:49the whole place was deserted,
0:04:49 > 0:04:52with no hint that any visitors were expected.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54The pool was covered.
0:04:54 > 0:04:56The gate was locked.
0:04:56 > 0:04:58The chairs were all over the place.
0:04:58 > 0:05:00- Yeah.- You know, there was no preparation.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05Thinking there might have been a mix-up in their travel dates,
0:05:05 > 0:05:07Mo called the caretaker of the property,
0:05:07 > 0:05:10whose number was still in her phone from their previous visit.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13He gave the couples some shocking news.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16I explained the situation, and he said,
0:05:16 > 0:05:18"You won't get in the villa,
0:05:18 > 0:05:20"because it's been foreclosed."
0:05:20 > 0:05:23Sheila was in tears.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26I was only just holding myself together.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30When they eventually got internet access,
0:05:30 > 0:05:33they discovered an e-mail from 3501 Travel Ltd,
0:05:33 > 0:05:36confirming that the villa they'd booked and paid for
0:05:36 > 0:05:38had been repossessed by the bank.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41But, because one of the company's directors had been unwell,
0:05:41 > 0:05:44that message had only been passed on to Sheila and Mo
0:05:44 > 0:05:47after they'd already left the UK.
0:05:47 > 0:05:523501 Travel Ltd WAS able to offer the sisters an alternative villa
0:05:52 > 0:05:56nearby, although it wasn't clear for how long.
0:05:56 > 0:06:01- We felt helpless, and that we had no control over the situation.- Mm.
0:06:01 > 0:06:05And you're in a different country, different laws...
0:06:06 > 0:06:09When the couples arrived at the replacement villa,
0:06:09 > 0:06:11this time they WERE able to get in,
0:06:11 > 0:06:14but because they didn't know how long they'd be staying there,
0:06:14 > 0:06:18it was far from the relaxing start to the holiday they were expecting.
0:06:20 > 0:06:22We lived out of suitcases for the next several days,
0:06:22 > 0:06:25because we were expecting to move at any minute,
0:06:25 > 0:06:30so we never really settled and made ourselves at home,
0:06:30 > 0:06:34because we felt that at any time, we were going to move.
0:06:34 > 0:06:39Sheila tried calling 3501 Travel Ltd,
0:06:39 > 0:06:41to establish how long they were going to be staying
0:06:41 > 0:06:42in the new villa,
0:06:42 > 0:06:45or whether they should be prepared to move again.
0:06:45 > 0:06:47But she was told they could only communicate by e-mail,
0:06:47 > 0:06:49and in the end,
0:06:49 > 0:06:51it wasn't from the company they'd booked with
0:06:51 > 0:06:54that Sheila and Mo eventually got the answer.
0:06:54 > 0:06:56It was via a shocking phone call
0:06:56 > 0:06:59that came through on the property's line.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03He said, "I'm the owner of the property at Rebecca Drive,"
0:07:03 > 0:07:05and Mo said, "Thank you so much
0:07:05 > 0:07:09"for allowing us to stay in your property."
0:07:09 > 0:07:12And he said, "Well, I'm afraid I didn't know
0:07:12 > 0:07:15"that you were even in my property."
0:07:17 > 0:07:19The owner said he'd only discovered
0:07:19 > 0:07:22there were people staying in his property through neighbours.
0:07:22 > 0:07:26He went on to say the villa had been up for rent on 3501 Travel Ltd
0:07:26 > 0:07:30entirely without his knowledge or permission,
0:07:30 > 0:07:32and Mo and Sheila weren't the first people
0:07:32 > 0:07:34that the company had sent there.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36For the sisters, it was a stunning blow.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39They could just about understand how the issue
0:07:39 > 0:07:40with the first villa had come about,
0:07:40 > 0:07:44but to find that they shouldn't have been in this second one either
0:07:44 > 0:07:46was almost too much to take in.
0:07:46 > 0:07:48If the floor could have opened up
0:07:48 > 0:07:50I would have been quite happy at that point,
0:07:50 > 0:07:53because I just did not know what to say to the man.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57To their intense relief, the owner of the villa told Sheila and Mo
0:07:57 > 0:08:00they could stay there until the end of the month,
0:08:00 > 0:08:02at which point it was let to someone else.
0:08:02 > 0:08:04But that still left them short of somewhere to stay
0:08:04 > 0:08:08for the final week of their trip.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11The man was so kind, and said, "Look, don't worry,"
0:08:11 > 0:08:14but we just didn't feel comfortable any more.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17We just felt that we were trespassing.
0:08:19 > 0:08:23Embarrassed and angry at the situation they found themselves in,
0:08:23 > 0:08:28Sheila and Mo once again contacted 3501 Travel Ltd.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31We saw the time creeping and creeping up,
0:08:31 > 0:08:33so I e-mailed the agent and said,
0:08:33 > 0:08:36"Look, we need a resolution of this."
0:08:36 > 0:08:40And then suddenly, we had the offer of a villa.
0:08:41 > 0:08:45Just six days before they were due to leave the temporary villa,
0:08:45 > 0:08:493501 Travel Ltd contacted Sheila to say it HAD finally found
0:08:49 > 0:08:52somewhere for them to stay for their last week.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56Hugely relieved, Mo and Sheila agreed to go and check it out.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59But their hopes were soon dashed.
0:08:59 > 0:09:04The villa was in no way prepared for rental.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07The pool was green, the lanai was broken.
0:09:07 > 0:09:09The house was dirty, it was ill-prepared.
0:09:09 > 0:09:13Mm. the blinds were all hanging down in the windows...
0:09:13 > 0:09:15I mean, it was awful.
0:09:17 > 0:09:21By now, understandably fed up with 3501 Travel Ltd,
0:09:21 > 0:09:25the women decided to take matters into their own hands.
0:09:25 > 0:09:29I wrote to the agent and said, "We will find somewhere ourselves."
0:09:29 > 0:09:32And then we received an e-mail, didn't we,
0:09:32 > 0:09:34saying...
0:09:34 > 0:09:36- "Got a villa for you to look at." - "Got a villa for you to look at."
0:09:39 > 0:09:43Despite promises of photos and information about this next villa,
0:09:43 > 0:09:45the details were scant.
0:09:45 > 0:09:49- He actually sent us the details from TripAdvisor.- Yeah.
0:09:49 > 0:09:55Now, unfortunately, they had the owner's phone number on there.
0:09:55 > 0:09:57So, I phoned him.
0:09:57 > 0:10:02And, they had not heard from anybody about
0:10:02 > 0:10:06the possibility of the villa rental.
0:10:06 > 0:10:07They had booked...
0:10:07 > 0:10:10The period of time we were talking about
0:10:10 > 0:10:13had been booked actually since the previous September.
0:10:15 > 0:10:19With their trust in 3501 Travel Ltd completely shattered,
0:10:19 > 0:10:21Sheila and Mo decided
0:10:21 > 0:10:24they'd have to find and pay for another villa themselves.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28Well, it was just over £2,000 in all, wasn't it?
0:10:28 > 0:10:32It was, yeah. It's a considerable amount of money.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34- That we work hard for.- Mm.
0:10:35 > 0:10:37Now back in the UK,
0:10:37 > 0:10:39Mo and Sheila have taken 3501 Travel Ltd and its owner
0:10:39 > 0:10:42to the small claims court
0:10:42 > 0:10:44to get back what they'd paid
0:10:44 > 0:10:46for a villa they never got to stay in,
0:10:46 > 0:10:48and to be compensated
0:10:48 > 0:10:51for the time and money they'd spent on sorting everything out.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54But in the meantime, they've been shocked to discover
0:10:54 > 0:10:57that the original villa - the one that was foreclosed -
0:10:57 > 0:10:59was still being advertised for let
0:10:59 > 0:11:02on a website called The Villa Rental Company,
0:11:02 > 0:11:05a related company of 3501 Travel Ltd.
0:11:06 > 0:11:08Oh, there it is!
0:11:09 > 0:11:11Just look what it says, Mo.
0:11:11 > 0:11:16"This grand villa is located on Kokomo Loop, on Southern Dunes,
0:11:16 > 0:11:18"and is a marvellous example
0:11:18 > 0:11:21"of how important the choice of where you stay
0:11:21 > 0:11:23"can make or break your vacation."
0:11:23 > 0:11:26Why is it still here? That's outrageous.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31Well, we contacted 3501 Travel Ltd
0:11:31 > 0:11:34to ask them how this succession of disastrous bookings
0:11:34 > 0:11:36could possibly have come about.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39But, just like the sisters, we've heard nothing back.
0:11:41 > 0:11:43However, there ARE ways to protect yourself
0:11:43 > 0:11:44when choosing a villa abroad.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47Booking your villa as part of a package,
0:11:47 > 0:11:50through a well-known, reputable British company,
0:11:50 > 0:11:51and paying by credit card,
0:11:51 > 0:11:54can offer security if things go wrong,
0:11:54 > 0:11:58as aviation expert Julian Bray explains.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00The key thing is, they must be registered in the UK
0:12:00 > 0:12:05in order to take advantage of the ATOL regulations,
0:12:05 > 0:12:09and I should say, that's the air tour operators' licences.
0:12:09 > 0:12:11Basically they're selling you a package,
0:12:11 > 0:12:13which means there has to be something like
0:12:13 > 0:12:15a villa and a flight involved.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18Now, if that happens, and something goes wrong,
0:12:18 > 0:12:21at least the Civil Aviation Authority is mandated
0:12:21 > 0:12:23to bring you back to the UK.
0:12:23 > 0:12:24And also, of course,
0:12:24 > 0:12:28you can then use the Consumer Credit Act to try and get back
0:12:28 > 0:12:31some of your money through the credit card company.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35But Sheila and Mo, who DIDN'T book that way,
0:12:35 > 0:12:38have been left counting the cost of a holiday
0:12:38 > 0:12:40that turned into a disaster.
0:12:40 > 0:12:44The whole process has left me feeling...
0:12:44 > 0:12:47..pretty exhausted and very angry.
0:12:47 > 0:12:49And what strikes us, I think, to this very day,
0:12:49 > 0:12:52is that we've never had an apology.
0:12:52 > 0:12:57We've never had this agent saying, "I'm really sorry for this."
0:13:04 > 0:13:08Now, for some people, the annual fortnight away simply isn't enough,
0:13:08 > 0:13:10and the prospect of year-round sunshine
0:13:10 > 0:13:12and perhaps even a whole lifestyle abroad
0:13:12 > 0:13:15can make investing in property overseas
0:13:15 > 0:13:17a very attractive proposition.
0:13:17 > 0:13:21But whilst homes in Spain and France have tempted Brits for decades,
0:13:21 > 0:13:24more recently it's been locations much, much further afield
0:13:24 > 0:13:26that some of you have signed up to.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28And although being hundreds of miles away from home
0:13:28 > 0:13:30can all seem part of the appeal,
0:13:30 > 0:13:34if the promises you've invested tens of thousands of pounds in
0:13:34 > 0:13:35DON'T materialise,
0:13:35 > 0:13:38then getting things resolved so far away from home,
0:13:38 > 0:13:42or indeed getting your money back, can prove almost impossible.
0:13:48 > 0:13:53Crystal clear waters, glorious sandy beaches, year-round sun.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56All the reasons why, until its recent sharp downturn,
0:13:56 > 0:14:00the Egyptian Red Sea coast was a firm favourite with holiday-makers
0:14:00 > 0:14:03seeking a luxurious but affordable destination.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07And busy pub managers Stephen and Jane Burr
0:14:07 > 0:14:11were set on buying their own slice of Egyptian paradise.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14The culture, the history is amazing,
0:14:14 > 0:14:16the Red Sea, it's absolutely beautiful.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19The people are so friendly.
0:14:19 > 0:14:20They can't do enough for you.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24The couple went online to search for properties in Egypt,
0:14:24 > 0:14:29and came across a new, glossy complex on Egypt's Red Sea coast,
0:14:29 > 0:14:31called Oasis Marina.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34So, curious to find out more, they flew out to take a look,
0:14:34 > 0:14:36and the agent showed them around.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39They took us to Oasis Marina, which was a brand-new development.
0:14:39 > 0:14:43They only had, I think, 12 apartments built so far.
0:14:43 > 0:14:45It was going to be a hotel complex
0:14:45 > 0:14:48with restaurants, bars, spa facilities, things like that.
0:14:48 > 0:14:50So it all looked so enticing and...
0:14:50 > 0:14:53- A dream.- Yeah.- Living a dream. - A dream home, basically, yeah.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57The couple were shown plans selling that dream,
0:14:57 > 0:15:00and the idea of a two-bed apartment in such a fantastic complex,
0:15:00 > 0:15:04with unbeatable views to boot, proved irresistible.
0:15:04 > 0:15:09You walked in through the back door, and there was a kitchen diner,
0:15:09 > 0:15:12a long living room, beautiful glass doors,
0:15:12 > 0:15:14and the Red Sea was there in front of you.
0:15:15 > 0:15:19So the couple took the plunge, and bought an off-plan two-bed apartment
0:15:19 > 0:15:21for £68,000.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25It's like... Can't believe this, our dream home.
0:15:25 > 0:15:27Something we can all share as a family,
0:15:27 > 0:15:30any friends that want to come over, it'd be great.
0:15:30 > 0:15:32Any time, it's there, it's ours.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36Back home in Bristol, they had to remortgage their home to pay for the
0:15:36 > 0:15:41Egyptian apartment. And it was quite an outlay, but it felt all worth it.
0:15:42 > 0:15:44Until a year later,
0:15:44 > 0:15:47when it became clear that the dream home hadn't materialised,
0:15:47 > 0:15:50and indeed was still only partially built.
0:15:50 > 0:15:52We went back to visit the apartments,
0:15:52 > 0:15:56and they were still in the same condition as when we first saw them.
0:15:56 > 0:15:57We thought, "'Ey up, what's going on?
0:15:57 > 0:16:00"Nothing's moving, there's something wrong."
0:16:01 > 0:16:03Well, that was in 2011.
0:16:03 > 0:16:05And since then, Stephen and Jane
0:16:05 > 0:16:07have been given a whole string of excuses
0:16:07 > 0:16:09from the company behind the resort,
0:16:09 > 0:16:12the Iraida Estate Agency.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14Most recently, they even blamed the delay
0:16:14 > 0:16:16on the country's political unrest.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19They blamed the revolution for the first year after it was supposed to be done,
0:16:19 > 0:16:24and then they said because of the celebrations of the revolution the year later,
0:16:24 > 0:16:26supplies was not coming down because people was partying
0:16:26 > 0:16:30and celebrating what had happened in Egypt.
0:16:30 > 0:16:32I need a gammon, darling, and a mixed grill.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37There are plenty of other people who sunk huge chunks of money
0:16:37 > 0:16:39into the Oasis Marina development
0:16:39 > 0:16:43without getting what they expected in return.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46- Pleased to meet you. - Pleased to meet you...
0:16:46 > 0:16:48Well, they'd rather have met each other as neighbours
0:16:48 > 0:16:51enjoying the Egyptian sunshine, but instead,
0:16:51 > 0:16:55they're meeting for the first time at Stephen and Jane's Bristol pub.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58These property developers really want bringing to book.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01- Well, someone should... - Someone's got to do something.
0:17:01 > 0:17:03We are just ignored.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05At the end of the day, all we want is our money back now, isn't it?
0:17:05 > 0:17:07Yeah, we want our money back.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10We have been so disappointed
0:17:10 > 0:17:14with years and years of pushing this on and on and on.
0:17:14 > 0:17:15They don't care about us.
0:17:15 > 0:17:19- All they care is what they can get from us.- Exactly.
0:17:20 > 0:17:22Barbara Woodhead and her husband Barry
0:17:22 > 0:17:25had been after a place they could use themselves,
0:17:25 > 0:17:27but also rent out to gain extra income in their retirement.
0:17:29 > 0:17:31We were told that
0:17:31 > 0:17:35the up-and-coming place to buy a property was in the Red Sea.
0:17:35 > 0:17:39And then we saw the advert in a Sunday paper,
0:17:39 > 0:17:43so we contacted the agent.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47After a visit to the site, they used all their capital,
0:17:47 > 0:17:52including money from two pensions and the remainder of an inheritance,
0:17:52 > 0:17:56to pay for the apartment in full, totalling over £32,000.
0:17:56 > 0:18:00But seven years on, the apartment remains unbuilt,
0:18:00 > 0:18:03leaving the couple in a perilous financial position.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05We haven't been able to retire.
0:18:05 > 0:18:09Barry's still working part-time,
0:18:09 > 0:18:14and I do a summer job because we've lost our only capital.
0:18:14 > 0:18:18And it's affected our whole retirement,
0:18:18 > 0:18:21and consequently our whole lives.
0:18:22 > 0:18:26Susanne Lewis and her husband David are in a similar situation,
0:18:26 > 0:18:29after paying just over £40,000
0:18:29 > 0:18:33for what they thought would be a family holiday home.
0:18:33 > 0:18:35It's a problem
0:18:35 > 0:18:36that doesn't go away.
0:18:36 > 0:18:40It's a problem you live with every day, every night,
0:18:40 > 0:18:43trying to think of what we can do next.
0:18:43 > 0:18:47And you also have rows amongst yourselves about it,
0:18:47 > 0:18:50and it puts a strain on the marriage.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54I would love to take my grandchild.
0:18:57 > 0:19:01- Mmm.- But we can't do anything.
0:19:01 > 0:19:02Yeah.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07Jim Quigley DOES actually have the keys to his apartment.
0:19:07 > 0:19:09But as far as he's concerned,
0:19:09 > 0:19:14the £58,000 in cash he shelled out for it wasn't worth it.
0:19:14 > 0:19:16There's wires hanging down off the wall,
0:19:16 > 0:19:19that should have been in behind the plaster and the tiling -
0:19:19 > 0:19:20they were just dangling.
0:19:20 > 0:19:22It was just...
0:19:22 > 0:19:25..a shambles. That's the best way to say it,
0:19:25 > 0:19:26it was just a shambles.
0:19:26 > 0:19:30We paid for this luxury apartment -
0:19:30 > 0:19:32it was not luxury at all.
0:19:32 > 0:19:36Although they were introduced to the complex by different agents,
0:19:36 > 0:19:39all these investors put the blame for the state of their properties
0:19:39 > 0:19:42squarely on the company responsible
0:19:42 > 0:19:44for developing and selling the apartments,
0:19:44 > 0:19:47a business called Iraida Estate Agency.
0:19:47 > 0:19:51And when we looked, we found that its website and other ones linked to it
0:19:51 > 0:19:54were still advertising property for sale.
0:19:54 > 0:19:58Now, the man behind the agency is Ehab Shahwan.
0:19:58 > 0:20:02He describes himself as "Honorary Tourism Ambassador for Egypt".
0:20:02 > 0:20:05But according to the investors WE spoke to, that title -
0:20:05 > 0:20:07indeed if it's correct - is hardly well deserved.
0:20:07 > 0:20:11And what rubs salt into the investors' wounds even further
0:20:11 > 0:20:13is that here he is in New York,
0:20:13 > 0:20:16apparently receiving an award for quality in construction.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19We did deliver hundreds of apartments
0:20:19 > 0:20:22during the last five years with very good quality.
0:20:22 > 0:20:24And more worryingly still,
0:20:24 > 0:20:27when we spoke to a lawyer based in Egypt representing some of those
0:20:27 > 0:20:29fighting for their money back,
0:20:29 > 0:20:31he told us that this was one of a whole string
0:20:31 > 0:20:33of similar cases in Hurghada,
0:20:33 > 0:20:36each involving hundreds of investors from all over the world.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39And whilst those cases are unconnected with Shahwan
0:20:39 > 0:20:42or indeed the Iraida Group of Companies,
0:20:42 > 0:20:44they have created a backlog in the courts.
0:20:46 > 0:20:50He told us that this, and the fact that the wheels of justice in Egypt
0:20:50 > 0:20:52turn VERY slowly,
0:20:52 > 0:20:56means that it could be years before these cases come to court.
0:20:58 > 0:21:02So, we've called in overseas property lawyer Stefano Lucatello,
0:21:02 > 0:21:05who's meeting the group to advise them on what to do next.
0:21:05 > 0:21:07Thanks for coming, Stefano.
0:21:07 > 0:21:08Stephen and the others had all assumed
0:21:08 > 0:21:10that because they'd used an agent
0:21:10 > 0:21:12to broker their property deals,
0:21:12 > 0:21:15that they would be protected if something went wrong.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18I thought I was clever because I went through an agent.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21So I presumed they would have done all the homework for me.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25But Stefano says that simply is not enough
0:21:25 > 0:21:27to keep your money safe.
0:21:27 > 0:21:29The first thing you need to do when you go to an agent
0:21:29 > 0:21:31is to check up whether that agent is registered
0:21:31 > 0:21:35with something called the Association of International Property Professionals.
0:21:35 > 0:21:40The AIPP gives you the first step of credibility to an agent.
0:21:40 > 0:21:45They have to go through a series of hoops to convince the panel
0:21:45 > 0:21:48that they have indemnity insurance, that they've got a clean
0:21:48 > 0:21:50track record, and that's what you want to be checking up -
0:21:50 > 0:21:52check your regulatory body first of all.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57But with that advice just too late for these investors,
0:21:57 > 0:21:59they have a far more pressing question
0:21:59 > 0:22:01they'd like Stefano to answer.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04So do you think there's any chance of any of us getting our money back?
0:22:04 > 0:22:06You won't get everything back that you've invested,
0:22:06 > 0:22:08but in grouping together
0:22:08 > 0:22:11it gives you power, and it gives you security.
0:22:11 > 0:22:12I just want my money back!
0:22:12 > 0:22:14Yeah.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17But while Stefano thinks the investors may have power in numbers,
0:22:17 > 0:22:19he's very cautious about their chances,
0:22:19 > 0:22:22as he suspects not enough checks were made at the start.
0:22:23 > 0:22:25In this particular case, I think what happened was
0:22:25 > 0:22:27that the proper due diligence
0:22:27 > 0:22:30that was necessary for Egypt wasn't followed.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32They were led too much by the estate agent,
0:22:32 > 0:22:34they were led too much by the developer.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37And that's something that Stefano has seen far too often.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42I've been doing this job 30 years, and I hear new ones every day.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45New stories, people being bamboozled.
0:22:45 > 0:22:49The common denominator is that most people lose their money.
0:22:51 > 0:22:52Well, we tried contacting
0:22:52 > 0:22:55the companies behind the Oasis Marina development,
0:22:55 > 0:22:59the Iraida Estate Agency and Iraida Construction,
0:22:59 > 0:23:01to discover just what had happened to the money
0:23:01 > 0:23:03our investors had sunk into the project.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06But I'm afraid we just didn't get a response.
0:23:07 > 0:23:09For those affected, however,
0:23:09 > 0:23:11the gathering together at Stephen's pub
0:23:11 > 0:23:15has strengthened their resolve to find a collective solution.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18I think it's lifted the morale...
0:23:19 > 0:23:25- Yes.- And Stefano here with his ideas and suggestions
0:23:25 > 0:23:28has boosted the morale even higher.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31We're going to keep on fighting until we get something.
0:23:31 > 0:23:35You know. And don't forget I've got many years left inside me,
0:23:35 > 0:23:37so, 20, 30 years, I'll still fight for my place.
0:23:47 > 0:23:48Still to come on Rip-Off Britain...
0:23:48 > 0:23:53A missing wheelchair, finally returned broken.
0:23:53 > 0:23:57So what happens when vital equipment doesn't make it safely across the skies?
0:23:57 > 0:24:00I'm just gutted. Totally gutted,
0:24:00 > 0:24:02that my memories are of the disaster
0:24:02 > 0:24:04and not the pleasures of the holiday.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11Our travel expert Simon Calder
0:24:11 > 0:24:13has all the secrets to save you money on your holidays.
0:24:13 > 0:24:17He's full of tips on everything from how to avoid the crowds
0:24:17 > 0:24:20to the best way to steer clear of those tourist traps.
0:24:22 > 0:24:26This time, he's sharing tips on destinations that are exotic,
0:24:26 > 0:24:28but affordable too.
0:24:28 > 0:24:30Affordable, exotic locations?
0:24:30 > 0:24:33You might be thinking that's a contradiction in terms.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36Let me see if I can convince you otherwise.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38Top of Simon's list is Bangkok.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43Not least because he says fares there can be ridiculously cheap -
0:24:43 > 0:24:47at least if you're happy to change planes along the way.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50You can sometimes pay as little as £400 return,
0:24:50 > 0:24:53which is just one reason why Simon is a big fan.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58But it's also because the Thai capital
0:24:58 > 0:25:00is full of enriching experiences,
0:25:00 > 0:25:03from some of the best street food on the planet
0:25:03 > 0:25:05to a massage in a temple,
0:25:05 > 0:25:09all in the company of charming and welcoming people.
0:25:10 > 0:25:15Daily life for travellers to Thailand can be blissfully inexpensive -
0:25:15 > 0:25:16as is getting around the country.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19But where next on Simon's list of hidden gems?
0:25:20 > 0:25:24Researching the best exotic beach was an ordeal!
0:25:24 > 0:25:27But I struggled through, from the Maldives to Malibu.
0:25:27 > 0:25:29And the affordable answer -
0:25:29 > 0:25:33Cabo San Lucas, at the southern tip of Mexico's Baja Peninsula.
0:25:35 > 0:25:37And with ferocious competition
0:25:37 > 0:25:39between airlines across the Atlantic,
0:25:39 > 0:25:43you can pick up a flight for as little as £450 in the month of February.
0:25:43 > 0:25:47And according to Simon, with the Mexican peso flagging,
0:25:47 > 0:25:49rooms, meals out, and local travel transport
0:25:49 > 0:25:52are all gratifyingly cheap as well.
0:25:53 > 0:25:55And, short-haul exotic?
0:25:55 > 0:25:58It exists - and it's easy to find.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01Just fly due south, to Morocco.
0:26:02 > 0:26:06Marrakech is a kaleidoscope of colours and a feast of flavours,
0:26:06 > 0:26:08all under four hours' flying time from the UK.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12For something even more intense,
0:26:12 > 0:26:14aim for the Moroccan city of Fez.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19Fez is the most complete medieval city in North Africa,
0:26:19 > 0:26:22and the birthplace of imperial Morocco.
0:26:22 > 0:26:26It's the perfect place to do something completely different
0:26:26 > 0:26:29for your next holiday, something that Simon enthusiastically recommends.
0:26:31 > 0:26:35As you step into the ancient Medina, you leave the modern world behind.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46Now, I'm sure that most of us will have allowed ourselves
0:26:46 > 0:26:47just a moment of anxiety
0:26:47 > 0:26:51when we hand over our luggage at the airport.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53Will our cases get damaged?
0:26:53 > 0:26:55Might they even go missing?
0:26:55 > 0:26:57After all, we've all heard the horror stories.
0:26:57 > 0:27:01But it's bad enough if it's your CASE that goes missing
0:27:01 > 0:27:03or is damaged and suffers during transport -
0:27:03 > 0:27:06quite another if it is the very thing
0:27:06 > 0:27:10that you rely on to get around. Your wheelchair, for example.
0:27:10 > 0:27:14And that is exactly what happened to the people in our next film.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17And, as you'll see, while there ARE rules in place
0:27:17 > 0:27:21to make sure that airlines sort this sort of problem out,
0:27:21 > 0:27:26I'm afraid that things aren't always as easy to resolve as they should be.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32Sometimes, a holiday is more than just a break in the sun -
0:27:32 > 0:27:36it's a special journey that you've always hoped to make.
0:27:36 > 0:27:38And for Alexis Macleod from Glasgow,
0:27:38 > 0:27:41there was one place that she'd been desperate to visit -
0:27:41 > 0:27:46Elvis Presley's former home, Graceland, in Memphis, Tennessee.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48My '68 Special dress.
0:27:48 > 0:27:50I'm a number one fan,
0:27:50 > 0:27:53and he is and always will be the king of rock and roll.
0:27:53 > 0:27:54From my childhood,
0:27:54 > 0:27:58I've always liked Elvis, and it's been my dream to visit Graceland.
0:27:59 > 0:28:01Well, in January 2015,
0:28:01 > 0:28:05Alexis finally had the chance to make that longed-for pilgrimage.
0:28:05 > 0:28:07It was the first time
0:28:07 > 0:28:08that I knew I could go
0:28:08 > 0:28:10for a long time, do a big trip,
0:28:10 > 0:28:12and it was his 80th birthday,
0:28:12 > 0:28:15which is something that can never be celebrated again.
0:28:15 > 0:28:16The holiday of a lifetime.
0:28:19 > 0:28:21It's not easy for Alexis to fly.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24She has post-polio syndrome - delayed symptoms
0:28:24 > 0:28:28resulting from an attack of polio that she had as a child.
0:28:28 > 0:28:30Because of muscle weakness,
0:28:30 > 0:28:33she has used a wheelchair since she was a teenager,
0:28:33 > 0:28:36but her disability has never put her off travelling.
0:28:36 > 0:28:39I've been to Paris, Belgium, Portugal,
0:28:39 > 0:28:44and it gave me the confidence to do this trip to Graceland for Elvis,
0:28:44 > 0:28:46to celebrate his birthday.
0:28:48 > 0:28:54Alexis paid £3,500 for the two-week trip and, as on previous holidays,
0:28:54 > 0:28:56had made all the necessary arrangements to make sure
0:28:56 > 0:28:58that her airline, British Airways,
0:28:58 > 0:29:01was aware that she was a wheelchair user.
0:29:01 > 0:29:05So, when the departure date arrived, she boarded the flight from Glasgow
0:29:05 > 0:29:07trusting that her chair would be put in the hold
0:29:07 > 0:29:11and seamlessly transferred to her connecting flight to the US.
0:29:11 > 0:29:15Alexis had also arranged assistance at Heathrow,
0:29:15 > 0:29:17so that she'd be met with another chair
0:29:17 > 0:29:19to help her get across the airport.
0:29:19 > 0:29:22She had 90 minutes to reach the departure gate -
0:29:22 > 0:29:23which, with the help,
0:29:23 > 0:29:25should have been enough.
0:29:25 > 0:29:27But, thanks to fog,
0:29:27 > 0:29:30her flight was over an hour late landing at Heathrow.
0:29:30 > 0:29:35I was worried. "Am I going to miss my flight? What about my friends,
0:29:35 > 0:29:37"how do I tell them where I am...?"
0:29:37 > 0:29:42Erm... The anxiety, the frustration, the anger.
0:29:42 > 0:29:44The fact that it was a holiday of a lifetime
0:29:44 > 0:29:49that was going to be ruined if I didn't get to my flight.
0:29:50 > 0:29:53It eventually became clear that with the late flight,
0:29:53 > 0:29:57the person the airport support company had assigned to meet her
0:29:57 > 0:29:58had clocked off for the day.
0:29:58 > 0:30:00But time was tight, so Alexis decided that
0:30:00 > 0:30:03rather than wait for further support to arrive,
0:30:03 > 0:30:05she'd try to get across the airport on her own.
0:30:05 > 0:30:08But by the time she got to the gate, the flight had gone.
0:30:08 > 0:30:11The next flight to Memphis wasn't for another 24 hours
0:30:11 > 0:30:14so Alexis had to stay in a nearby hotel,
0:30:14 > 0:30:15all the time knowing that the delay
0:30:15 > 0:30:18was eating into her precious holiday time.
0:30:18 > 0:30:23And when she did finally get to her destination, worse was to come.
0:30:23 > 0:30:27Her luggage AND her wheelchair were missing.
0:30:27 > 0:30:30This can't be happening. It's a nightmare.
0:30:30 > 0:30:33Wake me up from it, please! This is an absolute nightmare.
0:30:33 > 0:30:37They've already mucked up the start of my holiday -
0:30:37 > 0:30:39how am I going to get about?
0:30:41 > 0:30:43Alexis checked into the Heartbreak Hotel
0:30:43 > 0:30:45feeling as blue as the man himself.
0:30:45 > 0:30:48She had a jam-packed schedule planned
0:30:48 > 0:30:51with, first up, a tour of Elvis's Memphis.
0:30:51 > 0:30:53But without her lightweight wheelchair,
0:30:53 > 0:30:54and struggling with a much heavier one
0:30:54 > 0:30:57that the tour operator had provided as a temporary replacement,
0:30:57 > 0:31:00such excursions were not easy.
0:31:00 > 0:31:02I had to decide for myself
0:31:02 > 0:31:04which parts I could do and which I couldn't
0:31:04 > 0:31:06because I didn't have my wheelchair,
0:31:06 > 0:31:08and there was too much walking involved.
0:31:10 > 0:31:12Three days into her holiday,
0:31:12 > 0:31:15Alexis WAS finally reunited with her wheelchair.
0:31:15 > 0:31:18But even that wasn't the end of her troubles.
0:31:18 > 0:31:19I was over the moon.
0:31:19 > 0:31:22Until I saw it - because it was broken.
0:31:22 > 0:31:24Erm... And my heart
0:31:24 > 0:31:26just dropped to my feet.
0:31:26 > 0:31:29I was like, "This cannot happen.
0:31:29 > 0:31:31"This is just too much.
0:31:32 > 0:31:34"What am I going to do?"
0:31:35 > 0:31:39The bracket that holds the armrest in place was damaged,
0:31:39 > 0:31:41leaving it dragging onto one of the wheels.
0:31:41 > 0:31:44For Alexis, that made the chair all but useless.
0:31:44 > 0:31:48I was in so much pain and so much discomfort,
0:31:48 > 0:31:50and I was so restricted...
0:31:50 > 0:31:53..and I'd missed so much of the holiday,
0:31:53 > 0:31:54I was just...
0:31:54 > 0:31:57..utterly, utterly despondent.
0:31:58 > 0:32:02Though Alexis was determined to make the best of it,
0:32:02 > 0:32:03much of the rest of the holiday was spent
0:32:03 > 0:32:07trying but failing to get her wheelchair fixed.
0:32:08 > 0:32:11Two weeks later, when she arrived back in Glasgow,
0:32:11 > 0:32:13British Airways did arrange a full repair,
0:32:13 > 0:32:16but by then, it was too late.
0:32:16 > 0:32:18I'm just gutted. Totally gutted
0:32:18 > 0:32:21that my memories are of the disaster
0:32:21 > 0:32:23and not the pleasures of the holiday.
0:32:25 > 0:32:28We took Alexis to meet Billy Finney,
0:32:28 > 0:32:32who repairs and services mobility vehicles such as her wheelchair.
0:32:32 > 0:32:34Alexis, really good to see you.
0:32:34 > 0:32:37Billy's heard numerous similar stories of vital mobility equipment
0:32:37 > 0:32:42rendered unusable because of damage sustained on a flight.
0:32:42 > 0:32:45Ken Carle from Glasgow says it happened to him as well.
0:32:45 > 0:32:48I had a mobility scooter,
0:32:48 > 0:32:51coming back from New Zealand,
0:32:51 > 0:32:55and the scooter was basically destroyed on the plane.
0:32:55 > 0:32:59There was a piece of metal on the scooter
0:32:59 > 0:33:00which was probably
0:33:00 > 0:33:04three-eighths by half an inch
0:33:04 > 0:33:06bent at right angles.
0:33:06 > 0:33:10So the scooter was obviously dropped from a great height, or thrown.
0:33:10 > 0:33:13Billy thinks that Alexis' wheelchair
0:33:13 > 0:33:15may have suffered a similar fate.
0:33:15 > 0:33:19It was this bracket here that was broken,
0:33:19 > 0:33:24which allowed the armrest to drop onto the wheel and act like a brake.
0:33:24 > 0:33:26So that was rubbing on the wheel?
0:33:26 > 0:33:27Yes.
0:33:27 > 0:33:30Without other damage, how could that happen?
0:33:30 > 0:33:32There's only one way.
0:33:32 > 0:33:35There's only one word - impact.
0:33:35 > 0:33:37That's impact damage. It really is.
0:33:37 > 0:33:40Though British Airways did cover the cost of just over £180
0:33:40 > 0:33:44for repairing Alexis's chair,
0:33:44 > 0:33:48Ken's costs weren't totally covered by the airline with which he flew.
0:33:48 > 0:33:50It cost me £1,850 for a new one,
0:33:50 > 0:33:53and they gave me £1,100, eventually.
0:33:53 > 0:33:57Ken was left having to fork out £750
0:33:57 > 0:34:00to replace his damaged mobility scooter.
0:34:02 > 0:34:05And that's because, according to the Montreal Convention,
0:34:05 > 0:34:09which sets the rules around international air travel,
0:34:09 > 0:34:11wheelchairs or mobility scooters
0:34:11 > 0:34:14are classed the same as personal belongings,
0:34:14 > 0:34:17and when personal belongings are lost or damaged in transit,
0:34:17 > 0:34:22airlines are only required to pay up to £1,000 in compensation.
0:34:22 > 0:34:24That can leave owners of damaged mobility aids
0:34:24 > 0:34:27seriously out of pocket,
0:34:27 > 0:34:29which Billy thinks is unfair.
0:34:29 > 0:34:30He believes mobility equipment
0:34:30 > 0:34:33should be classed totally separately
0:34:33 > 0:34:37and can't be compared with your typical lost luggage.
0:34:38 > 0:34:39We need to differentiate,
0:34:39 > 0:34:42because personal belongings - that could be a suitcase
0:34:42 > 0:34:44with a couple of pairs of pants in it,
0:34:44 > 0:34:46or, the other end of the spectrum,
0:34:46 > 0:34:50that personal belonging could be a tailored, bespoke power chair,
0:34:50 > 0:34:53costing tens of thousands of pounds.
0:34:53 > 0:34:54There is chairs on the market,
0:34:54 > 0:34:57there is chairs that people are using,
0:34:57 > 0:35:01and they're worth £30,000, in excess.
0:35:02 > 0:35:07Now, in America, the rules require airlines flying in or out of the US
0:35:07 > 0:35:10to pay the full cost of repairing or replacing mobility equipment
0:35:10 > 0:35:12that's been damaged in transit.
0:35:14 > 0:35:17And the Civil Aviation Authority told us
0:35:17 > 0:35:19that it's gathering data from airlines and airports
0:35:19 > 0:35:23to see if better protection is required in the UK too.
0:35:23 > 0:35:26It points out that the likelihood of a mobility aid
0:35:26 > 0:35:28being damaged at an airport or on a flight
0:35:28 > 0:35:30is very low,
0:35:30 > 0:35:31with only seven complaints
0:35:31 > 0:35:34coming in to the CAA about this issue in 2015.
0:35:36 > 0:35:40In the meantime, however, we put Alexis' case to British Airways.
0:35:40 > 0:35:41The airline told us
0:35:41 > 0:35:45it's "very sorry that Alexis's wheelchair was damaged",
0:35:45 > 0:35:47and while its ground handling teams
0:35:47 > 0:35:49"worked extremely hard to ensure
0:35:49 > 0:35:51"every customer's bag made their flight",
0:35:51 > 0:35:55"on this occasion, the knock-on disruption caused by the fog
0:35:55 > 0:35:57"meant that didn't happen."
0:35:57 > 0:36:00It reiterated that it did pay to repair the chair,
0:36:00 > 0:36:04reimbursed Alexis's expenses, and offered a gesture of goodwill.
0:36:05 > 0:36:08We also spoke to Omniserv, the company responsible
0:36:08 > 0:36:11for providing assistance between flights.
0:36:11 > 0:36:15It, too, said it was "very sorry" that Alexis felt let down,
0:36:15 > 0:36:20explaining that although a standby team WAS activated to assist her,
0:36:20 > 0:36:23there simply wasn't enough time for her to make her flight.
0:36:23 > 0:36:27It went on to say it did everything in its power to help,
0:36:27 > 0:36:31and is committed to providing "legendary service" -
0:36:31 > 0:36:32adding that it helps
0:36:32 > 0:36:36over a million passengers with reduced mobility every year.
0:36:37 > 0:36:40But Alexis says next time she travels,
0:36:40 > 0:36:43she doesn't want to let her wheelchair out of her sight.
0:36:43 > 0:36:45The next time that I go anywhere,
0:36:45 > 0:36:48I will keep my wheelchair to the door of the aeroplane.
0:36:48 > 0:36:53This has made me more aware of the problems that can occur.
0:36:53 > 0:36:57It won't stop me travelling, but
0:36:57 > 0:37:00I'll have to think about it much more carefully,
0:37:00 > 0:37:02and plan more
0:37:02 > 0:37:04than I've ever had to plan before.
0:37:11 > 0:37:15Rip-Off Britain has been on the road again with our annual Pop-Up Shop.
0:37:15 > 0:37:18It's a chance for you to tell us about your holiday woes,
0:37:18 > 0:37:21and for top experts to try and help.
0:37:21 > 0:37:24I mean, the thing is - who DO you sue?
0:37:26 > 0:37:28And, time and again across the weekend,
0:37:28 > 0:37:32you told us about problems caused by delayed flights.
0:37:32 > 0:37:33As we've said before,
0:37:33 > 0:37:36if your flight is delayed by more than three hours,
0:37:36 > 0:37:38you may be entitled to compensation,
0:37:38 > 0:37:40But Christine and Reg from Manchester
0:37:40 > 0:37:43are among those to discover that, even if you qualify,
0:37:43 > 0:37:46getting the airline to actually pay out isn't always easy.
0:37:48 > 0:37:50We were going home from our holiday in Torremolinos,
0:37:50 > 0:37:55and we got on the coach and we checked in,
0:37:55 > 0:37:58and there was an eight-hour delay.
0:37:58 > 0:38:02And were you given meals, drinks commensurate with the delay?
0:38:02 > 0:38:06We were given a voucher. It sort of bought a sandwich and a drink...
0:38:06 > 0:38:08- Yes.- That was it.
0:38:08 > 0:38:10Anyway, the day went on and, erm,
0:38:10 > 0:38:12all told, it was about a 7.1 hour delay.
0:38:12 > 0:38:14- That's what we were quoted...- That's what was quoted on the website
0:38:14 > 0:38:16when we went on and had a look.
0:38:16 > 0:38:21It looks to me that it's a perfectly valid claim under EC261 rules.
0:38:21 > 0:38:26For a journey like that - Malaga to Manchester, over 1,500 kilometres -
0:38:26 > 0:38:28that's going to be 400 euros each.
0:38:28 > 0:38:30There's six of you, so
0:38:30 > 0:38:34that's getting on for nearly £2,000 in compensation.
0:38:34 > 0:38:36And it seems to be a fairly straightforward case,
0:38:36 > 0:38:38so what could possibly go wrong?
0:38:38 > 0:38:42Well, I don't know. We applied, we got nothing from that,
0:38:42 > 0:38:45so we applied a second time,
0:38:45 > 0:38:47and a third time,
0:38:47 > 0:38:48and we're sat here now.
0:38:48 > 0:38:51Sadly, this isn't the first time we've heard that airlines
0:38:51 > 0:38:55may not be keen on following the compensation rules.
0:38:55 > 0:38:58Let me just put it into context from, just for a moment,
0:38:58 > 0:38:59the airline's point of view.
0:38:59 > 0:39:01All the airlines hate these rules.
0:39:01 > 0:39:03They say, "It's ridiculous.
0:39:03 > 0:39:07"You might have paid only £50 for your flight from Malaga to Manchester,
0:39:07 > 0:39:08"and yet we have to give you
0:39:08 > 0:39:13"£250, £300 in compensation. It's completely ridiculous."
0:39:13 > 0:39:15So they hate it.
0:39:15 > 0:39:17They will do everything they possibly can to fight it.
0:39:17 > 0:39:21If they can, they'll say it was extraordinary circumstances,
0:39:21 > 0:39:22the weather, a strike...
0:39:22 > 0:39:26In your case it seems as though that's not a possible defence,
0:39:26 > 0:39:28and so what they do is they just blank you.
0:39:30 > 0:39:33Christine and Reg's delayed flight was five-and-a-half years ago,
0:39:33 > 0:39:36so they're just within the six-year limit on making a claim.
0:39:36 > 0:39:39And, even though the airline appears to be ignoring them,
0:39:39 > 0:39:41there are a couple of ways that they could tackle that -
0:39:41 > 0:39:45firstly, by going through the small claims court.
0:39:45 > 0:39:48It's going to cost you, for a claim like that, £105, I think.
0:39:48 > 0:39:49They may, annoyingly, say,
0:39:49 > 0:39:52"No, you've got to claim for everybody individually,"
0:39:52 > 0:39:55in which case it will cost twice as much as that - but don't worry,
0:39:55 > 0:39:57you will get that back with the settlement.
0:39:57 > 0:40:00Or, you go to one of the no-win, no-fee solicitors
0:40:00 > 0:40:03who have been set up and been making fortunes
0:40:03 > 0:40:07by doing kind of industrial scale
0:40:07 > 0:40:08processing of these claims.
0:40:08 > 0:40:10And if you hand your problem to them, they'll say,
0:40:10 > 0:40:12"Yep, we know all about this flight,
0:40:12 > 0:40:14"we've already claimed successfully for it."
0:40:14 > 0:40:16They'll write all the legal letters,
0:40:16 > 0:40:17you will get your money,
0:40:17 > 0:40:19but crucially, they'll keep about a third of it.
0:40:19 > 0:40:22Fight on. Don't let them grind you down,
0:40:22 > 0:40:24which is exactly what they're trying to do.
0:40:24 > 0:40:26Thank you very much.
0:40:26 > 0:40:29Well, just as Christine and Reg began looking into
0:40:29 > 0:40:31the small claims procedure,
0:40:31 > 0:40:34out of the blue, the airline DID finally get in touch -
0:40:34 > 0:40:36with, I'm delighted to say,
0:40:36 > 0:40:38a cheque for just over £1,800,
0:40:38 > 0:40:42to cover compensation for all six of them.
0:40:42 > 0:40:44And though that's great news,
0:40:44 > 0:40:46there were plenty of others still waiting for compensation
0:40:46 > 0:40:49calling into our Pop-Up Shop's Gripe Corner.
0:40:49 > 0:40:51What really annoys me
0:40:51 > 0:40:55is that airlines won't pay out when your flight is delayed.
0:40:55 > 0:40:58When I came back from Australia, one flight was cancelled,
0:40:58 > 0:41:02one was delayed. I was 17 hours late, having paid additional money.
0:41:02 > 0:41:05It's money that we're owed, and thousands of other people are owed.
0:41:05 > 0:41:09Four months later from when I first applied for compensation,
0:41:09 > 0:41:10I have not heard anything...
0:41:10 > 0:41:13And they won't pay out, that's what really, really annoys me.
0:41:13 > 0:41:16I'm still waiting. And it really annoys me.
0:41:22 > 0:41:24If you have a story you'd like us to investigate,
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0:41:45 > 0:41:48where there's plenty of advice and fact sheets
0:41:48 > 0:41:52full of tips on how you can avoid getting ripped off.
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0:42:15 > 0:42:18Well, I'm afraid that's just about all we have time for today,
0:42:18 > 0:42:20but some of the really shocking experiences we've just heard
0:42:20 > 0:42:23simply underline how vital it is
0:42:23 > 0:42:26that the companies we rely on to look after us when we're away
0:42:26 > 0:42:27do step up to the mark
0:42:27 > 0:42:29and put things right when we need their help.
0:42:29 > 0:42:33After all - THEY'RE supposed to be the experts, not us.
0:42:33 > 0:42:35Which, of course, makes it all the more absurd
0:42:35 > 0:42:38to hear of that company that was sending people to villas
0:42:38 > 0:42:40that they had no right to be in.
0:42:40 > 0:42:43But indeed, some of the stories that we hear on this programme
0:42:43 > 0:42:46genuinely do leave me, and all of us, I think, absolutely astonished.
0:42:46 > 0:42:50But there is no doubt that when the company with whom you book
0:42:50 > 0:42:52doesn't quite live up to its promises,
0:42:52 > 0:42:55it really can completely derail the rest of your trip.
0:42:55 > 0:42:58Well, clearly, some of the businesses that do so well
0:42:58 > 0:43:00at winning our custom in the first place
0:43:00 > 0:43:02need to really try that bit harder in their service
0:43:02 > 0:43:05after we've handed over the cash.
0:43:05 > 0:43:07But that's the point, I'm afraid, we have to leave it for today.
0:43:07 > 0:43:11We're going to be back to investigate more of your holiday horror stories very soon.
0:43:11 > 0:43:13So, until then, from all of us in the sunshine, bye-bye.
0:43:13 > 0:43:14- Goodbye.- Goodbye.