Episode 3 Rip Off Britain

We asked you to tell us who has left you feeling ripped off?

think this is very, very wrong for what they have done. The bank pass

charges upon charpblgs upon charges. Legally it was right, morally, that

is where the question of doubt comes. You contacted us in your

thousands, by post, e-mail, even stopping us in the streets. The

message could not be clearer. don't always get a straight answer,

they try to to be you off. I'm not happy with them at all. It is the

small print with the clause in you didn't realise. We are being ripped

off, big time. Whether it is a deliberate rip off, a simple

mistake or a catch in the small print, we will find out why you are

out of pocket, and what you can do about it? Keep asking the questions,

go to the stop if you have to. do get results, that is interesting

thing. Your stories, your money, this is Rip-Off Britain. Welcome to

Rip-Off Britain. The sums involved in some of the stories we are

investigating today are eye nor mus, hundreds, thousands of pounds. That

is why we are looking at a few of the unwelcome costs and the

problems you face when you buy or own a home. The consequences when

things don't go to plan. The results can be disastrous. Not

least when it is all down to one of your biggest bug bears, an old

problem that will simply not go away, builders leaving you with

unfinished work and spiralling bills. We will have advice on that

and a lot more. Also on today's show, one of the

most shocking stories we have ever told. You won't believe the amount

of money this man was forced to pay just for having his drain unblocked.

He produced the invoice with the extra charges on it, this was of

the order of �14,000. And you have been getting it off your chests in

our gripe box. And now they are taking my conservatory down because

it is falling down. Many of you are looking at

extending your home, rather than facing the huge costs and time

involved in moving, especially in the current economic climate, when

house prices are so unpredictable. But finding a builder you can trust

with the task of adapting your home, can be difficult and heart-breaking.

Lee and Joe Anne own a three bedroom detatched house in east

Yorkshire. Earlier this year, with their children growing up fast,

they decided they needed more space. We decided to have a loft

conversion done to create a fourth bedroom in the house, we felt

Lucy's bedroom was fall. The aim was to move us up into the loft

conversion where there would be master bedroom with an enswit.

got a couple of quotes and accepted what would be the best one. There

is the amount, total amount �25,240. Work was due to start in April 2011,

and finish seven weeks later. Before the work started they said

they needed a quota of the money up front. We were happy to do it at

this time when it is difficult for builders, it might be as good with

cashflow. Everything went according to plan at first. They paid the

bulk of the bill up front, �22,000. At first we were happy with what we

were doing, they ripped out the old loft up there, they started to form

the dorm -- dormer, that seemed to go well, that took four or five

weeks. They started to worry as progress on the project fell behind

schedule. The work had started to slow down quite a bit. It took them

a long time to get rid of the old roof joists that were in and start

the internal work. The sub contractors that were coming were

starting to not come every day. We were ringing the owner of the

company quite a bit. He was not answering our answer phone messages,

or very reluctant to get back to us. Then work stopped all together,

leaving the family with this, in return for their �22,000.

We are left with no windows in the dormer, it is boarded up. We have

no staircase, and no access to it. They left the old Velux, and the

old tank, which we will have to get someone to sort it out. We have got

waste, rubble, just left on our driveway. We have wires poking out

of my son's bedroom, as well as all the plumbing pipes sticking out as

well. We're in a bit of a mess really. It is a bit of a

construction site at the moment. Over this side we are supposed to

have the sink and the basin, the towel, radiator. The light switches,

obviously, and the lights, not got any of that. The only thing we have

got is a very election window and pipes sticking out.

All this adds up to a headache for Lee, who wants to get the work

finished and get his family settled. It makes me angry they can leave

the bedroom in that state, with wires and pipes happeninging down.

The wires are connected, but, there is a possibility that the kids

could tug around on them and play about on them. To be Hon west you,

I'm not sure how they are attached upstairs and what damage that would

cause. We need to get another builder in to do the work. It comes

to the point you don't always trust what they are telling you. A recent

survey by the consumer manage seen Which ?, shows in the past two

years, 2.5 million of us have had complaints about builders and

decorators. That adds up to an astonishing 2,300 complaints every

day. In most cases the builder won't have set out to rip-off

anyone, they will have overcommitted themselves or develop

cashflow problems. For whatever the reason they don't finish the job,

if you are the person who has paid out, like Lee, the results can be

devastating. I must say, I never thought I would get in this

situation. You hear about it from other people, you see it on TV, and

I don't know whether I'm too trusting. I feel the amount of

money that we spent, we have no way got the work that we have paid for

done. Definitely feel ripped off. Lee and Joe Anne are still chasing

the loft on version company, in the meantime they are looking for a new

builder to put the work right and finish the job. That is likely to

cost them upwards of another �12,000. We signed up for the

contract, we passed over the money, they have signed their name on the

contract. We expect them to actually deliver what was on there.

All the building work and what we paid the money for.

I will be honest with you, it takes a lot to shock us at Rip-Off

Britain, here is a story like nothing we have come across before.

Of course we are used to hearing complaints about tradesmen, we all

know sometimes their charges with seem over the top. Imagine calling

out an emergency plumber, whose rate turned out to be an

extraordinary �2,8,00 an hour. It happened to -- �2,8,00 an hour, it

happened to Harold. Wait until you hear the blil. Harold is a

pensioner from Ealing in London, few things he loves to do more than

listening to classical music. Recently, his enjoyment has been

interrupted by stress. That's all stemmed from an overflowing drain

in his back garden. When he first spotted the problem, he thought he

had found the right people for the job. I went to the yellow pages and

found an advertisment that claimed to have local engineers in Ealing.

They said they could get a guy out to fix the block drain, and there

would be a callout fee of �59 an hour. Harold, who is disabled, was

keen to get the problem sorted out quickly. He was relieved when

Property Care Solutions sent one of their engineers straight away.

deduced it was under the manhole in my background. Lifted the cover and

saw the horrible sludge. He proceeded to pump water into it,

and stir it up. With a view to clearing it. He was stirring up the

sludge with his probe, I guess for four or five hours. He just wasn't

clearing the blockage. After a few hours of unsuccessfully

pumping water into the drain, Property Care Solution's plumber

told Harry he needed to bring in more powerful equipment, but at a

higher cost. He produced the invoice, with the extra charges on

it. It wasn't an extra charge but a total charge, it was in the order

of �14,000. Yes, you heard right, �14,000. In fact, �14,400, just to

unblock a drain. I was shocked with the price, but I felt I had no

alternative. The plumber convinced Harold if he didn't use the

equipment. He would be forced out of his home,

as the drains would neat excavating. The thought of having to leave

horrifies me, my home is adapted to my needs. I'm severely

incapacitated. I have a chairlift to go up and down the stairs. All

that, of course, would be lift behind, if I had to move out.

83-year-old Harold, afraid of leaving his home, he reluctantly

agreed to hand over the money. didn't have the money to pay him,

but I was going to pay with my credit card, and I got in touch

with my credit card issuer and asked them to increase my credit

limit. After I had agreed to pay, and signed on the dotted line, so

to speak. He brought out from his truck some apparatus or other which

he alleged was more powerful what he had been using to date. Within a

relatively short time, I can't say exactly how long, but a relatively

short time, the level of the sludge started to drop. Upon which I was

pretty cheered. The equipment may have shifted the sludge, but for

five hours work, the bill came to a staggering �2,880 an hour. Was

Harold a victim of a rip-off trader. Let's just see if there's any

possibility that Property Care Solutions could have charged a fair

price, afterall, stranger things have happened.

We asked Dave Taylor, from another local plumbing company, to look at

Harold's drains, and give his assessment of the job. I probably

carry everything on the market as regards to cameras, coring machines,

drainage machines, high-pressure jet machines, rods down to a

plunger. Nothing extra special that I wouldn't expect to have a

drainage film carry. I charge �150 an hour, I turn up to do a job and

it should be on the van. If he's charging �14,000, just for jetting,

it is atrocious, isn't it. I would like to know what was going on for

five hours. And where the hell the water was going, if it was

continuously jetting for five hours. The yes that really needs to be

asked, when the extra money was paid, isn't it amazing how all of a

sudden it cleared. It is absolutely clear the company

charged Harold way over the odds, we asked Property Care Solutions

for an explanation. They standby their charge, which they accept

seems high. But they also say that it reflects the fact that they work

in an emergency market. They insist Harold agreed to the price without

any pressure or duress, and that it was a fact, not a tactic, that if

the drain wasn't fixed he might have to move out.

They are furious at any suggestion that this was a rip-off. Saying

they are very upfront about their prices and that every job is

different. Even so, and here's the good news,

since we got in touch, they have now agreed with Harold a revised

and very different price for the work. �849. They still maintain the

work was worth much more than that, but just want to see the matter

concluded. I am 83 years old, and yes, I would have liked to have a

nice peaceful enjoyable retirement. Certainly I don't want to waste

time, as I am having to waste time fighting a plumber.

You may be thinking that Howard's experience may be extreme, but

sadly, it is not unique. So when choosing a tradesman what are the

things you should be looking out for to be absolutely sure there is

someone you can rely on. Consumer Direct has great advice. If you are

thinking of having some work done at home. There are a few things to

do before choosing the trader. Speak to friends and family and see

if they are able to make any recommendation, or ask the traders

you think you are going to use to provide references or ask to see

work they have done before. Look to see whether the company you are

thinking of using is a member of approved schemes, such as the

Office of Fair Trading, or local authority Trading Standards

approved schemes. They may offer you additional help if things go

wrong. You shouldn't feel pressured into agreeing to a contract, a

reputable trader will give you time to think about the decisions you

are making. If you do have time, make sure you get detailed quotes

in writing, so you can make an informed decision about the best

trader. If you are spending more than �100 on the work, it is worth

considering using a credit card to pay, it may give you additional

protection if things go wrong. Don't pay up front, pacemaker

staged payments instead when you are happy the work is progressing

to the write standard, make sure you get everything in writing. Read

terms and conditions carefully so you know what you are agreeing to,

if in doubt, take independent legal advice on what they mean. If things

do go wrong, speak to Consumer Direct or your local citizens

advice bureau who can provide confidential information on your

rights. Still to come on Rip-Off Britain, we have been inundated

with your stories of how you feel you have been mistreated or ripped

off. We will hear how this woman's property investment went

disastrously wrong, costing her a fortune. I had lost all my father's

inheritance, which was a lifetime of savings. I had lost all the

equity from my home. It makes you feel awful, because I have nothing

left at all. In a rip off first, our very own advice shop, where

hundreds of you came along to tell us your stories face-to-face. Find

out how we were able to sort things out. The Rip-Off Britain pop-up

shop here in the Trafford Centre in Manchester, has been inundated with

people all day. BBC Learning have been helping people with numeracy

in their interactive area. Our experts have been on hand to help

out. Sylvia from Trading Standards has been particularly busy, people

clearly are very anxious about the problems they hope she can sort out,

let's go and see some of the things she has been helping people with.

The organisation who protect consumers rights, they are doing a

lot of research on unfair practices in caravan parks, I wouldn't give

up, obviously you have lost your caravan now, there may be

opportunities, potentially, to get some of your money back.

A lot of people that have been coming into our pop-up shop in

Manchester, have been filling out these postcards. Quite a few have

been about issues with home improvements. Sylvia, Gail and

Craig seem to have been having a tough time of it, they have left us

a card saying that bedroom fitters still haven't finished the job they

started six months ago, and also they had work done by a builder, he

has left and not finished the work. Where are their rights? It sounds

like a pretty tough time of it. Their rights are, under the supply

of goods and services act 1982, any work that is done on your home or

anywhere else, should be done within a reasonable time. Six

months is sounding a very long time to have your bedroom done. What

they need to do is to put something in writing, to the company and say,

that this has been going on for far too long, they can time the essence

of the contract, and say they have to finish the job within a

particular time frame. If the company doesn't finish it within

that time frame, they can get another builder and kitchen fitter

to finish the work and charge it to the company. Unfair fees, shoddy

building work, rising property costs, they are all problems we

have heard from people in the Gripe Box. I'm going to complain about

maintenance charges in blocks of flats. And now they are taking my

conservatory down because it is falling down. The council tax that

we pay each year, obviously it seems to be increasing yearly.

can't afford to put a deposit down on a house. Lots of people have

aired their property cost concerns, if you would like any further

information, visit our website. It can be a big enough job looking

after one home. But many people buy a number of properties in the

belief that investing in bricks and mortar is the best way to secure

their future. But for tam sin, it was the worst decision of her life.

She joined hundreds of other people in putting her money into a

business that sounded like it couldn't fail. Instead it has cost

her hundreds of thousands of pounds. When she separated from her husband

in 2003, Tamsin was facing an uncertain financial future. With

two children to look after, she wanted work that she could do from

home. So, when a letter arrived, out of the blue, from a businessman

offering an intriguing opportunity, she was keen to learn more.

claimed he was a property expert, and he claimed that he would teach

people the successes that had made him a very wealthy man indeed.

man was from a buy-to-let firm called Inside Track. They organised

free sessions to share their expertise. So Tamsin went along.

There was a lot of elderly people there, pensioners, they were

actually saying that pensions weren't going to perform properly,

and the best way, the best thing for people to do was to put money

into property. They actually had an old couple there, who were supposed

to be members, they were claiming they were members, they were

claiming that they were investigating flu -- investing

through Inside Track and making money out of this. Encouraged by

what she heard, Tamsin signed up for a more he detailed two-day

seminar, it cost her �2,500, but Inside Track encouraged her that

there was big money to be made. You can understand how. This footage is

from another of their seminars. They certainly do like to stress

the potential profits. Nice chunky lumps every time you do a deal,

nice big piece, nice big piece. her seminar, Tamsin was told she

could get a discounted price on investment properties, by buying

through their sister company, Instant Access Prorpbts, they told

her not only would she cover her costs and make money by renting

them out, but the properties themselves would grow in value.

Even better, professional and legal support would be part of the

package. In fact, they promised they would carefully nurse her

through the whole process. In return, she would pay them charges,

membership fees and finders fees for properties she bought through

the company. They referred to us as "armchair" investors, they claimed

to be property experts and people with business degrees, with

backgrounds in accountany and estate agencies, they said they had

many years in the game and personally made money through t and

they would hold our hands through the whole investing process. They

said they had experts on the ground in Spain, that we would be assigned

a property portfolio consultant, they called them, and everyone

would look at our particular needs. Reassured by the level of support

offered, Tamsin bought seven properties in all. Three in Florida,

two in Spain, and two in the UK. She got free membership, because

she had bought so many. But she handed over �185,000 in deposits

alone. I think the first time that I started to be a little bit wary

of them is when I had decided I had bought enough properties, and I

knew I personally had reached my limit, but they kept on trying to

ring me up and sell me more properties. And there were other

things making her wary. The company had promised thorough, independent

valuations for their properties, which Tamsin says, she never got.

On top of that, the rental income was nowhere near what she had been

led to believe. So very quickly instead of making money on her

Florida investments, she realised she was losing it. Some months it

was so bad that I was actually lose ing $00 a month income. I was on my

own -- losing $900 a month income. I was on my own, and there was no

way I could afford that. Her other investments were failing too?

knew that certainly as far as I was concerned, that I had made a loss

on all seven properties. I thought this is not just chance, one

property maybe not working, but all seven, it was just too much. Tamsin

wondered if she should sell, but Instant Access insisted, long-term

her investments should still be successful, as they said whatever

the wider economic climate. But Tamsin, was now seriously worried.

What I started to do was go on the Internet and get in contact with

other members, little by little I heard all these other stories. I

knew then it wasn't just me. Every member I was speaking to was saying

the same. I searched on forums and other people who had lost money.

Some people had tried to get some compensation or some money back and

they had a very, very difficult time. But it was too late. In 2008,

Inside Track and Instant Access properties went into administration,

Tamsin lost all the money she had invested. The prorpbts she had

bought, and her home. She's -- the properties she had bought and her

home, she's now facing bankruptcy. I realised I had lost �350,000, I

had lost all my father's inheritance, a lifetimes of his

savings, I had lost all the equity from my home, and I have always

worked, all my life, and I had lost the opportunity to support my

children through university. I can't afford things I would have

been able to afford, taking them on holiday, going on really nice

holidays with my kids. Really I had worked hard all my life and got

really nice standard of living, and always very careful, it just makes

you feel awful. I mean times even now I worry about my future,

because I have nothing left at all. With Instant Access properties in

liquidtation and Inside Track disappearing, Tamsin is fighting

with other people to get back their money. We're fighting together,

collectively to hold these people accountable for what went on in

this company, and send out a very, very clear message to stop any copy

cats, anyone who might like to copy this company. Inside Track, and

Instant Access Properties deny any wrongdoing, and describe Tamsin's

allegations as groundless, she says she and the company themselves were

victims of the global financial collapse. But Tamsin is battling on.

Although it will be a long and expensive process. If you are

trying to sort out a new mortgage, you will obviously want to get a

deal on the best possible terms. That is what Steve and Debbie

Matthews thought when they signed up with the Halifax. They agreed a

deal supposed to give them for more their money, a lower rate on the

mortgage, plus some additional cash, that would cover the cost of a few

home improvements. Unfortunately that little extra led to big bills

they didn't expect and couldn't afford.

Ex-military commander, Steve Matthews, runs the volunteer cadet

training at his local base. He's used to putting people through

their paces, and he expects the highest of standards. That applies

to the companies he deals with as well. The mortgage on his sem y --

semi in Halifax was due to be renewed. We wanted a new mortgage

because it was coming to the end of its term. We got a really good deal,

we were paying less than we did before, because of the interest

rates coming all the way down. the end of the meeting, the

Matthews were also given the opportunity to borrow some extra

money to use on their house. Because the mortgage rates are so

good, you could get a really good deal, and you would still pay less

than what you were paying before. That would be to borrow about

�6,500. So the deal was, a better mortgage rate, and a �6,500 loan,

and their total monthly repayments would still be less than they had

been paying before. Just too good to turn down, they decided to go

for it. For once, we had a good deal and we were happy to pay

slightly less, than they were originally paying for over three

years, but we had some money, we had something in our pocket to look

forward to, so we could treat ourselves.

The �6,500 arrived into the bank account, and the math enthuse said

about doing up their house, starting with the bathroom. It is

nice to walk in the morning, and have a nice shower and everything

is new and gleaming. And you know, things were good, everything was

rosy and everybody was happy. least they were, until shortly

afterwards the couple were puzzled to get a letter from the Halifax

telling them their mortgage deal was coming to an end, and they

needed to get a new one. We were like, no, we have just done this.

My wife actually rang them up, and said there has been a mistake, we

have one. To their horror, the Halifax advised them the new

mortgage offer they had been so pleased with was null and void,

because an additional loan meant they weren't entitled to was no

longer valid. They were now tied to a three-year deal where the rate

was higher, so there would be an awful lot more to pay. We are out

of pocket for �40 a month over three years, that is �1400, that is

wrong, we shouldn't be having to pay that out when they have made

the errors. Don't forget Steve and his wife never asked for the loan,

the bank offered it to them when they agreed to renew their mortgage.

They agreed because it seemed they would be saving money, not paying

�1400 more. Unhappy, Steve marched down to the

Halifax to complain. They said it was their fault, we wouldn't have

to pay extra. They said they would look into it. This went on for

weeks and weeks and weeks, me phoning up saying we haven't heard

nothing. Eventually the Halifax agreed to

give the Matthews some of the money back. But only �590, although that

meant they would still be left with a shortfall of �850. But they felt

they had no choice but to accept. In the end we said, OK, that's only

because my wife, Debbie, was actually getting ill over this, and

stressed, and each day I could see her actual ly -- actually see her

waking up earlier and earlier and in the middle of the night. She was

saying it was getting too much for her, it wasn't fair on her, we said

we would have it. He may have felt like he was in the

firing line, but Steve absolutely refused to admit Ade feet. He

contacted rip -- admit defeat. He contacted Rip-Off Britain to see if

we could help. We got in touch with the Halifax. We are happy to report

that the company has gone back to the couple with an about turn. They

have agreed to pay the amount they would have been out of pocket, plus

an extra �200 to compensate the distress and inconvience caused a

Steve is very glad he persevered and got the Halifax to stand to

attention! When you have had a set- to with a bank, and you are in the

right, keep on going, especially if you know that you are right. Don't

give up, don't shrivel and die, stand up, be a man, and try to get

what you are entitled to. Big companies don't always make

things easy to understand. It can be confusing trying to work out

just why you haven't ended up with what you expected. So if you feel

bogged down, we have put together a booklet of tips and advice. You can

find a link to the free guide on We all know that buying a home is

expensive, but how many of you are prepared for the hidden costs. You

have been telling us how surprised you are at the amount of fees

involved with your mortgages, so we decided to investigate, and

uncovered some interesting findings. This is Chris and his partner Sue,

and Chris's children, Callum and Luke.

Three months ago they moved into their new house in Greater

Manchester. I was looking for about 12 months before I eventually found

the house that suited me. I was really excited about that, because

it is literally right in the heart of where I wanted to be again. I

jumped at the opportunity to buy it. I put in an offer for the house, it

was accepted. I then contacted the building society, and spoke with a

lady there who offered me advice on the mortgage, I went through bits

and pieces and I was told what I would and wouldn't need. Happy with

what he heard, and receiving a very competitive mortgage offer, Chris

decided to go ahead. I made the application, and the application

was processed. During that time I was told I would need to pay a

valuation fee, and was told how much that fee would be, I duly paid

that. Chris paid �380 to get the house valued and initially didn't

think too much about it, when received a breakdown of the costs,

he couldn't believe what he saw. This is the key facts that I was

sent about two weeks later. A standard valuation fee, non-

refundable was �155, the valuers administration fee was �16.50, the

lenders' valuation administration fee, �208.50, that is when my jaw

dropped. What was so surprising was that 60% of the bill was made up of

administration charges. That is not uncommon. James from Which?

Magazine, says most banks, not just Chris's, have wildly different

charges linked to the valuation fee. There is an enormous varying amount

in valuations, you can't escape getting a valuation, your lender

needs to know how much the property is worth. Valuations are standard

procedures, the cost of a valuation is fairly similar, whoever you go

to to have it done. Not happy with what he has been charged, Chris

spoke to his bank to question the fees, in particular the biggest the

�208 for admin. I was told that whilst they might not agree with

the fees, they were the same, nationwide, but they couldn't do

anything about it, if I didn't pay it I couldn't have the mortgage.

one end of the scale you have people charging the bare minimum

for valuation, at the other end you have lenders taking a massive take

for themselves. You can pay anything between �200-�450 for an

valuation, which is, in essence, the same thing, just different

lenders charging different amounts to different borrowers. As a result

you can't easily compare total mortgage costs between banks,

making it harder to know if you are getting the best deal. Chris has no

problem with the valuation fee itself, but why the administration

charge for that fee had to be so high, he finds harder to understand.

Leaving him, with a simple question. For me, if they are instructing

somebody to come and value a house, it is an e-mail, a telephone call,

or perhaps a letter to the company that is going to do the valuation.

So why then does it cost so much money just to pick a phone up or

just to push a button. So, with some mortgage lenders charging more

than 0 different fees and in a market where customers can switch

their mortgages every few years, the costs can mount up. To help you

navigate you through this, we explain what fees you can and

cannot a void when buying a house. Buying a house, there are lots of

fees to pavement the mortgage arrangement fee is the most

important. A few years ago you would pay �100 for the fee and

covering the admin costs of the lender. Now lenders are charging up

to �1,000, they use the extra revenue to charge a lower interest

rate for the mortgage and get to the top of the comparison tables.

Two more fees you can't really avoid are the valuation fee and the

solicitors' fee. The lender needs to know the house is worth what you

are paying for it, they need a valuation, that will cost about

�200 or more, then obviously you need to get a solicitor or a

conveycy to do the legal work, that is �1,000 and is unavoidable. You

don't just pay fees when you take out the mortgage, you can also be

charged a fee web the mortgage comes to an end or -- when the

mortgage comes to an end or an exit fee, it is worth checking the

original mortgage contract, make sure the fees are in there, they

are not trying to charge a fee you are not legally required to pay.

The next thing is an early repayment charge, when you take out

the more, you may have taken on the special deal for the first up to

five years where you are paying a low interest rate, if you try to

end the mortgage during that introductor period, you could end

up paying an early repayment charge of up to 4%.

Dodgy builders, poor workmanship, escalating costs, from really

aggressive trades people, they are all things we have dealt with on

the programme today. They lead to a staggering 2,000 complaints a day,

landing on the desks of Trading Standards officers. So how can we

protect ourselves as consumers, and how can we fight back against those

rip-off merchants. Let's ask Trading Standards. Our research has

shown that over the last three years, more than two million

complaints have been made to Trading Standards about people who

are involved in some way or another with building. That's what 2,000

complaints a day. How concerned are you by what appears to be an

escalating problem? I think it is about Trading Standards doing their

bit, by investigating these complaints and where traders are

found to be breaching the law, taking robust action. It is also

about educating consumers to minimise the risk of a problem

occurring. One of my great concerns is there shutd be more consumer

education, people -- should be more consumer education, and people

should be more educated about how to choose trader and not someone

like a cold caller. You say you are concerned and prepared to

investigate, the fact that practices are continuing, it means

that Trading Standards are powerless? We are not powerless,

there is no magic wand, but Trading Standards cannot provide the whole

answer. Which is why I'm saying, it is important n my view, that people

are better aware of how to choose a trader. Simple things like choosing

a trader approval scheme, getting several written quotes, knowing

that the law entitles them to expect goods of satisfactory

quality, workmanship done with reasonable skill and care, and

knowing how to get redress for themselves. Trading Standards don't

have to investigate then, prevention is better than cure, it

is that simple. What happens if someone is in the middle of a job,

who has quoted you one figure for it, who says this is more

complicated than I thought, I need more expensive equipment to

complete the job? If you are in that dreadful position where trader

gets the Ghostbusters equipment out,, saying you need the equipment

of �1,000 every five minutes, put a stop on it, say thank you, we will

stop it here, let me pay you for the work you have done I don't want

any more, choose trader in the reliable way I have told you. If

you think the trader has tried to rip you off for might have,

complain to Trading Standards, let them look into it.

Here at Rip-Off Britain we are always ready to investigate more of

your stories. Confused over your bills? Trying to wade through

neverending small print that leaves you totally confused? I might have

been stupid for not reading it. Or I have read it and not taken it in.

I could kick myself. I really could. Unsure what to do when you discover

you have lost out, and that great deal has ended up costing you

money? I thought, this cannot be true. It is totally unacceptable, I

was so angry. You might have a cautionary tale of your own, and

would be happy to share the mistakes you have made with us, so

others don't do the same. No-one knows about this, this is very,

very strange to me, I would really like to get this much clearer.

You can write to us on the above The Rip-Off team is ready and

waiting to investigate your stories. That's all we have time for today.

But do make sure when spending any of your money on bricks and mortar,

that you do your homework, and watch out for the pitfalls before

signing any paperwork. Julia is right, homework is the key,

always check before you sign for anything, now hopefully today you

will have picked up some tips that can stop you finding yourself in

the sort of situations that we have been hearing about on the programme.

Thank you very much for joining us today, and hopefully we will see