0:00:02 > 0:00:05We asked you to tell us who has left you feeling ripped-off
0:00:05 > 0:00:08and you contacted us in your thousands,
0:00:08 > 0:00:10by post, e-mail,
0:00:10 > 0:00:14even stopping us on the streets and the message could not be clearer.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17They're in it for what they can get.
0:00:17 > 0:00:19They're not in it to provide a service.
0:00:19 > 0:00:22I didn't sleep! It upset me so much that I didn't sleep.
0:00:22 > 0:00:26You've told us, that with money tighter than ever,
0:00:26 > 0:00:30you need to be sure that every pound you spend is worth it.
0:00:30 > 0:00:34How do I get my money back? I just think I'm entitled to it.
0:00:34 > 0:00:37So whether it's a deliberate rip-off, a simple mistake,
0:00:37 > 0:00:39or a catch in the small print,
0:00:39 > 0:00:43we'll find out why you're out of pocket and what you can do about it.
0:00:43 > 0:00:47Keep asking the questions, you know, go to the top if you have to.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50We do get results. I mean, that's the interesting thing.
0:00:50 > 0:00:54Your stories, your money. This is Rip-Off Britain.
0:00:57 > 0:00:59Hello and welcome to Rip-Off Britain.
0:00:59 > 0:01:03Now today, we have got some classic examples of why so many of you feel
0:01:03 > 0:01:05that you've ended up getting a raw deal
0:01:05 > 0:01:07or experiencing really bad service,
0:01:07 > 0:01:09or maybe even getting both at the same time.
0:01:09 > 0:01:11Because when you feel you've been ripped-off,
0:01:11 > 0:01:15there doesn't actually have to be a very large sum of money involved.
0:01:15 > 0:01:19In fact, sometimes it's just the everyday prices and costs that we
0:01:19 > 0:01:22have to pay that really irritate the most. Isn't that the truth?
0:01:22 > 0:01:25Well, that's really because at the end of the day,
0:01:25 > 0:01:27we all like to feel we're getting value for money.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30But unfortunately, all too often, we're not.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33So today, we're going to hear about situations where you've told us
0:01:33 > 0:01:37you feel a bit short-changed and find out what you can do about it.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40Coming up: Cash for gold!
0:01:40 > 0:01:45But when companies promise big money, do they always deliver?
0:01:45 > 0:01:48I was offered £214 and I was angry.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51There was no way I would have sold the watch for that.
0:01:51 > 0:01:53And we all know their catchphrases
0:01:53 > 0:01:55and have probably even sung their jingles.
0:01:55 > 0:01:59But are comparison sites really as good as they want us to think?
0:01:59 > 0:02:03I feel very misled by the fact that they advertised a price that
0:02:03 > 0:02:07seemed cheaper than other companies and really it wasn't
0:02:07 > 0:02:10when we looked at the fine detail.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13Now we've all seen the ads for the companies that have sprung up
0:02:13 > 0:02:16offering to exchange your gold for cash.
0:02:16 > 0:02:18At first glance, it seems a great way to earn money
0:02:18 > 0:02:21from any unwanted jewellery that you might just have
0:02:21 > 0:02:24lying around the house. But in fact, as we've reported before,
0:02:24 > 0:02:27it's not always the golden opportunity that's promised.
0:02:30 > 0:02:32Swapping your gold for cash
0:02:32 > 0:02:35has become increasingly popular in recent years.
0:02:35 > 0:02:38And when Leesa Tait from Greenock decided to sell
0:02:38 > 0:02:41an expensive watch which she rarely wore, she thought she'd try one
0:02:41 > 0:02:46of the dozens of companies who offer great prices for unwanted jewellery.
0:02:47 > 0:02:51My husband bought me the watch on a holiday to Turkey 11 years ago.
0:02:51 > 0:02:55It's just been in my jewellery box, not really doing anything.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58I thought it would be nice to use the money from the watch
0:02:58 > 0:03:00to go on holiday with my daughter.
0:03:00 > 0:03:04Leesa found an impressive looking website for a company
0:03:04 > 0:03:06called The British Gold Refinery,
0:03:06 > 0:03:10who were promising "excellent rates and first class service".
0:03:10 > 0:03:14Their website looked professional and it stated that if I wasn't happy
0:03:14 > 0:03:18with their price they would return it within ten days, no quibbles.
0:03:19 > 0:03:23To get a price quote, Leesa entered the watch's weight
0:03:23 > 0:03:25and carat into the website's online calculator.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29And she was delighted when they said
0:03:29 > 0:03:31that they'd pay her more than £500 for it.
0:03:33 > 0:03:34So she posted off the watch.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37But then after they'd received it in early March,
0:03:37 > 0:03:41The British Gold Refinery rang her up to say that, in fact,
0:03:41 > 0:03:43they could only pay her less than half
0:03:43 > 0:03:46of what they'd initially suggested.
0:03:46 > 0:03:51I was offered £214 and I was angry
0:03:51 > 0:03:55because I felt that the website was misleading.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58Erm, there was no way I would have sold the watch for that.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03Now, one of the reasons the company gave for the reduced offer
0:04:03 > 0:04:06was that they said the watch was 13 carat
0:04:06 > 0:04:09and not 14 carat, as Leesa had said.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12They also claimed that the weight was wrong as well.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15But Leesa found all of that just hard to believe.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17I know this to be the weight in carat because I've had
0:04:17 > 0:04:21an expert valuation done for insurance purposes in the past.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24And I'm afraid the bad news didn't stop there.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27Leesa was told that if she turned down the £214 offer
0:04:27 > 0:04:30and wanted her gold returned, she would have to pay
0:04:30 > 0:04:35an administration fee to cover an expert valuation they'd carried out,
0:04:35 > 0:04:40plus postage and packing, all of which they said added up to £50.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44I was shocked because their website had kept saying,
0:04:44 > 0:04:48"free quotation", "free valuation", "free return",
0:04:48 > 0:04:51if you're not happy with the quotation that we give you.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55Leesa told The British Gold Refinery she was not happy with their offer.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58And though they did increase it, first to £302,
0:04:58 > 0:05:03and then to £350, that was still a lot lower than the quote
0:05:03 > 0:05:05they'd given her in the first place.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07By now, whatever they offered her,
0:05:07 > 0:05:10Leesa no longer wanted to deal with the company.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13I wouldn't sell my watch to The British Gold Refinery
0:05:13 > 0:05:15even if they offered me the full value of it.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18I would rather flush it down the toilet than give it to them.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21Leesa found herself up against a deadline
0:05:21 > 0:05:24because the company told her that, if within 14 days,
0:05:24 > 0:05:30she didn't accept their final price of £350, or stump up the £50
0:05:30 > 0:05:35to have her gold returned, then she would automatically be paid just the
0:05:35 > 0:05:39£214 they'd previously offered and the watch would then be destroyed.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42They told me that if I didn't pay within 14 days,
0:05:42 > 0:05:44it would be melted down
0:05:44 > 0:05:48and for that reason I felt that I had no choice but to pay the £50.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52But intrigued as to why that 'expert valuation' had cost
0:05:52 > 0:05:55so much, she asked the company to e-mail her a copy.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01Their expert evaluation was worded
0:06:01 > 0:06:06"One watch with straps, valuation £302".
0:06:06 > 0:06:10Which works out at £10 a word.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13It's a complete rip-off.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16I could get a proper expert evaluation for half that price!
0:06:16 > 0:06:20The British Gold Refinery told other customers who'd complained
0:06:20 > 0:06:22about the £50 administration fee
0:06:22 > 0:06:26that they'd paid it because they had not ticked the "quote only"
0:06:26 > 0:06:29box on the envelope and had therefore consented to a valuation.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32Now Leesa admits that's an error she also made,
0:06:32 > 0:06:35but had tried to correct it.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39When I realised my mistake, I called them
0:06:39 > 0:06:42and spoke to a telephone operator who assured me that she
0:06:42 > 0:06:46had put a note on my account to that effect and that
0:06:46 > 0:06:50I wouldn't be charged the £50 admin fee. But they still charged.
0:06:53 > 0:06:57Leesa says she didn't spot the admin fee because it was buried
0:06:57 > 0:07:00deep in the terms and conditions on the company's website.
0:07:00 > 0:07:04And the Advertising Standards Authority would agree with that.
0:07:04 > 0:07:09Last year, they ruled that The British Gold Refinery should
0:07:09 > 0:07:12clearly display the administration fee on their website.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16And in fact, the company has gone further than that.
0:07:16 > 0:07:20After we got in touch to query Leesa's charge, they told us
0:07:20 > 0:07:23that they've now scrapped their return fees altogether.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26They say although they've "always aimed to provide the best price"
0:07:26 > 0:07:29for the gold sent to them, and "the best customer service",
0:07:29 > 0:07:31they've "listened to customers"
0:07:31 > 0:07:33and as a result have changed their policy.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36Anyone unhappy with a quote who wants their gold back
0:07:36 > 0:07:38will now get it free of charge,
0:07:38 > 0:07:41"with no return fees applied".
0:07:42 > 0:07:46But we wondered whether the rest of Leesa's experience was a one-off?
0:07:46 > 0:07:50So we sent three pieces of gold to The British Gold Refinery,
0:07:50 > 0:07:54valued by a professional jeweller at £848.
0:07:55 > 0:07:57This piece is 14 carat gold.
0:07:57 > 0:08:01I've weighed it at 25.27 grams.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04They instantly beat the jeweller's valuation
0:08:04 > 0:08:07by quoting us more than £900.
0:08:07 > 0:08:14But after they received our items, they reduced their offer to £335.94.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17So naturally, one of our team rang them straight away.
0:08:18 > 0:08:23You know I was expecting over £900, really, for what I've sent in.
0:08:25 > 0:08:29They then upped their offer to £360, a bit of an improvement,
0:08:29 > 0:08:32but still over £500 less than their original quote.
0:08:34 > 0:08:38They claimed that our bracelet contained only half as much gold as
0:08:38 > 0:08:40certified by our jeweller
0:08:40 > 0:08:44and the other two items were a lower carat.
0:08:44 > 0:08:48So we decided to decline The British Gold Refinery's offer
0:08:48 > 0:08:50and ask for our gold back.
0:08:50 > 0:08:54It isn't what I was hoping for at all,
0:08:54 > 0:08:59so I'd just prefer to have them sent back if that's OK?
0:09:01 > 0:09:05They promised to call us back but the phone didn't ring.
0:09:05 > 0:09:09We also e-mailed to make sure that the company knew we were unhappy.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12We were then told to contact their returns department.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15We called The British Gold Refinery a further three times
0:09:15 > 0:09:17to ask for our gold back.
0:09:17 > 0:09:21And it was returned five days after we first asked.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24But our experience with what they offered to pay was very
0:09:24 > 0:09:26similar to what had happened to Leesa.
0:09:26 > 0:09:28So why had they initially quoted
0:09:28 > 0:09:31so much more than they were willing to pay?
0:09:34 > 0:09:37When we asked them just that, The British Gold Refinery told us
0:09:37 > 0:09:41that they were "unable to comment" without proof our valuations
0:09:41 > 0:09:43were for the same items that we'd sent them.
0:09:43 > 0:09:45They also said their valuations
0:09:45 > 0:09:48"are based on the scrap value of gold",
0:09:48 > 0:09:51not a retail, resale or insurance price,
0:09:51 > 0:09:53which they say "may explain the discrepancies"
0:09:53 > 0:09:57between their valuations and the ones from our jeweller,
0:09:57 > 0:10:01although in fact, his valuations were done in exactly the same way.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05The company also says how much they offer
0:10:05 > 0:10:08takes into account their cost and profit margins,
0:10:08 > 0:10:12"which is a usual and expected business model" and they believe
0:10:12 > 0:10:16their prices to be a "fair estimate for the gold in the items sent".
0:10:16 > 0:10:18They've stressed that the initial price
0:10:18 > 0:10:23they quote is simply a guide based on the spot price of gold.
0:10:23 > 0:10:25The exact prices can only be confirmed
0:10:25 > 0:10:27once they've received the actual items.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31But none of that holds much weight
0:10:31 > 0:10:33with the jeweller who did our initial valuation.
0:10:33 > 0:10:37I'm not saying that we're always going to be the best
0:10:37 > 0:10:42person in town, but I think £500 differential is a huge amount
0:10:42 > 0:10:45to be thinking about.
0:10:45 > 0:10:51335, it just seems to be that they haven't read the gold properly.
0:10:51 > 0:10:55There are plenty of other gold companies that you've told us
0:10:55 > 0:10:58don't pay anything like the price initially quoted.
0:11:00 > 0:11:02The best advice is to do what we did.
0:11:02 > 0:11:07Get your gold accurately weighed and valued before you send it off.
0:11:07 > 0:11:11And shop around so that you can be sure you are getting a fair price.
0:11:11 > 0:11:16Leesa did get her watch back and she eventually sold it to another
0:11:16 > 0:11:20company, who paid out exactly the same price they first quoted her.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23But she's still been left feeling very frustrated
0:11:23 > 0:11:27by her dealings with The British Gold Refinery.
0:11:27 > 0:11:29To me it is underhand and misleading
0:11:29 > 0:11:31and it shouldn't be allowed to happen.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34You can find more information on how to sell your gold safely
0:11:34 > 0:11:36and effectively on our website...
0:11:45 > 0:11:50Rip-Off Britain has created a pop-up shop where anyone can receive
0:11:50 > 0:11:52instant advice from our team of consumer experts.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59If nobody is offering you any financial recompense,
0:11:59 > 0:12:02then you may have to consider going through the courts.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05First up to see our travel expert, Simon Calder, is John.
0:12:05 > 0:12:09He feels badly let down by his travel insurance company
0:12:09 > 0:12:13after his partner had an accident on holiday in Scotland.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16We got to Bute, were out walking,
0:12:16 > 0:12:18she fell, broke her wrist
0:12:18 > 0:12:23and it involved us in taxis, trips to the mainland for X-rays.
0:12:23 > 0:12:27In total, the cost came to about £135.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30So we put the insurance claim in and we got a letter back
0:12:30 > 0:12:34saying that this insurance policy does not cover us
0:12:34 > 0:12:38for the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.
0:12:38 > 0:12:40Here we are, here we are.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43Section B emergency medical treatment expenses.
0:12:43 > 0:12:47It very specifically says this section does not apply to
0:12:47 > 0:12:51trips within the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man if you live there.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53What should they have done?
0:12:53 > 0:12:57The advice is, unless there's a very particular reason that you
0:12:57 > 0:13:02would want to get insurance for a UK trip, don't bother.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05- Are you going to take this issue up on behalf of John? - I most certainly am.
0:13:05 > 0:13:09I want to find out first of all how they can possibly be selling
0:13:09 > 0:13:13insurance at that price, £55 for five days in Scotland.
0:13:13 > 0:13:16I don't know if we have legally a leg to stand on,
0:13:16 > 0:13:19but morally, I'm afraid this is an almighty rip-off.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22- Are you a happy man John? - Very much so. Go for it!
0:13:22 > 0:13:24John, great to see you. Thanks very much indeed.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29One of the most important pieces of advice that we keep coming
0:13:29 > 0:13:32back to here on Rip-Off Britain is shop around!
0:13:32 > 0:13:36Because it really is only by getting a whole range of prices
0:13:36 > 0:13:38that you can be sure you're getting a good deal.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41And these days, thanks to the internet,
0:13:41 > 0:13:44there's really no shortage of companies and websites that seem
0:13:44 > 0:13:50to make that whole process not just easier, but almost instantaneous.
0:13:50 > 0:13:54But can you really be sure that they are giving you the whole picture?
0:13:54 > 0:13:56Or when you compare the market,
0:13:56 > 0:14:00should you also be comparing the comparison sites?
0:14:03 > 0:14:05We all need a bit of help sometimes.
0:14:05 > 0:14:09And ads like these, for price comparison websites,
0:14:09 > 0:14:13claim that they'll point us in the best direction of where to get it.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16They've become the first port of call for many people
0:14:16 > 0:14:20looking for a new deal on things like energy and insurance.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23And it's the ones with the catchiest ads
0:14:23 > 0:14:25that have become household names.
0:14:26 > 0:14:31Which? magazine discovered that not all of these sites are necessarily
0:14:31 > 0:14:34comparing every deal that's available to you,
0:14:34 > 0:14:36or getting you the best price.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41This is an industry that's mushroomed
0:14:41 > 0:14:43from apparently out of nowhere.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46They're spending a fortune on advertising.
0:14:46 > 0:14:47Simples!
0:14:47 > 0:14:49Some of the biggest advertising campaigns are being done
0:14:49 > 0:14:51by comparison sites now.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54# Use your head To save your bread at go compare! #
0:14:54 > 0:14:57The businesses that are putting their products on those sites
0:14:57 > 0:14:58pay them to appear there.
0:14:58 > 0:15:02Money supermarket.com. A great deal easier.
0:15:02 > 0:15:04Don't assume that this is free, impartial advice
0:15:04 > 0:15:06that you can always trust.
0:15:06 > 0:15:08# Confused.com. #
0:15:08 > 0:15:12Which? magazine do have a comparison site of their own,
0:15:12 > 0:15:15but just for energy, and they're concerned that some
0:15:15 > 0:15:19comparison sites don't take an impartial view.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22They did their own test to compare what you'd be offered
0:15:22 > 0:15:24when shopping for insurance.
0:15:24 > 0:15:29We found that the 11 most popular comparison sites for the most
0:15:29 > 0:15:33popular insurance products never covered more than
0:15:33 > 0:15:38a third of the market. They don't show you nearly 70% in most
0:15:38 > 0:15:41cases of all the deals that are out there.
0:15:41 > 0:15:45When Billy Thompson from Merseyside was quoted £185 to renew
0:15:45 > 0:15:50his home and contents policy with his current insurer, he turned to
0:15:50 > 0:15:55comparison site Confused.com to see if they could offer anything better.
0:15:56 > 0:15:58Entered all my details on to that
0:15:58 > 0:16:02and eventually came up with a price of £154.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05As he'd hoped, he was offered a saving.
0:16:05 > 0:16:08Swinton Insurance came up trumps, offering him
0:16:08 > 0:16:13a policy that would cost £31 less than he was currently paying.
0:16:13 > 0:16:15But in order to get this price,
0:16:15 > 0:16:18he had to phone the insurance company directly.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22He could not seal the deal online.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25They sort of insisted that I needed to go through all the details again
0:16:25 > 0:16:29and then they came up with a price which was £40 dearer,
0:16:29 > 0:16:32up to £190 odd.
0:16:32 > 0:16:37However hard he tried, Billy could not get Swinton to match
0:16:37 > 0:16:40the price that he'd seen on confused.com.
0:16:40 > 0:16:44Leaving Billy feeling, well, confused.
0:16:44 > 0:16:48On this occasion, I'm just at a loss as to why there's such
0:16:48 > 0:16:51a difference in price when you come to actually buy it.
0:16:51 > 0:16:56Both companies have confirmed that the price should have been the same.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59Swinton told us this was "an isolated incident"
0:16:59 > 0:17:02due to an error by one of their call centre staff
0:17:02 > 0:17:05and they've taken steps to ensure it doesn't happen again.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10But Which? magazine found some surprising results
0:17:10 > 0:17:14when they posed as customers on a range of comparison websites.
0:17:14 > 0:17:20They found prices varied from £310.28 to £660.20
0:17:20 > 0:17:22for car insurance policies,
0:17:22 > 0:17:25despite entering the same details every time.
0:17:25 > 0:17:29That's a 112% difference!
0:17:29 > 0:17:33And it's not just the price that may not necessarily come out
0:17:33 > 0:17:37the way you expected, as teacher Jo Harter-Tong found out.
0:17:37 > 0:17:42She lives in Manchester with her husband, Richard, and daughter, Mia.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45Last March, she was keen to pay less for her car insurance.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50We looked on a number of price comparison websites
0:17:50 > 0:17:53and tescocompare.com came out with a very good price
0:17:53 > 0:17:56with two different companies.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59Jo chose to go with a company called Diamond, and,
0:17:59 > 0:18:04as instructed on the website, her husband called to secure the price.
0:18:04 > 0:18:05But when the policy arrived,
0:18:05 > 0:18:09they were shocked to find it was for ten months and not 12.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12At no point did it mention that it was anything other than
0:18:12 > 0:18:15an annual premium on the price comparison website,
0:18:15 > 0:18:18or during the phone conversation with Diamond.
0:18:18 > 0:18:22I feel very misled by the fact that they advertised a price
0:18:22 > 0:18:26that seems cheaper than other companies and, really,
0:18:26 > 0:18:28it wasn't when we looked at the fine detail.
0:18:28 > 0:18:32Tesco Compare say they always offer annual policies,
0:18:32 > 0:18:34so again it seems in this case an error was made
0:18:34 > 0:18:37by the insurance company's call handlers.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40Diamond tell us they can't find the recording of the phone call
0:18:40 > 0:18:44when Jo bought the policy, but are sorry for the inconvenience
0:18:44 > 0:18:47caused, and are refunding the extra money that she was charged to
0:18:47 > 0:18:50change her policy from a 10 month to a 12 month one.
0:18:50 > 0:18:52They even sent her some flowers!
0:18:53 > 0:18:56Comparison sites say such that mistakes are rare and that
0:18:56 > 0:19:01they've saved millions of people hundreds of millions of pounds.
0:19:01 > 0:19:06So will you always get a better deal by going online rather than
0:19:06 > 0:19:08calling companies for quotes direct?
0:19:08 > 0:19:13We did an experiment to see whether we'd get the best quotes for car
0:19:13 > 0:19:16insurance on comparison sites or over the phone.
0:19:16 > 0:19:18It wasn't a scientific test,
0:19:18 > 0:19:21but it did give an idea of the variety of prices.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25Well, I've looked at the four best-known comparison sites.
0:19:25 > 0:19:29All four of those sites have exactly the same insurance
0:19:29 > 0:19:31company at the top of their list.
0:19:31 > 0:19:35But there's a difference in the quotes of £40.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38We then called the insurers direct to see
0:19:38 > 0:19:42if they would match or even better the prices that we'd found online.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44That's actually more expensive then.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49You're quoting me more than the comparison site offered me.
0:19:50 > 0:19:54So really I'm better going with the comparison site
0:19:54 > 0:19:57than doing it with you on the phone?
0:19:57 > 0:20:00And it was clear that, today at least,
0:20:00 > 0:20:03the websites proved to offer the better deal.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09Well, that was a really interesting and useful half hour
0:20:09 > 0:20:13spent on the telephone. I think the most important thing I've discovered
0:20:13 > 0:20:16is that those comparison sites immediately give you
0:20:16 > 0:20:20a 15% discount from anything that the insurance companies are going
0:20:20 > 0:20:24to quote you on the telephone simply because you're booking online.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27In addition, by telephoning the companies,
0:20:27 > 0:20:30what I have found is some of them are going to charge you
0:20:30 > 0:20:32an administration fee, as much as £12.50,
0:20:32 > 0:20:34that'll bump up the price.
0:20:34 > 0:20:39There's no doubt that these sites have revolutionised the way we buy.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42But to be sure you really are getting the best deal,
0:20:42 > 0:20:45try looking at a few of them, and not just one.
0:20:45 > 0:20:49- Comparison sites may not always be as...- "Simples"- ..as they appear.
0:20:53 > 0:20:55When you feel you have had a raw deal,
0:20:55 > 0:20:59it can be hard to know what to do or where to turn.
0:20:59 > 0:21:01So to help, we have put together a booklet
0:21:01 > 0:21:02full of practical tips and advice.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05You can download the free guide on our website...
0:21:08 > 0:21:10Or to receive a copy in the post,
0:21:10 > 0:21:13send an A5 stamped and self-addressed envelope
0:21:13 > 0:21:16to the address that we'll give you at the end of the programme.
0:21:20 > 0:21:24A good chunk of the letters and the e-mails that we receive are about
0:21:24 > 0:21:26what you have to pay for life's essentials.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29Thing like energy, petrol, car insurance.
0:21:29 > 0:21:33All things that you've told us you think cost too much.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36And it seems that we can now add another thing to that list
0:21:36 > 0:21:38and it's printer ink for the printers
0:21:38 > 0:21:41that are attached to our computers.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44They're used by millions of us at work, at home or both,
0:21:44 > 0:21:46but they are not always cheap.
0:21:52 > 0:21:56As Vice-Captain of Denton Island Bowls Club in Sussex,
0:21:56 > 0:21:59it's the job of Lawrence King to keep an eye on the club's finances.
0:21:59 > 0:22:03But he's noticed one cost that really adds up -.
0:22:03 > 0:22:05printer ink.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08I have to do a lot of printing to send out to people and to
0:22:08 > 0:22:13copy stuff to people and I expect my printing costs to be reasonable.
0:22:13 > 0:22:17The Epson cartridges the club needs cost around £30 a set,
0:22:17 > 0:22:21and that's a lot for the sort of simple printing that Lawrence does.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24Mainly, I'm interested in the black cartridges,
0:22:24 > 0:22:27but you can't run the machine without the other colour cartridges.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30They've got to be there whether you are using them or not.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32So Lawrence decided to shop around,
0:22:32 > 0:22:35and found he could buy what's called 'compatible ink'
0:22:35 > 0:22:38made by a different company than the one who'd made his printer.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42This printer takes a set of four cartridges.
0:22:42 > 0:22:44If I buy a set,
0:22:44 > 0:22:46I can probably get them for about £12.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49But Lawrence says it can be hit and miss
0:22:49 > 0:22:51as to whether he can get these to work.
0:22:51 > 0:22:54And it seems his Epson printer didn't like him
0:22:54 > 0:22:57using cheaper ink from one of the company's competitors.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00It just comes up on this little screen here,
0:23:00 > 0:23:02"This cartridge is not acceptable".
0:23:02 > 0:23:06Why do I want to pay all this money for an Epson cartridge,
0:23:06 > 0:23:08when I can source a much cheaper cartridge
0:23:08 > 0:23:10that looks and appears the same?
0:23:10 > 0:23:13Of course, Epson isn't the only printer manufacturer
0:23:13 > 0:23:17who would prefer customers to use its own brand of ink.
0:23:17 > 0:23:19Most of the big names would say the same
0:23:19 > 0:23:23and in almost all cases, their ink is much more expensive,
0:23:23 > 0:23:26sometimes, costing more per millilitre
0:23:26 > 0:23:29than vintage Dom Perignon champagne!
0:23:29 > 0:23:31So why do they cost so much?
0:23:31 > 0:23:35Alan Lu from Computer Active magazine can explain.
0:23:35 > 0:23:37There is a lot of research and development
0:23:37 > 0:23:39which goes into developing inks
0:23:39 > 0:23:41and that costs quite a lot of money, so they want to recoup their costs.
0:23:41 > 0:23:45The second reason is that when manufacturers sell you an ink jet
0:23:45 > 0:23:49printer, the printer will usually cost as little as £50 or perhaps
0:23:49 > 0:23:53even less, so the way they make back their money, the way they make
0:23:53 > 0:23:57their profit, is to sell you printer ink and paper at quite a high cost.
0:23:59 > 0:24:03The printer manufacturers themselves would say that it's the quality of
0:24:03 > 0:24:06their ink that sets their products above the cheaper alternatives.
0:24:06 > 0:24:10And it's certainly true that some cheaper inks may quickly run out
0:24:10 > 0:24:13or perhaps even clog up your printer.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16So does that mean own brands are the best?
0:24:16 > 0:24:18To find out, we've done a test...
0:24:19 > 0:24:23..comparing inks for three of the best known printer manufacturers -
0:24:23 > 0:24:26Epson, HP and Canon.
0:24:27 > 0:24:31For each big name, we bought three different types of ink...
0:24:31 > 0:24:33an original branded cartridge,
0:24:33 > 0:24:36a refillable cartridge from a high street cartridge shop
0:24:36 > 0:24:39and a compatible cartridge from the supermarket.
0:24:39 > 0:24:42It's not a scientific test,
0:24:42 > 0:24:44but it does give an idea of how different inks
0:24:44 > 0:24:48compare for the sort of printing that someone like Lawrence does.
0:24:48 > 0:24:50So, how did they perform?
0:24:51 > 0:24:53Well, of the three inks we tried in the HP printers,
0:24:53 > 0:24:58there wasn't much in it between HP's own brand and the supermarket ink,
0:24:58 > 0:24:59except on price.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02Both printed around the same number of pages,
0:25:02 > 0:25:06but the supermarket ink was a fair bit cheaper.
0:25:09 > 0:25:13With the inks for the Canon printers, it was the refillable
0:25:13 > 0:25:17cartridge that came out best overall, as it had the lowest cost,
0:25:17 > 0:25:20although the supermarket ink printed the most pages.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23As for the Epson inks,
0:25:23 > 0:25:26the refillable one printed the most pages,
0:25:26 > 0:25:28but it was the supermarket one
0:25:28 > 0:25:32that worked out best value, again because it had the lowest price.
0:25:33 > 0:25:35So for this simple job,
0:25:35 > 0:25:38there'd be no need to splash out on those branded inks when you
0:25:38 > 0:25:42could get as good a performance, or even better, by spending less.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47But when we contacted the printer companies with these results,
0:25:47 > 0:25:51they all stressed that neither price nor the number of pages
0:25:51 > 0:25:55printed are the key factors to consider when choosing ink.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58They're confident that only their own genuine inks,
0:25:58 > 0:26:00with all their research and development behind them,
0:26:00 > 0:26:05will deliver the reliability and print quality that customers expect.
0:26:05 > 0:26:08And while their printers won't stop you using cheaper ink,
0:26:08 > 0:26:13HP described these compatibles as "a gamble", while Epson calls them
0:26:13 > 0:26:18"a false economy", saying they can shorten the life of the printer.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21HP also says in independent tests,
0:26:21 > 0:26:26their ink printed many more pages than refillable cartridges.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29As for Lawrence's objections, Epson tell us that the
0:26:29 > 0:26:32message he gets when he tries to use cheaper ink is simply
0:26:32 > 0:26:36the printer warning that the company "cannot guarantee the printer
0:26:36 > 0:26:40performance if he chooses to continue with the installation."
0:26:40 > 0:26:43They say, "customers are free to use whichever make of ink
0:26:43 > 0:26:48cartridge they prefer", but they can only "ensure peak performance"
0:26:48 > 0:26:51if their brand of printer is used with their own ink.
0:26:53 > 0:26:58But, back at the bowls club, Lawrence remains unconvinced.
0:26:58 > 0:27:01If I went and bought a car from Ford, I'd expect to be able
0:27:01 > 0:27:04to use anybody's petrol in it, the cheaper the better.
0:27:09 > 0:27:10Here at Rip-Off Britain,
0:27:10 > 0:27:13we're always ready to investigate more of your stories.
0:27:13 > 0:27:15You can write to us at...
0:27:24 > 0:27:26Or send us an e-mail to...
0:27:31 > 0:27:34So, as we've heard, it's very easy to feel totally ripped-off
0:27:34 > 0:27:37if it seems that you've paid over-the-odds for something
0:27:37 > 0:27:39that you could find cheaper elsewhere, particularly if,
0:27:39 > 0:27:43for whatever reason, you thought you were getting a really good deal
0:27:43 > 0:27:45- at the time.- That is so annoying isn't it?- Infuriating.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48And although the best advice really is still to shop around,
0:27:48 > 0:27:51that is no longer as simple as it sounds.
0:27:51 > 0:27:53These days you have so many deals and offers online,
0:27:53 > 0:27:56not to mention all of those comparison sites.
0:27:56 > 0:28:00Well, frankly sifting through them and actually working out
0:28:00 > 0:28:02where to find the best value for money is quite a task.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05- It's like a full-time job. - It is! Sure is.
0:28:05 > 0:28:08Even if someone insists that they're giving you the best price,
0:28:08 > 0:28:11don't take what they say at face value.
0:28:11 > 0:28:13And do keep telling us when something that seemed to be a good deal
0:28:13 > 0:28:16turned out to be nothing of the kind.
0:28:16 > 0:28:17But that's it for today.
0:28:17 > 0:28:20We'll be back to investigate more of your stories soon.
0:28:20 > 0:28:23- Until then, from all of us, bye-bye.- Goodbye.- Goodbye.
0:28:23 > 0:28:27Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd