0:00:01 > 0:00:04We asked you to tell us who has left you feeling ripped off
0:00:04 > 0:00:08and you contacted us in your thousands
0:00:08 > 0:00:10by post, e-mail, even stopping us on the streets.
0:00:10 > 0:00:14And the message could not be clearer.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16They're in it for what they can get.
0:00:16 > 0:00:18They're not in it to provide a service.
0:00:18 > 0:00:22I didn't sleep. It upset me so much I that I didn't sleep.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25You told us, with money tighter than ever,
0:00:25 > 0:00:30you need to be sure that every pound you spend is worth it.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33How do I get my money back? I just think I'm entitled to it.
0:00:33 > 0:00:37So whether it's a deliberate rip-off, a simple mistake,
0:00:37 > 0:00:40or a catch in the small print, we'll find out why you're
0:00:40 > 0:00:43out of pocket and what you can do about it.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46Keep asking the questions, you know, go to the top if you have to.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48We get results, that's the interesting thing.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51Your stories. Your money.
0:00:51 > 0:00:53This is Rip Off Britain.
0:00:55 > 0:00:59Hello and welcome once again to Rip Off Britain,
0:00:59 > 0:01:01the programme that gets to the bottom of why you haven't
0:01:01 > 0:01:04ended up with what you thought you would for your money
0:01:04 > 0:01:07or indeed your time, which of course is the reason the people
0:01:07 > 0:01:11we'll be meeting in today's programme got in touch with us in the first place.
0:01:11 > 0:01:13One way or another they all feel rather
0:01:13 > 0:01:16let down as indeed we often do when we end up with something that
0:01:16 > 0:01:20just did not live up to the hype or even to our own expectations.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23And of course we'll also have plenty of advice
0:01:23 > 0:01:25so that before you hand over your money,
0:01:25 > 0:01:29you've done everything you can to protect it in case something does goes wrong.
0:01:31 > 0:01:35Coming up, as insurers soak up the cost of one of
0:01:35 > 0:01:38the wettest summers on record, could you end up paying the price?
0:01:38 > 0:01:41They're not making the money that they think they should be making
0:01:41 > 0:01:44and therefore they're going to continue to search for a reason
0:01:44 > 0:01:47to punish householders for wanting to protect their greatest asset.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50Cash for gold.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53But when companies promise big money, do they always deliver?
0:01:53 > 0:01:57I was offered £214 and I was angry.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59There was no way I would've sold the watch for that.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04And we solve more of your problems on the spot at our pop-up shop.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09Some parts of Britain have been hit by disastrous floods
0:02:09 > 0:02:13in recent years, and although they may not like it,
0:02:13 > 0:02:16you can understand why those people who do live in the worst affected
0:02:16 > 0:02:21areas may now have to pay increased insurance premiums as a result.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24But what if you live in an area that has never seen
0:02:24 > 0:02:26a proper flood in living memory?
0:02:26 > 0:02:29And YOUR premiums suddenly start to soar
0:02:29 > 0:02:32because, apparently, you have got an increased risk of flooding.
0:02:32 > 0:02:36Well, that's exactly what happened to Nancy Hearley.
0:02:36 > 0:02:38She just could not understand what was going on
0:02:38 > 0:02:40and she asked us to investigate.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42And you know it's a good job she did.
0:02:42 > 0:02:46Because this time, it seems that her insurance company really
0:02:46 > 0:02:49did NOT know what they were talking about.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54We're getting used to seeing images of homes under water.
0:02:57 > 0:02:59Devastating floods hit parts of Britain in 2007,
0:02:59 > 0:03:052009 and again this summer. But even after the heaviest downpours,
0:03:05 > 0:03:10the part of Lincolnshire where Nancy Hearley lives remained unscathed.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13In fact, it's 50 years since the area saw a flood
0:03:13 > 0:03:16and there's been nothing approaching that in the decade that Nancy
0:03:16 > 0:03:19and her husband Phil have lived here.
0:03:19 > 0:03:21It's an absolutely stunning part of the country.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23We found the house that we absolutely loved,
0:03:23 > 0:03:26we have beautiful vistas to look out.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29Wildlife to entertain us, we walk in the countryside,
0:03:29 > 0:03:33we enjoy our hobbies and we've found a beautiful way of life here.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36When the couple moved into their farmhouse, they arranged
0:03:36 > 0:03:40their home and contents insurance through Cornhill Direct.
0:03:40 > 0:03:45The cover protected them for home and contents, fire and flooding.
0:03:45 > 0:03:50Our first insurance policy was for £177.50.
0:03:50 > 0:03:51Gradually over the years it crept up
0:03:51 > 0:03:55and I believe in 2009 it was slightly over £300
0:03:55 > 0:03:58but these were all in keeping with the movement of the market.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01Over the next seven years up to 2009,
0:04:01 > 0:04:04their premiums have gone up by a fairly modest £129.
0:04:04 > 0:04:09And in 2007 the policy was very useful
0:04:09 > 0:04:12when Nancy needed to make a claim for some storm damage.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15The treatment we received was outstanding. They told us
0:04:15 > 0:04:18simply to get it repaired and paid everything very promptly.
0:04:18 > 0:04:20We were very pleased with the treatment we had from them.
0:04:20 > 0:04:24Or at least they were until two years ago,
0:04:24 > 0:04:29when the cost of their insurance suddenly went up from £300 to 490.
0:04:29 > 0:04:33Cornhill put it down to the fact that they'd reclassified
0:04:33 > 0:04:36the area where Nancy's house sits as a flood risk area.
0:04:36 > 0:04:41We have never had any indication that this area had suddenly
0:04:41 > 0:04:45become an area of concern for the insurers, with regard to the floods.
0:04:45 > 0:04:50'I was astonished to begin with and then I was angry.'
0:04:50 > 0:04:53Because it seemed that we were being punished for something that
0:04:53 > 0:04:56had not happened and in all likelihood was not about to happen.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59Nancy paid the increased premium.
0:04:59 > 0:05:03But the next year brought an even bigger shock.
0:05:03 > 0:05:11In 2011 we received a premium request for £737.26.
0:05:11 > 0:05:13We were absolutely astonished
0:05:13 > 0:05:17because this was a massive increase from what it had been
0:05:17 > 0:05:18the previous year.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21I spoke to them on the phone and their insurers were unwilling
0:05:21 > 0:05:26to make any adjustments to this premium for any reason whatsoever.
0:05:26 > 0:05:32In two years Nancy's policy had gone up by 141%
0:05:32 > 0:05:35because of a risk that Nancy didn't believe would ever happen.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37So together with her neighbours,
0:05:37 > 0:05:39some of whom were experiencing similar problems
0:05:39 > 0:05:44with their insurance companies, she hatched a plan to fight back.
0:05:44 > 0:05:46Through their local MP, they arranged a meeting
0:05:46 > 0:05:49with a man from the Environment Agency.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52He said they too had recently reclassified the area's risk of flood.
0:05:52 > 0:05:56But unlike the insurers they'd DOWNGRADED it.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59He came and he sat with several of my neighbours.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02He talked about the fact that it has not flooded in this area
0:06:02 > 0:06:07since 1957 and that the area is now being changed
0:06:07 > 0:06:11from a significant risk of flooding to a moderate risk of flooding.
0:06:11 > 0:06:16Insurance companies don't have to use the Environment Agency's analysis
0:06:16 > 0:06:18when they set their premiums.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21But Nancy couldn't understand why Cornhill Direct were saying
0:06:21 > 0:06:25the likelihood of flooding was increasing at a time
0:06:25 > 0:06:28when the Environment Agency was saying the exact opposite.
0:06:28 > 0:06:30The documentation from the Environment Agency proved
0:06:30 > 0:06:34to be of little or no use in negotiation with Cornhill Direct.
0:06:34 > 0:06:38They simply did not want to know that we had a government agency
0:06:38 > 0:06:41that could verify that this area was in no great danger of flooding.
0:06:41 > 0:06:46When the insurers wouldn't budge, Nancy asked
0:06:46 > 0:06:49if she could reduce the premiums by taking a policy without flood cover.
0:06:49 > 0:06:53They declined and finally I asked them if it was possible
0:06:53 > 0:06:57to have say £5,000 in excess if they insured me for flooding.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59And they declined again.
0:06:59 > 0:07:04So we agreed that they were not interested in insuring my property.
0:07:04 > 0:07:08Nancy eventually organised her home insurance with a local broker
0:07:08 > 0:07:11for just £264.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14But she still feels aggrieved that, as she sees it,
0:07:14 > 0:07:16Cornhill Direct wouldn't listen to what she was saying.
0:07:16 > 0:07:22They were unwilling to look beyond what their computer screens gave them
0:07:22 > 0:07:25as a definition of the area
0:07:25 > 0:07:27and what their underwriters would permit.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29There was no leeway taken into account that this area
0:07:29 > 0:07:33was indeed unaffected by flooding.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36We contacted Cornhill Direct to find out why they'd been
0:07:36 > 0:07:41so adamant that the flood risk had increased,
0:07:41 > 0:07:44and when we did, the story took an unexpected turn.
0:07:44 > 0:07:49The company agreed that Nancy's postcode wasn't in an area at high risk
0:07:49 > 0:07:53of flooding and they told us that when they said it was,
0:07:53 > 0:07:56what they actually meant, was that it was suddenly at greater risk
0:07:56 > 0:07:59of subsidence because of shrinkable clay soil in the area.
0:08:00 > 0:08:04When we broke that news to Nancy, she was flabbergasted.
0:08:04 > 0:08:06Subsidence!
0:08:08 > 0:08:12I was told twice it was flooding, no-one ever mentioned subsidence,
0:08:12 > 0:08:14no-one ever mentioned clay.
0:08:14 > 0:08:20Absolutely astonishing! I am, I am truly amazed.
0:08:20 > 0:08:22I am, I am furious, actually.
0:08:25 > 0:08:30And when Nancy gets angry, she lets the whole village know.
0:08:30 > 0:08:34"Our decision to apply the increased premium was purely
0:08:34 > 0:08:36"due to the subsidence risk."
0:08:38 > 0:08:42It's insurance risk calculated by telephone directory, isn't it?
0:08:42 > 0:08:45You've never had any subsidence.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48My house hasn't subsided, anybody's house subsided?
0:08:48 > 0:08:50ALL: No.
0:08:50 > 0:08:51Anybody's house flooded?
0:08:51 > 0:08:53ALL: No.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56And the neighbours were even more surprised to hear
0:08:56 > 0:09:00one explanation that the company offered for their flood risk classification.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03In an e-mail to us, they said they'd been
0:09:03 > 0:09:06influenced by some of the local street names on Google Maps.
0:09:06 > 0:09:10"The River Witham passes her property.
0:09:10 > 0:09:14"And the neighbouring roads... the neighbouring roads have such
0:09:14 > 0:09:20"names as Forty Foot Bank, Ferry Lane and Fifteen Foot Drain.
0:09:21 > 0:09:25"I think it is forgivable for making the assumption that our stance
0:09:25 > 0:09:29"was due to flood rather than any other peril."
0:09:29 > 0:09:32Cornhill Direct told us they'd adjusted the premiums after
0:09:32 > 0:09:36working with an external provider of geographical hazard data, so they
0:09:36 > 0:09:40could improve the sophistication and accuracy of their pricing.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43And putting aside the inaccuracy of confusing flooding with
0:09:43 > 0:09:47subsidence, they're satisfied that from a technical underwriting
0:09:47 > 0:09:51perspective, the policy as performed exactly as intended.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54They say their premiums reflect what they believe to be the risks
0:09:54 > 0:09:55presented to them
0:09:55 > 0:09:58and they don't increase them by any more than they have to.
0:10:00 > 0:10:01But Nancy is not convinced.
0:10:03 > 0:10:08I wrote to Cornhill Direct and expressed my disappointment.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11I will try to find out the name of the company who has
0:10:11 > 0:10:12researched this area
0:10:12 > 0:10:17so in-depth that they'd discovered this subsiding clay is everywhere.
0:10:17 > 0:10:20I will share all this information with as many of my neighbours as I possibly can.
0:10:20 > 0:10:24It seems Cornhill may not have heard the last of Nancy.
0:10:24 > 0:10:28She's not persuaded that the new justification for the price hike
0:10:28 > 0:10:31holds any more water than the old one.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34They're not making the money that they think they should be making
0:10:34 > 0:10:35so they'll continue to search for a reason
0:10:35 > 0:10:40to punish householders for wanting to protect their greatest asset.
0:10:40 > 0:10:44So yes, I will tackle them on this and yes,
0:10:44 > 0:10:48I will continue to fight and yes, I will be as loud as possible.
0:10:48 > 0:10:49I'm not going away.
0:10:49 > 0:10:51They may think they won, but I'm not going away.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00'And it's not just Nancy who's determined to tackle
0:11:00 > 0:11:04'the seeming confusion about how insurers decide flood risk.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06'At Rip Off Britain, we want answers too.
0:11:06 > 0:11:11'So I went to challenge the man from the Association of British Insurers.'
0:11:13 > 0:11:16How do you decide who should or should not get cover
0:11:16 > 0:11:21for those people who live in areas that you judge to be a flood-risk?
0:11:21 > 0:11:25Well, insurers assess flood risk very carefully. Erm, they...
0:11:25 > 0:11:27How carefully, what do you do?
0:11:27 > 0:11:30They use a variety of methods. Environment Agency mapping,
0:11:30 > 0:11:34they use their own mapping, they use the history of flooding in that area.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37And they use that to assess the risk.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40Are you convinced and happy that that's what all insurers do,
0:11:40 > 0:11:42because we do know that there're insurance companies
0:11:42 > 0:11:46that do not use the advice of the Environmental Agency, and very often
0:11:46 > 0:11:49what they discover is at odds with what the insurance companies say.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53Some insurance companies use their own mapping
0:11:53 > 0:11:56rather than the Environment Agency mapping
0:11:56 > 0:11:58though most of them do use Environment Agency mapping.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01If they use their own mapping then the person who's being
0:12:01 > 0:12:04insured, if they've seen what the Environmental Agency has said,
0:12:04 > 0:12:06which doesn't put them at exactly the same risk,
0:12:06 > 0:12:09can presumably only assume that therefore the insurance company is
0:12:09 > 0:12:13using their own terms of reference to suit them and not the customer.
0:12:13 > 0:12:15Insurers always want to look after the customer,
0:12:15 > 0:12:18they want to make sure that they cover customers
0:12:18 > 0:12:20who whatever risk category they're in.
0:12:20 > 0:12:23I think the issue that you're talking about here is twofold,
0:12:23 > 0:12:26one is that the Environment Agency maps
0:12:26 > 0:12:30can be quite high-level and quite a lot of insurance companies have more
0:12:30 > 0:12:31sophisticated mapping.
0:12:31 > 0:12:35But there's also the issue as to how quickly the flood defence data comes
0:12:35 > 0:12:38into the Environment Agency mapping and that can be a bit slow.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41It's something we've pushed the Environment Agency for,
0:12:41 > 0:12:43we push Government for, to get the data through faster.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46So that, if a flood defence is put in your area then it comes
0:12:46 > 0:12:49very quickly through in the mapping and the insurance company
0:12:49 > 0:12:51can use that to say, right, your risk has gone down.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53So can you be absolutely certain that
0:12:53 > 0:12:57when someone takes out an insurance policy and they are in what
0:12:57 > 0:13:02the insurers think is a flood risk area, that that genuinely is
0:13:02 > 0:13:05an area that is at risk of flood, and is not just something
0:13:05 > 0:13:08that the insurance company have just taken a postcode lottery on?
0:13:08 > 0:13:10Insurance companies will work as hard as possible
0:13:10 > 0:13:12to get people on their books.
0:13:12 > 0:13:14They're not an arbitrarily get rid of them.
0:13:14 > 0:13:16They'll have different approaches
0:13:16 > 0:13:19and they'll have different ways of assessing risk.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22It's one of the reasons it's sensible to shop around.
0:13:22 > 0:13:26And if you are in a flood risk area don't just go onto
0:13:26 > 0:13:30a comparison website and look at it there, go to a local broker.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33Brokers often understand the local risk and they'll know,
0:13:33 > 0:13:36and they'll know the insurers who understand the risk better.
0:13:36 > 0:13:38In those circumstances that would be my advice.
0:13:38 > 0:13:40Mr Starling, thank you.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46Now we've all seen the ads for the companies that have sprung up
0:13:46 > 0:13:49offering to exchange your gold for cash.
0:13:49 > 0:13:50At first glance,
0:13:50 > 0:13:54it seems a great way to earn money from any unwanted jewellery that
0:13:54 > 0:13:57you might just have lying around the house, but in fact,
0:13:57 > 0:14:02as we've reported before, it's not always the golden opportunity that's promised.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05Now in the past, we've looked at how the money on offer is all too
0:14:05 > 0:14:09often no match whatsoever for the true value of what you're selling.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12But since then, you've been letting us know about another way that
0:14:12 > 0:14:17some of these companies can catch you out and cost you money as well.
0:14:19 > 0:14:23They've become an extraordinarily popular way to quickly raise cash.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26And it's no wonder that so many people are tempted by the dozens
0:14:26 > 0:14:29of companies around offering great prices for your unwanted jewellery.
0:14:33 > 0:14:35Because adverts like these can make you feel you're
0:14:35 > 0:14:38sitting on a gold mine.
0:14:38 > 0:14:43- And you'll be pleasantly surprised at how much it's worth.- So why wait?
0:14:43 > 0:14:47Make the call or go online and turn your gold into cash today.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51That's certainly what Lisa Tait hoped when,
0:14:51 > 0:14:53earlier this year, she started looking into selling
0:14:53 > 0:14:56an expensive watch which she rarely wore.
0:14:58 > 0:15:01My husband bought me the watch on a holiday to Turkey 11 years ago.
0:15:01 > 0:15:05It's just been in my jewellery box, not really doing anything.
0:15:05 > 0:15:07I thought it would be nice to use the money for the watch
0:15:07 > 0:15:10to go on holiday with my daughter.
0:15:10 > 0:15:14Lisa found an impressive-looking website for a company called
0:15:14 > 0:15:17The British Gold Refinery, who were promising
0:15:17 > 0:15:20"excellent rates and first class service".
0:15:20 > 0:15:24Their website looked professional and it stated that if I wasn't happy
0:15:24 > 0:15:27with their price they would return it within ten days, no quibbles.
0:15:28 > 0:15:32To get a price quote, Lisa entered the watch's weight
0:15:32 > 0:15:35and carat into the website's online calculator.
0:15:35 > 0:15:37And she was delighted
0:15:37 > 0:15:42when they said that they'd pay her more than £500 for it.
0:15:42 > 0:15:44So happy to take up that offer, she posted off the watch.
0:15:45 > 0:15:49But then after they'd received the watch in early March,
0:15:49 > 0:15:52the British Gold Refinery rang her up to say that, in fact,
0:15:52 > 0:15:57they could only pay her less than half of what they'd initially suggested.
0:15:57 > 0:16:04I was offered £214 and I was angry because I felt that
0:16:04 > 0:16:06the website was misleading.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09There was no way I would have sold the watch for that.
0:16:11 > 0:16:14Now one of the reasons the company gave for the reduced offer
0:16:14 > 0:16:18was that they said the watch was 13 carat
0:16:18 > 0:16:21and not 14 carat as Lisa had said.
0:16:21 > 0:16:23They also claimed that the weight was wrong as well.
0:16:23 > 0:16:25But Lisa found all of that just hard to believe.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28I know this to be the weight in carat because I've had
0:16:28 > 0:16:32an expert valuation done for insurance purposes in the past.
0:16:33 > 0:16:35And the bad news didn't stop there.
0:16:35 > 0:16:39Lisa was told that if she turned down the £214 offer,
0:16:39 > 0:16:43that she would have to pay an administration fee for her gold to be returned.
0:16:43 > 0:16:50£35 plus postage and packing all of which they say added up to £50.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53I was shocked and surprised when they asked me
0:16:53 > 0:16:58to pay £50 to have my watch back because their website had
0:16:58 > 0:17:01kept saying free quotation, free valuation, free return
0:17:01 > 0:17:04if you're not happy with the quotation that we give you.
0:17:04 > 0:17:10A £50-fee does seem a long way from the no-quibble returns
0:17:10 > 0:17:12that the website had promised.
0:17:12 > 0:17:16Lisa told the British Gold Refinery she was not happy with their offer.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19And though they did increase it, first to £302,
0:17:19 > 0:17:24and then to £350 - that was a lot lower than the quote
0:17:24 > 0:17:26they'd first given her in the first place.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29By now, whatever they offered her, Lisa no longer wanted
0:17:29 > 0:17:31to deal with the company.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33I wouldn't sell my watch to the British Gold Refinery
0:17:33 > 0:17:36even if they offered me the full value of it.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39I would rather flush it down the toilet than give it to them.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42Lisa found herself up against a deadline.
0:17:42 > 0:17:46Because the company told her that if within 14 days
0:17:46 > 0:17:51she didn't accept their final price of £350, or stump up the £50
0:17:51 > 0:17:56to have her gold returned, then she would automatically be paid
0:17:56 > 0:18:01just the £214 they'd previously offered and the watch would then be destroyed.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04I was really worried that they were gonna melt my watch down.
0:18:04 > 0:18:06They had told me this in the emails,
0:18:06 > 0:18:09that if I didn't pay within the 14 days it would be melted down
0:18:09 > 0:18:13and for that reason I felt that I had no choice but to pay the £50.
0:18:15 > 0:18:19Lisa was told that the £50-fee she'd paid to get the watch back
0:18:19 > 0:18:22was to cover the price of an expert valuation.
0:18:22 > 0:18:24So intrigued as to why that would cost so much,
0:18:24 > 0:18:28she asked the company to e-mail her a copy.
0:18:28 > 0:18:30Their expert evaluation was worded
0:18:30 > 0:18:34"One watch with straps, valuation £302."
0:18:36 > 0:18:40Which works out at £10 a word.
0:18:40 > 0:18:42It's a complete rip-off.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45I could get an expert evaluation for half that price.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50In fact, she could get one for free in some jewellers.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53And Lisa's not the only one who feels that the promises
0:18:53 > 0:18:58made by the British Gold Refinery may not in fact have been worth their weight in gold.
0:18:58 > 0:19:02We've spoken to other people who feel let down by the company.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05And a search on the internet reveals numerous complaints
0:19:05 > 0:19:07from very unhappy customers.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12The British Gold Refinery told many of the customers
0:19:12 > 0:19:15who'd complained about the £50 administration fee
0:19:15 > 0:19:18that they'd paid it because they had not ticked the "quote only" box
0:19:18 > 0:19:23on the envelope, and had therefore consented to a valuation.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25Now Lisa admits that's an error she also made
0:19:25 > 0:19:28but had tried to correct.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31When I realised my mistake I called them
0:19:31 > 0:19:34and spoke to a telephone operator who assured me
0:19:34 > 0:19:37that she had put a note on my account to that effect
0:19:37 > 0:19:42and that I wouldn't be charged the £50 admin fee but they still charged.
0:19:45 > 0:19:49Lisa says she didn't spot the administration fee because it was buried
0:19:49 > 0:19:52deep in the terms and conditions on the company's website.
0:19:52 > 0:19:56And the Advertising Standards Authority would agree with that.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59In January, they ruled that The British Gold Refinery should
0:19:59 > 0:20:02clearly display the administration fee on their website.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07And in fact the company has gone further than that.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10After we got in touch to query Leesa's charge,
0:20:10 > 0:20:14they told us that they've scrapped their return fees altogether.
0:20:14 > 0:20:16They say they aim to provide the best price
0:20:16 > 0:20:19for the gold sent to them, and the best customer service,
0:20:19 > 0:20:22but they've listened to customers and as a result
0:20:22 > 0:20:24changed their policy.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27Anyone unhappy with a quote who wants their gold back
0:20:27 > 0:20:29will now get it free of charge,
0:20:29 > 0:20:32with no return fees applied.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34As for the prices they offer,
0:20:34 > 0:20:35they believe them to be a fair estimate
0:20:35 > 0:20:38for the gold in the items sent.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41They're confident that they offer the best price in the market
0:20:41 > 0:20:45and the reason these can be lower than the initial quote
0:20:45 > 0:20:47is because those quotes are simply a guide
0:20:47 > 0:20:49based on the spot price of gold.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52The exact prices can only be confirmed
0:20:52 > 0:20:54once they've received the items.
0:20:54 > 0:20:57Meanwhile, although Leesa did get her watch back,
0:20:57 > 0:21:00she's been left feeling totally frustrated
0:21:00 > 0:21:03- by her dealings with the company. - To me, it's underhand
0:21:03 > 0:21:05and misleading and it shouldn't be allowed to happen.
0:21:06 > 0:21:11Well, this really is a subject that you contact us about all the time.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13Later in the programme you can see what happened
0:21:13 > 0:21:18when WE sent some gold to the same company that Leesa did.
0:21:22 > 0:21:24Still to come on Rip-Off Britain.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27A woman who's had to pay hundreds of pounds of extra costs
0:21:27 > 0:21:29after buying something faulty.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32So, why should it be her that has to pay them?
0:21:32 > 0:21:35I was in a situation where I had no car
0:21:35 > 0:21:37and the money was starting to add up
0:21:37 > 0:21:38and I started to become very stressed
0:21:38 > 0:21:42about how I was going to afford to pay for everything.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50Rip-Off Britain has come to the northeast of England.
0:21:50 > 0:21:54Overnight, we've created a shop where anyone can pop in
0:21:54 > 0:21:58to receive instant advice from our team of consumer experts.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03The marvellous thing about being quite early in the day, John
0:22:03 > 0:22:06- is the fact I can take you straight to the expert.- Come on!
0:22:06 > 0:22:08- So, come with me.- Let's go for it. - I know.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11First up to see our travel expert, Simon Calder, is John.
0:22:11 > 0:22:15He feels badly let down by his travel insurance company
0:22:15 > 0:22:18after his partner had an accident on holiday in Scotland.
0:22:18 > 0:22:20We got to Bute,
0:22:20 > 0:22:24we're out walking, she fell, broke her wrist
0:22:24 > 0:22:26it involved us in taxis,
0:22:26 > 0:22:29trips to the mainland for X-rays.
0:22:29 > 0:22:33In total, the cost came to about £135.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35So, we put the insurance claim in
0:22:35 > 0:22:37and we got a letter back saying
0:22:37 > 0:22:40that this insurance policy does not cover us
0:22:40 > 0:22:42for the United Kingdom,
0:22:42 > 0:22:44the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46Here we are, here we are.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49Section B emergency medical and treatment expenses.
0:22:49 > 0:22:51It very specifically says
0:22:51 > 0:22:54this section does not apply to trips within the UK,
0:22:54 > 0:22:57Channel Islands or Isle of Man if you live there.
0:22:57 > 0:22:59What should they have done?
0:22:59 > 0:23:03The advice is unless there's a very particular reason
0:23:03 > 0:23:06that you would want to get insurance for a UK trip,
0:23:06 > 0:23:10- don't bother.- Are you going to take this issue up on behalf of John?
0:23:10 > 0:23:11I most certainly am!
0:23:11 > 0:23:14I want to find out first of all
0:23:14 > 0:23:16how they can possibly sell insurance at that price
0:23:16 > 0:23:19£55 for five days in Scotland.
0:23:19 > 0:23:22I don't know if we have legally a leg to stand on
0:23:22 > 0:23:25but morally, I'm afraid this is an almighty rip-off.
0:23:25 > 0:23:28- Are you a happy man, John? - Very much so. Brilliant, go for it!
0:23:28 > 0:23:30- Thanks very much indeed. - Our pop up shop
0:23:30 > 0:23:32has certainly drawn the crowds
0:23:32 > 0:23:36and our experts have been busy with an extraordinary range of problems.
0:23:36 > 0:23:41Good heavens above! Sarah, what's the legal position here?
0:23:41 > 0:23:43If nobody is offering you any financial recompense,
0:23:43 > 0:23:46you may have to consider going through the courts.
0:23:46 > 0:23:48Michael has been left with an expensive repair bill
0:23:48 > 0:23:51after his car was damaged by a pothole
0:23:51 > 0:23:54and wants some advice on what to do next with his claim
0:23:54 > 0:23:57after his local authority's insurer refused to pay out.
0:23:57 > 0:24:00They wouldn't accept a claim
0:24:00 > 0:24:04for damage against a third party's insurer.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07I didn't know where to turn next.
0:24:07 > 0:24:09The difficulty here is you're not a client
0:24:09 > 0:24:12of the local authority's insurer.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15And so actually you don't have that same protection that you do,
0:24:15 > 0:24:18you know, if it was your own insurance policy.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21So, there's sort of a couple of other options open to you.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24One of them you probably considered
0:24:24 > 0:24:27which is to make a claim on your own car insurance policy.
0:24:27 > 0:24:31But of course you've then got your own excess to pay.
0:24:31 > 0:24:33That damages your own claims record.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36The only other option really open to you now
0:24:36 > 0:24:40is think about complaining to the local government ombudsman. At least
0:24:40 > 0:24:42it's independent eyes looking over your case.
0:24:42 > 0:24:46Well, I have records from the insurance company which show
0:24:46 > 0:24:49that the last time the road was surveyed
0:24:49 > 0:24:51was in February.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54And no survey exists for March
0:24:55 > 0:24:57and the accident was in April.
0:24:57 > 0:25:01Well that sounds like that could be a key piece of evidence and,
0:25:01 > 0:25:04you know, that evidence is all stuff that should be put in your claim
0:25:04 > 0:25:05to the local government ombudsman
0:25:05 > 0:25:09and best of luck with it. Let's hope you get that insurer to pay out.
0:25:09 > 0:25:11I'll certainly do that and thanks very much for your advice.
0:25:14 > 0:25:18Next, a case of what should've been a straightforward repair
0:25:18 > 0:25:20which has not only dragged on for months
0:25:20 > 0:25:23but led to hundreds of pounds of extra costs
0:25:23 > 0:25:26and an extraordinary amount of unnecessary hassle.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29Harriet Love contacted us because the company concerned
0:25:29 > 0:25:32had told her it wasn't down to them to put things right.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35But, according to the experts we've spoken to,
0:25:35 > 0:25:39this really is a case where there's no smoke without fire.
0:25:42 > 0:25:44When Harriet Love's car engine
0:25:44 > 0:25:46packed up, she recorded the moment on camera
0:25:46 > 0:25:51little realising that smoke was a sign of worse things to come.
0:25:53 > 0:25:56Harriet needs a car to ferry her two children around,
0:25:56 > 0:25:59but rather than replace her ten-year-old Vauxhall Astra,
0:25:59 > 0:26:02she decided to give it a new lease of life.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05I got advice from my brother who's a mechanic and he seemed to think
0:26:05 > 0:26:09it would be very straightforward to refit a second-hand engine
0:26:09 > 0:26:12and at the time it was going to be the easiest option.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15I couldn't afford a new car. It was quite difficult
0:26:15 > 0:26:18to find a new engine with the car being so old.
0:26:18 > 0:26:22So, I decided to go online through a company that you could get
0:26:22 > 0:26:26parts from and I felt reassured by this company because
0:26:26 > 0:26:30they were the largest in the country and the parts would come guaranteed.
0:26:30 > 0:26:34And through that website, Harriet got a quote from a business
0:26:34 > 0:26:37called West Coast Car Breakers in Preston.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40Their own website boasts that they can
0:26:40 > 0:26:42supply anything from a wheel nut to an engine.
0:26:42 > 0:26:46And that they do it reaching new heights of efficiency!
0:26:46 > 0:26:50So Harriet was thrilled to discover they had the engine she needed.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53They came at a reasonable price, at £288
0:26:53 > 0:26:56which was going to include delivery
0:26:56 > 0:26:59and a 30 day warranty, so I was happy with this purchase.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02After several weeks of not having a car
0:27:02 > 0:27:05I felt very much relieved that this company was going to supply
0:27:05 > 0:27:08the engine very quickly and I'd be able to get myself back on the road.
0:27:08 > 0:27:10West Coast Car Breakers
0:27:10 > 0:27:14DID deliver the engine to a garage near Harriet, as promised.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17But something wasn't right.
0:27:17 > 0:27:21The engine was fitted really quickly but then I got a call
0:27:21 > 0:27:24from my local garage that had fitted the engine
0:27:24 > 0:27:26saying that he was a little bit concerned
0:27:26 > 0:27:29that there was still some smoke coming out the back of my car
0:27:29 > 0:27:33and he found that the water pump supplied with the engine
0:27:33 > 0:27:36was cracked and it needed replacing.
0:27:36 > 0:27:38Graham Ransom, the mechanic who did the repair,
0:27:38 > 0:27:42is in no doubt about the equipment he'd been supplied with.
0:27:42 > 0:27:45This engine wasn't fit for purpose. As soon as I put it in
0:27:45 > 0:27:47it was burning oil. It was so bad you couldn't see the car behind.
0:27:47 > 0:27:50Obviously it was the piston rings
0:27:50 > 0:27:51letting the oil past,
0:27:51 > 0:27:54obviously creating the smoke and burning the oil.
0:27:54 > 0:27:58So Harriet rang West Coast Car Breakers.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01After all, they'd sold her the engine with a 30 day warranty
0:28:01 > 0:28:05But they told her that DIDN'T cover the water pump.
0:28:05 > 0:28:08They weren't very helpful and I didn't quite understand
0:28:08 > 0:28:10all the terminology so I asked my mechanic
0:28:10 > 0:28:12to phone up on my behalf
0:28:12 > 0:28:14to see if he could resolve the problem.
0:28:14 > 0:28:16He did this the following day
0:28:16 > 0:28:20and the scrapyard agreed to send out a replacement water pump,
0:28:20 > 0:28:23so I was happy with the response.
0:28:23 > 0:28:25But not for long.
0:28:25 > 0:28:27When the water pump didn't arrive,
0:28:27 > 0:28:31Harriet's mechanic rang West Coast Car Breakers again to see why.
0:28:31 > 0:28:34This time, they returned to saying they WOULDN'T replace the part
0:28:34 > 0:28:38as it wasn't covered by the warranty.
0:28:38 > 0:28:41In a desperate attempt to get Harriet mobile again,
0:28:41 > 0:28:44Graham suggested trying to salvage the water pump
0:28:44 > 0:28:46from Harriet's old engine.
0:28:46 > 0:28:50Thinking that it was going to be straightforward, I was surprised
0:28:50 > 0:28:52when my mechanic called me again
0:28:52 > 0:28:57to say that the engine was still smoking badly and in his opinion
0:28:57 > 0:29:00it needed replacing and I'd been sold a bad engine.
0:29:00 > 0:29:02What colour is the circle?
0:29:02 > 0:29:05Harried was becoming increasingly frustrated.
0:29:05 > 0:29:07She'd been without a car now for several weeks
0:29:07 > 0:29:10and the problem seemed to be getting worse.
0:29:10 > 0:29:11It was becoming very stressful.
0:29:11 > 0:29:13I was confused over what was going on
0:29:13 > 0:29:16and in the meantime I had no car
0:29:16 > 0:29:20it was at a garage, costing me a lot of money...
0:29:20 > 0:29:25I've got two small children and life was becoming very difficult at home.
0:29:25 > 0:29:29Harriet was fed up and she wanted her money back.
0:29:29 > 0:29:33And she was confident that the law was on her side.
0:29:33 > 0:29:35Under The Sale of Goods Act 1979,
0:29:35 > 0:29:38if you're sold a product with an existing fault
0:29:38 > 0:29:41even if it's second-hand and it wasn't made clear to you
0:29:41 > 0:29:43when you bought it, you should be entitled to a refund,
0:29:43 > 0:29:45repair or replacement.
0:29:45 > 0:29:48And the trader should also be responsible
0:29:48 > 0:29:51for any consequential loss.
0:29:51 > 0:29:55But West Coast Car Breakers DIDN'T see things entirely the same way.
0:29:55 > 0:29:59The company said that the engine would have been fully tested
0:29:59 > 0:30:02before it had been removed from its original car.
0:30:02 > 0:30:05And that they would only refund me for the cost of the engine
0:30:05 > 0:30:08and not all the other costs that I'd incurred
0:30:08 > 0:30:11from fitting it and taking it out.
0:30:11 > 0:30:18Eventually, we agreed that I would have a refund for the engine if I removed it from the car
0:30:18 > 0:30:20and they would collect it free of charge.
0:30:21 > 0:30:24Though that seemed to be moving in the right direction,
0:30:24 > 0:30:28Harriet had to spend more money removing the engine from her car.
0:30:28 > 0:30:33I arranged to rebook my car in the garage to have the engine removed
0:30:33 > 0:30:38and I contacted the scrap yard to tell them the day when it was going to be ready for collection.
0:30:38 > 0:30:43The scrap yard turned up the day before when the engine was still in the car
0:30:43 > 0:30:47and they saw the engine working and they agreed that it was very bad,
0:30:47 > 0:30:51the smoke from the back of the car, but they left without the engine.
0:30:51 > 0:30:56West Coast Car Breakers insisted they HADN'T got the day wrong,
0:30:56 > 0:30:58and that as they had now had a wasted journey,
0:30:58 > 0:31:02it was up to Harriet to return the engine to them.
0:31:02 > 0:31:07However that confusion had occurred, by now it wasn't just the car that was fuming.
0:31:09 > 0:31:13This company were being very unreasonable and were not helping me in any way
0:31:13 > 0:31:16despite them selling me the bad part.
0:31:16 > 0:31:19I was in a situation where I had no car and the money
0:31:19 > 0:31:22was starting to add up, and I started becoming very stressed about
0:31:22 > 0:31:25how I was going to afford to pay for everything.
0:31:25 > 0:31:28Despite spending hundreds of pounds,
0:31:28 > 0:31:31Harriet didn't have a working car, and things were tough without it.
0:31:31 > 0:31:34I was still without a car with an engine,
0:31:34 > 0:31:36which had been very stressful because of the school run
0:31:36 > 0:31:40taking three hours a day using public transport.
0:31:40 > 0:31:42We got in touch with West Coast Car Breakers,
0:31:42 > 0:31:46who say they're saddened by this situation, but don't agree that
0:31:46 > 0:31:48they've been unhelpful in resolving it,
0:31:48 > 0:31:52and stress they're not a company that acts with no regard for the customer.
0:31:52 > 0:31:55They point out that they offered a full refund for the engine
0:31:55 > 0:31:59and to collect it free of charge within an hour of being asked.
0:31:59 > 0:32:04However, they now say they WILL refund the cost of the engine without its return.
0:32:04 > 0:32:08And they accept that they did go to collect it on the wrong day,
0:32:08 > 0:32:10for which they offer their "sincere apologies"
0:32:10 > 0:32:14and they're giving Harriet £200 in compensation.
0:32:14 > 0:32:18But, it still doesn't seem that they're going to cover all her consequential losses.
0:32:18 > 0:32:22They point out that's because the terms and conditions of the website
0:32:22 > 0:32:27she first used to contact them makes clear these costs won't be paid.
0:32:27 > 0:32:33But experts we've spoken to say any terms and conditions are always trumped by the Sale of Goods Act,
0:32:33 > 0:32:37and that losses in cases like this should be paid.
0:32:37 > 0:32:43Meanwhile, Harriet felt she had no choice but to find another engine somewhere else.
0:32:43 > 0:32:46And of course that's cost even more money.
0:32:46 > 0:32:49So while she's relieved to have a working car again,
0:32:49 > 0:32:54she's angry that the whole business has left her so out of pocket.
0:32:54 > 0:32:58Financially and emotionally, I feel completely drained from everything
0:32:58 > 0:33:02that I've had to do in order to get this car back on the road.
0:33:02 > 0:33:04And I'm in a situation where
0:33:04 > 0:33:07I don't feel I can move forward with this scrap yard
0:33:07 > 0:33:14and I can't see an end in order to resolve this situation that I'm in.
0:33:17 > 0:33:21After our last series of Rip-Off Britain, many thousands of you
0:33:21 > 0:33:25sent in for our Rip-Off Britain guide to getting a good deal.
0:33:25 > 0:33:29So, this year, we've written a new expanded guide with practical advice
0:33:29 > 0:33:31on topics that are covered in this series,
0:33:31 > 0:33:36like PPI, cold calls and supermarket deals, as well as updated tips
0:33:36 > 0:33:41and information on avoiding rip-offs and how to get a better deal.
0:33:41 > 0:33:45You can find a link to the new, free guide on our website. It's at...
0:33:48 > 0:33:50Or to receive a copy in the post,
0:33:50 > 0:33:53send a stamped, self-addressed A5 envelope to the address
0:33:53 > 0:33:56that we'll give you at the end of the programme.
0:34:01 > 0:34:05Swapping your unwanted gold for cash has become increasingly popular in recent years.
0:34:05 > 0:34:07And earlier in the programme we heard from Lisa
0:34:07 > 0:34:12who was disappointed by her experience with the service that she'd had
0:34:12 > 0:34:16from the online cash for gold company The British Gold Refinery.
0:34:16 > 0:34:20They gave her a quote of more than £500 for a gold watch,
0:34:20 > 0:34:26only to then offer less than half that amount once she'd sent it off to them.
0:34:26 > 0:34:30To me, it's underhand and misleading and shouldn't be allowed to happen.
0:34:30 > 0:34:33So, was Lisa's experience a one-off?
0:34:33 > 0:34:36Well, we wondered what would happen if we tried to sell some.
0:34:36 > 0:34:40So, we sent some gold to The British Gold Refinery.
0:34:40 > 0:34:43Would we, as they claim, get the best price on the market?
0:34:46 > 0:34:49We selected three pieces of gold - a money clip, a bracelet and a gold chain,
0:34:49 > 0:34:51and went to a professional jeweller
0:34:51 > 0:34:55to have them weighed and the carat certified.
0:34:55 > 0:35:01This piece is 14-carat gold. I've weighed it at 25.27 grams.
0:35:01 > 0:35:03We also had all three items valued.
0:35:04 > 0:35:0814-carat chain, I would give £440 for.
0:35:08 > 0:35:13The 9-carat gold money clip, I would give £138 pounds for.
0:35:13 > 0:35:18And the bracelet with cubic zirconias and 18-carat gold,
0:35:18 > 0:35:20I would give £270 for.
0:35:22 > 0:35:27The jeweller offered a total of £848 for our gold.
0:35:27 > 0:35:31So, could we get a better offer from The British Gold Refinery?
0:35:31 > 0:35:36Well, in this video on the homepage of its website,
0:35:36 > 0:35:38the company promises top prices.
0:35:38 > 0:35:42Do you want to get the most cash for your unwanted gold?
0:35:42 > 0:35:45If your answer is "Yes", you couldn't have found a better place.
0:35:46 > 0:35:49And true to that promise, they instantly seemed to beat
0:35:49 > 0:35:54the jeweller's valuation by quoting us more than £900 for the gold.
0:35:54 > 0:35:59So far so good, and we posted the gold off to them straightaway.
0:35:59 > 0:36:02Our online service guarantees top gold rates.
0:36:02 > 0:36:06But all hopes of a "guaranteed top rate" disappeared when,
0:36:06 > 0:36:08after they'd received our gold,
0:36:08 > 0:36:11the company reduced its offer.
0:36:11 > 0:36:13By almost two thirds.
0:36:13 > 0:36:19They now said all that they'd pay was £335.94.
0:36:19 > 0:36:22One of our team rang them straightaway.
0:36:22 > 0:36:28You know, I was expecting over £900, really, for what I've sent in.
0:36:28 > 0:36:32The British Gold Refinery then upped their offer to £360.
0:36:32 > 0:36:38An improvement, but still over £500 LESS than their original quote.
0:36:38 > 0:36:44As a UK leading refinery, we pride ourselves on offering market-leading payment rates.
0:36:44 > 0:36:49So we called them again to see not just why the quote was now so much lower,
0:36:49 > 0:36:51but how they'd worked it out.
0:36:51 > 0:36:55For example, how they valued our gold bracelet.
0:36:55 > 0:36:57What did the bracelet weigh?
0:36:57 > 0:37:00Four grams? Right, OK.
0:37:00 > 0:37:06The company claimed that our bracelet consisted of just four grams of gold.
0:37:06 > 0:37:09That's half as much as certified by our jeweller,
0:37:09 > 0:37:13whose valuation was based on it containing eight grams.
0:37:13 > 0:37:16He also certified the gold as 18-carat,
0:37:16 > 0:37:19so what did The British Gold Refinery say it was?
0:37:19 > 0:37:22The bracelet at 16, yeah, yeah.
0:37:22 > 0:37:27Two carats less than our jeweller's certification.
0:37:27 > 0:37:30So, what about our gold chain and the money clip?
0:37:30 > 0:37:31Nine-carat, right.
0:37:31 > 0:37:36The company said that they were both nine-carat,
0:37:36 > 0:37:39and though that is the same as the jeweller had said for the clip,
0:37:39 > 0:37:43he told us that the chain was 14-carat.
0:37:43 > 0:37:47We decided to decline The British Gold Refinery's offer
0:37:47 > 0:37:49and ask for our gold back.
0:37:49 > 0:37:53It isn't what I was hoping for at all,
0:37:53 > 0:37:58so I'd just prefer to have them sent back if that's OK?
0:38:00 > 0:38:04They promised to call us back, but the phone didn't ring.
0:38:04 > 0:38:08We also e-mailed to make sure that the company knew we were unhappy.
0:38:08 > 0:38:11We were then told to contact their returns department.
0:38:11 > 0:38:14Over the next three days, we called The British Gold Refinery
0:38:14 > 0:38:17a further three times to ask for our gold back.
0:38:17 > 0:38:21And it was returned, five days after we first asked.
0:38:21 > 0:38:25But our experience with what they offered to pay was very similar
0:38:25 > 0:38:27to what had happened to Lisa.
0:38:27 > 0:38:33So why had they initially quoted so much more than they were willing to pay?
0:38:33 > 0:38:37When we asked them just that, The British Gold Refinery told us
0:38:37 > 0:38:40that they were "unable to comment" without proof that our valuations
0:38:40 > 0:38:43were for the same items that we'd sent them.
0:38:43 > 0:38:45They also said their valuations...
0:38:48 > 0:38:52..not a retail, resale or insurance price, which they say...
0:38:53 > 0:38:57..between their valuations and the ones from our jeweller.
0:38:57 > 0:39:02Although, in fact, his valuations were done in exactly the same way.
0:39:02 > 0:39:08The company also says how much they offer takes into account their cost and profit margins...
0:39:11 > 0:39:15And they've reiterated that the original quote is based on
0:39:15 > 0:39:20a guide spot price of gold, with their exact offer only confirmed
0:39:20 > 0:39:23once they've received the items.
0:39:23 > 0:39:29But none of that holds much weight with the jeweller who did our initial valuation.
0:39:29 > 0:39:34I'm not saying that we're always going to be the best person in town,
0:39:34 > 0:39:41but I think £500 differential is a huge amount to be thinking about.
0:39:41 > 0:39:44You've got to just get the best price you can.
0:39:44 > 0:39:48I find it very disturbing that they can offer such a little amount.
0:39:48 > 0:39:52I would've thought they may have offered maybe £100 less or something
0:39:52 > 0:39:56for their extra work in sending it backwards and forwards.
0:39:56 > 0:39:59But at 335,
0:39:59 > 0:40:03it just seems to be that they haven't read the gold properly.
0:40:03 > 0:40:07There are plenty of other gold companies that you've told us
0:40:07 > 0:40:12don't pay anything like the price initially quoted.
0:40:12 > 0:40:14The best advice is to do what we did -
0:40:14 > 0:40:18get your gold accurately weighed and valued before you send it off.
0:40:18 > 0:40:23And shop around so that you can be sure you are getting a fair price.
0:40:23 > 0:40:27You can find more information on how to sell gold safely and effectively
0:40:27 > 0:40:28on our website...
0:40:37 > 0:40:38Here at Rip-Off Britain,
0:40:38 > 0:40:41we're always ready to investigate more of your stories.
0:40:41 > 0:40:43Confused over your bills?
0:40:43 > 0:40:48Trying to wade your way through never-ending small print?
0:40:48 > 0:40:50We should read it but it's not in plain English. It's not...
0:40:50 > 0:40:53It should be simple, you know, ABC. You know, very basic stuff.
0:40:53 > 0:40:56Unsure what to do when you discover you've lost out,
0:40:56 > 0:40:58and that "great deal" has ended up costing you money?
0:40:58 > 0:41:01You get home, you get your bill and it's like £70,
0:41:01 > 0:41:03when it's meant to be £35.
0:41:03 > 0:41:07And it's just basically... You get ripped off, don't you?
0:41:07 > 0:41:12You might have a cautionary tale of your own and want to share the mistakes you made with us
0:41:12 > 0:41:15so that other people don't do the same thing.
0:41:15 > 0:41:20We paid them good money to act in our best interest, they didn't.
0:41:20 > 0:41:22You can write to us at...
0:41:32 > 0:41:34Or you can send us an email to...
0:41:38 > 0:41:43'Remember that the Rip-Off team is always ready and waiting to investigate your stories.'
0:41:45 > 0:41:47So as we've heard today,
0:41:47 > 0:41:51sometimes we need to manage our own expectations before getting
0:41:51 > 0:41:54too excited about an offer or a promise that may not be
0:41:54 > 0:41:57quite as good as the website or the ads would have us believe.
0:41:57 > 0:42:00But even so, when you are forking out good money,
0:42:00 > 0:42:03you really should expect to get what you paid for.
0:42:03 > 0:42:06And if you don't, then you need to make sure that you know your rights
0:42:06 > 0:42:10so that you know the most effective way of getting your money back.
0:42:10 > 0:42:13And do think about the way you pay for things.
0:42:13 > 0:42:18Remember that paying by credit card will usually give you protection if something does go wrong.
0:42:18 > 0:42:20That's all we've got time for today,
0:42:20 > 0:42:24but we hope you can join us next time when we'll be looking into more of your stories.
0:42:24 > 0:42:26- Until then, from all of us, bye-bye. - Bye!- Bye!
0:42:48 > 0:42:51Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd