0:00:02 > 0:00:05We asked you to tell us who's left you feeling ripped off
0:00:05 > 0:00:09and you contacted us in your thousands by post, email,
0:00:09 > 0:00:13even stopping us on the streets, and the message couldn't be clearer.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18I think there's a lot of hidden information about your bills
0:00:18 > 0:00:20that should be made a lot more clear.
0:00:20 > 0:00:22I don't feel I get treated how I should be.
0:00:22 > 0:00:24You've told us, with money tighter than ever,
0:00:24 > 0:00:28you need to be sure that every pound you spend is worth it.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31How do I get my money back? Cos I just think I'm entitled to it.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34So, whether it's a deliberate rip off, a simple mistake,
0:00:34 > 0:00:36or a catch in the small print,
0:00:36 > 0:00:38we'll find out why it is that you're out of pocket
0:00:38 > 0:00:41AND what you can do about it.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44Keep asking the questions, you know, go to the top if you have to.
0:00:44 > 0:00:48We do get results, I mean that's the interesting thing.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51Your stories, your money - This is Rip Off Britain.
0:00:53 > 0:00:57Hello and welcome to Rip Off Britain where, as ever,
0:00:57 > 0:01:00we're going in to battle on your behalf
0:01:00 > 0:01:02and challenging the companies that you've told us
0:01:02 > 0:01:03have left you out of pocket.
0:01:03 > 0:01:07Sometimes by hundreds of pounds or more.
0:01:07 > 0:01:09We're going to be asking them the really tough questions
0:01:09 > 0:01:10that sometimes you can't.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13And if we can help more of you avoid losing out in the first place,
0:01:13 > 0:01:15well then, so much the better.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18Because, as you know, once you've handed over your well-earned money,
0:01:18 > 0:01:21sadly, if you then need to get it back...
0:01:21 > 0:01:23Well, that can prove very difficult indeed.
0:01:23 > 0:01:25And how many times have we seen that on the programme?
0:01:25 > 0:01:27More then we'd like to.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30And really that applies whether you're dealing with companies that
0:01:30 > 0:01:34are respectable household names, or ones that aren't that familiar.
0:01:34 > 0:01:38And, who knows, perhaps one or two who are not that respectable either.
0:01:38 > 0:01:39Coming up...
0:01:39 > 0:01:41A company that's driven off
0:01:41 > 0:01:43with thousands of pounds of these people's money.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46I thought, "There is no chance of me getting my money back"
0:01:46 > 0:01:48and I was, I was devastated.
0:01:48 > 0:01:50I just feel like they're just daylight robbers.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53I just think they're scammers, complete and utter scammers.
0:01:55 > 0:01:57The fan calling foul after hundreds of pounds
0:01:57 > 0:02:00was taken from his bank account for tickets he never got.
0:02:00 > 0:02:02It absolutely killed me,
0:02:02 > 0:02:06this unfortunate feeling that I was not going to the game.
0:02:06 > 0:02:11And we take up more of your problems face to face at our pop-up shop.
0:02:11 > 0:02:15Maggie and Rick Hilton are a couple in the business
0:02:15 > 0:02:17of making other peoples' wedding dreams come true.
0:02:17 > 0:02:20But after what they thought was a dream purchase of their own,
0:02:20 > 0:02:23they've been left distinctly unhappy themselves,
0:02:23 > 0:02:26not to mention thousands of pounds worse off.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29That's bad enough, but what really frustrates them
0:02:29 > 0:02:32is that, although they've lost an awful lot of money,
0:02:32 > 0:02:35there doesn't seem to be anything they can do to get it back.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42For the blushing bride and beaming groom,
0:02:42 > 0:02:44every detail counts on the big day.
0:02:44 > 0:02:46You may kiss your wife.
0:02:47 > 0:02:51And, over six years, Rick and Maggie Hilton
0:02:51 > 0:02:54have perfected the art of providing a fairytale wedding
0:02:54 > 0:02:57to hundreds of couples.
0:02:58 > 0:03:02They run this bed and breakfast and wedding venue on the Isle of Wight.
0:03:02 > 0:03:04But there was one detail
0:03:04 > 0:03:06they felt was missing from this perfect scene -
0:03:06 > 0:03:11a wedding car to drive the bride and groom around the grounds.
0:03:11 > 0:03:16The car that we've got now, I mean, it's not really something
0:03:16 > 0:03:19that we can use physically to transport people.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22It's only really for photography purposes.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25It's just to add a little extra to the couples
0:03:25 > 0:03:27that are getting married, so they can have photographs.
0:03:27 > 0:03:32So, in 2008, Rick and Maggie found a man called Mark Ackers,
0:03:32 > 0:03:37from a Preston-based company, Elite Wedding Cars Lancashire Ltd.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40Not to be confused with other businesses of similar names.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44They commissioned Mark to build a kit car called a Beauford,
0:03:44 > 0:03:47personalised with a fleck, glitter-paint finish.
0:03:47 > 0:03:52It was like a Beauford Tourer, beautiful 1930s Gatsby style.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54You had the big-spoke wheels,
0:03:54 > 0:03:57wheel on the side, convertible.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59Beautiful leather seats.
0:03:59 > 0:04:04Very eco-friendly, which he agreed to build.
0:04:04 > 0:04:05I mean, it was special.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10Mark quoted them a price for the car of £21,000,
0:04:10 > 0:04:12which the couple had budgeted for.
0:04:12 > 0:04:17They agreed to pay him in three instalments - the first immediately,
0:04:17 > 0:04:22the second a few weeks later, and the final payment on delivery.
0:04:22 > 0:04:27And obviously thought that being a legitimate limited company
0:04:27 > 0:04:29that he'd be reputable.
0:04:31 > 0:04:36So...we were very confident to go ahead with him.
0:04:36 > 0:04:38We even got a chauffeur's uniform for you, didn't we?
0:04:38 > 0:04:43Oh yes, a very enchanted chauffeur's uniform for me!
0:04:44 > 0:04:47So Rick and Maggie paid the first instalment of £7,000,
0:04:47 > 0:04:50and started taking bookings for the car
0:04:50 > 0:04:54from prospective bride and grooms as part of their wedding package.
0:04:54 > 0:05:00That was like the icing on the cake, to give that little value-added thing
0:05:00 > 0:05:05to make peoples' weddings or breaks here something really special.
0:05:05 > 0:05:09But, as the delivery date fast approached
0:05:09 > 0:05:12and despite handing over the SECOND £7,000 instalment...
0:05:14 > 0:05:18..progress on the car seemed to be agonisingly slow.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20Oh, hello!
0:05:20 > 0:05:23Oh, look at some of these excuses..
0:05:23 > 0:05:27Rick and Maggie repeatedly contacted Mark Ackers
0:05:27 > 0:05:29to see what the hold-up was about.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32Here's a few of his excuses.
0:05:32 > 0:05:34He was "Really busy,"
0:05:34 > 0:05:37"Off work with a bad stomach,"
0:05:37 > 0:05:39and, "At a funeral."
0:05:40 > 0:05:43Didn't get back to us as he, "Had the day off."
0:05:44 > 0:05:47Couldn't take any more pictures, "Due to the rain."
0:05:47 > 0:05:49There was quite a few more.
0:05:49 > 0:05:53We were living in hope all the time, hoping that it was all true.
0:05:54 > 0:05:58Mark Ackers' stalling meant Rick and Maggie had to put the brakes
0:05:58 > 0:06:01on their plans, and let down the clients who'd ordered the car
0:06:01 > 0:06:03as part of their wedding package.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08But finally, in August 2008.
0:06:08 > 0:06:10four weeks AFTER the promised delivery date,
0:06:10 > 0:06:14Ackers sent some pictures of the car through to the couple.
0:06:14 > 0:06:18Trouble was, it was nowhere near finished.
0:06:18 > 0:06:20By the time he did send these pictures,
0:06:20 > 0:06:23the car was meant to be near enough completed
0:06:23 > 0:06:27but it was obvious, when you looked at the pictures, that it wasn't.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30Looks like probably one of his wedding cars there.
0:06:31 > 0:06:35Mark Ackers still seemed to be living out his own fairytale.
0:06:35 > 0:06:38He told the Hiltons that the car was still on track for delivery,
0:06:38 > 0:06:42and in fact had just passed its roadworthiness test.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45Unfortunately for him, Maggie was learning
0:06:45 > 0:06:48not to accept anything he said at face value,
0:06:48 > 0:06:49and checked out his claims
0:06:49 > 0:06:52with the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55When I got onto the... I think it's the VOSA,
0:06:55 > 0:06:59they confirmed that it hadn't even been in for the test,
0:06:59 > 0:07:01yet he had told us, "It had passed."
0:07:01 > 0:07:04So, in actual fact, all the emails that he was sending
0:07:04 > 0:07:07were just total lies and obviously...
0:07:08 > 0:07:12..then we knew that there was something seriously wrong.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16With proof that what he'd told them was untrue,
0:07:16 > 0:07:18Rick and Maggie demanded an explanation.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21At which point, Mark Ackers suddenly told them
0:07:21 > 0:07:25that another buyer was offering to pay MORE money for the car
0:07:25 > 0:07:27he was building especially for them!
0:07:27 > 0:07:30The Hiltons sought legal help.
0:07:30 > 0:07:34And Mark Ackers suddenly went silent, effectively disappearing
0:07:34 > 0:07:36with their money AND the car.
0:07:36 > 0:07:40We did everything - we went to Trading Standards,
0:07:40 > 0:07:45Citizens Advice, debt collectors, courts.
0:07:45 > 0:07:50In the end, we had a judgment in our favour for nearly £30,000.
0:07:50 > 0:07:54CONVERSATION INAUDIBLE
0:07:54 > 0:07:57Despite the court ordering Mark Ackers
0:07:57 > 0:08:01and Elite Wedding Cars Lancashire Ltd to reimburse the Hiltons
0:08:01 > 0:08:04nearly £30,000 to cover the money they'd paid
0:08:04 > 0:08:08and the losses they'd suffered, Ackers didn't pay up.
0:08:08 > 0:08:10Once we'd got the judgment, we thought,
0:08:10 > 0:08:12"Wow, we're starting to get somewhere.
0:08:12 > 0:08:14And then you think to yourself,
0:08:14 > 0:08:18"Well, it's been through a court of law, the law is on your side."
0:08:18 > 0:08:23Unfortunately, that doesn't always make any difference.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25And, actually, getting back what the law says you're owed
0:08:25 > 0:08:28can be very difficult indeed.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31As solicitor Maung Aye explains.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34Unfortunately, obtaining a court order doesn't necessarily mean
0:08:34 > 0:08:37that the claimants will receive their monies back.
0:08:37 > 0:08:41The Hiltons, in this case, had a substantial sum due to them
0:08:41 > 0:08:43but they were dependent on the bailiffs
0:08:43 > 0:08:45being able to enforce the debt against the company
0:08:45 > 0:08:49and the company having sufficient assets to satisfy the debt.
0:08:51 > 0:08:55Bailiffs can't just go into property, break in and retrieve the assets.
0:08:55 > 0:08:57So, quite feasibly, if the director
0:08:57 > 0:09:00either doesn't answer the door of the property
0:09:00 > 0:09:01or moves assets around,
0:09:01 > 0:09:03bailiffs will have difficulty locating the assets
0:09:03 > 0:09:05to satisfy the debt.
0:09:06 > 0:09:07In a final twist to the story,
0:09:07 > 0:09:10Rick and Maggie discovered through the chassis number
0:09:10 > 0:09:13that their dream car HAD been sold to someone else.
0:09:13 > 0:09:18So not only had Mark Ackers taken £14,000 from THEM,
0:09:18 > 0:09:21he'd also made MORE money selling the car.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26He was brought back into court
0:09:26 > 0:09:29and they actually ordered him to pay £16,000 into the court,
0:09:29 > 0:09:34which he refused, or didn't act on it.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37And by that stage... I mean, obviously...
0:09:37 > 0:09:41you know, we were just absolutely devastated.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43And because of our financial situation,
0:09:43 > 0:09:46we couldn't just keep getting lawyers to act on our behalf.
0:09:46 > 0:09:50We tried to contact Mark Ackers by post, email and phone.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52But despite repeated attempts,
0:09:52 > 0:09:55he hasn't responded to ANY of our questions.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58And, extraordinary as it seems,
0:09:58 > 0:10:00there isn't much more Rick and Maggie can do.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03Because their contract was with a limited company
0:10:03 > 0:10:05that Mark Ackers has now dissolved,
0:10:05 > 0:10:07and they'd be unlikely to get any joy
0:10:07 > 0:10:10joining a list of creditors with the Insolvency Agency,
0:10:10 > 0:10:13they really have reached the end of the road.
0:10:13 > 0:10:15We chased him for over three years.
0:10:15 > 0:10:20I mean, this is the fourth year now, and we've actually got nowhere.
0:10:20 > 0:10:22It does wear you down after a while
0:10:22 > 0:10:26but we've decided now just to draw a line under it
0:10:26 > 0:10:29and get on and just carry on making people happy.
0:10:35 > 0:10:39If you're a sport or a music fan desperate to see your heroes,
0:10:39 > 0:10:42then a company that promises it can get you those hard-to-find
0:10:42 > 0:10:46or even sold-out seats can seem just the ticket.
0:10:46 > 0:10:50But those companies can often deliver an unexpected result,
0:10:50 > 0:10:52as one of them did for our next viewer.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55He was determined to get to Barcelona for a football game
0:10:55 > 0:10:59but the company he used kept moving the goalposts.
0:10:59 > 0:11:01It's an open goal!
0:11:01 > 0:11:03Aside from his day job,
0:11:03 > 0:11:08there's only one thing that really takes up the time of Bes Sezer,
0:11:08 > 0:11:10and that's his beloved Arsenal.
0:11:10 > 0:11:12Arsenal!
0:11:15 > 0:11:16Arsenal's in my blood,
0:11:16 > 0:11:20I was raised an Arsenal fan by my father, my uncle.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23Those were the days when we used to be able to go
0:11:23 > 0:11:28and, you know, for £10 we could go watch the game, buy a programme
0:11:28 > 0:11:31and a hotdog and the train fare home! If I can't get to a game,
0:11:31 > 0:11:36I like to try and be involved with the Arsenal community somehow
0:11:36 > 0:11:37because it's just a love of mine.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40So in February, last year, when Arsenal beat Barcelona
0:11:40 > 0:11:43in the first leg of their Champions League tie,
0:11:43 > 0:11:47there was no doubt about what Bes would need to do next.
0:11:47 > 0:11:52The very next day, I was straight online looking to buy some tickets
0:11:52 > 0:11:54to go out there and watch the game.
0:11:54 > 0:11:59This website came up, they were called onlineticketexpress.com.
0:11:59 > 0:12:00In hindsight,
0:12:00 > 0:12:03I didn't put any research into this company whatsoever,
0:12:03 > 0:12:07and, obviously, it came back to hit me hard.
0:12:07 > 0:12:09The match tickets weren't cheap.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12But, as it was such a crucial game,
0:12:12 > 0:12:15Bes wasn't put off and he ordered two - one for himself,
0:12:15 > 0:12:20and one for his brother, Oz, at a total cost of £524.
0:12:20 > 0:12:22'Having made the purchase online,'
0:12:22 > 0:12:27the very next thing that was asked was that I returned
0:12:27 > 0:12:31a email, signed back to them via fax,
0:12:31 > 0:12:34to confirm that I was definitely making a purchase of these tickets.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36I did that immediately.
0:12:36 > 0:12:41I'd never made a purchase online for a sporting event before,
0:12:41 > 0:12:44so nothing triggered my mind
0:12:44 > 0:12:46that there was anything abnormal about that.
0:12:47 > 0:12:51Tickets apparently sorted, Bes set about organising
0:12:51 > 0:12:53what should have been the perfect holiday -
0:12:53 > 0:12:56sun, sea and Arsenal.
0:12:56 > 0:13:00But then the company sent him an unexpected request.
0:13:00 > 0:13:04I received an email from onlineticketexpress.com
0:13:04 > 0:13:09requesting that I make scanned copies of my passport
0:13:09 > 0:13:12and the card that I'd used to make the purchase.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15I called them and said, "What's this all about?"
0:13:15 > 0:13:19I spoke to a lady who said to me, "This is completely normal."
0:13:19 > 0:13:22I said, "OK, I'm going to need to question that, really."
0:13:22 > 0:13:27I contacted Barclays and I was told straight away, immediately,
0:13:27 > 0:13:30"Under no uncertainty,
0:13:30 > 0:13:34"do you ever send scanned copies
0:13:34 > 0:13:37"of your passport to anyone."
0:13:37 > 0:13:38So Bes said, "No."
0:13:38 > 0:13:40And Online Ticket Express told him
0:13:40 > 0:13:44that, without the documents, the purchase couldn't be completed.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47Despite that, four days later,
0:13:47 > 0:13:50they took over £600 from his account.
0:13:50 > 0:13:52Bes asked them to refund it
0:13:52 > 0:13:55and though they agreed on the phone that they'd do just that,
0:13:55 > 0:13:59they then stopped acknowledging any further calls or emails.
0:13:59 > 0:14:03At that point, I realised that I was just being taken for a fool
0:14:03 > 0:14:05and that this company was just...
0:14:06 > 0:14:09..you know, playing me.
0:14:09 > 0:14:11And at that moment I got very worried
0:14:11 > 0:14:14and thought, "Well, am I going to be losing this money now?"
0:14:14 > 0:14:18But with his flights and hotel already booked,
0:14:18 > 0:14:20a few days later, Bes flew to Barcelona,
0:14:20 > 0:14:23resigned to watching the game from OUTSIDE the stadium.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27And now for Gunners, wow!
0:14:27 > 0:14:29The atmosphere was brilliant, the buzz was amazing,
0:14:29 > 0:14:33but there was always this, just... You know, it absolutely killed me,
0:14:33 > 0:14:36this unfortunate feeling that I was not going to the game.
0:14:36 > 0:14:40Bes couldn't resist buying a ticket outside the game.
0:14:40 > 0:14:42I managed to purchase a ticket,
0:14:42 > 0:14:44which I had to pay a lot of money for.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47But I was all...I was out there already in Barcelona
0:14:47 > 0:14:51so, you know, I had to...see that match
0:14:52 > 0:14:55But it really was a game of two halves
0:14:55 > 0:14:58because when he got home, Bes found an email waiting for him.
0:14:58 > 0:15:03Headed, "Last Call", it had been sent by onlineticketexpress.com
0:15:03 > 0:15:05just a few hours before the game,
0:15:05 > 0:15:09instructing him to pick up his tickets from an unspecified area
0:15:09 > 0:15:11"near the box office."
0:15:11 > 0:15:13Bes was baffled.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16As far as he'd been concerned, the purchase hadn't gone ahead
0:15:16 > 0:15:19and he'd still been waiting for a refund.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22But he was worried to see that the email also stated
0:15:22 > 0:15:25that regardless of whether these tickets were collected,
0:15:25 > 0:15:29they would be considered delivered with a refund not an option!
0:15:30 > 0:15:35I immediately contacted Barclays and informed them of this.
0:15:35 > 0:15:38At the same time, I contacted Barcelona FC
0:15:38 > 0:15:41and asked them if they knew about this company.
0:15:41 > 0:15:45Barcelona FC immediately told me, "You know, this company,
0:15:45 > 0:15:49"we've heard their name before, they continually do this.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51"We always have people coming and asking,
0:15:51 > 0:15:54"where is there a pick-up point for this company?
0:15:54 > 0:15:56"No such pick-up point exists."
0:15:57 > 0:16:01Upon hearing this, Barclays returned the ticket purchase price
0:16:01 > 0:16:03to Bes's account in full.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06However, the ticket site played the game too well,
0:16:06 > 0:16:10and as the final whistle blew, they had one last shot.
0:16:10 > 0:16:12I realised that this amount of money
0:16:12 > 0:16:14had gone back out of my account again.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17I then contacted Barclays
0:16:17 > 0:16:20and asked them what was going on here and Barclays then told me
0:16:20 > 0:16:25that the amount had been "Disputed, counteracted by the company."
0:16:25 > 0:16:28Onlineticketexpress.com argued that,
0:16:28 > 0:16:31as Bes had signed the terms and conditions,
0:16:31 > 0:16:33he had agreed to the company's trading methods.
0:16:33 > 0:16:38And, regardless of the fact that the purchase hadn't been completed,
0:16:38 > 0:16:41and that his tickets had never materialised,
0:16:41 > 0:16:45the bank agreed with them, and Bes lost his money.
0:16:45 > 0:16:47I said to Barclays,
0:16:47 > 0:16:49"But I never received the tickets that I paid for."
0:16:49 > 0:16:54So then Barclays said that there is nothing that they could do,
0:16:54 > 0:16:57that the terms and conditions had been signed
0:16:57 > 0:17:02and that the charge-back scheme had been challenged.
0:17:02 > 0:17:06We contacted onlineticketexpress.com who are based in Andorra.
0:17:06 > 0:17:08They didn't reply.
0:17:09 > 0:17:13We also got in touch with Barclays, who said they did approach Bes
0:17:13 > 0:17:16to see if he wished to continue with the dispute,
0:17:16 > 0:17:18but due to his delay in replying, they are...
0:17:23 > 0:17:26I didn't do enough research
0:17:26 > 0:17:28and it's really cost me now,
0:17:28 > 0:17:32because I'm out of pocket by £600 because I never got what I paid for.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35FOOTBALL CROWD CHEERS
0:17:37 > 0:17:40So, whether it's for a game or a gig,
0:17:40 > 0:17:43how can you be confident about where you buy your tickets?
0:17:43 > 0:17:45Tony Neate from Get Safe Online has some advice
0:17:45 > 0:17:47to make sure you don't lose out.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52Buying tickets online for sporting events, for concerts,
0:17:52 > 0:17:53for festivals is fantastic -
0:17:53 > 0:17:57the opportunity there to get exactly what you're looking for is great.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00But we've gotta make sure that we're not being ripped off.
0:18:00 > 0:18:0450% of the websites that were selling tickets last year
0:18:04 > 0:18:07were unauthorised websites that had no tickets to sell.
0:18:08 > 0:18:10One of the main problem is it's very difficult
0:18:10 > 0:18:13to find out whether the ticket that you're buying
0:18:13 > 0:18:15is from an authorised re-seller.
0:18:15 > 0:18:17These websites look very, very, genuine.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20They can even have names of genuine companies linked to it.
0:18:20 > 0:18:23So you need to do background checks
0:18:23 > 0:18:25or you end up by not having tickets
0:18:25 > 0:18:28or for buying tickets for a concert
0:18:28 > 0:18:30that never really existed in the first place.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33The sort of things that you should check out is...
0:18:33 > 0:18:35Check the actual website that you're on, ask questions,
0:18:35 > 0:18:38have a look and see if there's a postal address,
0:18:38 > 0:18:40is there a telephone number?
0:18:40 > 0:18:43If you're going to pay, then pay with a credit card.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46It gives you far more security if something should go wrong.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49Make sure you go to the event's website,
0:18:49 > 0:18:51make sure you go to the concert website
0:18:51 > 0:18:54to find out who was selling their tickets.
0:18:54 > 0:18:58If you get a ticket that actually doesn't look right,
0:18:58 > 0:19:00if the tickets never arrive,
0:19:00 > 0:19:04or if you suddenly realise that the concert doesn't exist,
0:19:04 > 0:19:06contact your local police.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08Tell the ticket company or the agents
0:19:08 > 0:19:11that are dealing with that particular concert or festival.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13Tell your credit card company straight away,
0:19:13 > 0:19:15cos you may be able to get a refund.
0:19:22 > 0:19:24Here at Rip Off Britain, we like to be able to help
0:19:24 > 0:19:28with as many of your consumer troubles as we can.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31And with our pop-up shop, we've got just the place to do it.
0:19:34 > 0:19:37Inside, our team of experts is ready and waiting
0:19:37 > 0:19:40to try and solve your problems.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42Sylvia Rooks from Trading Standards
0:19:42 > 0:19:45has been answering your questions, and Anita wants to know
0:19:45 > 0:19:47what else she can do to try and get her money back
0:19:47 > 0:19:49after being refused a refund.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53I purchased a sofa
0:19:53 > 0:19:58and, after six months, the cushions weren't plumping up.
0:19:58 > 0:20:00You could almost feel the frame when you sat on them.
0:20:00 > 0:20:03They said it's not covered by the guarantee.
0:20:03 > 0:20:05It's a common misconception with retailers
0:20:05 > 0:20:07that the guarantee is the be-all and end-all,
0:20:07 > 0:20:10but it is in addition to your rights, it doesn't replace your rights.
0:20:10 > 0:20:12Under the Sale of Goods Act, you have the rights that
0:20:12 > 0:20:15any goods you buy should be of satisfactory quality
0:20:15 > 0:20:19and fit for their purpose and remain so for a reasonable period of time.
0:20:19 > 0:20:21You need to get an independent expert out to do a report
0:20:21 > 0:20:25to find out why the cushions are not supporting weight properly.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28If they're unable or unwilling to solve the problem,
0:20:28 > 0:20:31then you'll have to pursue the matter through the Small Claims Court
0:20:31 > 0:20:33in order to try and get your money back.
0:20:36 > 0:20:41I was just about to give up and put up with the sofa,
0:20:41 > 0:20:44but now I think I will actually take it further.
0:20:46 > 0:20:50Over the weekend it was open, our shop was absolutely inundated
0:20:50 > 0:20:52with people keen to share their concerns.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55You've set out very clearly at the top of your letter
0:20:55 > 0:20:57how you want this to be resolved.
0:20:57 > 0:21:01Our experts were amazed at the variety of topics that came up.
0:21:01 > 0:21:05And they'll look into it for you and make sure it doesn't happen again.
0:21:05 > 0:21:09But travel-related problems were high on the list of complaints.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13Organising a holiday can take an awful lot of planning
0:21:13 > 0:21:16but as our travel expert, Simon Calder, has been hearing,
0:21:16 > 0:21:19that dream holiday can very often
0:21:19 > 0:21:21turn into a very expensive nightmare.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24And unfortunately for Joyce Frain and her travel companions,
0:21:24 > 0:21:29it seems there's no way of getting back the money they've lost.
0:21:29 > 0:21:33We intended to go to on a cruise which included the Greek Islands.
0:21:33 > 0:21:35- SIMON:- Lovely.- Very nice. - That's what we intended to do.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38So you were all excited about going, presumably?
0:21:38 > 0:21:40- Absolutely, yes. - What could possibly go wrong?
0:21:40 > 0:21:42THEY ALL LAUGH That's what we thought.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45A few weeks later, we found out the cruise had been cancelled.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47When they cancelled the cruise,
0:21:47 > 0:21:51it was because the ship was going into dry dock at Malaga.
0:21:51 > 0:21:55Surely if it's going into dry dock, they must know some time in advance.
0:21:55 > 0:21:56When that was cancelled,
0:21:56 > 0:22:00all you can do is say, "Right, we'll have our money back."
0:22:00 > 0:22:04What the crucial thing in this case is that you had bought, separately,
0:22:04 > 0:22:08flights and therefore the airline is going to say,
0:22:08 > 0:22:12"Well, ladies the flight's still here, we're still here - you can't have your money back."
0:22:12 > 0:22:14But you got the cruise money back, didn't you?
0:22:14 > 0:22:16- We did.- You got that.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19- So it's purely the flights we're talking about?- ALL: Yeah.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22- So how much did you lose? - Just under £1,400 for the six of us.
0:22:22 > 0:22:26Next time, make sure you know exactly what would happen
0:22:26 > 0:22:27if you've booked a flight
0:22:27 > 0:22:29and the cruise, for some reason, is changed or doesn't go.
0:22:29 > 0:22:31Well, girls, I'm really sorry.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34That is not what you wanted to hear, I know,
0:22:34 > 0:22:35but I sympathise with you,
0:22:35 > 0:22:38- because you know you didn't expect the boat to go into dry dock.- Yes.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45Still to come on Rip Off Britain...
0:22:45 > 0:22:49A car too dangerous to drive and that can't be fixed.
0:22:49 > 0:22:51So why was it sold that way by the dealer?
0:22:51 > 0:22:54I literally don't know what to do with it.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57I'm so tired and so fed up of this whole situation.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00It's been going on too long now and I just want my money back
0:23:00 > 0:23:02and I just want it to be over.
0:23:05 > 0:23:10Now, here at Rip Off Britain, we get thousands of emails and letters
0:23:10 > 0:23:12covering a very wide range of subjects -
0:23:12 > 0:23:13and, by the way, we love hearing from you.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16So when we suddenly get a lot of correspondence,
0:23:16 > 0:23:20not just about the same topic, but complaining about the same company,
0:23:20 > 0:23:24well, we know straight away that is something we need to investigate.
0:23:24 > 0:23:26And that's exactly what happened with our next story.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29One name kept coming up again and again,
0:23:29 > 0:23:32a business which has let an awful lot of people down.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34And, in a way, that seems particularly cruel,
0:23:34 > 0:23:36because all those people in tough times
0:23:36 > 0:23:40had found a way to make their lives better - or so they thought.
0:23:43 > 0:23:46Constant phone calls, being fobbed off, put on hold.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51Your dad's been stupid enough to get ripped off by a dodgy company.
0:23:52 > 0:23:56Basically, you're, like, cheated out of your money.
0:23:56 > 0:23:59These are some of the dozens of people who've contacted us
0:23:59 > 0:24:01after chasing the same dream -
0:24:01 > 0:24:04and finding the same way to try and make it happen.
0:24:04 > 0:24:08So why have they all ended up hundreds of pounds out of pocket?
0:24:09 > 0:24:12The idea was to become truck drivers,
0:24:12 > 0:24:15which meant signing up for expert training to fulfil that ambition.
0:24:18 > 0:24:19For 25-year-old Mark Higgins,
0:24:19 > 0:24:23that training would be a way to transform his life.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26It's hard industry round where we live so, yeah,
0:24:26 > 0:24:29truck-driving would be a way out, really.
0:24:30 > 0:24:32'It would be a dream.'
0:24:32 > 0:24:35It's a massive career change, it's something I've always wanted to do.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38Eager to get the wheels in motion, Mark had searched the internet
0:24:38 > 0:24:41for the perfect company to get him on the road.
0:24:41 > 0:24:43And he soon found one.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46Called Direct LGV, they not only employed experienced drivers
0:24:46 > 0:24:51to facilitate their training, but made an irresistible promise
0:24:51 > 0:24:55that "As one of the leading LGV training companies in the UK,"
0:24:55 > 0:24:57they'd make becoming a driver...
0:25:00 > 0:25:04It was a brilliant, glossy website and it looked really appealing.
0:25:04 > 0:25:06I applied for it...
0:25:07 > 0:25:08..and everything was fine.
0:25:09 > 0:25:15So Mark signed up, and agreed to pay Direct LGV £1,200
0:25:15 > 0:25:17in 12 monthly instalments.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20Now although they didn't sort dates for the training straight away,
0:25:20 > 0:25:23they kept reassuring him that all was in hand.
0:25:23 > 0:25:26But while he continued to pay the instalments,
0:25:26 > 0:25:29he was making some big sacrifices.
0:25:29 > 0:25:33It was a very big deal, because me and my partner were living together
0:25:33 > 0:25:34and I was paying rent.
0:25:34 > 0:25:38I had to put a bit aside to pay Direct LGV, which was...
0:25:38 > 0:25:40All I could afford at the time was £100.
0:25:40 > 0:25:42It eventually got to the point where I had to...
0:25:42 > 0:25:45I moved back to my parents' and I paid...
0:25:45 > 0:25:47The last payment was £500 to them, and that was it.
0:25:49 > 0:25:53£1,200 lighter but no closer to getting his training,
0:25:53 > 0:25:56Mark kept calling Direct LGV to find out what was going on.
0:25:58 > 0:26:00And after a further two months,
0:26:00 > 0:26:03he WAS finally given the dates for his course.
0:26:05 > 0:26:09But then, he got an unexpected and devastating call from the driver
0:26:09 > 0:26:12that he'd been allocated for his training, Andy Ferguson.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15The course WASN'T going to happen.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18Because Andy was also having problems with Direct LGV.
0:26:18 > 0:26:24They haven't paid me at all for two guys that I've trained.
0:26:24 > 0:26:28They've just basically said, "We're not paying you."
0:26:28 > 0:26:30They've left me, basically, high and dry.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35Andy was left £1,480 out of pocket.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38And every time he contacted Direct LGV,
0:26:38 > 0:26:42the man he'd spoken to, Haaris Mahmood,
0:26:42 > 0:26:44just gave him a whole string of excuses.
0:26:44 > 0:26:46I was going to be paid that day.
0:26:46 > 0:26:50On another occasion, "I've just done it ten minutes ago, Andy.
0:26:50 > 0:26:54"It-It's paid directly into your account."
0:26:54 > 0:26:56And it never happened.
0:26:56 > 0:27:00So, without payment, Mark couldn't come on the course.
0:27:01 > 0:27:05So Mark had handed over £1,200 to Direct LGV
0:27:05 > 0:27:07with absolutely nothing to show for it.
0:27:07 > 0:27:09And with no alternative training offered,
0:27:09 > 0:27:12his dreams of becoming a truck driver were shattered.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16I thought, you know, there's no chance of me
0:27:16 > 0:27:19getting my money back and I was, I was devastated.
0:27:19 > 0:27:21I feel like they're just daylight robbers.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24I just think they're scammers, complete and utter scammers.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27Now then, Mark, how are you doing?
0:27:27 > 0:27:31Mark and Andy stayed in touch and became allies against Direct LGV.
0:27:31 > 0:27:36Andy even helped Mark to get £500 of his money back through his bank.
0:27:36 > 0:27:40Although Andy himself has yet to see a penny of the money he's owed.
0:27:40 > 0:27:42And neither of them has been able
0:27:42 > 0:27:45to get any sort of response from Direct LGV.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49- They need to be outed, this company.- Yeah.
0:27:49 > 0:27:51- They need to be outed.- 100%.
0:27:51 > 0:27:53And brought to justice for what they've done.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56Because there's not only just...
0:27:56 > 0:27:59me and you, there must be about 35 others
0:27:59 > 0:28:01that we've contacted on the internet
0:28:01 > 0:28:04and these guys are just left high and dry.
0:28:04 > 0:28:07What kind of advert is that for this industry?
0:28:07 > 0:28:10When we're trying to teach people to, to drive lorries
0:28:10 > 0:28:15- and this is what they're doing, they're just taking peoples' money. - Taking peoples' money off them, yeah.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18And it does seem that they've taken a LOT of money
0:28:18 > 0:28:19from a lot of people.
0:28:19 > 0:28:20We invited some of them
0:28:20 > 0:28:23to a traditional truckers' stop in the Midlands.
0:28:23 > 0:28:27So meet Mike, Claire, Paul and Rupal.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30They're ALL owed money by Direct LGV.
0:28:31 > 0:28:33Mike's already been a truck driver,
0:28:33 > 0:28:37but needed to renew his license - which meant retaking his test.
0:28:37 > 0:28:41He's owed £2,199 by Direct LGV.
0:28:42 > 0:28:46My dealings with direct LGV, how it's affected me personally,
0:28:46 > 0:28:48is obviously the loss of the money,
0:28:48 > 0:28:51the £2,199 - that's had a knock-on effect.
0:28:51 > 0:28:54I've borrowed that money off my mother,
0:28:54 > 0:28:57but also part of that money was for my summer holidays.
0:28:57 > 0:29:00And now I've got to explain to the two kids
0:29:00 > 0:29:03that maybe we're not going to able to have that holiday
0:29:03 > 0:29:05because your dad's been ripped off,
0:29:05 > 0:29:08he's been stupid enough to get ripped off by a dodgy company.
0:29:11 > 0:29:13Claire has lost £1,800
0:29:13 > 0:29:16and has abandoned her dream of becoming a truck driver.
0:29:16 > 0:29:17My future's gone on hold.
0:29:17 > 0:29:20I'm just going to move on from this experience,
0:29:20 > 0:29:22hopefully try and get my money back
0:29:22 > 0:29:25and I'm just going to go into a different profession.
0:29:25 > 0:29:31Paul and Rupal paid Direct LGV £2,099 for Paul's training course
0:29:31 > 0:29:34but they're among the lucky ones.
0:29:34 > 0:29:37Because they HAVE managed to get £1,500 of that back.
0:29:37 > 0:29:39It took a big toll on our relationship,
0:29:39 > 0:29:41in respect of constantly arguing about it,
0:29:41 > 0:29:43constantly chasing the money.
0:29:43 > 0:29:46We borrowed the money from her mother-in-law.
0:29:46 > 0:29:47So that was a pressure,
0:29:47 > 0:29:51because obviously the money she'd given us, she saw no return for it.
0:29:51 > 0:29:52Um...
0:29:52 > 0:29:54Also having lost three days of work.
0:29:54 > 0:29:57Yeah. Being on a self-employed basis,
0:29:57 > 0:30:01we don't get paid for that money, so it's hard to recoup those losses.
0:30:03 > 0:30:05And it's unlikely they'll now get what they were promised,
0:30:05 > 0:30:10OR their money back, because Direct LGV is no longer trading.
0:30:10 > 0:30:13That glossy website has been replaced
0:30:13 > 0:30:16with a message saying the company has "Ceased to trade."
0:30:17 > 0:30:19We tried to contact the company and indeed,
0:30:19 > 0:30:21Haaris Mahmood, who worked there.
0:30:21 > 0:30:24But our letters to various addresses were either marked
0:30:24 > 0:30:26"return to sender" or simply ignored.
0:30:28 > 0:30:30It seems that Direct LGV was just the latest
0:30:30 > 0:30:32in a line of companies
0:30:32 > 0:30:35that offered this kind of training but didn't deliver.
0:30:35 > 0:30:37See that little tyre wire that's sticking down here?
0:30:37 > 0:30:41So next time, Mark will be trying to find one of the companies that DOES.
0:30:41 > 0:30:44That's all I've ever wanted to do is drive bigger and better things.
0:30:44 > 0:30:48Because, despite what happened, he's still determined
0:30:48 > 0:30:50to follow his dream - to be a truck driver.
0:30:50 > 0:30:53Now it's just going to take me a bit of a longer time
0:30:53 > 0:30:55because I have to save the money up again to go back and pursue it.
0:30:55 > 0:30:57But, yeah, I will. 100% I will
0:30:57 > 0:30:59because it's what I want to do with my life so, yeah.
0:31:07 > 0:31:12We all make mistakes and big companies are no exception.
0:31:12 > 0:31:14Even if they've had years of experience.
0:31:14 > 0:31:17It's what they do to put those mistakes right
0:31:17 > 0:31:19that can leave you feeling ripped off.
0:31:19 > 0:31:22So you need to know what your rights are and where to go
0:31:22 > 0:31:25when you don't think that you've been treated fairly.
0:31:26 > 0:31:29So we've put together a booklet of tips and advice.
0:31:29 > 0:31:32You can find a link to the new, free guide on our website.
0:31:36 > 0:31:38Or to receive a copy in the post,
0:31:38 > 0:31:41send a stamped, self-addressed A5 envelope
0:31:41 > 0:31:45to the address that we'll give you at the end of the programme.
0:31:48 > 0:31:53Next - a car sold in a pretty shocking state of repair.
0:31:53 > 0:31:55But that's perhaps not even the worst part of the story.
0:31:55 > 0:31:58The car's owner has had the law on her side
0:31:58 > 0:32:00in demanding her money back.
0:32:00 > 0:32:04So why is it that she still hasn't seen any of it?
0:32:09 > 0:32:12Over 6.7 million people
0:32:12 > 0:32:15bought a second-hand car in the UK last year.
0:32:15 > 0:32:18And 22-year-old Ruth Kennett was one of them.
0:32:18 > 0:32:22I had my old car and its time was up,
0:32:22 > 0:32:25so I thought I'd get a bit of money together
0:32:25 > 0:32:28and buy something a bit more decent for myself.
0:32:28 > 0:32:31She soon found a dealer that seemed to be offering something reliable.
0:32:31 > 0:32:32But how wrong she was.
0:32:32 > 0:32:37I came across this website for Kingswood Bargains,
0:32:37 > 0:32:41and basically they said their website they had "quality used cars"
0:32:41 > 0:32:44and all the cars "came with full history and MOT certificates."
0:32:44 > 0:32:46So they seemed quite trustworthy.
0:32:48 > 0:32:51So, reassured by the website of Kingswood Bargains -
0:32:51 > 0:32:54not to be confused with other companies with similar names -
0:32:54 > 0:32:58Ruth headed down to the dealership on Two Mile Hill Road in Bristol
0:32:58 > 0:32:59to take a look.
0:32:59 > 0:33:06I found this Ford KA and it was in my price range - it was £1,395.
0:33:06 > 0:33:09And so I put down a £100 deposit on that day.
0:33:09 > 0:33:11They wouldn't let me take it away with me
0:33:11 > 0:33:14because they wanted to check it over in the garage for me
0:33:14 > 0:33:16to make sure everything was OK
0:33:16 > 0:33:19and they also gave me three months' free warranty as well
0:33:19 > 0:33:20in case anything went wrong.
0:33:22 > 0:33:24When she WAS able to drive it away a few days later,
0:33:24 > 0:33:28Ruth was very happy with the service she'd had so far.
0:33:28 > 0:33:31Delighted the car had been checked over, and that it came with
0:33:31 > 0:33:35a three-month warranty, she was sure that she'd bagged herself a bargain.
0:33:35 > 0:33:37And it did seem like the perfect little run-around,
0:33:37 > 0:33:40or at least it did until five months later,
0:33:40 > 0:33:43when she booked it in for an MOT.
0:33:43 > 0:33:45The man at the garage gave me a call
0:33:45 > 0:33:48basically to tell me that it had failed miserably.
0:33:48 > 0:33:51It needed so much welding but there wasn't any clean metal
0:33:51 > 0:33:57to weld to and also loads of other problems, mainly corrosion,
0:33:57 > 0:34:00even the seatbelts were corroding away, power steering was leaking,
0:34:00 > 0:34:03problem with the brakes, all sorts of things really.
0:34:03 > 0:34:06So many things in fact
0:34:06 > 0:34:09that the mechanic said he wouldn't even attempt the repairs.
0:34:09 > 0:34:12He told me it was "dangerous to drive,"
0:34:12 > 0:34:16so dangerous that it shouldn't have been sold to me in the first place.
0:34:16 > 0:34:18I was really upset, actually.
0:34:18 > 0:34:21I was... I didn't know what to say.
0:34:21 > 0:34:26Ruth was even more upset when she read the three-page MOT report,
0:34:26 > 0:34:29because it seemed clear that the car had been in this condition
0:34:29 > 0:34:33when she'd bought it and had been told they were checking it over.
0:34:33 > 0:34:36- Hello, come to collect your car. - Hello. Yeah, OK.
0:34:36 > 0:34:39- There's the keys.- Thank you.
0:34:39 > 0:34:42To see for ourselves the full state of the car,
0:34:42 > 0:34:45we arranged for it to have a second MOT.
0:34:45 > 0:34:46And the independent garage we chose
0:34:46 > 0:34:50came back with the same devastating results.
0:34:50 > 0:34:52Cheerio.
0:34:52 > 0:34:53Bye.
0:34:53 > 0:34:56I failed this car on rust to the front suspension
0:34:56 > 0:34:59and rust to the rear and a wheel.
0:34:59 > 0:35:02The front suspension rust is in a place
0:35:02 > 0:35:05where, if it failed, it would cause a serious accident,
0:35:05 > 0:35:08it could cause the suspension to collapse.
0:35:08 > 0:35:11And the front wheel rim, which I failed,
0:35:11 > 0:35:15has got a serious dent in it, which could cause a blow out
0:35:15 > 0:35:17and obviously cause an accident.
0:35:17 > 0:35:19With rust, all of a sudden, it can go from a position
0:35:19 > 0:35:23where it's an advisory to a fail, but from start to finish,
0:35:23 > 0:35:24the rust takes years to occur.
0:35:24 > 0:35:27Although Ruth's problems are extreme,
0:35:27 > 0:35:29a recent Office of Fair Trading survey
0:35:29 > 0:35:31estimates that one in five people
0:35:31 > 0:35:34who buy a second-hand car from a dealer
0:35:34 > 0:35:36will have some sort of trouble with it.
0:35:36 > 0:35:38When buying a second-hand car, my advice would be -
0:35:38 > 0:35:41if you don't know a lot about cars, take someone who does.
0:35:41 > 0:35:43Your local garage would have look over the car,
0:35:43 > 0:35:45probably for a small amount of money -
0:35:45 > 0:35:47could save you thousands in the long run.
0:35:47 > 0:35:49But if you ARE sold a car with an existing fault,
0:35:49 > 0:35:52and that WASN'T made clear when you bought it,
0:35:52 > 0:35:57then you should be entitled to a refund, repair or replacement
0:35:57 > 0:35:59under the Sale of Goods Act 1979.
0:35:59 > 0:36:01So, armed with this knowledge,
0:36:01 > 0:36:04Ruth contacted Kingswood Bargains to get her money back.
0:36:05 > 0:36:08He basically said on the phone that it wasn't his problem
0:36:08 > 0:36:12and how was he supposed to know the car was in that state?
0:36:12 > 0:36:16If a car has an MOT certificate, he will sell it.
0:36:17 > 0:36:20Ruth sent two letters of complaint by registered post,
0:36:20 > 0:36:22but had no reply to either.
0:36:22 > 0:36:24Determined to get her money back,
0:36:24 > 0:36:27she decided to make a claim through the courts,
0:36:27 > 0:36:28which she did over the internet
0:36:28 > 0:36:32using the government website, Money Claim Online.
0:36:32 > 0:36:35So I paid £70.
0:36:35 > 0:36:37You write out your case and you submit it,
0:36:37 > 0:36:40and then what happens is the court will write
0:36:40 > 0:36:42a further two letters to the dealership.
0:36:43 > 0:36:46But, despite having the weight of the law behind her,
0:36:46 > 0:36:48Ruth still got no response from the company.
0:36:48 > 0:36:52And when the court sent a bailiff to visit Kingswood Bargains,
0:36:52 > 0:36:54he was told that a DIFFERENT dealership
0:36:54 > 0:36:56was now trading from the premises.
0:36:56 > 0:36:59And they insisted that they knew nothing about Ruth's case.
0:36:59 > 0:37:01Well, I felt devastated again,
0:37:01 > 0:37:04because I thought, "I've gone through this whole process.
0:37:04 > 0:37:07"I've paid for the bailiff, I've paid the court fees
0:37:07 > 0:37:09"and I'm still not going to get my money back."
0:37:09 > 0:37:14When we got in touch, the man who now runs the dealership
0:37:14 > 0:37:16denied having had ANYTHING to do with the business
0:37:16 > 0:37:19in the days when it was called Kingswood Bargains.
0:37:20 > 0:37:22So Ruth has hit something of a brick wall.
0:37:22 > 0:37:25Although she's fighting on to get her money back,
0:37:25 > 0:37:27and has been to court TWICE,
0:37:27 > 0:37:32she's hindered by the fact that, despite asking, she was never given
0:37:32 > 0:37:34the name of the man who ran the original dealership.
0:37:34 > 0:37:36So although she's convinced that the new business
0:37:36 > 0:37:38IS connected to the old one,
0:37:38 > 0:37:41with the dealership so adamant that it ISN'T,
0:37:41 > 0:37:45moving her case on hasn't proved straightforward.
0:37:45 > 0:37:47In the meantime, I'm afraid she's stuck with a car
0:37:47 > 0:37:51that's cost her £1,395, it's got no MOT
0:37:51 > 0:37:54and has been branded "too dangerous to drive."
0:37:56 > 0:37:57I don't know what to do with it.
0:37:57 > 0:38:01I'm so tired and so fed up of this whole situation.
0:38:01 > 0:38:05It's been going on too long now and I just want my money back
0:38:05 > 0:38:06and I just want it to be over.
0:38:11 > 0:38:13Judging from the correspondence that we get,
0:38:13 > 0:38:18one of your biggest frustrations is paying for goods or services
0:38:18 > 0:38:21and then discovering that you actually receive neither.
0:38:21 > 0:38:24And, moreover, that the company concerned
0:38:24 > 0:38:26is in no hurry to put things right.
0:38:26 > 0:38:28In those circumstances,
0:38:28 > 0:38:32your only option may be to take them to the Small Claims Court.
0:38:32 > 0:38:34But how many of us know exactly how to do that?
0:38:34 > 0:38:36As far as I can understand it,
0:38:36 > 0:38:40is that if you get no satisfaction from the retailer,
0:38:40 > 0:38:42you threaten them with the Small Claims Court.
0:38:42 > 0:38:45I haven't got a clue what a Small Claims Court is or does,
0:38:45 > 0:38:46to be honest.
0:38:46 > 0:38:49I mean, I'm pretty sure the clue's probably in the title,
0:38:49 > 0:38:51but the specifics, I couldn't tell you.
0:38:51 > 0:38:55In the past year, over 97,500 trials and hearings
0:38:55 > 0:38:58went through Small Claims Courts across the UK.
0:38:58 > 0:39:01They're open to any individual or business,
0:39:01 > 0:39:05provided your claim is not more than £5,000 in England and Wales
0:39:05 > 0:39:08or more than 3,000 in Scotland.
0:39:08 > 0:39:10And although it may sound like a lot of hassle,
0:39:10 > 0:39:13it's actually a lot less complicated than you might think.
0:39:14 > 0:39:18In fact, these days, you can even do most of the process online.
0:39:18 > 0:39:19Ministry of Justice figures show
0:39:19 > 0:39:23that it takes an average of 30 weeks for small claims hearings.
0:39:23 > 0:39:26Although, even if you do win the case, there's no guarantee
0:39:26 > 0:39:29that you'll always get the money that you're owed.
0:39:29 > 0:39:31Costs to make a claim start at £25,
0:39:31 > 0:39:35but if you have to take further action to get your money,
0:39:35 > 0:39:37this could cost more.
0:39:37 > 0:39:41However, quite often the threat of court action may in itself be enough
0:39:41 > 0:39:45to get the other party to settle, or at least pay what they owe you.
0:39:46 > 0:39:48Just one word of caution.
0:39:48 > 0:39:50Some cases can take quite a long time
0:39:50 > 0:39:53to be processed through the courts,
0:39:53 > 0:39:56so make sure that you've examined every other avenue
0:39:56 > 0:39:59before you take THAT particular route -
0:39:59 > 0:40:02it isn't always going to be a quick fix!
0:40:02 > 0:40:05But research from Consumer Focus has demonstrated
0:40:05 > 0:40:09that some 75% of cases do have a successful outcome.
0:40:09 > 0:40:12And only 12% of those have needed to send in
0:40:12 > 0:40:16the enforcement agencies to get hold of the money.
0:40:16 > 0:40:20So, for most people, it really is a successful exercise.
0:40:20 > 0:40:21But if you'd like to find out more
0:40:21 > 0:40:24about how to go through the Small Claims Court,
0:40:24 > 0:40:28then just go to our website, where you'll find a lot of information.
0:40:36 > 0:40:39We're always ready to investigate more of your stories.
0:40:39 > 0:40:41Confused over your bills?
0:40:41 > 0:40:43Trying to wade through never-ending small print?
0:40:43 > 0:40:46We should read it, but it's not in plain English it's not...
0:40:46 > 0:40:49It should be simple, you know, ABC, you know - very basic stuff.
0:40:49 > 0:40:52Unsure what to do when you discover you've lost out,
0:40:52 > 0:40:56and that "great deal" has ended up costing YOU money?
0:40:56 > 0:40:58You get home, you get your bill and it's like £70,
0:40:58 > 0:41:00when it's meant to be £35.
0:41:00 > 0:41:03And it's just basically... You just get ripped off, don't you?
0:41:05 > 0:41:07You might have a cautionary tale of your own
0:41:07 > 0:41:10and want to share the mistakes that you've made with us,
0:41:10 > 0:41:12so that others don't do the same.
0:41:12 > 0:41:17We paid them good money to act in our best interest, they didn't.
0:41:17 > 0:41:19You can write to us at...
0:41:29 > 0:41:31Or send us an email...
0:41:35 > 0:41:40The Rip Off team is ready and waiting to investigate your stories.
0:41:42 > 0:41:45Well, sadly, as we've been hearing today,
0:41:45 > 0:41:47even when you do all your research,
0:41:47 > 0:41:50or think you've gone about things in exactly the right way,
0:41:50 > 0:41:54it DOESN'T guarantee that you won't end up feeling ripped off.
0:41:54 > 0:41:56Now perhaps the biggest frustration of all
0:41:56 > 0:41:59is that even when the law says that you should have your money back,
0:41:59 > 0:42:01you may end up not seeing a single penny.
0:42:01 > 0:42:03So I'm afraid the best advice we can give
0:42:03 > 0:42:07is still what we always say, "Check and check again
0:42:07 > 0:42:10"exactly who you're giving your hard-earned money to
0:42:10 > 0:42:12"BEFORE you agree to hand it over."
0:42:12 > 0:42:14And we can't say that often enough, can we?
0:42:14 > 0:42:16Because what it means is that you may not be able to avoid
0:42:16 > 0:42:21ALL of the risks but at least you can reduce them as much as possible.
0:42:21 > 0:42:23Well, I'm afraid that's all we've got time for today
0:42:23 > 0:42:26but I do hope that you will join us again the next time
0:42:26 > 0:42:28that we investigate even more of your stories.
0:42:28 > 0:42:31- But until then, from all of us, goodbye.- Bye.- Bye.
0:42:50 > 0:42:53Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd