0:00:02 > 0:00:06We asked you to tell us who's left you feeling ripped-off
0:00:06 > 0:00:09and you contacted us in your thousands -
0:00:09 > 0:00:13by post, email, even stopping us on the street
0:00:13 > 0:00:15and the message could not be clearer.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18Things weren't right, it was costing me time and money
0:00:18 > 0:00:20and it was like, "Does anybody listen?"
0:00:20 > 0:00:24Unfortunately, I think these companies are more motivated by their share price
0:00:24 > 0:00:26than they are by actually looking after the customers.
0:00:26 > 0:00:28You've told us with money tighter than ever,
0:00:28 > 0:00:32you need to make sure that every pound you spend is worth it.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35How do I get my money back? Cos I just think I'm entitled to it.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38So whether it's a deliberate rip-off, a simple mistake,
0:00:38 > 0:00:41or a catch in the small print,
0:00:41 > 0:00:43we'll find out why you're out of pocket
0:00:43 > 0:00:46and what you can do about it.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49Keep asking the questions, keep... go to the top if you have to.
0:00:49 > 0:00:53We do get results, I mean, that's the interesting thing.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56Your stories, your money. This is Rip-Off Britain.
0:00:59 > 0:01:01Hello, and welcome to Rip-Off Britain,
0:01:01 > 0:01:04the series that investigates why you've ended up losing out
0:01:04 > 0:01:06or been treated badly
0:01:06 > 0:01:09and we've some pretty shocking examples of both
0:01:09 > 0:01:10on the programme today.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13What's especially frustrating for some of the people we'll be meeting
0:01:13 > 0:01:15is that they are paying the price
0:01:15 > 0:01:18for the mistakes and the actions of others.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20So when they've lost either their money
0:01:20 > 0:01:23or certainly in one case, something even worse,
0:01:23 > 0:01:27that is usually down to what someone else has done, and not them.
0:01:27 > 0:01:31Which does actually make what's happened seem particularly unfair,
0:01:31 > 0:01:33but even in situations like these,
0:01:33 > 0:01:36I want to you to know there are things you can do to protect yourself
0:01:36 > 0:01:38so we'll have some great advice
0:01:38 > 0:01:41to try and stop you being caught out the same way.
0:01:41 > 0:01:42Later in the programme -
0:01:42 > 0:01:45why this woman was forced to turn detective
0:01:45 > 0:01:47to get the deal she'd paid for.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50I've had no customer satisfaction from them.
0:01:50 > 0:01:52They was very blunt and abrupt
0:01:52 > 0:01:54and no help whatsoever.
0:01:56 > 0:01:58Demands for money you shouldn't have to pay...
0:01:58 > 0:02:00I read the letter and it said...
0:02:00 > 0:02:05thanking me for placing an advert which I've never advertised.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08And we'll tackle more of your problems at our pop-up shop.
0:02:10 > 0:02:12When money's tight,
0:02:12 > 0:02:15it can be bad enough keeping on top of your own finances,
0:02:15 > 0:02:17let alone being dragged into somebody else's.
0:02:17 > 0:02:19So imagine suddenly being told
0:02:19 > 0:02:21you had to pay off a debt that belonged to someone else
0:02:21 > 0:02:24and there was nothing at all you could do about it.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27That's what happened to the person we're about to meet
0:02:27 > 0:02:31and thanks to a particular type of loan, it could happen to you too.
0:02:35 > 0:02:37I was lying in bed in the middle of night,
0:02:37 > 0:02:41I was fast asleep and I just heard this almighty hammering on the door.
0:02:42 > 0:02:46For Jo Day, that loud knocking one wintry night last December
0:02:46 > 0:02:50was to prove a very rude awakening indeed.
0:02:50 > 0:02:54I just quickly put some clothes on, came down the stairs
0:02:54 > 0:02:56and opened the front door,
0:02:56 > 0:02:58and there were these two men standing there
0:02:58 > 0:03:00saying the car was being seized
0:03:00 > 0:03:02because there was a loan outstanding on it.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05So, shocked and confused, I just gave them the car keys,
0:03:05 > 0:03:10Terrified, Jo had no idea at all what was going on.
0:03:10 > 0:03:12But these men were debt collectors,
0:03:12 > 0:03:16chasing a loan she'd never even heard of.
0:03:16 > 0:03:20Living alone with my daughter, it was a scary episode to go through
0:03:20 > 0:03:25to have two huge men banging on my door at that time of night
0:03:25 > 0:03:26demanding my car keys.
0:03:28 > 0:03:30The men left her with a letter
0:03:30 > 0:03:33explaining there was a loan held against her car
0:03:33 > 0:03:35and it needed paying.
0:03:35 > 0:03:39Jo was shocked because she'd never taken out such a loan
0:03:39 > 0:03:41and she'd only got the car, a second-hand Nissan Micra,
0:03:41 > 0:03:44a few months earlier, but from that letter,
0:03:44 > 0:03:47she was able to start piecing together what had happened.
0:03:53 > 0:03:57The car had been a birthday present from her parents in July 2011.
0:03:57 > 0:03:58'Mum and Dad saw the car'
0:03:58 > 0:04:01advertised on the side of the road.
0:04:01 > 0:04:02It was being advertised for £500.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05Like me, my dad doesn't know anything about cars
0:04:05 > 0:04:08so he got his friend, who's a mechanic, to come along,
0:04:08 > 0:04:10check the vehicle. Having looked under the bonnet,
0:04:10 > 0:04:12checked the tyres and the bodywork,
0:04:12 > 0:04:15his friend said it was perfect.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18In fact, there WAS a problem.
0:04:18 > 0:04:19But it wasn't mechanical.
0:04:19 > 0:04:23And Jo only found out about it when she came to re-tax the car
0:04:23 > 0:04:26three months before the bailiffs came knocking.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29When the tax was due to be renewed, it was then that I realised
0:04:29 > 0:04:31that I didn't have the full V5 document
0:04:31 > 0:04:33you need when you're taxing the car.
0:04:33 > 0:04:38That V5C document - more commonly known as the logbook -
0:04:38 > 0:04:42is the certificate issued by the DVLA when a vehicle is registered.
0:04:42 > 0:04:44It contains the car's details
0:04:44 > 0:04:48and information about any previous people who've had the car,
0:04:48 > 0:04:50known as its registered keepers.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55I phoned the DVLA to see if the car had been registered in my name,
0:04:55 > 0:04:58just to see if the logbook had got lost in the post, etc.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01They confirmed that the vehicle wasn't registered in my name.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04When Jo's parents had bought the car,
0:05:04 > 0:05:07they had been given, as is correct, part of the logbook.
0:05:07 > 0:05:10What the seller should have done next
0:05:10 > 0:05:12was to send the remaining part to the DVLA,
0:05:12 > 0:05:17notifying them of the new registered keeper - Jo.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19In this case, that hadn't happened.
0:05:19 > 0:05:21So to try to put things right,
0:05:21 > 0:05:24Jo sent the part of the logbook she did have to the DVLA,
0:05:24 > 0:05:27along with some identification.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31I received a letter back from them a week or so later
0:05:31 > 0:05:34to say they had received the paperwork I'd sent in
0:05:34 > 0:05:36and my new logbook would be with me shortly.
0:05:38 > 0:05:42Days later, she received the logbook from the DVLA.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44At last, the car was officially registered in her name.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50But it was because Jo was now traceable as the car's keeper
0:05:50 > 0:05:52that a few weeks later,
0:05:52 > 0:05:56she received that frightening visit from the debt collectors.
0:05:56 > 0:06:00'By them having that information,'
0:06:00 > 0:06:04they were actually able to come to my home in the middle of the night
0:06:04 > 0:06:05and take that car away.
0:06:07 > 0:06:09Jo realised that the reason the previous owner
0:06:09 > 0:06:12hadn't sent their part of the logbook to the DVLA
0:06:12 > 0:06:14was because they didn't have it.
0:06:14 > 0:06:16At some point in the past,
0:06:16 > 0:06:19it had been used to take out a so-called "logbook loan"
0:06:19 > 0:06:23with that vital certificate handed over as security to borrow cash.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27If I'd known there was money outstanding on the car,
0:06:27 > 0:06:30I wouldn't... My dad wouldn't have bought it for me,
0:06:30 > 0:06:31that's as simple as that.
0:06:33 > 0:06:3630,000 logbook loans are recorded in the UK every year,
0:06:36 > 0:06:41and the industry is said to be worth around £40 million.
0:06:41 > 0:06:43It may seem an easy way to get money
0:06:43 > 0:06:46but the repayment rates can be eye-wateringly high
0:06:46 > 0:06:50and although they'd no idea at the time,
0:06:50 > 0:06:51when Jo's family had bought the car,
0:06:51 > 0:06:54they'd been landed with the loan attached to it too.
0:06:54 > 0:06:58Having spoken to the logbook loan company,
0:06:58 > 0:07:02they said there had been various owners
0:07:02 > 0:07:05after the logbook loan had been taken out,
0:07:05 > 0:07:10but they'd been unable to track the car down and actually seize it.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14'I had no knowledge whatsoever
0:07:14 > 0:07:17'that there was any finance outstanding on the car.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20'I hadn't received any letters, no phone calls,
0:07:20 > 0:07:25'nothing to point out that this loan was outstanding on the car.'
0:07:25 > 0:07:30I just feel a victim of somebody else's failings, basically.
0:07:30 > 0:07:34They took that loan out, they didn't honour their agreement
0:07:34 > 0:07:36and now I've been punished for it.
0:07:36 > 0:07:37It's just not fair.
0:07:39 > 0:07:43Jo was staggered to find that the only way to get her seized car back
0:07:43 > 0:07:46was for HER to pay off the £500 loan.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51'My sister transferred £500 to my bank account.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54'I then paid the logbook loan company'
0:07:54 > 0:07:57over the phone using my debit card.
0:07:57 > 0:07:59It was then they told me where my car was
0:07:59 > 0:08:01and where I could go and pick it up from.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05So after buying the car for £500,
0:08:05 > 0:08:08Jo was forced to pay another £500
0:08:08 > 0:08:11to collect a debt that wasn't even hers.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14'£500 to me is...'
0:08:14 > 0:08:17my month's rent,
0:08:17 > 0:08:20a week away with my daughter,
0:08:20 > 0:08:24it was...you know, it was quite a sizable chunk.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26I'm a single mum.
0:08:26 > 0:08:28I don't earn a great deal.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31It was just soul-destroying, just felt cheated.
0:08:32 > 0:08:37The logbook loan company Jo paid the money to is called Mobile Money.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42They say they'd normally expect their recovery agents
0:08:42 > 0:08:46to work in daylight, and accept that the time and nature of this visit
0:08:46 > 0:08:48were "not the most appropriate".
0:08:48 > 0:08:50They apologise for that
0:08:50 > 0:08:53and say they stopped working with the recovery company as a result.
0:08:53 > 0:08:55Even so, they say they were acting within the law
0:08:55 > 0:08:58and the relevant code of practice.
0:08:58 > 0:09:02They stress advance notice wouldn't normally be given to recover assets
0:09:02 > 0:09:07and "urge purchasers of second-hand vehicles to be mindful of the fact
0:09:07 > 0:09:11"that the seller may not be the owner of the vehicle".
0:09:11 > 0:09:14But since Rip-Off Britain intervened,
0:09:14 > 0:09:17Mobile Money have now sent Jo a cheque
0:09:17 > 0:09:20for the £500 she had to shell out to get her car back.
0:09:23 > 0:09:26It's estimated that as many as a quarter of second-hand cars sold
0:09:26 > 0:09:29may turn out to have some sort of outstanding finance deal
0:09:29 > 0:09:31or debt attached.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34The best way to make sure a possible purchase doesn't
0:09:34 > 0:09:37is to get a finance check done before you buy it. That way,
0:09:37 > 0:09:41should something like a logbook loan be discovered later on,
0:09:41 > 0:09:43you may have some protection.
0:09:45 > 0:09:47But as Jo hadn't done that,
0:09:47 > 0:09:50she'd been left with two choices -
0:09:50 > 0:09:52pay off a complete stranger's loan
0:09:52 > 0:09:53or lose her car.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57'I was furious that I was having to pay someone else's debt.
0:09:57 > 0:09:59'It just doesn't seem fair or just'
0:09:59 > 0:10:02that I have to do that
0:10:02 > 0:10:04but I had no choice. I needed to get my car back.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07'Basically, I was backed into a corner and I'd got no choice.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09'I had to pay that money.'
0:10:11 > 0:10:13Well, there is now some extra protection
0:10:13 > 0:10:16that should mean that you can avoid the same experience as Jo
0:10:16 > 0:10:19although the chances are you haven't heard about it yet.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22In 2011, the Government introduced measures
0:10:22 > 0:10:26designed to protect consumers from the pitfalls of logbook loans
0:10:26 > 0:10:29or "bills of sale", as they're referred to within the trade.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32Any outstanding finance on vehicles
0:10:32 > 0:10:36now has to be registered on what's called an Asset Finance Register.
0:10:36 > 0:10:37So if you're buying a used car,
0:10:37 > 0:10:41it's essential to check that before handing over your money.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44You can find out exactly how to do that on our website...
0:10:47 > 0:10:49And let's hope it stops anyone else
0:10:49 > 0:10:54being woken up by men demanding money in the middle of the night.
0:10:56 > 0:11:01Now, quite a few of the stories that you tell us about involve a mystery,
0:11:01 > 0:11:05but we've never had one of them including a murder as well,
0:11:05 > 0:11:06so when we saw this one,
0:11:06 > 0:11:10we just knew it wasn't an ordinary case for us to solve -
0:11:10 > 0:11:13it was a real whodunit.
0:11:19 > 0:11:23It was to be a night of dark deeds,
0:11:23 > 0:11:25murder most foul...
0:11:26 > 0:11:29..and dinner, bed and breakfast thrown in.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33Or that's what the "murder mystery" event
0:11:33 > 0:11:36advertised on the deals website Living Social promised.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41I'd seen murder mystery nights on television and read about them
0:11:41 > 0:11:43and they sounded like a good laugh.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45Erm, a bit of a detective,
0:11:45 > 0:11:48takes you back to your childhood days of playing Cluedo.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51And it were £99 for the two of us
0:11:51 > 0:11:53so I thought that was quite a bargain.
0:11:53 > 0:11:55Debra Denney thought it would be
0:11:55 > 0:11:59the perfect way to banish those winter blues.
0:11:59 > 0:12:01It was in January. Not a lot happens,
0:12:01 > 0:12:04a bit of anti-climax after Christmas and New Year.
0:12:04 > 0:12:10So I booked it, and just waited for the vouchers to come through.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13The website on which Debra booked the deal, LivingSocial,
0:12:13 > 0:12:16is just one of a number of so-called "daily deals" sites
0:12:16 > 0:12:20that seem to be a brilliantly simple way to bag a bargain.
0:12:20 > 0:12:22Retailers use websites like these
0:12:22 > 0:12:26to offer huge discounts on their products - an average of 56%
0:12:26 > 0:12:29for a set number of customers each day.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32After you've chosen your deal, you'll be emailed a voucher
0:12:32 > 0:12:35to redeem directly with the retailer.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40I received the voucher within a couple of days.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42It said on it I had to ring the hotel
0:12:42 > 0:12:45to book my place on the murder mystery night.
0:12:45 > 0:12:47I phoned them within a few days
0:12:47 > 0:12:51to be told that it had been fully booked, they'd over-booked it.
0:12:51 > 0:12:56I told them that the voucher had an expiry date of June.
0:12:56 > 0:12:58They said it wouldn't be a problem,
0:12:58 > 0:13:01it would still be honoured even if it was after that date.
0:13:01 > 0:13:06So Debra waited for the next murder mystery night to be announced.
0:13:06 > 0:13:10But as the weeks went by, the situation didn't get any clearer.
0:13:10 > 0:13:12I telephoned the hotel several times.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15I was fobbed off with different excuses.
0:13:15 > 0:13:17I started to get a bit fed up then
0:13:17 > 0:13:20and emailed LivingSocial Deals, who never replied.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23I telephoned them several times
0:13:23 > 0:13:27and you just could never get through, they never answered their phones.
0:13:27 > 0:13:29Debra was beginning to get suspicious
0:13:29 > 0:13:33but without any clues from either the hotel or LivingSocial,
0:13:33 > 0:13:38the mystery of where her night out had gone remained unsolved.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41Obviously, somebody had made a mistake somewhere
0:13:41 > 0:13:43and overbooked the night. They just...
0:13:43 > 0:13:46both of them denying all responsibility of it, really.
0:13:47 > 0:13:49But then LivingSocial sent a message
0:13:49 > 0:13:53making clear who they considered the guilty party.
0:13:53 > 0:13:55I received an email saying that
0:13:55 > 0:13:58it was nothing to do with LivingSocial Deals any more,
0:13:58 > 0:13:59it was down to the hotel.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02LivingSocial just pointed me to the terms and conditions
0:14:02 > 0:14:07saying, "Tough," basically, it were nothing they could do about it.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10Debra still held out hope that she and her best friend Val
0:14:10 > 0:14:12could book themselves on to a new date,
0:14:12 > 0:14:17but when Debra contacted the hotel, she was told it had changed hands
0:14:17 > 0:14:21and the new owners said they weren't responsible for honouring the deal,
0:14:21 > 0:14:25leaving her very confused as to who exactly was.
0:14:25 > 0:14:28I feel a bit like I'm stuck in the middle of them both.
0:14:28 > 0:14:31I don't know who to blame really cos they're both blaming each other.
0:14:31 > 0:14:35It seemed the murder mystery night Debra and Val had so been looking forward to
0:14:35 > 0:14:37had vanished,
0:14:37 > 0:14:40along with the £99 they'd paid for it.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43And of course they're not the only people
0:14:43 > 0:14:47to run into mysterious problems after using a daily deals website.
0:14:47 > 0:14:52In 2011, the Office of Fair Trading opened an investigation
0:14:52 > 0:14:53into the trading practices
0:14:53 > 0:14:56of perhaps the best known of these sites, Groupon.
0:14:56 > 0:15:00They'd had complaints about services not being delivered,
0:15:00 > 0:15:03and consumers not always getting refunds when appropriate.
0:15:05 > 0:15:07And although complaints about Groupon have fallen
0:15:07 > 0:15:09since this investigation,
0:15:09 > 0:15:13the OFT also sent warning letters to 35 other companies
0:15:13 > 0:15:18offering daily deals, asking them to review their practices as well.
0:15:18 > 0:15:22It was widely reported that LivingSocial was one of them,
0:15:22 > 0:15:24something which wouldn't surprise Debra.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27I've had no customer satisfaction from them whatsoever.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30They just didn't answer telephone calls
0:15:30 > 0:15:33and when they did eventually reply to emails,
0:15:33 > 0:15:37they were very blunt and abrupt and no help whatsoever.
0:15:37 > 0:15:40With all leads exhausted, Debra asked us to see
0:15:40 > 0:15:43if we could shed any light on the case.
0:15:43 > 0:15:46So we contacted the website LivingSocial and asked them
0:15:46 > 0:15:49if they'd be giving Debra a full refund.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52After all, their terms and conditions clearly state that
0:15:52 > 0:15:55if the seller - in this case the hotel - refuses to honour
0:15:55 > 0:15:56the voucher before it expires,
0:15:56 > 0:15:59then Living Social will credit the buyer's account
0:15:59 > 0:16:02so they can spend it on further deals with the company.
0:16:02 > 0:16:06So why hadn't that happened in this case?
0:16:06 > 0:16:09LivingSocial told us they work with thousands of local businesses,
0:16:09 > 0:16:12with great results, and though they're...
0:16:16 > 0:16:19..there are rare instances where that doesn't happen.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22They've provided a full refund to Debra
0:16:22 > 0:16:25and apologise for any inconvenience.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33So, case solved.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36But after all this, if Debra and Val ever do get to go
0:16:36 > 0:16:39on their murder mystery night, perhaps some of the skills
0:16:39 > 0:16:42Debra has developed trying to get to the bottom of all of this
0:16:42 > 0:16:45- may well come in handy. - Oh, definitely!
0:16:45 > 0:16:48I'd have to be the detective, I think.
0:16:58 > 0:17:02'Rip-Off Britain has created its very own consumer advice shop.
0:17:02 > 0:17:08'A place to drop by and tell us about your complaints face to face.'
0:17:08 > 0:17:10They'd paid £1,000 for a car
0:17:10 > 0:17:13that you'd been told was going to be written off?
0:17:13 > 0:17:16- Scrapped, yeah.- Flipping heck!
0:17:16 > 0:17:22Our team of experts is ready with invaluable advice.
0:17:22 > 0:17:26Make it very clear. I want my service restored, I want my number back.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29They're wrong to charge you for the lesson.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32Keith's been ripped off by a claims management company
0:17:32 > 0:17:35which promised to write off his debts,
0:17:35 > 0:17:37but actually left him even more out of pocket.
0:17:37 > 0:17:41They took several payments from various cards
0:17:41 > 0:17:43amounting to several thousand pounds
0:17:43 > 0:17:49and despite me several times on the telephone and writing to them,
0:17:49 > 0:17:51I haven't received a penny from that company.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54The interesting thing in this case
0:17:54 > 0:17:57that could be one extra avenue for you to explore
0:17:57 > 0:18:00is that they make charges to your credit card.
0:18:00 > 0:18:05Ultimately, you paid for a service which you never received
0:18:05 > 0:18:08and under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act,
0:18:08 > 0:18:12you have a right to appeal to your credit card provider
0:18:12 > 0:18:15and say, "Look, I paid for this. I never got it.
0:18:15 > 0:18:16"I want my money back."
0:18:16 > 0:18:19They're obliged to refund you that money and then it's up to them
0:18:19 > 0:18:23to chase these people to actually get that money back.
0:18:23 > 0:18:25I hope so. Thanks very much for the advice.
0:18:25 > 0:18:27Thanks for coming in. Best of luck.
0:18:30 > 0:18:34You've not only been telling us about your consumer issues in person
0:18:34 > 0:18:36but you also took the opportunity
0:18:36 > 0:18:39to tell us about your frustrations and issues in our Gripe Box.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42Cold calling should be made absolutely illegal.
0:18:42 > 0:18:46You pick the phone up and you can't trust anybody any more.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49My gripe with mortgage companies is that they never tell you
0:18:49 > 0:18:52when they're going to sell your mortgage on
0:18:52 > 0:18:53until after they're doing it.
0:18:53 > 0:19:00I'm here to complain about these companies who issue so-called parking tickets
0:19:00 > 0:19:03on private land.
0:19:03 > 0:19:05'And that's exactly what happened to Linda.
0:19:05 > 0:19:09'She's come to see Sarah Pennells for some advice about challenging
0:19:09 > 0:19:11'her parking fine.'
0:19:11 > 0:19:14Parked our car, quite empty car park, didn't really look around,
0:19:14 > 0:19:17but there was no parking system there in the past.
0:19:17 > 0:19:19And the first thing we actually heard
0:19:19 > 0:19:24was in May this year for £355. No warning, no pre-warning at all.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26£355? Saying that that's what you owed them for parking?
0:19:26 > 0:19:30- Yes, and if we didn't pay that bill immediately, we'd be taken to court. - Now let me just get this right.
0:19:30 > 0:19:34Was there anything on the windscreen saying you've overstayed?
0:19:34 > 0:19:37You're parking here illegally? Nothing at all? Good heavens above!
0:19:37 > 0:19:40Sarah, what's the legal position here?
0:19:40 > 0:19:44Well, it's an interesting one because if you park on private land,
0:19:44 > 0:19:46at the moment, it's completely unregulated.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48and it's a real big problem.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51These companies that send out these letters
0:19:51 > 0:19:53know that if they send out a threatening letter,
0:19:53 > 0:19:56many people will pay up.
0:19:56 > 0:19:58If you don't pay, you get walloped with a big bill.
0:19:58 > 0:20:00It's a real issue.
0:20:00 > 0:20:04- Is the company a member of the British Parking Association? - Yes. As far as I know, they are.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07What I would also suggest is that you contact them with the name
0:20:07 > 0:20:10and membership number of the company that's been writing to you
0:20:10 > 0:20:11and tell them what happened.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14Would you be bold enough to go to court on this?
0:20:14 > 0:20:17- I think I would, yes. - If you lose in court, then you have to pay court costs.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19But I think that you're in quite a strong position.
0:20:19 > 0:20:23I think it's genuinely shocking that a company will send out
0:20:23 > 0:20:26a massive bill for £350 and give their customer no way
0:20:26 > 0:20:31of disputing that or trying to find out how much they could or should pay legally.
0:20:31 > 0:20:35Linda, thanks very much indeed. Let us know what happens.
0:20:38 > 0:20:42Still to come, a disastrously botched dental job.
0:20:42 > 0:20:46So why hasn't the man responsible put it right?
0:20:46 > 0:20:49I cannot even imagine
0:20:49 > 0:20:53how I will be able to get this money,
0:20:53 > 0:20:55and every day I need to live like this.
0:20:55 > 0:20:59I try to hide when I talk to people,
0:20:59 > 0:21:03of course I couldn't even dare to smile.
0:21:06 > 0:21:10Next, a business that in the past has run into big trouble
0:21:10 > 0:21:12for practices that some would call misleading.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15Others might describe it as just downright sneaky.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18But it seems that they're up to their old tricks again,
0:21:18 > 0:21:21forcing people to hand over hundreds of pounds
0:21:21 > 0:21:23that they simply shouldn't have to pay.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29Dawn Gardener runs a hair salon in North Shields.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32She's built up the business from scratch.
0:21:32 > 0:21:34But it's not always been easy.
0:21:34 > 0:21:38It has been difficult, you know, lots of businesses do struggle.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41And we are in a very small-knit community
0:21:41 > 0:21:45and they're very loyal to the local businesses in the village,
0:21:45 > 0:21:48they are, and that's what we've actually survived on.
0:21:48 > 0:21:52To ensure things stay on track,
0:21:52 > 0:21:54Dawn keeps an eagle eye on the accounts.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57I watch everything that comes through the door and everything that I order
0:21:57 > 0:21:59and know that I can afford to pay it.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02So she was surprised when in May this year
0:22:02 > 0:22:06she received an invoice in the post that she knew NOTHING about.
0:22:06 > 0:22:10It was from a company called Industry & Commerce, based in Spain,
0:22:10 > 0:22:12who claimed that she owed them 1,000 euros
0:22:12 > 0:22:16for an advert that she'd placed for her business on their website.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19I opened the post and I read the letter and it said,
0:22:19 > 0:22:22thanking me for placing an advert which I've never advertised
0:22:22 > 0:22:25in all the years I've been hairdressing.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28Along with the invoice, the company had enclosed a copy
0:22:28 > 0:22:32of the form that Dawn had supposedly filled in to place the ad.
0:22:32 > 0:22:36But not only did this have incorrect information about the business,
0:22:36 > 0:22:38the signature on it was not hers.
0:22:38 > 0:22:43I'm the only person that receives all the post
0:22:43 > 0:22:44and nobody else would have signed.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47She immediately rang Industry & Commerce
0:22:47 > 0:22:51to tell them she had NEVER placed an advert through them.
0:22:51 > 0:22:54But they insisted that she had and that as the contract was now
0:22:54 > 0:22:56out of their cooling off period,
0:22:56 > 0:22:59Dawn was legally obliged to pay the money.
0:22:59 > 0:23:03I said, "How can I have a cool off period when I've not signed anything?
0:23:03 > 0:23:08"I'm contacting you today cos this is the first post I've had from you."
0:23:08 > 0:23:12And I said I wanted to speak to somebody higher than her.
0:23:12 > 0:23:16She said that wasn't possible, just put it in an email to her,
0:23:16 > 0:23:19or to the company, which I did do.
0:23:19 > 0:23:22Dawn looked into the detail of the letter
0:23:22 > 0:23:24and she was horrified to discover
0:23:24 > 0:23:27that hidden in the terms and conditions
0:23:27 > 0:23:30was an agreement to sign up for three years
0:23:30 > 0:23:33and, to make matters worse, she was threatened with court action
0:23:33 > 0:23:34if she didn't pay up.
0:23:34 > 0:23:37So Dawn contacted Trading Standards who told her that the company
0:23:37 > 0:23:40she'd had the letter from, Industry & Commerce,
0:23:40 > 0:23:44was actually part of a bigger company called European City Guide.
0:23:46 > 0:23:50He said that he'd had dealings with European City Guide some years ago,
0:23:50 > 0:23:52but basically to put the stuff in the bin,
0:23:52 > 0:23:54not to give them any money
0:23:54 > 0:23:59and I was doing the right thing by contacting them.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02And that's because although Dawn had never heard about this outfit before,
0:24:02 > 0:24:05Trading Standards most certainly had.
0:24:05 > 0:24:10The Industry & Commerce company operate European City Guide
0:24:10 > 0:24:13and the local Trading Standards and the Office of Fair Trading,
0:24:13 > 0:24:16received numerous complaints from businesses,
0:24:16 > 0:24:21over probably 15 years, that they've been tricked into a contract
0:24:21 > 0:24:25for advertising space in what they thought was a free directory.
0:24:25 > 0:24:30Dawn followed Trading Standard's advice, and although she IS still
0:24:30 > 0:24:33getting demands for payments from the company,
0:24:33 > 0:24:35she now throws them straight in the bin.
0:24:35 > 0:24:37But there are plenty of other people
0:24:37 > 0:24:40who HAVE felt pressured into paying up,
0:24:40 > 0:24:43fearing that if they didn't it would harm their business
0:24:43 > 0:24:47and amongst them is builder Raymond Quigley from East Kilbride.
0:24:47 > 0:24:51Early part of 2009, I received a letter through the door
0:24:51 > 0:24:54from European City Guide with all my details on it.
0:24:54 > 0:24:57At that time I was going through a bit of a problem
0:24:57 > 0:25:00with my mother not being very well
0:25:00 > 0:25:03and, basically, I'd seen all my details and signed it,
0:25:03 > 0:25:07sent it back, not realising what I had actually signed
0:25:07 > 0:25:12because my mind wasn't on it, and about eight, nine months later
0:25:12 > 0:25:17I received a letter through saying that I owed them 997 euros.
0:25:17 > 0:25:21Raymond was now locked into an expensive contract with European City Guide,
0:25:21 > 0:25:24for an advertising service that he just didn't want
0:25:24 > 0:25:26and, indeed, couldn't afford.
0:25:26 > 0:25:31The company insisted he had no choice but to pay up.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34So, reluctantly, Raymond paid them nearly £800,
0:25:34 > 0:25:37fearing that if he didn't he would end up in court.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40He thought that that would be the end of it,
0:25:40 > 0:25:43but a few months later, the company got in touch again.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46I then got a letter in with an invoice,
0:25:46 > 0:25:50stating that their second edition was coming out
0:25:50 > 0:25:54and I owed them 997 euro again
0:25:54 > 0:25:57and I phoned them up and stated that I didn't.
0:25:57 > 0:26:01I'd paid last year's and had they made a mistake,
0:26:01 > 0:26:03and I got told, no, it was a contract -
0:26:03 > 0:26:05this was a second edition.
0:26:05 > 0:26:09But this time, Raymond wasn't prepared to keep handing over cash.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12After doing some research, he realised how many
0:26:12 > 0:26:15other business owners had been stung the same way.
0:26:15 > 0:26:16So from then on in,
0:26:16 > 0:26:20he simply ignored all further mail from the company.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23I mean, at the end of the day, they couldn't care less about you,
0:26:23 > 0:26:25they just want your money and just...that's it.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28We contacted Industry Commerce in Spain.
0:26:28 > 0:26:31They told us that they couldn't find Ray on their system
0:26:31 > 0:26:34and as for Dawn, they just sent a copy of the same form
0:26:34 > 0:26:38they'd sent her as proof that she'd signed up.
0:26:38 > 0:26:40Now they claim that Trading Standards has a "skewed vision"
0:26:40 > 0:26:43of their company and it doesn't reflect the fact
0:26:43 > 0:26:45that the order form has "become much clearer"
0:26:45 > 0:26:48and their "product has also improved".
0:26:48 > 0:26:52They also say as their contract is sent to "potential clients" by post,
0:26:52 > 0:26:55there's "no obligation to return it",
0:26:55 > 0:26:57which actually sounds to us
0:26:57 > 0:26:59like they're giving permission for you to throw it in the bin.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04Raymond has learned a very expensive lesson from his experience,
0:27:04 > 0:27:06and Trading Standards are keen to ensure
0:27:06 > 0:27:09that nobody else is caught out the same way.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12Businesses should be very, very reticent
0:27:12 > 0:27:15in actually signing anything without checking it out first.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18Even if they are large companies, the person receiving the advert
0:27:18 > 0:27:21will probably think that someone else has actually agreed this
0:27:21 > 0:27:25and then will sign it and send it off without giving it a thought.
0:27:25 > 0:27:29But with these sort of things, it is incumbent upon them
0:27:29 > 0:27:31to actually check it out for themselves
0:27:31 > 0:27:32and read all the small print,
0:27:32 > 0:27:35and the best idea is don't send anything off.
0:27:39 > 0:27:43Big companies don't always make things easy to understand
0:27:43 > 0:27:47and you've told us that it can be confusing trying to work out
0:27:47 > 0:27:49why you haven't ended up with what you'd expected.
0:27:49 > 0:27:54So if you feel bogged down and ripped off, well, we've put together
0:27:54 > 0:27:56a booklet of tips and advice.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59You can find a link to the new, free guide on our website...
0:28:03 > 0:28:05..or to receive a copy in the post,
0:28:05 > 0:28:08send a stamped, self-addressed A5 envelope
0:28:08 > 0:28:10to the address that we'll give you at the end of the programme.
0:28:14 > 0:28:17Now when Which? magazine did a survey,
0:28:17 > 0:28:2136% of the people they asked said they were finding it hard to manage
0:28:21 > 0:28:23on their current income.
0:28:23 > 0:28:26As a result, a lot of people desperate for money will try
0:28:26 > 0:28:28and find ways to borrow it.
0:28:28 > 0:28:31And if they get no joy from the banks, many may find
0:28:31 > 0:28:34there's no option but to turn to riskier solutions
0:28:34 > 0:28:36such as so called payday loans.
0:28:36 > 0:28:37But there IS an alternative.
0:28:37 > 0:28:41It's one the government has pledged millions of pounds to support
0:28:41 > 0:28:44and like so many good ideas, it isn't a new one.
0:28:47 > 0:28:50We're talking about credit unions.
0:28:50 > 0:28:53The first one in the UK was established in 1964
0:28:53 > 0:28:58and there are now almost 400 of them throughout England, Scotland, and Wales.
0:28:58 > 0:29:01Credit unions work by offering savings and loans
0:29:01 > 0:29:04to their members and have traditionally appealed to people
0:29:04 > 0:29:08on lower incomes or who don't have access to mainstream banking.
0:29:08 > 0:29:12The cost of borrowing is much lower than with payday lenders
0:29:12 > 0:29:13and so are the risks.
0:29:13 > 0:29:18Dawn Blow has been a credit union user for five years.
0:29:18 > 0:29:22She turned to them for help after getting into debt.
0:29:22 > 0:29:25I got a payday loan once
0:29:25 > 0:29:29and when the payday come, they'd put that much interest onto it
0:29:29 > 0:29:32that I couldn't afford to pay back what I'd borrowed
0:29:32 > 0:29:36but then the month after, I had to pay more,
0:29:36 > 0:29:37which to me, that was wrong.
0:29:37 > 0:29:42My experience with credit unions has been a lot better.
0:29:42 > 0:29:48I have just borrowed £300 and I will pay £25 a week back.
0:29:48 > 0:29:52It comes back to the interest - it's very, very low.
0:29:52 > 0:29:57Despite that, at the moment, only 2% of people in the UK use
0:29:57 > 0:30:00a credit union, compared with 75% in Ireland.
0:30:00 > 0:30:03But the government aims to change that.
0:30:04 > 0:30:06The government is about to invest
0:30:06 > 0:30:09up to £38 million in credit unions in Britain,
0:30:09 > 0:30:13and that's because they would like to see the sector grow
0:30:13 > 0:30:14to a completely new level,
0:30:14 > 0:30:18and serve more and more people with both a safe place
0:30:18 > 0:30:22to put their savings but also a very good place to borrow.
0:30:22 > 0:30:26The money is to help the credit unions,
0:30:26 > 0:30:29maybe as many as 40 or 50 credit unions to change
0:30:29 > 0:30:33and to get stronger and to have much more...
0:30:33 > 0:30:37available to more people, but to also be more convenient.
0:30:37 > 0:30:40It's a real sign of the times that there's now a credit union being
0:30:40 > 0:30:45set up in Kensington and Chelsea - one of richest boroughs in Britain.
0:30:45 > 0:30:49But can these small-scale operations really take on
0:30:49 > 0:30:51the booming payday loan business?
0:30:53 > 0:30:56With nearly 10,000 users,
0:30:56 > 0:31:00the Manchester Credit Union is one of the UK's biggest.
0:31:00 > 0:31:01Our lending is increasing all the time
0:31:01 > 0:31:04and as people are becoming aware of the credit union,
0:31:04 > 0:31:06we're getting more and more people joining.
0:31:06 > 0:31:10The way we differ is, we lend to people who don't,
0:31:10 > 0:31:13either don't have a credit history or have a poor credit history,
0:31:13 > 0:31:15and we don't hold that against people.
0:31:15 > 0:31:19You know, we can give them small loan, but it's an affordable loan,
0:31:19 > 0:31:23and then once they repay that back regularly, they can borrow again.
0:31:23 > 0:31:27So we give people a chance, basically, who don't have,
0:31:27 > 0:31:29the banks don't want to lend small amounts,
0:31:29 > 0:31:33they're not interested in giving somebody a £500 loan
0:31:33 > 0:31:38and they probably wouldn't give it to some of these people anyway.
0:31:38 > 0:31:40For Dawn, the credit union has been a lifeline
0:31:40 > 0:31:43and kept her out of the clutches of loan sharks.
0:31:43 > 0:31:49My experience with credit unions is a lot better than going to
0:31:49 > 0:31:54a loan shark or a bank.
0:31:54 > 0:31:58If you miss a payment, they don't put more money on,
0:31:58 > 0:32:03not like loan sharks. They put loads of money on your loan
0:32:03 > 0:32:05and I have had bad experience with that actually.
0:32:07 > 0:32:10If you want to find out more about credit unions
0:32:10 > 0:32:12and whether they're right for you,
0:32:12 > 0:32:15you can find out information on our website...
0:32:22 > 0:32:25Now if there's one thing that most of us want to hang on to
0:32:25 > 0:32:28as much as our money, it's our teeth.
0:32:28 > 0:32:31Frankly, nobody likes the thought of losing either.
0:32:31 > 0:32:32But as we're about to hear,
0:32:32 > 0:32:37there are some serious gaps in the way that our dentists are regulated.
0:32:37 > 0:32:39So once you put your mouth in their hands,
0:32:39 > 0:32:41if something goes seriously wrong,
0:32:41 > 0:32:44you may not have the protection that you thought you had.
0:32:47 > 0:32:48Though there aren't many of us
0:32:48 > 0:32:51who actually look forward to a visit to the dentist,
0:32:51 > 0:32:55at least we can rest safe in the chair knowing we're being treated
0:32:55 > 0:32:57by someone who knows what they're doing.
0:32:57 > 0:33:01But unfortunately, that's not how things worked out for this patient,
0:33:01 > 0:33:03Gabriella, who'd saved for years
0:33:03 > 0:33:05for some treatment that she desperately needed.
0:33:05 > 0:33:07Morning, Gabriella. How are you?
0:33:07 > 0:33:09I'm all right, thank you.
0:33:09 > 0:33:10'I had a medical condition'
0:33:10 > 0:33:13which required years and years of treatment
0:33:13 > 0:33:16and that treatment destroyed my teeth.
0:33:18 > 0:33:21Gabriella had four implants put in her upper jaw.
0:33:21 > 0:33:25But the work that she'd saved so hard for was not done well,
0:33:25 > 0:33:29and two years later she's still left with no teeth in her upper jaw,
0:33:29 > 0:33:32which is why she's seeing a different dentist today
0:33:32 > 0:33:37in the hope that he can put right the disastrous work that had been done.
0:33:39 > 0:33:41Gabriella came to see me last year
0:33:41 > 0:33:44after she had had some work done at a different practice.
0:33:44 > 0:33:47As you can see, on this shot especially,
0:33:47 > 0:33:50which is showing the four implants at the top,
0:33:50 > 0:33:52they're all different angles, all four of them.
0:33:52 > 0:33:54Ideally, they should be parallel.
0:33:54 > 0:33:58But they're not, and that won't be cheap to put right.
0:33:58 > 0:34:02We're having to correct the wrong angles,
0:34:02 > 0:34:04provide her with a telescopic bridge.
0:34:04 > 0:34:08So you'll be looking at a cost of anything from £15,000 to £18,000.
0:34:09 > 0:34:14It was back in 2009 that Gabriella first visited the local dental clinic
0:34:14 > 0:34:17where she would have her treatment,
0:34:17 > 0:34:20and made an initial payment of £4,000.
0:34:20 > 0:34:22The job was arranged for the following January
0:34:22 > 0:34:25when she met the man who would do the work - Dr Piotr Reichel.
0:34:25 > 0:34:31He explained to me the whole procedure that would take place
0:34:31 > 0:34:37and I agreed with this,
0:34:37 > 0:34:41so of course I trusted him.
0:34:41 > 0:34:44But that trust proved unfounded,
0:34:44 > 0:34:47which is why Gabriella is still suffering today.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52Most of the UK's 39,000 dentists are self-employed,
0:34:52 > 0:34:55working out of "practices" to help cover the cost
0:34:55 > 0:34:57of administration, premises and equipment.
0:34:59 > 0:35:02That means each working dentist is usually a separate entity,
0:35:02 > 0:35:05liable for their own mistakes.
0:35:05 > 0:35:08In order to practise, they're supposed to have insurance
0:35:08 > 0:35:10in case anyone makes a claim against them.
0:35:10 > 0:35:14The dentist could then make a claim on this policy
0:35:14 > 0:35:18on behalf of their patients, but Dr Reichel was no longer around...
0:35:19 > 0:35:22..though the first sign Gabriella had of that
0:35:22 > 0:35:25was when she went for a follow-up appointment.
0:35:25 > 0:35:30She was told another dentist was now treating Dr Reichel's patients.
0:35:30 > 0:35:34And that dentist was horrified when he examined Gabriella.
0:35:34 > 0:35:39I could see his shock, by the way he talked,
0:35:39 > 0:35:42by the way he put his hands on his head.
0:35:42 > 0:35:47I found that the implants
0:35:47 > 0:35:52were placed wrong and nothing can be done.
0:35:53 > 0:35:57Gabriella is angry with the way the clinic then handled her case,
0:35:57 > 0:36:00feeling they weren't particularly sympathetic.
0:36:00 > 0:36:04And she had no joy in trying to contact Dr Reichel.
0:36:04 > 0:36:08As she investigated further, she discovered why.
0:36:08 > 0:36:11The General Dental Council, who regulate the industry,
0:36:11 > 0:36:13had struck him off the register of dentists
0:36:13 > 0:36:17that are allowed to practise. The reason?
0:36:17 > 0:36:19"To prevent harm being done to patients,"
0:36:19 > 0:36:24after other complaint against him for similarly poor work.
0:36:24 > 0:36:27Dr Reichel has now returned to his native Poland
0:36:27 > 0:36:30leaving Gabriella stuck -
0:36:30 > 0:36:32and unsure how she can afford to put her teeth right.
0:36:34 > 0:36:41I cannot even imagine how I will be able to get this money.
0:36:41 > 0:36:45How long it's going to take me until I put this money together...
0:36:47 > 0:36:49..and every day I need to live like this.
0:36:52 > 0:36:55'I try to hide when I talk to people.'
0:36:56 > 0:37:00Of course, I couldn't even dare to smile now.
0:37:01 > 0:37:03Look at my lip.
0:37:03 > 0:37:06There's no lip left any more
0:37:06 > 0:37:10because it's sunk in here.
0:37:10 > 0:37:16The corners of my mouth go...this, and more and more.
0:37:16 > 0:37:22See, look at that. My eyes are going more.
0:37:22 > 0:37:29What can I do about this? You see. I can't do anything.
0:37:29 > 0:37:31It's just... I don't want to look like that.
0:37:31 > 0:37:34I want to look better.
0:37:34 > 0:37:38David Coreless Smith is Gabriella's lawyer.
0:37:38 > 0:37:40We're acting for Gabriella to try
0:37:40 > 0:37:43and persuade Dr Reichel's insurers to deal with her claim.
0:37:43 > 0:37:49During Dr Reichel's practice in the UK, he was insured with two separate insurance companies,
0:37:49 > 0:37:53neither of those insurances are adequate.
0:37:53 > 0:37:56That leaves Gabriella in the position of having
0:37:56 > 0:38:01a good, valid claim but no insurance to cover the claim.
0:38:01 > 0:38:07The General Dental Council DOES require dentists to have adequate insurance.
0:38:07 > 0:38:10But there's no law that makes them do it.
0:38:10 > 0:38:12David thinks that should change.
0:38:12 > 0:38:13'There needs to be three changes in the law.
0:38:13 > 0:38:15'Firstly, it needs to be a legal requirement
0:38:15 > 0:38:19that dentists are insured in order to practise.
0:38:19 > 0:38:24Secondly, it needs to be a legal requirement that dentists tell patients about their insurance.
0:38:24 > 0:38:30And thirdly, it needs to be a legal requirement that insurers deal with patients bringing claims.
0:38:30 > 0:38:34We contacted Gabriella's dentist, Dr Reichel, in Poland.
0:38:34 > 0:38:38He said he'd be willing to meet us out there to explain things,
0:38:38 > 0:38:41but he didn't answer any of our questions.
0:38:41 > 0:38:45We also spoke to the clinic where the job was done,
0:38:45 > 0:38:52who've reiterated that Dr Reichel was self-employed and simply rented a room from them.
0:38:52 > 0:38:56They say Gabriella's case is not straightforward,
0:38:56 > 0:39:00and they don't agree with the estimated cost of putting the work right.
0:39:00 > 0:39:03But they have told us they think this story is an example of how
0:39:03 > 0:39:05the dental indemnity industry is
0:39:05 > 0:39:09"letting the public down" by not covering
0:39:09 > 0:39:14a patient's legitimate claim unless the insured dentist instructs them to.
0:39:14 > 0:39:19Meanwhile, the General Dental Council told us that they're working with the Department Of Health
0:39:19 > 0:39:22on plans that it's hoped by October of next year
0:39:22 > 0:39:26will make it mandatory for dentists and other health professionals
0:39:26 > 0:39:31to have indemnity cover if they're involved in treating patients.
0:39:32 > 0:39:36And Gabriella - with no end in sight to her problems -
0:39:36 > 0:39:39feels that such changes can't come a moment too soon.
0:39:39 > 0:39:43The best thing that can be done is that all...
0:39:43 > 0:39:49all the organisations work together with the same purpose -
0:39:49 > 0:39:53to create a law for us, to protect us.
0:39:58 > 0:40:04Here at Rip-Off Britain we're always ready to investigate more of your stories.
0:40:04 > 0:40:06Confused over your bills?
0:40:06 > 0:40:09Trying to wade through never-ending small print?
0:40:09 > 0:40:11When they sit you down to sign up for things,
0:40:11 > 0:40:15they don't really give you the chance or the time to read through all of that small print.
0:40:15 > 0:40:19Unsure what to do when you discover you've lost out,
0:40:19 > 0:40:21and that "great deal" has ended up costing you money?
0:40:21 > 0:40:24You feel as though, because you've got a cheap deal,
0:40:24 > 0:40:26you are not worth their time in the same way.
0:40:26 > 0:40:30You might have a cautionary tale of your own and want to share
0:40:30 > 0:40:35the mistakes that you've made with us, so that others don't do the same.
0:40:35 > 0:40:39I feel angry. I feel stupid that I'd allowed this to happen to me.
0:40:39 > 0:40:42You can write to us at...
0:40:51 > 0:40:53..or send us an email to...
0:40:57 > 0:41:01The Rip-Off team is ready and waiting to investigate your stories.
0:41:03 > 0:41:07I think we would all agree that absolutely no-one likes feeling
0:41:07 > 0:41:10that they've had a raw deal, but when there's a lot of money involved,
0:41:10 > 0:41:12well, that just makes it even worse.
0:41:12 > 0:41:15And certainly for the people that we've met in today's stories,
0:41:15 > 0:41:18it was money they simply could not afford to lose.
0:41:18 > 0:41:23Well, at Rip-Off Britain, we're here to fight your corner if the same thing happens to you,
0:41:23 > 0:41:26but of course, we'd far rather you didn't need to write to us at all,
0:41:26 > 0:41:30and that every pound you spend does exactly the job you want it to.
0:41:30 > 0:41:33So, to make that happen, it does pay to know your rights
0:41:33 > 0:41:38and to really do your research before you agree to hand over your hard-earned cash.
0:41:38 > 0:41:41You could save yourself a lot of hassle further down the line.
0:41:41 > 0:41:43Well, I'm afraid that's where we've got to leave it for today,
0:41:43 > 0:41:46but we'll see you next time to look at more of your stories.
0:41:46 > 0:41:50- But until then, from the whole team, bye-bye.- Bye-bye.- Bye-bye.
0:41:55 > 0:41:59Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd