0:00:02 > 0:00:04'We asked you to tell us who has left you feeling ripped off
0:00:04 > 0:00:08'and you've contacted us in your thousands,
0:00:08 > 0:00:12'by post, email, even stopping us on the streets
0:00:12 > 0:00:14'and the message could not be clearer.'
0:00:14 > 0:00:16They're in it for what they can get,
0:00:16 > 0:00:18they're not in it to provide a service.
0:00:18 > 0:00:22I didn't sleep. It upset me so much that I didn't sleep.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25'You've told us, with money tighter than ever,
0:00:25 > 0:00:30'you need to be sure that every pound you spend is worth it.'
0:00:30 > 0:00:33How do I get my money back? I just think I'm entitled to it.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36'So whether it's a deliberate rip-off,
0:00:36 > 0:00:38'a simple mistake, or a catch in the small print,
0:00:38 > 0:00:40'we'll find out why you're out of pocket
0:00:40 > 0:00:43'and what you can do about it.'
0:00:43 > 0:00:46Keep asking the questions. You know, go to the top if you have to.
0:00:46 > 0:00:50We do get results, I mean, that's the interesting thing.
0:00:50 > 0:00:55'Your stories, your money. This is Rip-Off Britain.'
0:00:55 > 0:00:58Hello and a very warm welcome to Rip-Off Britain,
0:00:58 > 0:01:01where it's our job to get to the bottom of why you've had a raw deal,
0:01:01 > 0:01:04or indeed if you feel you're not getting the service you expect
0:01:04 > 0:01:06and indeed deserve.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09Whether it's by pounds or pennies, the people we'll meet today
0:01:09 > 0:01:12all feel they've lost out and they want to know why.
0:01:12 > 0:01:14So we'll be getting answers for them
0:01:14 > 0:01:18and making sure that YOU know how to avoid the same sort of upset.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20So there's plenty of good advice coming up,
0:01:20 > 0:01:23because some of the situations we're going to hear about
0:01:23 > 0:01:26involve everyday costs or annoyances,
0:01:26 > 0:01:30the sort of things that really could very easily happen to any one of us.
0:01:30 > 0:01:31But as you'll see,
0:01:31 > 0:01:35they can end up causing a lot more bother than you'd bargained for.
0:01:36 > 0:01:38'Coming up, their fares are going up
0:01:38 > 0:01:41'and so has the cost of some of their car parks.
0:01:41 > 0:01:45'Have the train companies found an easy way to earn more cash?'
0:01:45 > 0:01:49Effectively, it's now going to cost £1,400 per year, per car,
0:01:49 > 0:01:55for the same facilities that we were previously paying £500.
0:01:55 > 0:01:59'The new homes with an unusual extra feature,
0:01:59 > 0:02:01'a constant smell of sewage.'
0:02:01 > 0:02:04If I had the opportunities to sell my house tomorrow,
0:02:04 > 0:02:05I would go.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07'And our experts are ready to tackle
0:02:07 > 0:02:12'more of your problems at the Rip-Off Britain Pop-Up Shop.'
0:02:12 > 0:02:15Something we need to be increasingly on our guard against
0:02:15 > 0:02:19is certain companies promising that, in return for a fee of course,
0:02:19 > 0:02:22they can win back money for us which we've paid out in the past.
0:02:22 > 0:02:24Now we've flagged all of this up before -
0:02:24 > 0:02:26the risks with some of the companies
0:02:26 > 0:02:29that offer to reclaim mis-sold PPI payments.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31But now there's something else to watch out for
0:02:31 > 0:02:33and it's equally tempting,
0:02:33 > 0:02:36but again, you may not get the return that's been promised.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39So, if you've ever wondered if you pay too much council tax,
0:02:39 > 0:02:42you're exactly the sort of person they're after.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45'It was October 2010, when right out of the blue
0:02:45 > 0:02:48'Jackie Roast got an intriguing phone call
0:02:48 > 0:02:51'with a very attractive offer.
0:02:51 > 0:02:53'It was from a company called Council Tax Review,
0:02:53 > 0:02:55'who suggested that her house
0:02:55 > 0:02:57'might have been put into the wrong council tax band.
0:02:57 > 0:03:01'As a result, over the 13 years since she'd moved in,
0:03:01 > 0:03:02'she may have been paying too much tax.
0:03:02 > 0:03:06'And that was money that the company suggested
0:03:06 > 0:03:08'THEY could get back for her.'
0:03:08 > 0:03:10I didn't understand council tax banding,
0:03:10 > 0:03:14but I thought it might be worthwhile so we'd listen to him.
0:03:14 > 0:03:18'She arranged a visit from someone at the company to explain more.
0:03:18 > 0:03:20'And when he came round,
0:03:20 > 0:03:23'he made it sound like she had absolutely nothing to lose.'
0:03:23 > 0:03:29He convinced me he would need £185 for the paperwork,
0:03:29 > 0:03:32and then, should they be unsuccessful,
0:03:32 > 0:03:34that would be refundable.
0:03:34 > 0:03:39But whatever they DID manage to get me back,
0:03:39 > 0:03:44they would take a percentage, which was 25%.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46I thought, OK, that's fair enough,
0:03:46 > 0:03:50if they're doing all the work, so I was all for it.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53'It seemed perfect.
0:03:53 > 0:03:54'If the company was successful,
0:03:54 > 0:03:57'Jackie would pay less tax AND get money back.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00'And if they weren't, they'd refund her fee.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03'So she signed a cheque for £185,
0:04:03 > 0:04:06'and left it to Council Tax Review to pursue her case.'
0:04:06 > 0:04:11My impression was that they were helping people like me
0:04:11 > 0:04:15that maybe was paying too much over the years
0:04:15 > 0:04:17and they would get money back.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20'The man had told Jackie that this wasn't a job
0:04:20 > 0:04:22'she could easily do herself.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24'But a couple of weeks after signing up,
0:04:24 > 0:04:26'she realised that wasn't true
0:04:26 > 0:04:29'and you shouldn't need to pay anybody else to do it.'
0:04:29 > 0:04:32After my sister told me that she had been down to the council
0:04:32 > 0:04:37and got HER money back of £3,000 without any assistance from anyone,
0:04:37 > 0:04:41I decided to ring the Council Tax Review people
0:04:41 > 0:04:45that I'd been involved with and ask for my money back.
0:04:45 > 0:04:47'But Jackie's attempts at getting back
0:04:47 > 0:04:51'what she'd paid out to Council Tax Review didn't get her very far,
0:04:51 > 0:04:54'despite their promise that the fee would be refundable.'
0:04:54 > 0:04:56It was one excuse after another.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59The money's been spent,
0:04:59 > 0:05:03the person who actually came to the house
0:05:03 > 0:05:07would have to say whether I could have my cheque back or not.
0:05:07 > 0:05:11They were fobbing me off. They were constantly fobbing me off.
0:05:11 > 0:05:13'Well, now, after almost TWO years
0:05:13 > 0:05:17'and endless phone calls to Council Tax Review,
0:05:17 > 0:05:19'there's no sign of either a refund
0:05:19 > 0:05:21'or that the company ever bothered to do the work
0:05:21 > 0:05:23'they promised in the first place.'
0:05:23 > 0:05:26I've retired this year, and my husband's due for retirement
0:05:26 > 0:05:32and I was hoping that we would have a smaller banding to pay,
0:05:32 > 0:05:35and that we would have that little bit of money back in the bank.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37I feel angry.
0:05:38 > 0:05:42I feel stupid that I'd allowed this to happen to me.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44'But Jackie is by no means
0:05:44 > 0:05:47'the only person taken in by Council Tax Review.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50'West Yorkshire Trading Standards
0:05:50 > 0:05:52'received nearly 700 complaints about the company,
0:05:52 > 0:05:55'all from people who'd been told that they too
0:05:55 > 0:05:57'could be in line for thousands of pounds in rebates
0:05:57 > 0:06:01'in return for that refundable upfront free.'
0:06:01 > 0:06:02They signed up and paid the money,
0:06:02 > 0:06:05and they were finding things weren't happening
0:06:05 > 0:06:08at the pace they perhaps expected.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11Basically, they tried to make a lot of complaints,
0:06:11 > 0:06:13or they had made complaints to the company,
0:06:13 > 0:06:15but they weren't getting anything done about those complaints.
0:06:15 > 0:06:19'The man behind Council Tax Review, Jack Darrell Henry,
0:06:19 > 0:06:21'was found guilty of a series of offences
0:06:21 > 0:06:24'involving unfair commercial practices.
0:06:24 > 0:06:25'And earlier this year,
0:06:25 > 0:06:28'he was given a nine-month suspended jail sentence.
0:06:28 > 0:06:32'He was also ordered to serve 150 hours of unpaid community service
0:06:32 > 0:06:37'and to pay full prosecution costs of £12,500.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39'The judge said that Henry had engaged in...'
0:06:43 > 0:06:46'But while THIS company has been put out of business,
0:06:46 > 0:06:48'there are concerns that others
0:06:48 > 0:06:52'with similar tactics may spring up in its place.'
0:06:52 > 0:06:55We've seen several examples of companies like this,
0:06:55 > 0:06:57where effectively they are offering a service
0:06:57 > 0:07:00which can actually be performed by yourself.
0:07:00 > 0:07:02Not necessarily anything wrong with that,
0:07:02 > 0:07:04providing you go into it with your eyes open.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07Salesmen are good at gaining people's confidence,
0:07:07 > 0:07:09that's the skill of being the salesman,
0:07:09 > 0:07:12but there's also a skill attached to being a good consumer
0:07:12 > 0:07:13and you've got to learn
0:07:13 > 0:07:16that don't sign anything if you don't want to sign it.
0:07:16 > 0:07:18Take the information away by all means,
0:07:18 > 0:07:20but have a think about it first.
0:07:20 > 0:07:22'The easiest way to find out
0:07:22 > 0:07:24'if you're in the wrong council tax band
0:07:24 > 0:07:27'is to contact your local valuation office yourself.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30'It won't cost anything more than the price of the call
0:07:30 > 0:07:33'and it's absolutely free if you do it online,
0:07:33 > 0:07:37'something Jackie wishes she'd known when she first got that call.'
0:07:37 > 0:07:39I don't think I'll ever get my money back,
0:07:39 > 0:07:42I do know it was a con, it was in the papers.
0:07:42 > 0:07:48It was a scam, and I could say bye-bye to my money.
0:07:51 > 0:07:55Rail fares have risen this year by an average of 5.9%,
0:07:55 > 0:07:58pushing many passengers to the limit.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01But that's nothing compared to the price increases
0:08:01 > 0:08:03we've heard about at some railway car parks.
0:08:03 > 0:08:08Here's one where the new charges have really got the locals steaming.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14'For the residents of Blackheath in south-east London,
0:08:14 > 0:08:17'this is an essential part of the local community,
0:08:17 > 0:08:19'the station car park.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22'And it isn't just used by people catching the train.
0:08:22 > 0:08:24'It's vital for shoppers, businesses,
0:08:24 > 0:08:27'even teachers at the school.
0:08:27 > 0:08:30'But regular users of the car park have told us
0:08:30 > 0:08:33'that this year, the costs have rocketed.'
0:08:35 > 0:08:37I've been using the village car park for 13 years
0:08:37 > 0:08:40and I've come to the point where I've had to stop.
0:08:40 > 0:08:44It's unaffordable, it's too much, and it's affected the whole village.
0:08:44 > 0:08:46'The prices are ridiculous.'
0:08:46 > 0:08:48For a small village, we're paying prices
0:08:48 > 0:08:51that might be equivalent to Charing Cross or Leicester Square.
0:08:51 > 0:08:54I have to park 20 minutes in that direction.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56It's a 20-minute walk across the heath,
0:08:56 > 0:08:58which is actually in Greenwich,
0:08:58 > 0:09:02and when I finish work between 12 and one in the morning,
0:09:02 > 0:09:06I then have to walk back across the heath to pick up the car.
0:09:06 > 0:09:08Unacceptable and far too expensive.
0:09:10 > 0:09:14'Michael Roach is head teacher of the local primary school.
0:09:14 > 0:09:15'It doesn't have a car park,
0:09:15 > 0:09:18'which is why staff have always parked in the station car park,
0:09:18 > 0:09:20'right next door.'
0:09:20 > 0:09:22'On the back of the price increases,
0:09:22 > 0:09:24'we've had to radically change how we come to school.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26'With less than two months' notice,'
0:09:26 > 0:09:32they've had to radically shift their lives, their organisation,
0:09:32 > 0:09:35not travel to school by using the car, use public transport,
0:09:35 > 0:09:37make child care arrangements.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40My concern for the long term is
0:09:40 > 0:09:43it might put staff off applying for a job in this school
0:09:43 > 0:09:45if they are reliant on their car.
0:09:47 > 0:09:51'Of the increased charges, it's the 80% rise in the cost
0:09:51 > 0:09:55'of the annual parking permit that residents are most angry about.
0:09:55 > 0:10:00'Last year, it was £500. Now, it's 900.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03'For local lettings agent Jane Cruickshank,
0:10:03 > 0:10:07'parking here is essential to the running of her business.'
0:10:07 > 0:10:09I pay for all of my staff's parking charges.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12'At the drop of a hat,'
0:10:12 > 0:10:15we need to pick up keys, head round to a property,
0:10:15 > 0:10:16meet a contractor.
0:10:16 > 0:10:18'So, what's behind the rising prices?
0:10:18 > 0:10:20'Well, in February,
0:10:20 > 0:10:24'Network Rail took over the running of the car park from the council
0:10:24 > 0:10:27'and straightaway, the price of parking there shot up.'
0:10:27 > 0:10:29'I can't now say to my staff,'
0:10:29 > 0:10:33you've got to pay to come to work and use your car.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35I've always included it as part of the package.
0:10:35 > 0:10:39So for me it's, you know, it's been a financial strain.
0:10:39 > 0:10:43'And even though the cost of that annual permit has almost doubled,
0:10:43 > 0:10:47'it now only covers the station car park itself,
0:10:47 > 0:10:51'and not, as it used to, the village's other parking bays.
0:10:51 > 0:10:55'To use THOSE, Jane's staff will now need an extra permit
0:10:55 > 0:10:58'from the council at another £500 a pop.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01'So all told, to get exactly the same parking as before,
0:11:01 > 0:11:04'she'll have to pay almost three times the price.'
0:11:07 > 0:11:11Effectively, it's now going to cost £1,400 per year, per car,
0:11:11 > 0:11:16for the same facilities that we were previously paying £500.
0:11:17 > 0:11:21'Alex Tindle is a chef in a local Italian restaurant.
0:11:21 > 0:11:23'He thinks the price hikes
0:11:23 > 0:11:27'are stopping people spending time in Blackheath.'
0:11:27 > 0:11:31People don't feel relaxed to stay in the restaurant for as long as they would've done.
0:11:31 > 0:11:35They can't enjoy a leisurely lunch or leisurely evening meal,
0:11:35 > 0:11:37because they feel more pressured about their car parking
0:11:37 > 0:11:40and fitting in with the...
0:11:40 > 0:11:43the times of that parking and the restrictions around it.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45So we might find that
0:11:45 > 0:11:48they want to substitute staying for a dessert or a coffee
0:11:48 > 0:11:51with picking up their car and moving on.
0:11:51 > 0:11:55Network Rail is what you could call the "fat controller"
0:11:55 > 0:11:56of the UK's rail industry.
0:11:56 > 0:12:01It owns and operates ALL of Britain's rail infrastructure.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04But it only operates a few of its car parks.
0:12:04 > 0:12:06Many of the rest are run by the
0:12:06 > 0:12:07train operating companies themselves.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10We're getting used to them putting up their fares.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13But are they putting up their parking charges too?
0:12:13 > 0:12:15In some cases yes.
0:12:15 > 0:12:16Over the last three years,
0:12:16 > 0:12:19First Capital Connect's car park prices have risen
0:12:19 > 0:12:22by an average of 12.3% -
0:12:22 > 0:12:26they say because of the significant improvements they've made.
0:12:26 > 0:12:31South West Trains have upped their parking rates by 6.5% this year,
0:12:31 > 0:12:34again saying that's because of multimillion-pound investments
0:12:34 > 0:12:35to benefit passengers.
0:12:35 > 0:12:40And at stations run by South Eastern Rail which charge for parking,
0:12:40 > 0:12:44the cost has increased by an average of 50 pence a day,
0:12:44 > 0:12:47which doesn't sound much, but park there every day
0:12:47 > 0:12:51and you could be stumping up an extra £182 a year.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53They say the revenue raised from their car parks
0:12:53 > 0:12:55barely covers the costs.
0:12:55 > 0:12:59But John Page, from the transport union the TSSA,
0:12:59 > 0:13:01thinks rail users are being ripped off.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04We think it's excessive,
0:13:04 > 0:13:07we think rail users are effectively being robbed.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10We simply think the Government needs to regulate parking
0:13:10 > 0:13:14at train stations in the same way they're regulating the fares.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17The residents in Blackheath would certainly agree.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20So how does Network Rail explain the price hikes there?
0:13:20 > 0:13:23They told us that all profits from car parks
0:13:23 > 0:13:26"are put back into the running of Britain's railway",
0:13:26 > 0:13:29and in this case, the money raised will help them carry out
0:13:29 > 0:13:31a major programme of improvements to the car park
0:13:31 > 0:13:34which will benefit all users.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37They point out that while some charges at Blackheath have gone up,
0:13:37 > 0:13:40others have gone down, with prices for parking
0:13:40 > 0:13:44between five and eight hours a day reduced by almost 50%.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47They say not only are prices in line with those at other stations,
0:13:47 > 0:13:51but there's been an increase in demand
0:13:51 > 0:13:54and despite what residents claim, the economic vitality of the village
0:13:54 > 0:13:58has not been affected. But in any case, they say this is, after all,
0:13:58 > 0:14:02a station car park, so it's right they tailor their prices
0:14:02 > 0:14:05to suit the needs of rail users.
0:14:07 > 0:14:09But many locals aren't convinced
0:14:09 > 0:14:13and reckon the new charges are completely out of order.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18My biggest beef is the fact that there's been little or no
0:14:18 > 0:14:21consultation on this, there's not been a due process to allow
0:14:21 > 0:14:25the local community to really consider the enormity of this.
0:14:25 > 0:14:28I feel our voice hasn't been heard.
0:14:33 > 0:14:37When you buy a home, especially a brand-new one,
0:14:37 > 0:14:40there's a lot in this day and age you might just take for granted.
0:14:40 > 0:14:42You could be forgiven for expecting things
0:14:42 > 0:14:44like hot and cold running water for one,
0:14:44 > 0:14:47or an uninterrupted power supply.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50And there can't be many people around who wouldn't add to that list
0:14:50 > 0:14:52a functioning way of disposing of sewage.
0:14:52 > 0:14:56After all, it's probably not since Victorian times that most of us
0:14:56 > 0:14:59have had to put up with that overwhelming stench,
0:14:59 > 0:15:02which is why the residents in one housing estate in East Yorkshire
0:15:02 > 0:15:07are finding the smell around their homes very hard to stomach.
0:15:12 > 0:15:14Scenery like this is why, to some,
0:15:14 > 0:15:17Yorkshire is known as "God's own county".
0:15:17 > 0:15:21Its wild moors and rugged countryside make it the perfect place to go
0:15:21 > 0:15:24for a breath of fresh air.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27But around this estate in Low Catton,
0:15:27 > 0:15:29the air doesn't smell particularly fresh.
0:15:29 > 0:15:33And the last thing the residents want to do is take a breath of it.
0:15:33 > 0:15:35For almost seven years, they've put up with
0:15:35 > 0:15:39a foul stench around their homes that simply won't go away.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43Oh, gosh, it smells!
0:15:43 > 0:15:49In 2005, Anne Jackson bought a shared ownership home.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51Whilst she owns 50% of it,
0:15:51 > 0:15:55she pays rent on the rest to her local housing association, Chevin.
0:15:55 > 0:15:58Anne noticed the smell just months after moving in.
0:15:58 > 0:16:02I can't go out into the garden when the smell is so bad
0:16:02 > 0:16:05because it's very nauseating.
0:16:05 > 0:16:07You know, you couldn't have a barbecue.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10You couldn't sit out and have a picnic.
0:16:10 > 0:16:14Anne got a letter from the Housing Association saying that they would
0:16:14 > 0:16:17be doing some work on her sewage treatment tank.
0:16:19 > 0:16:24And it was then that it dawned on her that the smell was sewage!
0:16:24 > 0:16:28I'm very embarrassed when family and friends stop by,
0:16:28 > 0:16:34because of the odour of the bad egg smell, which is really, really bad,
0:16:34 > 0:16:38and poo smell. It's disgusting.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41Because Anne's house was a new-build,
0:16:41 > 0:16:45she was confident that all would be resolved through Chevin.
0:16:45 > 0:16:51I kept getting letters, July, and October in 2005 to say there
0:16:51 > 0:16:54were works being carried out
0:16:54 > 0:16:58but not explaining exactly what kind of works.
0:16:58 > 0:17:05Whatever it was, none of it worked and that awful smell remained.
0:17:05 > 0:17:07I have contacted three or four different people
0:17:07 > 0:17:12and my emails have been passed on to other people
0:17:12 > 0:17:17within the Housing Association saying that they will respond,
0:17:17 > 0:17:20they will help and it doesn't.
0:17:20 > 0:17:25Finally, in 2010, what seemed to be a breakthrough.
0:17:25 > 0:17:29Believing that the smell was being caused by a lack of oxygen
0:17:29 > 0:17:32to Anne's sewage treatment system, the Housing Association
0:17:32 > 0:17:36installed a compressor and vent pipe to her garden wall. But she says
0:17:36 > 0:17:42that only made the smell worse. And what's getting right up Anne's nose
0:17:42 > 0:17:45is that she's actually paying Chevin Housing Association
0:17:45 > 0:17:48to maintain the system.
0:17:48 > 0:17:54I pay £55 for maintenance and service charges to Chevin Housing
0:17:54 > 0:17:58per month and I don't feel that money is being spent
0:17:58 > 0:18:00on resolving the issues.
0:18:02 > 0:18:05Just across the street, Ted and Carole are also kicking up a stink
0:18:05 > 0:18:09over the smell. Seven years ago, they bought their house outright
0:18:09 > 0:18:12from Chevin Housing Association, who at the time
0:18:12 > 0:18:14said there had been a problem
0:18:14 > 0:18:16which they were in the process of rectifying.
0:18:17 > 0:18:21On the day we moved in, we had a letter from Chevin
0:18:21 > 0:18:25saying they'd fixed the problem with the septic tank.
0:18:25 > 0:18:29They obviously hadn't because we've still got the same problem.
0:18:29 > 0:18:33With the Housing Association's attempts to fix things
0:18:33 > 0:18:36proving unsuccessful, Ted and Carole felt they had no choice
0:18:36 > 0:18:39but to try and sort things out for themselves.
0:18:39 > 0:18:44But that doesn't come cheap. In fact, it's cost them £15,000.
0:18:44 > 0:18:50It's a heck of a lot of money on solicitors' bills, engineers' reports
0:18:50 > 0:18:54and emptying the tank ourselves now which we've got to do and we didn't
0:18:54 > 0:18:58expect to be doing that, not with a new house. I just feel it's
0:18:58 > 0:19:03money that's gone down the drain or down the sewer, if you like!
0:19:03 > 0:19:07Now Chevin did throw Ted and Carole a lifeline, offering to redirect
0:19:07 > 0:19:12their outlet pipe to the village drain. But there was one proviso...
0:19:12 > 0:19:19There was a clause to the offer. We had to sign away any right
0:19:19 > 0:19:25to come back to them even, erm, even if the problem wasn't cured.
0:19:25 > 0:19:27So by agreeing to this offer,
0:19:27 > 0:19:31if it turned out that the Housing Association couldn't sort out the smell,
0:19:31 > 0:19:33residents like Ted would have been signing up
0:19:33 > 0:19:36to paying for all future work themselves.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39And either way, local engineer Jim Taylor
0:19:39 > 0:19:43reckons that the work required would be more complex than anybody thinks.
0:19:43 > 0:19:47The sewage treatment plant isn't working satisfactorily.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50It's too near the house. It hasn't got a free outfall
0:19:50 > 0:19:53into the village drain but even then
0:19:53 > 0:19:56the village drainage system is unsatisfactory.
0:19:56 > 0:19:58To replace the sewage treatment plant
0:19:58 > 0:20:00will cost of the order of £25,000
0:20:00 > 0:20:03and won't solve the problem entirely.
0:20:03 > 0:20:07There would need to be sewers in the village and a sewage treatment plant
0:20:07 > 0:20:09and I hate to think how much that would cost.
0:20:09 > 0:20:14One reason the smell has hung around so long is down to a disagreement
0:20:14 > 0:20:17over who has responsibility for the pipes taking sewage from the houses
0:20:17 > 0:20:21to the village drain. Now the Housing Association says that is
0:20:21 > 0:20:23where the problem lies
0:20:23 > 0:20:26and it's therefore the local council's responsibility, not theirs.
0:20:26 > 0:20:30But the council says it's not a matter for them.
0:20:30 > 0:20:34So there you have it - stalemate. And we really do mean "stale".
0:20:34 > 0:20:38We're really not bothered whose fault it is but we know there is a
0:20:38 > 0:20:40fault and we just want it solving.
0:20:40 > 0:20:44If nothing was done...oh...
0:20:44 > 0:20:46we'd be totally devastated,
0:20:46 > 0:20:51totally devastated and we'd just, like, be back to square one again.
0:20:51 > 0:20:57It's just unbearable. If nothing's done about it, we're here for life
0:20:57 > 0:21:01cos we won't be able to sell. We feel very let down.
0:21:01 > 0:21:05If I had the opportunity to sell my house tomorrow, I would go.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08So could we help clear the air?
0:21:08 > 0:21:12We got in touch with the housing association, Chevin, who told us that
0:21:12 > 0:21:16a specific drainage system had been designed for these houses because of
0:21:16 > 0:21:19the lack of mains drainage in the village. At the time, they were
0:21:19 > 0:21:24confident that the system was appropriate, was properly installed
0:21:24 > 0:21:25and should have been effective
0:21:25 > 0:21:29and it was in that belief that plots were sold and let.
0:21:29 > 0:21:33And though they accept that's not been the case, they've reiterated
0:21:33 > 0:21:34they think the cause of the problem
0:21:34 > 0:21:37is outside that drainage system itself and therefore
0:21:37 > 0:21:41any changes required are not their responsibility.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44Despite this, they have carried out a number of improvements
0:21:44 > 0:21:48to try and sort things at no cost to the residents, and come up with what
0:21:48 > 0:21:52they hope will prove to be a solution. At a recent meeting,
0:21:52 > 0:21:55residents were told that Chevin would not only cover the cost of the
0:21:55 > 0:21:59work involved, but monitor the new system for its first year
0:21:59 > 0:22:03and remedy any faults. The Housing Association is also in talks
0:22:03 > 0:22:05with the local council and water company
0:22:05 > 0:22:07to try and find a way forward.
0:22:07 > 0:22:11However it does seem that our interest has sparked
0:22:11 > 0:22:16a further flurry of activity on this. So let's hope that this time,
0:22:16 > 0:22:20residents really can look forward to the end of a problem that for years
0:22:20 > 0:22:22has made their lives a total misery.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25Well, finally it seems that the residents of that estate could be
0:22:25 > 0:22:28looking at a solution. And obviously, we hope before long
0:22:28 > 0:22:32they'll be able to enjoy breathing a deep sigh of relief
0:22:32 > 0:22:35and the whole unpleasant business comes to an end.
0:22:39 > 0:22:45Our Pop-Up Shop in Gateshead gave you the chance to call in
0:22:45 > 0:22:48and tell us all about your consumer concerns in person.
0:22:51 > 0:22:55- And here he is - Herbert. I've been talking about you.- Have you?- Yes.
0:22:55 > 0:22:58This is a true rogue scenario.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01It's like somebody just stealing your money.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04Our team of experts have pointed people in the right direction
0:23:04 > 0:23:07after they've been left feeling ripped off.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10They're just using it as a loophole to not have to pay you out.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13And we've been offering a few tips of our own.
0:23:13 > 0:23:15And what's our little joint slogan?
0:23:15 > 0:23:18Always read... BOTH: The small print!
0:23:18 > 0:23:21But failing to read the small print
0:23:21 > 0:23:24when buying a birthday surprise for her boyfriend online
0:23:24 > 0:23:28has left Laura well and truly out of pocket.
0:23:28 > 0:23:33They charged me £19.95 for the next few months without my authorisation.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35And you ended up paying...
0:23:35 > 0:23:39- How much did the present cost you in the first place?- £10.25.
0:23:39 > 0:23:43- And you ended up paying how much for it?- £170.
0:23:43 > 0:23:45Good heavens above!
0:23:45 > 0:23:49How were they able to keep taking money out of her account, Sylvia?
0:23:49 > 0:23:53Certain online companies offer a voucher scheme
0:23:53 > 0:23:57effectively where you sign up online to get discount rates.
0:23:57 > 0:24:00You get the first 30 days free, then any subsequent month
0:24:00 > 0:24:03you're agreeing to pay them, in this case, £19.95
0:24:03 > 0:24:05until you cancel with them.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08- So you thought you were buying a one-off item...- And that was it.
0:24:08 > 0:24:10Did you... I hate to ask this
0:24:10 > 0:24:13but did you read the terms and conditions?
0:24:13 > 0:24:16Not really but then I don't on most things that I buy.
0:24:16 > 0:24:19So how did you finally manage
0:24:19 > 0:24:22- to stop this money going out every month?- I cancelled my account
0:24:22 > 0:24:25and went to another bank. That was the only way.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28So you actually cancelled your bank account! I know that this
0:24:28 > 0:24:31company's been running for quite a long time and I'm aware of a
0:24:31 > 0:24:34number of similar complaints. In terms of what you do about this
0:24:34 > 0:24:37money you've spent, you are going to have to try and say that
0:24:37 > 0:24:41they misled you and you were not aware and didn't see the small print,
0:24:41 > 0:24:44but I think it's going to be extremely difficult.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47- And, Sylvia, what's the situation with the bank?- In terms of the bank,
0:24:47 > 0:24:51the Financial Services Authority have issued guidance -
0:24:51 > 0:24:55Bank Accounts Know Your Rights - and you can get this information from the
0:24:55 > 0:24:58Financial Services website. So effectively once you have
0:24:58 > 0:25:01told the bank that you are not authorising these payments
0:25:01 > 0:25:05they should have stopped it on your behalf. You shouldn't have had to
0:25:05 > 0:25:09close your bank account and if you go back to the bank and say look,
0:25:09 > 0:25:12this says clearly you should have stopped it when I asked you to,
0:25:12 > 0:25:14they will be liable for any payments made after that date.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17- Did your boyfriend like the present, Laura?- He did. Yes.
0:25:17 > 0:25:22So at least we can say you might get some money back from the bank,
0:25:22 > 0:25:26the rest you may have to put down to experience,
0:25:26 > 0:25:29- but at least your boyfriend liked the pressie!- Yes.
0:25:29 > 0:25:33And after following Sylva Rook's advice and contacting her bank,
0:25:33 > 0:25:38Laura has now had most of the money which was taken out of her account refunded.
0:25:41 > 0:25:45Still to come - why paramedics like this man may have been left
0:25:45 > 0:25:48hundreds of pounds out of pocket after they stopped being paid.
0:25:48 > 0:25:53I'm a professional, I've worked hard, I've helped a lot of people,
0:25:53 > 0:25:55and my reward for that is I've been totally ripped off,
0:25:55 > 0:25:57that's the only way I can describe it.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05- JULIA:- With house prices falling in the UK
0:26:05 > 0:26:06and a stagnant property market,
0:26:06 > 0:26:10many people are opting to improve their homes. What happens if your
0:26:10 > 0:26:14builder walks off in the middle of a job and you can't get him
0:26:14 > 0:26:17to finish the work he's supposed to have done?
0:26:20 > 0:26:24It's now six years since Inez Howard decided she wanted to create
0:26:24 > 0:26:29more space in her home at Egham in Surrey
0:26:29 > 0:26:32and approached a local builder to build her an extension.
0:26:32 > 0:26:37I found a builder by seeing him working on the other side
0:26:37 > 0:26:40of the road and I asked if he was decent and they said yes.
0:26:40 > 0:26:46And I approached the builder and he gave me a price.
0:26:46 > 0:26:51Reassured by the work he'd done nearby, and happy with the quote
0:26:51 > 0:26:55she'd been given of £44,000, Inez went ahead with the project,
0:26:55 > 0:26:58agreeing to pay the builder in instalments
0:26:58 > 0:27:00over the next three months.
0:27:00 > 0:27:05When the job started, everything was all right, I was happy with him.
0:27:05 > 0:27:09He was friendly and he said he can do the job in 12 to 14 weeks.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13But soon, Inez began to worry about the number of jobs
0:27:13 > 0:27:16the builder hadn't completed. And worse still,
0:27:16 > 0:27:19there were problems with the standard of his work.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22When I told him about anything, he weren't...he said,
0:27:22 > 0:27:24"Yes, yes, I'll finish it", and he didn't.
0:27:24 > 0:27:29The bathroom upstairs wasn't right.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32The bath was on the wrong side of the wall to start with.
0:27:32 > 0:27:37I had to ask him to move it. The windows was not put in right.
0:27:37 > 0:27:43The roof was wrong. The leak upstairs...water came in...
0:27:46 > 0:27:50By this point, Inez had already paid her builder £36,000,
0:27:50 > 0:27:56so she withheld the remaining £8,000 until he'd finished the work
0:27:56 > 0:28:02to her satisfaction. But the builder refused, leaving Inez stuck
0:28:02 > 0:28:05with half-finished rooms and one big mess to clear up.
0:28:05 > 0:28:10Oh, I feel terrible about him. It really, really shocked me
0:28:10 > 0:28:14to see a man could do something like that to anyone.
0:28:14 > 0:28:19And as if that wasn't enough, the builder then wrote to say
0:28:19 > 0:28:22he'd start legal proceedings against her if she didn't pay
0:28:22 > 0:28:24the rest of the money.
0:28:24 > 0:28:29I felt distressed when he wrote to me and said he wanted his money
0:28:29 > 0:28:36and last letter before action and asking for more than the £8,000 -
0:28:36 > 0:28:38that really shook me up.
0:28:38 > 0:28:43Inez had legal cover under her house insurance, so she set about getting
0:28:43 > 0:28:45official reports on the state of her property.
0:28:45 > 0:28:49And that's when the bad news really hit home.
0:28:49 > 0:28:53One inspection revealed that the plumber provided by the builder
0:28:53 > 0:28:57had left her boiler unsafe. And an independent electrics report
0:28:57 > 0:29:01highlighted no less than 20 items that needed fixing.
0:29:01 > 0:29:07I did not think I would be living as a pensioner in this state.
0:29:07 > 0:29:13I wanted to improve my standard to live happy and being able to go
0:29:13 > 0:29:16on holidays as I like and so on and come back to a comfortable place.
0:29:16 > 0:29:21That was my intention when I started thinking about doing an extension.
0:29:21 > 0:29:23And it turned out to be a disaster.
0:29:27 > 0:29:30A disaster that's still rumbling on six years later.
0:29:30 > 0:29:35Inez and her builder have reached stalemate. He won't finish the job
0:29:35 > 0:29:39because she hasn't paid him in full, while Inez wants her money back.
0:29:39 > 0:29:41But because her insurance company didn't think the builder
0:29:41 > 0:29:45had enough funds to repay her, they stopped paying her legal costs.
0:29:45 > 0:29:51So Inez has ended up forking out a further £9,000 to try to get back
0:29:51 > 0:29:53the £36,000 she's already spent.
0:29:53 > 0:29:55It was a waste of money, really.
0:29:55 > 0:29:59I felt as if I should've just give him the money
0:29:59 > 0:30:03and he didn't start the job at all. It would've been a better solution.
0:30:03 > 0:30:06Inez has managed to do some work to fix the leaky roof
0:30:06 > 0:30:10and repair the dangerous electrics. But the surveyor's report
0:30:10 > 0:30:15she's had done suggests the cost of finally finishing her extension
0:30:15 > 0:30:18will be even more than the small fortune she's already paid.
0:30:18 > 0:30:25Seeing the list of things that had to be put right, I was shocked
0:30:25 > 0:30:31and nervous about the price and everything which was about
0:30:31 > 0:30:34£50,000 to £60,000 to put right.
0:30:34 > 0:30:38When we contacted the builder, he told us that he's "a good builder",
0:30:38 > 0:30:42and "an honest man". He disagrees with what Inez has told us,
0:30:42 > 0:30:45saying during the job she kept changing her mind,
0:30:45 > 0:30:47or requesting extra work.
0:30:47 > 0:30:50And he disputes the faults she's identified,
0:30:50 > 0:30:53or, in the case of the boiler, his responsibility for them.
0:30:53 > 0:30:57He says he threatened legal action not to cause undue distress,
0:30:57 > 0:31:01but to get the money he claims he's owed and insists if he gets that,
0:31:01 > 0:31:04he will finish the work.
0:31:06 > 0:31:08It seems extraordinary that after stories
0:31:08 > 0:31:10about problems with builders,
0:31:10 > 0:31:14this kind of situation is still happening.
0:31:14 > 0:31:17Though there are various schemes designed to help, so far no-one's
0:31:17 > 0:31:21managed to come up with a foolproof way of ensuring you can be
0:31:21 > 0:31:23completely confident about your choice of builder.
0:31:23 > 0:31:28With her house in such a mess, Inez says she can't live in it
0:31:28 > 0:31:31and has had to stay with friends and family. And she's devastated
0:31:31 > 0:31:35that despite her efforts to find a reputable tradesman,
0:31:35 > 0:31:38the house she once loved still looks like a building site.
0:31:40 > 0:31:45Very unhappy and I trusted this man thinking I would have had good work,
0:31:45 > 0:31:50and even if it had cost me extra, I would have willingly paid
0:31:50 > 0:31:54to have a decent job, I never went in for a cheap job,
0:31:54 > 0:31:56I went in for a good job.
0:31:59 > 0:32:04Well, as Inez knows only too well, it isn't easy to resolve
0:32:04 > 0:32:08this sort of dispute. There are a number of insurance schemes
0:32:08 > 0:32:10that have been set up offering protection if you do get into
0:32:10 > 0:32:15this type of situation. David Hill is from the industry trade body,
0:32:15 > 0:32:19the Federation of Master Builders, which offers one of these schemes.
0:32:19 > 0:32:22If you're thinking of carrying out building work or
0:32:22 > 0:32:24building a new house there are certain things
0:32:24 > 0:32:25that you need to look out for.
0:32:25 > 0:32:29Choose your builder carefully -
0:32:29 > 0:32:32take up references and use somebody from a trade association.
0:32:32 > 0:32:35Trade associations carry out rigorous checks
0:32:35 > 0:32:39in order for builders to become members. Those checks can include
0:32:39 > 0:32:43financial checks, due diligence for public liability insurances
0:32:43 > 0:32:48and VAT registration, professional references
0:32:48 > 0:32:53and independent inspections to maintain the quality of work.
0:32:53 > 0:32:56Use a building contract - small works contracts are available
0:32:56 > 0:32:58free of charge and downloadable
0:32:58 > 0:33:01from the Federation of Master Builders' website.
0:33:01 > 0:33:06Use a low-cost independent inspection service to make sure
0:33:06 > 0:33:10that building work is progressing in accordance with regulations.
0:33:12 > 0:33:17Most companies you tell us about haven't set out to rip you off,
0:33:17 > 0:33:21so when you feel that is what's happened, it may be that their terms
0:33:21 > 0:33:24and conditions just weren't clear enough or there's been
0:33:24 > 0:33:27a genuine mistake they've been slow to put right.
0:33:27 > 0:33:29Whatever the explanation,
0:33:29 > 0:33:31when things go wrong you need to know what to do
0:33:31 > 0:33:35and where to turn. So, we've put together a booklet of tips
0:33:35 > 0:33:39and advice. You can find a link to the new free guide on our website...
0:33:43 > 0:33:46Or to receive a copy in the post, send a stamped, self-addressed
0:33:46 > 0:33:51A5 envelope to the address we give you at the end of the programme.
0:33:54 > 0:33:56Well, as you can imagine
0:33:56 > 0:34:00we get a lot of letters and emails here at Rip-Off Britain,
0:34:00 > 0:34:03and we're really grateful for every one of them. But the letter that
0:34:03 > 0:34:08sparked this next story really stood out - and the minute we saw it
0:34:08 > 0:34:11we just knew we had to find out more.
0:34:15 > 0:34:20Joseph Warner loves his job. It's one that makes a real difference
0:34:20 > 0:34:23to people's lives, because Joseph is a rapid response medic.
0:34:23 > 0:34:27I think I am very passionate towards being a paramedic,
0:34:27 > 0:34:30because I know people need to be helped.
0:34:30 > 0:34:34I don't think I could spend 41 years in it if you didn't enjoy it.
0:34:34 > 0:34:37It's like every job - you have bad times, you have good times.
0:34:37 > 0:34:39The secret is just to work through the time that's difficult
0:34:39 > 0:34:42and then get back to what you do best.
0:34:42 > 0:34:47Although he was originally employed by the NHS, for the last four years
0:34:47 > 0:34:50Joseph has worked for five of the different private agencies
0:34:50 > 0:34:55that supply fully trained medics to help answer emergency 999 calls.
0:34:55 > 0:34:58- That's me away.- Bye!
0:34:58 > 0:35:01And one of those agencies employed Joseph for ten months
0:35:01 > 0:35:03up until August 2011.
0:35:03 > 0:35:07I got a contract in the Newcastle area. The reason I went to this
0:35:07 > 0:35:12agency was because it was closer to where I lived at home and it would
0:35:12 > 0:35:15then let me spend more time with my family.
0:35:15 > 0:35:19Joseph enjoyed his work in Newcastle and in the beginning
0:35:19 > 0:35:23everything ran smoothly. But alarm bells rang when in June 2011
0:35:23 > 0:35:26his pay didn't come through as normal. When he chased it up,
0:35:26 > 0:35:29he was assured all was well.
0:35:29 > 0:35:31They said they were having banking problems but they would get
0:35:31 > 0:35:36to it. As a result of that, we were paid 13 days late.
0:35:36 > 0:35:42So that was a warning to us. We got assurance from this particular agency
0:35:42 > 0:35:45that it was just a glitch and it would never happen again.
0:35:45 > 0:35:50But in fact the next month, the situation got worse.
0:35:50 > 0:35:54Rather than being paid late, Joseph wasn't paid anything.
0:35:54 > 0:35:57And when he raised the problem with the agency, he was told that the
0:35:57 > 0:36:00problem was down to the company moving to a new bank.
0:36:00 > 0:36:06The main man, the manager, stated that I wasn't experienced
0:36:06 > 0:36:09in running a £4 million company, so therefore I didn't know the problems
0:36:09 > 0:36:12of changing banks, that we would definitely be paid,
0:36:12 > 0:36:17that there wasn't any problems. This persisted for almost two weeks -
0:36:17 > 0:36:21continually phoning, leaving phone messages which wasn't returned,
0:36:21 > 0:36:24phone calls that weren't answered. If they did answer the phone,
0:36:24 > 0:36:27they would then lift the phone up, as soon as I said who I was
0:36:27 > 0:36:29they put the phone directly back down again.
0:36:29 > 0:36:34Two weeks turned into two months without pay.
0:36:34 > 0:36:37And then Joseph got some even worse news.
0:36:37 > 0:36:42We got a phone call from a friend to say that the office had been closed,
0:36:42 > 0:36:45so the emails weren't getting answered, they weren't receiving
0:36:45 > 0:36:47the emails and the phone lines were dead.
0:36:47 > 0:36:50So there was no way to contact them whatsoever.
0:36:50 > 0:36:54In desperation, Joseph tried going down to the agency's office,
0:36:54 > 0:36:57where his worst fears were confirmed.
0:36:57 > 0:37:00The office was empty, the office was locked, there was no phones,
0:37:00 > 0:37:05no faxes, no office equipment, it was just a shell.
0:37:05 > 0:37:09I had great difficulty because one, I was owed a lot of money,
0:37:09 > 0:37:12two, I had already spent a lot of money on expenses
0:37:12 > 0:37:16and that to contribute to going to work without being paid for it
0:37:16 > 0:37:19and three, I no longer had a job. But I still had a mortgage,
0:37:19 > 0:37:23I still had my family to feed, I still had the bills to pay,
0:37:23 > 0:37:26but I was unemployed through no fault of my own
0:37:26 > 0:37:28and I was owed all this money.
0:37:33 > 0:37:39The total impact on me not being paid by this company was £9,792.
0:37:39 > 0:37:40That's what they owed me,
0:37:40 > 0:37:44not counting the expenses that I was paying out to get there,
0:37:44 > 0:37:49the £750 per month. The result of the persistence with the company was that
0:37:49 > 0:37:51I managed to retrieve £2,000,
0:37:51 > 0:37:56but it still left me £7,792 out of pocket.
0:37:56 > 0:38:01And that was money Joseph and his family could not afford to lose.
0:38:01 > 0:38:07£7,792 means to me six months' mortgage, six months' bills,
0:38:07 > 0:38:14a holiday for the family. And that is a dramatic stop all of a sudden -
0:38:14 > 0:38:18no warning, nothing, you can't meet the bills, you can't go out
0:38:18 > 0:38:22and buy food, there is no money in there coming in
0:38:22 > 0:38:24and there's only money going out.
0:38:24 > 0:38:28I'm a professional, I've worked hard, I've helped a lot of people
0:38:28 > 0:38:31and my reward for that is I've been totally ripped off by this agency.
0:38:31 > 0:38:36The agency Joseph worked for has left plenty of other people
0:38:36 > 0:38:38in exactly the same position, although its former director
0:38:38 > 0:38:43has since opened up another agency under a different name.
0:38:43 > 0:38:48Joseph now works for an agency called Blue Star Medical Services.
0:38:48 > 0:38:52Its director of operations, Chris Knox, feels that the industry
0:38:52 > 0:38:54needs tighter controls.
0:38:54 > 0:38:57Within the private sector there are a large number
0:38:57 > 0:38:59of private ambulance services that are now
0:38:59 > 0:39:03vetted by people, so not only just the NHS
0:39:03 > 0:39:06but by the Care Quality Commission. But there are a large number
0:39:06 > 0:39:09of private ambulance services not running properly -
0:39:09 > 0:39:14the way they treat staff, clinical standards, all things like that...
0:39:14 > 0:39:16it does need more closely vetting.
0:39:16 > 0:39:20We weren't able to get any answers from the agency's former director,
0:39:20 > 0:39:25but the company's chairman told us that they'd ceased trading due to
0:39:25 > 0:39:29financial pressure put on it by the banks. He says it's
0:39:29 > 0:39:34tragic that people are owed wages and apologises to Joseph, but says
0:39:34 > 0:39:39unfortunately the money is very unlikely to be paid.
0:39:39 > 0:39:45So while Joseph is happy working for his new agency, he feels that more
0:39:45 > 0:39:48needs to be done to protect workers like him.
0:39:48 > 0:39:51There is no system in place to protect people like me. The system
0:39:51 > 0:39:56protects people like them - they just need to move next door, set up
0:39:56 > 0:40:00another company and continue as if nothing happened. Me, it's took me
0:40:00 > 0:40:03a year and I'm still not over the fact
0:40:03 > 0:40:06I've lost this massive amount of money, over £7,000.
0:40:10 > 0:40:12GLORIA: Here at Rip-Off Britain
0:40:12 > 0:40:16we're always ready to investigate more of your stories.
0:40:16 > 0:40:18We're particularly keen to hear from you
0:40:18 > 0:40:22if you've been travelling abroad or on holiday. Have you experienced
0:40:22 > 0:40:26problems when holidaying abroad, did your airline let you down,
0:40:26 > 0:40:30have you been stung by hidden charges when booking your holiday online,
0:40:30 > 0:40:32or maybe your travel insurance
0:40:32 > 0:40:35hasn't provided you with the protection you'd hoped for?
0:40:35 > 0:40:37You can write to us at...
0:40:47 > 0:40:48Or email...
0:40:53 > 0:40:55Don't forget, the Rip-Off team
0:40:55 > 0:40:58is ready and waiting to investigate your stories.
0:41:01 > 0:41:05Well, these days especially, we all want to make sure that not only does
0:41:05 > 0:41:08our money stretch as far as it possibly can, but that it's buying
0:41:08 > 0:41:11us exactly what we thought it would. So it's extremely annoying
0:41:11 > 0:41:15- when things don't turn out that way! - But remember, our website
0:41:15 > 0:41:18has plenty of advice on how to make sure your money is working hard
0:41:18 > 0:41:22for you and not just someone else. The address, you remember...
0:41:25 > 0:41:28And that's an address to make a note of. But do keep telling us
0:41:28 > 0:41:33who's left you out of patience or out of pocket and we'll see
0:41:33 > 0:41:37if we can find out why. What we're out of now is time, but we will
0:41:37 > 0:41:40be back to investigate more of your stories very soon.
0:41:40 > 0:41:42So I hope you'll join us. But until then...
0:41:42 > 0:41:44ALL: Goodbye.
0:42:06 > 0:42:08Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd