0:00:02 > 0:00:04'We asked you to tell us who's left you feeling ripped off,
0:00:04 > 0:00:08'and you contacted us in your thousands.
0:00:08 > 0:00:11'By post, email, even stopping us on the streets.
0:00:11 > 0:00:15'And 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 > 0:00:22Unfortunately, I think these companies
0:00:22 > 0:00:24are more motivated by their share price
0:00:24 > 0:00:26than they are by actually looking after customers.
0:00:26 > 0:00:29'You've told us that, with money tighter than ever,
0:00:29 > 0:00:32'you need to make sure that every pound you spend is worth it.'
0:00:32 > 0:00:36How do I get my money back? Cos I just think I'm entitled to it.
0:00:36 > 0:00:38'So whether it's a deliberate rip-off, a simple mistake,
0:00:38 > 0:00:41'or a catch in the small print,
0:00:41 > 0:00:43'we'll find out why you're out of pocket,
0:00:43 > 0:00:45'and what you can do about it.'
0:00:45 > 0:00:49Keep asking the questions. Go to the top if you have to.
0:00:49 > 0:00:53We do get results. That's the interesting thing.
0:00:53 > 0:00:57'Your stories. Your money. This is Rip-Off Britain.'
0:00:57 > 0:01:00Hello and welcome to Rip-Off Britain,
0:01:00 > 0:01:03where it's our mission to get to the bottom of why you feel
0:01:03 > 0:01:06you've been let down by the companies you do business with.
0:01:06 > 0:01:10And to find out if the way you've been treated is fair.
0:01:10 > 0:01:14Because there can't be many of us who haven't, at some stage,
0:01:14 > 0:01:16felt totally bamboozled by the terms and the conditions
0:01:16 > 0:01:20we've been presented with when we're signing up for some sort of service.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23And that is certainly what happened with people whose stories
0:01:23 > 0:01:25we're about to be told today.
0:01:25 > 0:01:29Yeah, they've all found themselves caught out by small print
0:01:29 > 0:01:31they either didn't read, or even if they did,
0:01:31 > 0:01:33it wasn't sufficiently clear to them.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35So, if you're one of those people who can't bear to plough through
0:01:35 > 0:01:38all that boring old paperwork, when you hear what happened
0:01:38 > 0:01:41in some of these cases, you may just change your mind.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44Later in the programme, a contract quite a few of you
0:01:44 > 0:01:46have contacted us about,
0:01:46 > 0:01:49with a particularly costly sting in the tail.
0:01:49 > 0:01:53I'm really, truly gutted that I feel embarrassed,
0:01:53 > 0:01:57and I feel that I'm in the same position as many hundreds of people.
0:01:57 > 0:02:01The families hit with huge care home fees they didn't expect.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04'Just because it's legal,
0:02:04 > 0:02:06'doesn't make it morally or ethically right.
0:02:06 > 0:02:08'This is charging the dead, really,'
0:02:08 > 0:02:10for a service they've not had.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14And more of your problems solved on the spot, at our pop-up shop.
0:02:14 > 0:02:16The next step is the ombudsman,
0:02:16 > 0:02:20and with this brilliant diary of information that you've got here,
0:02:20 > 0:02:23I'm pretty sure that your case will be very clear indeed.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28If you're having to face the very difficult subject
0:02:28 > 0:02:31of moving a relative into a care home,
0:02:31 > 0:02:33it can be a very stressful time.
0:02:33 > 0:02:37And amongst all the things that you're going to have to consider,
0:02:37 > 0:02:39getting your head around the paperwork
0:02:39 > 0:02:42may not seem to be a top priority.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45And indeed it could be that the terms and conditions
0:02:45 > 0:02:47aren't especially clear.
0:02:47 > 0:02:51Many care homes have a clause in their contract which,
0:02:51 > 0:02:53if you're not expecting it,
0:02:53 > 0:02:57can come as a particularly unwelcome surprise later on.
0:02:57 > 0:02:59As it did for the families in our next story.
0:02:59 > 0:03:01Now, they had absolutely no idea at all
0:03:01 > 0:03:05that when their relatives died, they would be hit with a bill
0:03:05 > 0:03:08for hundreds of pounds.
0:03:10 > 0:03:15'Just because it's legal, doesn't make it morally or ethically right.
0:03:15 > 0:03:17'This is charging the dead for a service they've not had.'
0:03:17 > 0:03:21It was while Isobel Wilkerson was grieving for her grandmother
0:03:21 > 0:03:24that she was hit with an unexpected bill.
0:03:24 > 0:03:28What made it worse was that the whole situation was a direct result
0:03:28 > 0:03:31of the death of 93-year-old Olive.
0:03:31 > 0:03:35Isobel has fond memories of when former nurse Olive was in her prime.
0:03:35 > 0:03:39She was a very strong character. Knew her own mind.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42Very loving towards my mum.
0:03:43 > 0:03:49And she was very outspoken, as well.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52But Isobel's grandmother suffered from dementia.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55And three years ago, the family felt that they had no choice
0:03:55 > 0:03:57but to put Olive in a care home.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00But choosing one they liked wasn't easy.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03We looked at lots of homes around Cambridge and some of them,
0:04:03 > 0:04:05I wouldn't put my dog in.
0:04:05 > 0:04:09But we found a local one which was lovely.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12Olive received exceptional treatment at the home they chose.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15The cost was £650 a week,
0:04:15 > 0:04:18which included accommodation,
0:04:18 > 0:04:20food and drink, and round-the-clock care
0:04:20 > 0:04:22She settled really well.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24They were absolutely brilliant,
0:04:24 > 0:04:27so yes, it was a massive relief that we'd got her somewhere safe
0:04:27 > 0:04:32where she was being looked after really well, and she loved it.
0:04:32 > 0:04:33Olive spent a happy 2½ years there,
0:04:36 > 0:04:39but in March, 2011, she passed away.
0:04:39 > 0:04:43It was probably over a three-week period, she just went to her bed
0:04:43 > 0:04:47and became very, very poorly.
0:04:47 > 0:04:53And she basically just slipped away, and the staff were brilliant.
0:04:53 > 0:04:57Isobel cleared Olive's room the very next day.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00So she was shocked when she received a bill for her care
0:05:00 > 0:05:04for the two weeks AFTER Olive had died -
0:05:04 > 0:05:08at a cost of £1,365!
0:05:08 > 0:05:11I was livid. I couldn't quite believe they would do that.
0:05:11 > 0:05:16I looked into it and spoke to the solicitor about it,
0:05:16 > 0:05:19and she said it's quite common that these clauses
0:05:19 > 0:05:24are put into contracts, and some homes can charge up to four weeks.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27So it was classed as legal.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30And, unfortunately for Isobel, it did say
0:05:30 > 0:05:32in the terms and conditions
0:05:32 > 0:05:36that the contract would only be terminated two weeks after a death,
0:05:36 > 0:05:40or when the room was cleared, if that was later.
0:05:40 > 0:05:45I enquired to the home about it and was informed that it was
0:05:45 > 0:05:49a period to allow the family time to clear the room,
0:05:49 > 0:05:55and for them to make it suitable for somebody else to move into.
0:05:55 > 0:05:59But Isobel thinks the £1,300 bill is unfair,
0:05:59 > 0:06:02because it covered not just the cost of accommodation,
0:06:02 > 0:06:06but also all her grandmother's care, food, drink, lighting, heating,
0:06:06 > 0:06:08even laundry done on the premises.
0:06:08 > 0:06:12Services that, of course, in the two weeks after her death,
0:06:12 > 0:06:13she hadn't used.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16'I couldn't understand how it could be legal that you could
0:06:16 > 0:06:21'charge for a service that you weren't actually giving.'
0:06:21 > 0:06:25I could have understood if they'd have charged a percentage of the fee
0:06:25 > 0:06:31to allow us time to clear the room, etcetera, but not for the whole lot.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34What frustrated Isobel even more was that she normally
0:06:34 > 0:06:39paid the fees from Olive's pension, which had stopped once she died.
0:06:39 > 0:06:41As soon as she's taken her last breath,
0:06:41 > 0:06:44her pension and her Attendance Allowance stopped,
0:06:44 > 0:06:46so she has no more income.
0:06:46 > 0:06:50But is still expected to pay bills.
0:06:50 > 0:06:54In fact, it's not at all unusual for care homes to have
0:06:54 > 0:06:55this sort of charge.
0:06:55 > 0:06:59Helen English and Rob Sewell's father, Jack, was 93
0:06:59 > 0:07:02when he moved into a retirement home.
0:07:02 > 0:07:04At home, he began to really struggle.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07And it was a very difficult decision indeed.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10He really didn't want to go and leave his home,
0:07:10 > 0:07:12but we just couldn't see any alternative.
0:07:12 > 0:07:16They found an ideal home close by,
0:07:16 > 0:07:19at a cost of £637 per week,
0:07:19 > 0:07:23with an initial deposit of £2,760.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26But, after three months there,
0:07:26 > 0:07:29Jack died.
0:07:29 > 0:07:34We immediately, in two or three days, cleared everything from his room,
0:07:34 > 0:07:38made the funeral arrangements,
0:07:38 > 0:07:42and it was all quite straightforward.
0:07:42 > 0:07:47Or it was, until they noticed that the home had deducted nearly £2,000,
0:07:47 > 0:07:51the equivalent of three weeks' care, from their initial deposit.
0:07:53 > 0:07:55The home claimed that this was part of the contract,
0:07:55 > 0:07:57and indeed, there it was.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00"They require one month's notice of a termination".
0:08:00 > 0:08:03"They require one month's notice of a termination."
0:08:03 > 0:08:07We felt that the money, or most of it, should have been given back to us
0:08:07 > 0:08:12because Dad was in no position to give a month's notice of termination,
0:08:12 > 0:08:15because he didn't know when he was going to die.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18Rob and Helen had read the terms and conditions,
0:08:18 > 0:08:21but now feel that they weren't clear.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23Because they hadn't realised the clause
0:08:23 > 0:08:27about "termination of residency" also applied to death.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29They're not completely clear
0:08:29 > 0:08:35and they certainly don't specifically mention what happens
0:08:35 > 0:08:39in the event of the resident dying.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43When the Office of Fair Trading looked into care home contracts,
0:08:43 > 0:08:47they were concerned about the "lack of clarity" with these fees,
0:08:47 > 0:08:49which they say are often
0:08:49 > 0:08:53not drafted in "plain, intelligible language".
0:08:53 > 0:08:56And, though they concluded that a charge for up to four weeks
0:08:56 > 0:09:00may be fair if the room was unoccupied for all that time,
0:09:00 > 0:09:04they said that any fees after a resident's death should be made
0:09:04 > 0:09:06"clear and prominent" in the contract,
0:09:06 > 0:09:09so that consumers are fully aware of them.
0:09:10 > 0:09:15Which is also the concern of Caroline Abrahams from Age UK.
0:09:15 > 0:09:17It's absolutely horrible to think
0:09:17 > 0:09:18that you're a family member
0:09:18 > 0:09:22who's experiencing all the distress of a bereavement
0:09:22 > 0:09:24and then suddenly, out of the blue,
0:09:24 > 0:09:26you get a bill you weren't expecting to get
0:09:26 > 0:09:27for quite a large sum of money.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30'When people go into a care home, it's often at a time of crisis
0:09:30 > 0:09:32'and so it's all a bit of a rush.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34'It's very easy then to overlook
0:09:34 > 0:09:38'those details about what you're signing up to.'
0:09:38 > 0:09:40It is really important that care homes do everything they can
0:09:40 > 0:09:43to bring the small print to families' attention,
0:09:43 > 0:09:45so that there aren't any horrible surprises later on.
0:09:45 > 0:09:48Which, of course, neither family we spoke to
0:09:48 > 0:09:50says happened in their case.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52So, we asked both of the care homes
0:09:52 > 0:09:54involved whether they think the charges were fair
0:09:54 > 0:09:56and made sufficiently clear.
0:09:56 > 0:09:59Only the one Olive lived in replied,
0:09:59 > 0:10:03saying that the costs of their care are...
0:10:03 > 0:10:04with this fee...
0:10:06 > 0:10:07and...
0:10:11 > 0:10:13They say it's "unfortunate"
0:10:13 > 0:10:17that Isobel doesn't feel it was clearly explained.
0:10:20 > 0:10:21But Isobel, Helen and Rob
0:10:21 > 0:10:25remain angry and upset about the charges that they've had to pay.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28'There isn't a choice. Even if you challenge it beforehand,
0:10:28 > 0:10:31'you've to do the best for the person'
0:10:31 > 0:10:34and it's a big decision moving a loved one into a care home.
0:10:35 > 0:10:37'My dad would be very upset about it.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40'He would've been horrified, I think,'
0:10:40 > 0:10:42if he'd known that this would happen.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50Now deals that offer you cashback when you spend
0:10:50 > 0:10:53have, of course, become increasingly popular,
0:10:53 > 0:10:55and it's not difficult to see why.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58Because, at a time when every single penny counts,
0:10:58 > 0:11:00the prospect of being given money back
0:11:00 > 0:11:03when you pay your bills is very, very appealing.
0:11:03 > 0:11:07And, for many people, that cashback promise can be the deciding factor
0:11:07 > 0:11:10when choosing which company or service you're going to go with.
0:11:10 > 0:11:14But, sadly, it's a promise that doesn't always come true.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20Although plenty of retailers like to use cashback deals
0:11:20 > 0:11:22to encourage shoppers to part with their money,
0:11:22 > 0:11:24there's one area where, over the last few years,
0:11:24 > 0:11:28they've been especially common. And that's the mobile phone industry.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34We've heard from lots of people who say they only signed up
0:11:34 > 0:11:35to the phone deal they're on
0:11:35 > 0:11:39because it came with the promise of regular cashback payments.
0:11:40 > 0:11:44And Wendy Embisu is one of them.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48Last October, she was cold-called by the company,
0:11:48 > 0:11:51Excell Communications (Shropshire) Ltd,
0:11:51 > 0:11:52offering what sounded like a great deal
0:11:52 > 0:11:54on a new contract for her mobile phone.
0:11:56 > 0:12:00The deal that Excell were offering was a better price
0:12:00 > 0:12:02than the one that I was with on 02.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05It was more minutes and more texts
0:12:05 > 0:12:08and it included a phone that could connect to the internet,
0:12:08 > 0:12:10which I didn't have at the present time.
0:12:10 > 0:12:12The deal was simple.
0:12:12 > 0:12:16Wendy would sign up with Excell Communications (Shropshire) Ltd,
0:12:16 > 0:12:19who would put her on a two-year contract with Orange.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24Now, the normal cost of that tariff would be £55 a month.
0:12:24 > 0:12:26But every month for the first year,
0:12:26 > 0:12:30Excell Communications would give her £35 cashback.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35So, overall, she'd end up paying just £20 a month.
0:12:35 > 0:12:39'It sounded a very good deal, yes. I was a little bit wary'
0:12:39 > 0:12:42because it perhaps sounded too much of a good deal,
0:12:42 > 0:12:44but I did ask quite a lot of questions
0:12:44 > 0:12:48and I was convinced that it was a genuine offer.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51So, confident she was getting a bargain,
0:12:51 > 0:12:55and after receiving the paperwork from Excell Communications,
0:12:55 > 0:12:59Wendy made her first payment of £55 to Orange, and her new phone arrived.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06The phone arrived. It looked great, in a little pack.
0:13:06 > 0:13:11It came with the first month's cashback, a cheque for £35.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14It seemed everything was going smoothly.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17Until Wendy called Excell Communications
0:13:17 > 0:13:20to arrange for her number to be transferred to Orange.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25'When I phoned them, up it was a recorded message on the phone.'
0:13:25 > 0:13:26The recorded message said that
0:13:26 > 0:13:28Excell Communications (Shropshire) Ltd
0:13:28 > 0:13:31'had gone into administration.'
0:13:33 > 0:13:36And things only got worse from there.
0:13:36 > 0:13:40The £35 cashback cheque bounced at the bank.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43So, with Excell Communications in administration, she contacted Orange.
0:13:43 > 0:13:47And they told her some very unwelcome news.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50As far as they were concerned, her arrangement with Excell
0:13:50 > 0:13:52was absolutely nothing to do with them.
0:13:52 > 0:13:54But her monthly contract was.
0:13:54 > 0:13:58And they'd still be expecting her to pay them the full £55 a month
0:13:58 > 0:14:00for the next two years.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05But, with no chance of the £35 cashback she'd signed up to,
0:14:05 > 0:14:08that was far more than Wendy was willing to pay.
0:14:10 > 0:14:16Orange are trying to make me pay the full £55 a month, plus VAT,
0:14:16 > 0:14:22and what I agreed to was to pay £20 a month through Excell.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26It's estimated that around 9,000 other customers
0:14:26 > 0:14:28signed up with Excell Communications,
0:14:28 > 0:14:31purely because of the cashback promise.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34Without that, most of them would never have agreed
0:14:34 > 0:14:36to the contract in the first place.
0:14:36 > 0:14:42I certainly wouldn't have agreed to pay £55 plus VAT for a mobile phone.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45'I'm a single parent with a young son at home
0:14:45 > 0:14:48'and it's too great a price'
0:14:48 > 0:14:49for me to be paying.
0:14:49 > 0:14:53This isn't the first time that companies using cashback deals
0:14:53 > 0:14:57to sign people up to Orange and other networks have gone bust,
0:14:57 > 0:15:00leaving customers with lengthy contracts they just didn't want.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04In fact, so many people were affected by the collapse of companies,
0:15:04 > 0:15:06Dialamobile and Mobile4free,
0:15:06 > 0:15:09that the regulator, Ofcom,
0:15:09 > 0:15:11launched an investigation into cashback schemes
0:15:11 > 0:15:14and mis-selling across the mobile market.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17They introduced new rules for companies to make sure customers
0:15:17 > 0:15:19know exactly what they're signing up to.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22And at our pop-up shop, one of our experts,
0:15:22 > 0:15:24Sylvia Rook, told us that Trading Standards
0:15:24 > 0:15:26often hear from people
0:15:26 > 0:15:29who've been unable to get their money on cashback deals.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32In many cases, this is because the company has gone bust,
0:15:32 > 0:15:34but sometimes they don't honour the deal at all.
0:15:34 > 0:15:38The conditions of these deals can be very difficult to understand,
0:15:38 > 0:15:40and quite often it's very difficult to comply with,
0:15:40 > 0:15:43as you may need to put in a claim
0:15:43 > 0:15:45within one day of a specific date and a specific time.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48Such deals with cashbacks should be made a lot clearer to consumers
0:15:48 > 0:15:50and should not be offered,
0:15:50 > 0:15:52unless it's backed by some sort of guarantee to ensure
0:15:52 > 0:15:55that the consumer will get their money back at the end of a scheme.
0:15:55 > 0:15:57Meanwhile, Wendy is left with a phone
0:15:57 > 0:16:00which she's never used and no longer wants
0:16:00 > 0:16:03because of a contract she can't afford to pay.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06Now, she's offered to send Orange the phone back
0:16:06 > 0:16:08and because she just wants to be freed from the contract,
0:16:08 > 0:16:11she hasn't paid them any of the monthly charges.
0:16:11 > 0:16:14So the company is now chasing her for the money
0:16:14 > 0:16:17that, as far as they're concerned, cashback or not,
0:16:17 > 0:16:19she agreed to pay.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23I think I must have written about 20 times to Orange.
0:16:23 > 0:16:25'They're completely un-moving.
0:16:25 > 0:16:29'I haven't received any of the benefits that I agreed to.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32'I have not had one single amount of cashback,
0:16:32 > 0:16:34'I haven't used the phone'
0:16:34 > 0:16:37and I'm left being chased by debt collectors
0:16:37 > 0:16:40for something that, essentially, I haven't had.
0:16:40 > 0:16:42Orange has agreed a slightly reduced rate
0:16:42 > 0:16:46with some of the Excell Communications customers -
0:16:46 > 0:16:49but Wendy, I'm afraid, is not one of them.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52We asked Orange about their deals with third-party companies.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55And why they can't be more flexible with customers like Wendy
0:16:55 > 0:16:58if they don't get what was expected.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01They reiterated that cashback offers are run and promoted
0:17:01 > 0:17:04by independent businesses, and not them,
0:17:04 > 0:17:05so they're...
0:17:09 > 0:17:13They say that when Excell went into administration, they worked
0:17:13 > 0:17:14to ensure that...
0:17:16 > 0:17:20but that, as Wendy hasn't paid her bill since the first month,
0:17:20 > 0:17:21she has...
0:17:22 > 0:17:25But of course, it's not payments that Wendy's after,
0:17:25 > 0:17:28she just wants to be released now from her contract.
0:17:28 > 0:17:32On which point, Orange say that although they...
0:17:32 > 0:17:36they believe they've...
0:17:40 > 0:17:43However things end up being sorted, the experience has left Wendy
0:17:43 > 0:17:46wary of signing up to offers
0:17:46 > 0:17:49that could end up just too good to be true.
0:17:49 > 0:17:53Having gone through this with Excell and with Orange,
0:17:53 > 0:17:55I really would not recommend that anybody
0:17:55 > 0:17:58take on anything that offers incentives
0:17:58 > 0:18:01such as cashback schemes.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03'It's an absolute minefield.'
0:18:11 > 0:18:15The Rip-Off Britain team has opened up a one-stop consumer advice shop.
0:18:15 > 0:18:19It's the perfect opportunity to meet many of you face-to-face,
0:18:19 > 0:18:22and more importantly, for our team of experts
0:18:22 > 0:18:24to help tackle your consumer problems.
0:18:27 > 0:18:29Gloria, isn't it great to be back in the pop-up shop
0:18:29 > 0:18:32and find so many people wanting to come in to talk to our experts?
0:18:32 > 0:18:34The success of it has been fantastic.
0:18:34 > 0:18:36What I've been impressed with is the way
0:18:36 > 0:18:40that so many people now have actually collated information.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43They've documented when they've spoken to individuals, timed it,
0:18:43 > 0:18:46they've written down dates. It makes such a difference
0:18:46 > 0:18:48when they want to make a claim against a company.
0:18:48 > 0:18:50One man who's done exactly that
0:18:50 > 0:18:53is former squash champion, Aftab Jawaid.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55He's hoping his diary of evidence
0:18:55 > 0:18:59will help our telecommunications expert, David McClelland,
0:18:59 > 0:19:02get to the bottom of a dispute he's having with his phone company.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05He paid 12 months' line rental upfront,
0:19:05 > 0:19:08but two months later, he moved house.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11And, despite using the same provider in his new home,
0:19:11 > 0:19:14he was told the old contract was non-refundable,
0:19:14 > 0:19:18and he'd have to pay again for another.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22I started getting letters from their solicitors.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25The threatening letters trying to scare you into submission?
0:19:25 > 0:19:27Yes, that's a common tactic, unfortunately.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30But first of all, let me just congratulate you.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33You've made such a good diary, a good record, textbook stuff,
0:19:33 > 0:19:35and that will really help you later on.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38According to the letter of the terms and conditions that
0:19:38 > 0:19:39that contract was terminated.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42However, if it wasn't made absolutely clear to you
0:19:42 > 0:19:46that that would be the case, you have a strong case.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49In your official letter of complaint, you set out very clearly
0:19:49 > 0:19:50how you want this to be resolved,
0:19:50 > 0:19:54and if that fails, the next step after that is the ombudsman.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57And with this brilliant diary of information that you've got here,
0:19:57 > 0:20:00I'm pretty sure that your case will be very clear indeed.
0:20:00 > 0:20:01And you're a champion,
0:20:01 > 0:20:04so maybe you will be a world champion complainer
0:20:04 > 0:20:06and someone who actually gets a result!
0:20:06 > 0:20:09THEY LAUGH
0:20:11 > 0:20:14Coming up on Rip-Off Britain...
0:20:14 > 0:20:16The woman being chased for thousands of pounds
0:20:16 > 0:20:18because she didn't spot a clause in the small print.
0:20:19 > 0:20:23'I feel very angry with myself. I feel really frustrated,
0:20:23 > 0:20:25'and I just want to warn other people'
0:20:25 > 0:20:27not to fall into the same trap
0:20:27 > 0:20:31as I did and to make sure they read every single bit of their contract.
0:20:35 > 0:20:38Next, what appears to be the solution to a problem
0:20:38 > 0:20:40that we've had more complaints about
0:20:40 > 0:20:43since our last series than just about anything else.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46And that is, how to get out of a timeshare contract
0:20:46 > 0:20:47that you no longer want.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57A place in the sun near beautiful beaches
0:20:57 > 0:20:59that you can go back to year after year.
0:20:59 > 0:21:03You can see why, in the '80s, timeshare seemed an ideal way
0:21:03 > 0:21:07to take the hassle out of planning your holidays.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10But, 30 years on, many of the people
0:21:10 > 0:21:12who so eagerly bought into that dream
0:21:12 > 0:21:16now find themselves desperate for a way out.
0:21:16 > 0:21:18As Rip-Off Britain has reported before.
0:21:20 > 0:21:21With their annual fees alone
0:21:21 > 0:21:26now costing more than an entire holiday from a travel agent,
0:21:26 > 0:21:30the members we heard from decided enough was enough.
0:21:30 > 0:21:32They wanted out of their contracts,
0:21:32 > 0:21:34even if it meant writing off the thousands of pounds
0:21:34 > 0:21:36they'd spent on points.
0:21:39 > 0:21:43Over the last few months, hundreds of you have written to us saying,
0:21:43 > 0:21:45although you'd like to cancel your timeshare contract,
0:21:45 > 0:21:48it's just not that simple -
0:21:48 > 0:21:53leading people like Peter Gregson into even more trouble.
0:21:53 > 0:21:55He bought his timeshare in 1990.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58And for many years, was very happy.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00'The memories I have are very pleasant.'
0:22:00 > 0:22:03We had some very good holidays.
0:22:03 > 0:22:08We went to many places with them. We exchanged to America,
0:22:08 > 0:22:12to places in Europe, and some very good family holidays.
0:22:13 > 0:22:15But, as time went on,
0:22:15 > 0:22:19and the annual maintenance fee rose from £200 to £1,000,
0:22:19 > 0:22:24Peter's enthusiasm faded, and he decided he wanted to cancel.
0:22:24 > 0:22:25'The reason I wanted to get out of it'
0:22:25 > 0:22:28was not only because of the high maintenance fees
0:22:28 > 0:22:33and the escalating costs of those fees, but the air fares went up,
0:22:33 > 0:22:35the whole holidays went up
0:22:35 > 0:22:37and it became very expensive to take a family abroad.
0:22:37 > 0:22:41However, when Peter took a closer look at his timeshare contract,
0:22:41 > 0:22:45he realised, as we hear all too often, that he'd signed
0:22:45 > 0:22:48a lifelong commitment.
0:22:48 > 0:22:51And it didn't look as if there was any easy way out.
0:22:51 > 0:22:55Then in October, 2010, he got a cold call from a company
0:22:55 > 0:23:00called International Timeshare Refund Action, or ITRA,
0:23:00 > 0:23:03who seemed to be offering him an exit strategy.
0:23:03 > 0:23:05In their adverts, the company says they can help
0:23:05 > 0:23:07"unhappy timeshare owners".
0:23:07 > 0:23:09And on the phone to Peter,
0:23:09 > 0:23:11they also told him that they were planning a court case
0:23:11 > 0:23:13to free people from their contracts.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16They sounded like the answer to his prayers.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19'They led me to believe that they'd already had'
0:23:19 > 0:23:21some success in America
0:23:21 > 0:23:25with taking other timeshare companies to court
0:23:25 > 0:23:30regarding the mis-selling of timeshares in general.
0:23:30 > 0:23:34Peter was given an appointment to meet a specialist ITRA consultant.
0:23:34 > 0:23:39There, he was told that he would be offered a more immediate way out of
0:23:39 > 0:23:42his timeshare commitments with the help of a company
0:23:42 > 0:23:45that worked with them, Personal Travel Group Limited.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48That company's ads promised personal independence,
0:23:48 > 0:23:50freedom and flexibility -
0:23:50 > 0:23:52which matched the information given to Peter at the meeting.
0:23:52 > 0:23:57I was convinced by the salesman that this was the answer to my prayers
0:23:57 > 0:24:01and that they would take the timeshare over
0:24:01 > 0:24:03'and that my responsibility had finished.'
0:24:03 > 0:24:06Peter was told that he'd have to pay Personal Travel Group
0:24:06 > 0:24:09a fee of £8,000.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11But, as it meant he'd finally be free of his timeshare,
0:24:11 > 0:24:15and those ongoing maintenance fees, he thought it was worth it.
0:24:17 > 0:24:21£8,000 seemed to me to be quite a reasonable amount to have to pay,
0:24:21 > 0:24:23compared to the £20,000
0:24:23 > 0:24:26that I might have had to pay, or I would have had to pay,
0:24:26 > 0:24:29had I retained the timeshare for another 20 years.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32There were other promised benefits, too,
0:24:32 > 0:24:35such as what appeared to be the opportunity to buy
0:24:35 > 0:24:38cut-price holidays and even act as an agent,
0:24:38 > 0:24:43selling holidays on their behalf. So Peter signed a contract,
0:24:43 > 0:24:44paid his £8,000,
0:24:44 > 0:24:48and sent off the ownership deeds to his timeshare.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51Not only was I getting out of the timeshare,
0:24:51 > 0:24:53which I desperately wanted to do,
0:24:53 > 0:24:58but also there was the possibility of a refund after the legal action.
0:24:58 > 0:25:00For months, he heard nothing,
0:25:00 > 0:25:03so Peter contacted Personal Travel Group
0:25:03 > 0:25:05who reassured him that all was fine.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08But that was completely untrue.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11It turned out that Personal Travel Group
0:25:11 > 0:25:15hadn't taken his timeshare off his hands at all.
0:25:15 > 0:25:20Peter still owned it and was still liable for all the fees.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23But he only realised that in December last year,
0:25:23 > 0:25:26when he received a bill for the maintenance fees on the timeshare
0:25:26 > 0:25:29that he thought he was now rid of. Peter was gutted.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34Not only did I still own the time share,
0:25:34 > 0:25:37but I'd lost the £8,000 that I'd paid to PTG.
0:25:37 > 0:25:41My wife and I have been married for 46 years,
0:25:41 > 0:25:44and in that time, we've never had to keep anything from each other,
0:25:44 > 0:25:49but this was such a major item that I decided that it was prudent
0:25:49 > 0:25:51to keep it from her until after Christmas.
0:25:53 > 0:25:55When he tried calling Personal Travel Group
0:25:55 > 0:25:57for an explanation of what they'd done with his money,
0:25:57 > 0:26:01he was told they'd gone bust.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04I discovered just before Christmas
0:26:04 > 0:26:06that the PTG had gone into liquidation
0:26:06 > 0:26:08and that I'd lost my £8,000.
0:26:08 > 0:26:10As he tried to understand what had happened,
0:26:10 > 0:26:14Peter discovered that the timeshare re-sale that he'd been offered
0:26:14 > 0:26:17had never really been an option.
0:26:17 > 0:26:21You just can't transfer the contract in this way.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24And all that the £8,000 he'd handed over had bought him
0:26:24 > 0:26:28was membership of a holiday club offering reduced-price travel.
0:26:28 > 0:26:32I feel very bad and bitter about PTG
0:26:32 > 0:26:35because it was they that took the £8,000
0:26:35 > 0:26:37and seemingly conned me out of the £8,000.
0:26:37 > 0:26:42Peter was also angry at the company that started all of this off -
0:26:42 > 0:26:45International Timeshare Refund Action.
0:26:45 > 0:26:47After all, they had directed him
0:26:47 > 0:26:50towards Personal Travel Group in the first place.
0:26:50 > 0:26:52So, when they'd first rung up,
0:26:52 > 0:26:56why hadn't they been clearer about exactly what he'd be getting into?
0:26:56 > 0:26:58That's a question that the Advertising Standards Authority
0:26:58 > 0:27:00has considered, too.
0:27:00 > 0:27:05In January, 2011, they ruled that ITRA's ads were misleading,
0:27:05 > 0:27:10because they failed to make clear that respondents to their offer
0:27:10 > 0:27:13could be asked to buy into another product.
0:27:13 > 0:27:18But when we contacted International Timeshare Refund Action,
0:27:18 > 0:27:20they didn't see that any of this was down to them.
0:27:20 > 0:27:22They insisted that all they're doing
0:27:22 > 0:27:25is trying to get people to register interest
0:27:25 > 0:27:27in their future court action.
0:27:27 > 0:27:31And, while they do licence other companies to run the meetings,
0:27:31 > 0:27:33where that happens, as far as they're concerned,
0:27:33 > 0:27:36anything else sold to people at those meetings is...
0:27:38 > 0:27:40..and nothing to do with them.
0:27:40 > 0:27:41They say they...
0:27:44 > 0:27:47.."for any company with whom it does business,
0:27:47 > 0:27:50"which for whatever reason is placed into liquidation."
0:27:50 > 0:27:51We also tried various ways
0:27:51 > 0:27:55of contacting people connected to the Personal Travel Group.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58None of them replied.
0:27:58 > 0:28:02Fortunately for Peter, he'd paid the £8,000 on his Barclaycard,
0:28:02 > 0:28:05so, after months of uncertainty and stress,
0:28:05 > 0:28:08he has now been given a full refund
0:28:08 > 0:28:12under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, 1974,
0:28:12 > 0:28:17as Barclaycard agreed that there was a clear breach of contract.
0:28:17 > 0:28:19He's still worried
0:28:19 > 0:28:21that there are plenty of other desperate timeshare owners
0:28:21 > 0:28:24who could find themselves in the same boat.
0:28:25 > 0:28:30I'm really truly gutted, that I feel embarrassed, and I feel
0:28:30 > 0:28:34that I'm in the same position as many hundreds of people
0:28:34 > 0:28:37'who are still trying to resolve the issue of timeshare ownership.'
0:28:41 > 0:28:43After out last series of Rip-Off Britain,
0:28:43 > 0:28:46many thousands of you sent in for
0:28:46 > 0:28:48our Rip-Off Britain Guide to Getting a Good Deal.
0:28:48 > 0:28:52So this year, we've written a new, expanded guide with practical advice
0:28:52 > 0:28:55on topics that are covered in this series.
0:28:55 > 0:28:58Like PPI, cold calls and supermarket deals,
0:28:58 > 0:29:02as well as updated tips and information on avoiding rip-offs
0:29:02 > 0:29:04and how to get a better deal.
0:29:04 > 0:29:07You can find a link to the new free guide on our website.
0:29:10 > 0:29:12Or, to receive a copy in the post,
0:29:12 > 0:29:16send a stamped, self-addressed A5 envelope
0:29:16 > 0:29:20to the address that we'll give you at the end of the programme.
0:29:22 > 0:29:26As I hope you know by now, we love hearing from you,
0:29:26 > 0:29:29and an area where we've been especially keen to hear your stories
0:29:29 > 0:29:33this year is when it comes to problems with the small print.
0:29:33 > 0:29:35Perhaps a clause in a contract that's caught you out,
0:29:35 > 0:29:38or terms and conditions that could have been much, much clearer.
0:29:38 > 0:29:42Because, sometimes, missing even a few small words
0:29:42 > 0:29:45can cause you a really big problem.
0:29:45 > 0:29:48Which is exactly what happened to a number of people who got in touch
0:29:48 > 0:29:51after signing up with one particular company.
0:29:51 > 0:29:53And discovering, unfortunately too late,
0:29:53 > 0:29:56a clause that can leave you seriously out of pocket.
0:29:59 > 0:30:02It's 18 months since Usha Obhrai opened up
0:30:02 > 0:30:05this hair and beauty salon in Wembley.
0:30:05 > 0:30:10OK, I've got one appointment at 11 o'clock which is free.
0:30:10 > 0:30:12She bought the business
0:30:12 > 0:30:15after taking redundancy from her job as an accountant.
0:30:15 > 0:30:17I thought it would be a good idea -
0:30:17 > 0:30:20completely different to what I've been doing in the past.
0:30:20 > 0:30:23What I actually enjoy most about the job is socialising,
0:30:23 > 0:30:26actually, to get customers coming.
0:30:26 > 0:30:29They love to have a chat and you get to know them.
0:30:29 > 0:30:30That's the enjoyable part of it.
0:30:32 > 0:30:35But six months later, after spending £40,000
0:30:35 > 0:30:40setting up the business, the reality of running it began to take its toll.
0:30:40 > 0:30:42'You are committed six days a week, basically,
0:30:42 > 0:30:45'you're here from Monday to Saturday.
0:30:45 > 0:30:48'But I find Sunday is taken up with paperwork'
0:30:48 > 0:30:50and doing the accounts
0:30:50 > 0:30:53and VAT returns and all the rest of it, so really
0:30:53 > 0:30:55'it's a seven-day job.
0:30:55 > 0:30:57'I'm not getting any younger, so to say!
0:30:57 > 0:31:01'I'm 62 and I've been working for the last...over 40 years'
0:31:01 > 0:31:03and I feel now's the time to enjoy myself.
0:31:04 > 0:31:07So Usha decided to sell up.
0:31:07 > 0:31:10She put her details on a website that lists businesses for sale
0:31:10 > 0:31:14and very quickly received a call,
0:31:14 > 0:31:16not from a prospective buyer, but a company called
0:31:16 > 0:31:20Phoenix Business Agents Ltd, based in Oxfordshire,
0:31:20 > 0:31:23and not to be confused with other companies with similar names.
0:31:23 > 0:31:27They claimed that they could sell Usha's business for her -
0:31:27 > 0:31:29and even better, they could do it fast.
0:31:29 > 0:31:34My first question was, "How much is it going to cost me?"
0:31:34 > 0:31:37They assured me there would be nothing to pay upfront.
0:31:37 > 0:31:40The only cost will be when they sell the business,
0:31:40 > 0:31:43so I thought to myself, "I've got nothing to lose, why not?"
0:31:43 > 0:31:47The company sent round a salesman to discuss things further.
0:31:47 > 0:31:50When he arrived, Usha was surprised at the high value
0:31:50 > 0:31:53he put on the business - over £99,000.
0:31:54 > 0:31:57I said, "It's a bit high. If you put it for that amount,
0:31:57 > 0:31:59"I doubt you'll get any viewings at all."
0:31:59 > 0:32:02He said, "No, no, no, I assure you, you know, we've got thousands
0:32:02 > 0:32:06"of buyers, cash buyers, looking for this type of business in the area."
0:32:08 > 0:32:12Next, another surprise. As well as a fee of £6,000,
0:32:12 > 0:32:15if they were successful in selling the business,
0:32:15 > 0:32:19Usha would need to pay Phoenix an upfront marketing fee of £600,
0:32:19 > 0:32:21payable as soon as she signed up.
0:32:24 > 0:32:27But satisfied that it would be refundable after six months
0:32:27 > 0:32:30if there was no sale, she didn't read as thoroughly
0:32:30 > 0:32:33as she could have done the rest of the contract -
0:32:33 > 0:32:36a mistake she'd very soon come to regret.
0:32:36 > 0:32:39He said, "If you do it now, we'll put it on the market,
0:32:39 > 0:32:41"say tomorrow, you know, straight away,
0:32:41 > 0:32:44"and, you know, you'll be able to sell, just like that."
0:32:44 > 0:32:47So, in that sense, I was pressurised
0:32:47 > 0:32:50and I didn't really get time to read the contract.
0:32:50 > 0:32:55Remember, Phoenix had promised a quick sale.
0:32:55 > 0:32:57So after paying the £600 marketing fee by credit card,
0:32:57 > 0:33:00Usha waited for the viewings and the flood of "cash buyers"
0:33:00 > 0:33:02she had been promised.
0:33:02 > 0:33:06But when, after six weeks, she hadn't had the interest she'd expected,
0:33:06 > 0:33:10she reduced the price by more than half, to £40,000,
0:33:10 > 0:33:12in the hope that that might attract buyers.
0:33:14 > 0:33:17You know, it just wasn't happening,
0:33:17 > 0:33:19all the claims they made. I couldn't go to anybody else,
0:33:19 > 0:33:23as well, because obviously, it was on a six-month contract and I felt
0:33:23 > 0:33:27I was really stuck in a situation where I couldn't get out.
0:33:28 > 0:33:31So at the end of the six months she was tied into,
0:33:31 > 0:33:33disappointed that the company's marketing of her salon
0:33:33 > 0:33:37had only resulted in one viewing,
0:33:37 > 0:33:42Usha decided to cancel and ask for that refundable £600 back.
0:33:42 > 0:33:46But when she did, she was horrified to receive from the company
0:33:46 > 0:33:48not the expected refund,
0:33:48 > 0:33:50but a demand for another fee,
0:33:50 > 0:33:53of £3,000.
0:33:53 > 0:33:55I was absolutely shocked by it, you know.
0:33:55 > 0:33:58I spoke to one of their secretaries.
0:33:58 > 0:34:03She said, "Oh, it's in the clause." I said, "What clause?"
0:34:03 > 0:34:05She said, "It's on the back of the contract."
0:34:06 > 0:34:10When Usha checked, there it was in black and white,
0:34:10 > 0:34:13a clause saying that if she cancelled at any time,
0:34:13 > 0:34:17even outside of the initial six-month period,
0:34:17 > 0:34:20she would have to pay a termination fee of £3,000.
0:34:20 > 0:34:23She had signed the contract without even noticing it.
0:34:23 > 0:34:29The frustrating thing is £3,000 is written in words, not in figures.
0:34:29 > 0:34:32Me being an accountant, I would expect to see any amount
0:34:32 > 0:34:38with a pound sign and figures first, then the words in brackets.
0:34:38 > 0:34:40But this was not the case.
0:34:40 > 0:34:43If that was the case, I probably would have picked it up quickly.
0:34:43 > 0:34:46For Usha, it seemed like the best option
0:34:46 > 0:34:48was to stay on the company's books.
0:34:48 > 0:34:51That way, she'd lose the £600 upfront fee that she'd hoped
0:34:51 > 0:34:56to have refunded, but at least she wouldn't have to fork out £3,000.
0:34:56 > 0:34:58But when she called Phoenix Business Agents Ltd
0:34:58 > 0:35:01to say that she no longer wanted to cancel,
0:35:01 > 0:35:04they told her it was too late.
0:35:04 > 0:35:07As far as they were concerned, she couldn't now change her mind
0:35:07 > 0:35:09and she'd have to pay that £3,000.
0:35:09 > 0:35:14Usha feels that means the company is in a win-win situation.
0:35:14 > 0:35:17Um, so basically, they're just sitting on a gold mine.
0:35:18 > 0:35:20Usha refused to pay
0:35:20 > 0:35:23and now the debt collectors are chasing her for the money.
0:35:23 > 0:35:27So are the charges fair and would a court force her to pay them?
0:35:27 > 0:35:28Let's ask a lawyer.
0:35:30 > 0:35:33In relation to the £600 pounds, I think she has to let that go.
0:35:33 > 0:35:37That seems to be attributable to the marketing Phoenix have undertaken.
0:35:37 > 0:35:39The £3,000,
0:35:39 > 0:35:41I can't see what that relates to and in order
0:35:41 > 0:35:44for that to be valid, Phoenix would have to show it relates to some form
0:35:44 > 0:35:47of loss they've suffered and I can't see that it relates to any loss.
0:35:48 > 0:35:52Phoenix Business Agents Ltd disagree with Usha's version of events
0:35:52 > 0:35:56and insist that she couldn't have felt pressured in any way,
0:35:56 > 0:35:59because according to their records, they had two meetings with her
0:35:59 > 0:36:00before she signed up.
0:36:00 > 0:36:04Usha disputes that, but it's why they say she had...
0:36:06 > 0:36:08..their terms and conditions.
0:36:08 > 0:36:09They are confident she...
0:36:13 > 0:36:14..and that...
0:36:16 > 0:36:17..in this regard.
0:36:17 > 0:36:22They say their valuation was based on information that Usha provided,
0:36:22 > 0:36:24and that their termination fee is to cover...
0:36:29 > 0:36:32They only pursue it in "rare" cases such as this,
0:36:32 > 0:36:33where, according to them...
0:36:36 > 0:36:37..or it is...
0:36:40 > 0:36:44And they say that every year, they help sell dozens of small businesses,
0:36:44 > 0:36:45with complaints...
0:36:48 > 0:36:49To them maybe, but not to us.
0:36:49 > 0:36:52We've spoken to a number of other people who have told us
0:36:52 > 0:36:55that their experience of Phoenix Business Agents
0:36:55 > 0:36:58is remarkably similar to Usha's.
0:36:59 > 0:37:03And Usha herself says she'll never sign a document again
0:37:03 > 0:37:05without reading it thoroughly first.
0:37:05 > 0:37:08'I feel very angry with myself, as well.'
0:37:08 > 0:37:15I feel really frustrated and I'm having sleepless nights over it.
0:37:15 > 0:37:20My blood pressure's gone up and I just want to warn everybody,
0:37:20 > 0:37:23other people, not to fall into the same trap as I did
0:37:23 > 0:37:25and to make sure they read every single bit
0:37:25 > 0:37:29of their contract in future, which I have started doing now.
0:37:31 > 0:37:35Well, of course, Usha is by no means alone in being caught out
0:37:35 > 0:37:37by the small print and it's a common complaint
0:37:37 > 0:37:41at a time when, from what you've been telling us, terms and conditions
0:37:41 > 0:37:45just seem to be getting longer and more complicated and more confusing.
0:37:45 > 0:37:48So how can you avoid being tripped up by the small print?
0:37:48 > 0:37:51Marie Clair, from the Plain English Campaign,
0:37:51 > 0:37:52is here to spell it out.
0:37:54 > 0:37:58If you're going to challenge any terms and conditions,
0:37:58 > 0:38:01then you need to be sure, from the beginning, that you haven't
0:38:01 > 0:38:06signed or ticked the box, unless you really do understand them.
0:38:06 > 0:38:10If you don't read them, you're giving away your right
0:38:10 > 0:38:13to challenging them at a later stage.
0:38:17 > 0:38:20Make sure that there is something about the cancellation date
0:38:20 > 0:38:24that is clearly detailing how you cancel,
0:38:24 > 0:38:28how much time you have to cancel, if there is a cooling-off period,
0:38:28 > 0:38:32and who you need to contact in order to cancel.
0:38:33 > 0:38:35Somewhere within the terms and conditions,
0:38:35 > 0:38:39there should be contact details for the supplier.
0:38:39 > 0:38:43Make sure that you have those contact details
0:38:43 > 0:38:48and that they are active before you need to use them.
0:38:49 > 0:38:52So what about privacy policies?
0:38:52 > 0:38:57That's the area where your personal details - your name, address,
0:38:57 > 0:39:01telephone number, date of birth, even - can be recorded and,
0:39:01 > 0:39:07if you don't opt out, then those details can be passed on
0:39:07 > 0:39:11to other suppliers, without you realising who they are.
0:39:13 > 0:39:17If you feel that the terms and conditions are unclear in any way
0:39:17 > 0:39:21and, if particularly, the wording or the length of the documents
0:39:21 > 0:39:24makes it difficult for you to understand the content,
0:39:24 > 0:39:27then don't feel that that's your fault.
0:39:27 > 0:39:32You have a responsibility to understand those words,
0:39:32 > 0:39:35but the supplier has a responsibility to make sure
0:39:35 > 0:39:39that they are understandable in the first place.
0:39:42 > 0:39:43Here at Rip-Off Britain,
0:39:43 > 0:39:46we're always ready to investigate more of your stories.
0:39:46 > 0:39:48Confused over your bills?
0:39:48 > 0:39:51Trying to wade through wodges of small print
0:39:51 > 0:39:53that leave you totally confused?
0:39:53 > 0:39:55We should read it, but it's not in plain English.
0:39:55 > 0:39:58It should be simple. ABC, you know, very basic stuff.
0:39:58 > 0:40:01Unsure what to do when you discover you've lost out
0:40:01 > 0:40:04and that so-called "great deal" has ended up costing you money?
0:40:04 > 0:40:07You get home, you get your bill and it's, like, £70,
0:40:07 > 0:40:09when it's meant to be £35.
0:40:09 > 0:40:12And it's just, basically, you just get ripped off, don't you?
0:40:14 > 0:40:17You might have a cautionary tale of your own and want to share
0:40:17 > 0:40:20the mistakes you made with us, so others don't do the same.
0:40:20 > 0:40:25We paid them good money to act in our best interest. They didn't.
0:40:26 > 0:40:28We're particularly keen to hear from you
0:40:28 > 0:40:32if you've had a problem when travelling abroad or on holiday.
0:40:32 > 0:40:34Did your airline let you down?
0:40:34 > 0:40:38Been stung by hidden charges when booking your holiday online?
0:40:38 > 0:40:41Or did your travel insurance fail to give you the expected protection?
0:40:43 > 0:40:46You can write to us at...
0:40:54 > 0:40:59Or send us an e-mail to...
0:41:00 > 0:41:05The Rip-Off team is ready and waiting to investigate your stories.
0:41:07 > 0:41:10The reality is that companies and businesses can so often
0:41:10 > 0:41:12stick to telling us that old phrase,
0:41:12 > 0:41:14"It's all in the terms and conditions"
0:41:14 > 0:41:17so you could be forgiven for thinking that some of them use it
0:41:17 > 0:41:20as a bit of an excuse, a smokescreen for why they haven't
0:41:20 > 0:41:24bothered making all their small print just easier to understand.
0:41:24 > 0:41:27I think it's true to say that, in most of the cases we hear about,
0:41:27 > 0:41:31if you just can't get out of a contract, it's usually because
0:41:31 > 0:41:35you didn't spot a key detail relating to termination restrictions
0:41:35 > 0:41:37until it was, unfortunately, too late.
0:41:37 > 0:41:40But when quite a few other people find themselves in exactly
0:41:40 > 0:41:44the same boat, well, you can't help wondering if the relevant
0:41:44 > 0:41:47details were not actually made clear enough in the first place.
0:41:47 > 0:41:51Quite right. Well, the best advice remains to always make sure
0:41:51 > 0:41:53you DO read all that small print.
0:41:53 > 0:41:55There's no doubt that some businesses could do a bit more
0:41:55 > 0:41:57to make the process easier.
0:41:57 > 0:41:59That's it for today. Keep sending us your stories
0:41:59 > 0:42:02and join us when we look into more of them soon.
0:42:02 > 0:42:04Until then, from all of us...
0:42:04 > 0:42:05ALL: Bye-bye.
0:42:23 > 0:42:26Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd