0:00:02 > 0:00:05We asked you to tell us who's left you feeling ripped off.
0:00:05 > 0:00:08And you contacted us in your THOUSANDS.
0:00:08 > 0:00:11By post, e-mail, even stopping us on the streets.
0:00:11 > 0:00:15And the message couldn't be clearer.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18I think there's a lot of hidden information about your bills
0:00:18 > 0:00:20that should be made a lot more clear.
0:00:20 > 0:00:22I don't feel I get treated how I should be.
0:00:22 > 0:00:24You've told us, with money tighter than ever,
0:00:24 > 0:00:28you need to be sure that every pound you spend is worth it.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31How do I get my money back, cos I just think I'm entitled to it.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34So whether it's a deliberate rip-off, a simple mistake,
0:00:34 > 0:00:38or a catch in the small print, we'll find out why it is that
0:00:38 > 0:00:41you're out of pocket and what you can do about it.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44Keep asking the questions, you know go to the top if you have to.
0:00:44 > 0:00:46We do get results, I mean, that's the interesting thing.
0:00:48 > 0:00:50Your stories. Your money.
0:00:50 > 0:00:51This is Rip-Off Britain.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56Hello and a huge welcome to Rip-Off Britain,
0:00:56 > 0:00:58the series that fights your corner, when you're feeling
0:00:58 > 0:01:01well and truly ripped off - which is especially the case with
0:01:01 > 0:01:04some of the people we're going to be hearing from today.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07And that's because of the fact that they have ended up hundreds
0:01:07 > 0:01:10of pounds out of pocket when it's absolutely not their fault.
0:01:10 > 0:01:12Now, none of us likes losing money at the best of times,
0:01:12 > 0:01:15but when it's all down to the fact that someone else has messed up,
0:01:15 > 0:01:18well, that really does make it worse, don't you think?
0:01:18 > 0:01:20Sure does, and while we all make mistakes good customer service
0:01:20 > 0:01:23is about putting those mistakes right.
0:01:23 > 0:01:25But as we'll see, too often that doesn't happen.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28And even though it's someone else who's to blame it's YOU that
0:01:28 > 0:01:30ends up paying the price.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34Coming up. How two of the biggest names on the High Street
0:01:34 > 0:01:40managed to lose almost £1,500 of one customer's money for an entire year.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43It's just draining. You have to spend so much time
0:01:43 > 0:01:47and so much effort actually having to chase money that they
0:01:47 > 0:01:50should have paid into the correct account to start with.
0:01:50 > 0:01:54The credit mix-up that's left this woman with no identity
0:01:54 > 0:01:57and chased for massive debts that she simply doesn't owe.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00There's times that I haven't slept, because it's worrying,
0:02:00 > 0:02:05you know, I just haven't known how to clear my name.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07And we open our doors to try
0:02:07 > 0:02:10and solve some of your problems on the spot.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14We declare our pop-up shop open!
0:02:14 > 0:02:17Anyone who has bought or sold a home will know that it's usually
0:02:17 > 0:02:20considered right up there with bereavement and divorce
0:02:20 > 0:02:24in terms of stress. Even if things are going well, there's a constant
0:02:24 > 0:02:27fear that it will all go wrong and fall through at the last minute.
0:02:27 > 0:02:31Which is why you rely so heavily on your solicitor to make sure
0:02:31 > 0:02:35that every last piece of information and paperwork is in place,
0:02:35 > 0:02:38so that the sale goes ahead smoothly.
0:02:38 > 0:02:41But the devil is in the detail and if some of that detail is missed
0:02:41 > 0:02:46the effect can be devastating, as this next couple found out.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52With her children grown up and having flown the nest,
0:02:52 > 0:02:54Chris and her husband decided to sell their home
0:02:54 > 0:02:57in the south of England and move back to Chris's hometown
0:02:57 > 0:02:58in Lancashire.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02We thought, "We'll go there."
0:03:02 > 0:03:05We can afford to pay cash for a nice little bungalow,
0:03:05 > 0:03:10nothing extravagant, just what suits our needs.
0:03:10 > 0:03:15So five years ago, in 2007, they put their house on the market,
0:03:15 > 0:03:18and within weeks not only had an offer on it,
0:03:18 > 0:03:21but also found themselves a bungalow to move into.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23All was going well.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25The people wanting the house were coming round,
0:03:25 > 0:03:30measuring up for curtains and carpets, like you do.
0:03:30 > 0:03:34They'd even planned where the Christmas tree was going.
0:03:34 > 0:03:39But then came the news that any house mover dreads.
0:03:39 > 0:03:41The buyers were pulling out.
0:03:41 > 0:03:47My first reaction was numb, I just couldn't take it in,
0:03:47 > 0:03:52because my husband had just given his notice in, so he had no job.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00I just felt... I was gutted.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03I just can't find the words to express how I feel.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06I felt as if I'd been dealt a great big hefty blow.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10What made it worse was the discovery that the sale had fallen through
0:04:10 > 0:04:14because of an extraordinary complication with the title deeds
0:04:14 > 0:04:19of Chris's property - one that would put off most other buyers, too!
0:04:19 > 0:04:22Because, although they'd known nothing about it till now,
0:04:22 > 0:04:25the deeds contained two clauses - the first forbidding them
0:04:25 > 0:04:29to sell the house without their next door neighbour's permission,
0:04:29 > 0:04:33and the second saying any structural changes to the home would
0:04:33 > 0:04:36have to be agreed by the neighbours as well!
0:04:36 > 0:04:41So, technically even if they wanted to knock a wall down inside the house
0:04:41 > 0:04:44they'd need to go next door to check that was OK.
0:04:44 > 0:04:48This is why the people pulled out of buying the property,
0:04:48 > 0:04:53because they weren't prepared to take the house on
0:04:53 > 0:04:56with those restrictions on, which is fair enough.
0:04:56 > 0:05:00We wouldn't have taken it on if we'd have been told about it.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04It emerged that Chris's house was built on land
0:05:04 > 0:05:08which originally belonged to next door. And when the land
0:05:08 > 0:05:13had later been divided up, the correct details weren't added to the Land Registry.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16And though that sounds like a minor detail, it's caused Chris
0:05:16 > 0:05:21a major problem and made her house extraordinarily difficult to sell.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24She couldn't understand why her solicitors hadn't picked up on
0:05:24 > 0:05:28these restrictions on the deeds when she bought the house 12 years ago.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30So she asked them.
0:05:30 > 0:05:35He admitted they're wrong, he's admitted they could've been corrected
0:05:35 > 0:05:40and they admit that basically I've been badly served.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43An opinion shared by an independent solicitor
0:05:43 > 0:05:46who we asked to look at Chris's case.
0:05:46 > 0:05:48I feel very sorry for these people.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51The firm should have picked up on this and advised them
0:05:51 > 0:05:54and dealt with it accordingly at the time when they bought the property.
0:05:55 > 0:05:59For Chris, the fact that they didn't has had far-reaching consequences.
0:05:59 > 0:06:06Not only has she paid other solicitors £1,250 in failed attempts
0:06:06 > 0:06:09to get the problem sorted, she feels she's stuck in a house
0:06:09 > 0:06:14she can't sell and can no longer afford to stay in.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17Running costs are a lot higher here in this house than they would be
0:06:17 > 0:06:20if we'd moved to where we wanted to go.
0:06:20 > 0:06:25My husband could've retired, whereas now he's forced to work.
0:06:25 > 0:06:26We feel robbed.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31Chris's former solicitors did offer to handle a future sale for her
0:06:31 > 0:06:37free of charge - and offered her £485 compensation.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40But Chris doesn't think it's nearly enough considering everything
0:06:40 > 0:06:42she's gone through.
0:06:43 > 0:06:44I couldn't believe it!
0:06:44 > 0:06:47I thought at first there was a few noughts missing.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51It's an insult.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54We contacted the solicitors in question and though they accept
0:06:54 > 0:06:57they made a mistake which they could have corrected,
0:06:57 > 0:07:01they don't believe it should have created the problems it has
0:07:01 > 0:07:04because, as far as they're concerned, it could easily have been rectified
0:07:04 > 0:07:08by the solicitors who Chris was using to sell her home.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11But when we contacted that firm of solicitors, they disagreed,
0:07:11 > 0:07:15saying that though they tried to fix all this, they couldn't.
0:07:18 > 0:07:20None of which is any help to Chris who wants the situation
0:07:20 > 0:07:22finally put right.
0:07:22 > 0:07:26Because although the restriction on her selling the house
0:07:26 > 0:07:29has now been lifted, the one saying alterations
0:07:29 > 0:07:32need to be run past the neighbours remains in place,
0:07:32 > 0:07:34leaving her feeling she's paid a high price
0:07:34 > 0:07:36for someone else's mistake.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39They're the legal profession.
0:07:39 > 0:07:44It's their job to know what all this is about, what conveyancing's about,
0:07:44 > 0:07:48what those words on those papers mean.
0:07:48 > 0:07:53We paid them good money to read that and to act in our best interest.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56They didn't.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59Now, changing the subject, here's a question for you - what's in a name?
0:07:59 > 0:08:02Well, quite a lot if you end up in the same horrendous position
0:08:02 > 0:08:04as our next viewer.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07Now many of the things that most of us just take for granted,
0:08:07 > 0:08:11even something as simple as buying a telephone, she just can't do.
0:08:11 > 0:08:15All because her name has been muddled up with somebody else's.
0:08:18 > 0:08:24Susan M Brown couldn't get a mortgage. Her store card applications were turned down.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27And even getting a mobile phone contract was impossible.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29I'm quite an independent person
0:08:29 > 0:08:33so not being able to get a mobile phone and not being able,
0:08:33 > 0:08:37you know... Even if I wanted to get a credit card, I couldn't.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40And like, the car, we've had to do that
0:08:40 > 0:08:42in my husband's name and, you know,
0:08:42 > 0:08:45it's everyday, little things that people take for granted.
0:08:48 > 0:08:53Susan had lost her identity. And it's all because of her name.
0:08:53 > 0:08:57It is very frustrating, it makes me really angry at times as well
0:08:57 > 0:09:00and I have got upset at times, there's times that I haven't slept
0:09:00 > 0:09:06because it's worrying, I just haven't known how to clear my name.
0:09:07 > 0:09:11Susan's troubles began seven years ago, when her name changed.
0:09:11 > 0:09:16I got re-married. Before that I'd been Susan Margaret Eamus
0:09:16 > 0:09:20and I married in May 2005 and became Susan Margaret Brown.
0:09:20 > 0:09:28In January 2007 I had a letter from Dorothy Perkins saying that
0:09:28 > 0:09:30I owed nearly £500 pounds.
0:09:30 > 0:09:34As she'd never even had a Dorothy Perkins store card
0:09:34 > 0:09:37this really baffled Susan, and of course she just threw the bill away.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40She assumed it was simply a one-off mistake.
0:09:40 > 0:09:46Then about a month later I had a letter from a debt collection agency
0:09:46 > 0:09:51saying that I owed nearly £15,000, which as you can imagine
0:09:51 > 0:09:55was quite a shock and, you know, a lot more money.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58So I rang them and they said, "Oh, yes, sorry we've been given
0:09:58 > 0:10:02"the wrong details, it was Experian that gave us your details,
0:10:02 > 0:10:05"you need to contact them and let them know
0:10:05 > 0:10:09"that they've made a mistake," which, you know, is what I did.
0:10:09 > 0:10:14It appears that this Susan M Brown's credit file had been muddled
0:10:14 > 0:10:16with another Susan M Brown's file.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19Experian, which is Britain's biggest credit reference company,
0:10:19 > 0:10:22worked alongside Susan to clear her file,
0:10:22 > 0:10:26and advised her to contact the other credit reference companies.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29And while at first this did seem to help the problem, I'm afraid,
0:10:29 > 0:10:31soon returned.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34At the beginning people said, "Oh, yeah,
0:10:34 > 0:10:37"sorry, we've got the wrong person, and so therefore
0:10:37 > 0:10:41"we'll take your address off file," but then it continued.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45However hard she tried, she just couldn't convince everyone
0:10:45 > 0:10:49that she was a different Susan M Brown to the one they thought.
0:10:49 > 0:10:53The problem that I faced is that the lady that owes the money,
0:10:53 > 0:10:55we share the same date of birth.
0:10:58 > 0:11:03We found 484 Susan M Browns on the Electoral Roll,
0:11:03 > 0:11:06but by sheer fluke the two that have been mixed up
0:11:06 > 0:11:08just happened to share the same birthday.
0:11:11 > 0:11:13Determined to clear her name,
0:11:13 > 0:11:17our Susan M Brown went to great lengths to prove who she was.
0:11:17 > 0:11:22There was a consumer advice guy that I went to and he advised that
0:11:22 > 0:11:27I changed my name by deed pole to Griffith-Brown, which is what I did.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30But that hasn't made any difference.
0:11:30 > 0:11:32The letters are still coming through
0:11:32 > 0:11:34and in fact people have said that it's an alias,
0:11:34 > 0:11:39it's an alias that I use and I'm trying to hide behind another name.
0:11:39 > 0:11:45I went to Citizens Advice. They just gave me a print out of things to do.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48But on there it said that I could give a notice of correction
0:11:48 > 0:11:52to Experian and Equifax which is what I did.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55I typed a letter and just said, "You've got your facts wrong."
0:11:55 > 0:12:00I've sent them photocopies of my birth certificate,
0:12:00 > 0:12:03my marriage certificate, you know, all the documents I've got,
0:12:03 > 0:12:09proving who I am and I've sent that to numerous debt collection agencies.
0:12:09 > 0:12:14And the whole sorry saga was even affecting her marriage.
0:12:14 > 0:12:18David was even doubting me, thinking that I did owe this
0:12:18 > 0:12:21amount of money and that I hadn't been honest to him
0:12:21 > 0:12:24about how much debt and everything I was in.
0:12:24 > 0:12:28So yeah, that was tough, that's a real tough thing to face.
0:12:28 > 0:12:30And the demand letters just kept on coming.
0:12:32 > 0:12:36I was threatened with either arrest or bailiffs, and then you
0:12:36 > 0:12:40start to think, "Well, actually this is not going to go away."
0:12:40 > 0:12:44There was a time when I had a solicitor who wrote to me
0:12:44 > 0:12:46and said that they were going to attach litigation
0:12:46 > 0:12:48to me and to my property.
0:12:48 > 0:12:52I've had letters saying that they're going to bankrupt me, you know,
0:12:52 > 0:12:55it's been quite a horrible journey really.
0:12:55 > 0:13:00So, 5 years down the line, still battling to prove who she is,
0:13:00 > 0:13:04Susan contacted Rip-Off Britain for help.
0:13:04 > 0:13:06On her behalf, we again got in touch with Experian,
0:13:06 > 0:13:10to find out why this problem just won't go away.
0:13:12 > 0:13:14Certainly, as far as your Experian report's concerned,
0:13:14 > 0:13:17there's no longer any confusion, there's no data on there
0:13:17 > 0:13:19about the other person.
0:13:19 > 0:13:23Of course, some of the organisations that are still looking
0:13:23 > 0:13:27for their customer might still have your details and as a result,
0:13:27 > 0:13:30you know, might still be getting in touch or even passing those
0:13:30 > 0:13:33details on to other organisations that they're working with.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35But James says that there is an organisation that might
0:13:35 > 0:13:40be able to help - the Credit Services Association, or CSA.
0:13:41 > 0:13:43They will look into any malpractice that's alleged
0:13:43 > 0:13:46against their members and they'll take that very seriously.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49If you're still being contacted and, as I say, the organisations
0:13:49 > 0:13:51aren't listening to your very clear information
0:13:51 > 0:13:55they've got the wrong person, then certainly, I'm sure the trade body
0:13:55 > 0:13:58would be, very interested to have a look at that for you.
0:14:00 > 0:14:04I now know that there is somewhere else I can go, and hopefully,
0:14:04 > 0:14:08if I report all the issues that I've had to them,
0:14:08 > 0:14:13that will be an end of this situation.
0:14:13 > 0:14:17The Credit Services Association told us they're working to resolve
0:14:17 > 0:14:22Susan's case and their members are "Sorry for any distress caused."
0:14:22 > 0:14:25They say cases that like this are uncommon but by no means unique
0:14:25 > 0:14:29and they're trying to find a permanent solution to this issue.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34It's robbed me of my identity and, you know,
0:14:34 > 0:14:40I'm seen as somebody who has bad debt and somebody not to trust
0:14:40 > 0:14:43and that's hard, that's tough to live with that.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48Well, we're keeping everything crossed that Susan's problems
0:14:48 > 0:14:51will now finally have come to an end,
0:14:51 > 0:14:53and she won't have any more of all this in the future.
0:14:53 > 0:14:58In the meantime our website
0:14:58 > 0:15:01has tips on how to check your own credit history.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08Our next case study, Len Kelundra,
0:15:08 > 0:15:12is the kind of loyal customer that most companies absolutely love.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15He's been with his phone company BT for over 30 years now,
0:15:15 > 0:15:19so you'd think that they'd want to keep hold of him at all costs.
0:15:19 > 0:15:23But his recent experience of their customer service has meant
0:15:23 > 0:15:26that his previously steady relationship with them
0:15:26 > 0:15:28is now looking just a bit shaky.
0:15:31 > 0:15:36As the ads say, "It's good to talk" and with so many friends
0:15:36 > 0:15:37and relatives abroad,
0:15:37 > 0:15:41Len Kelundra spends a lot of time on the phone catching up.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43He talks to people in Sri Lanka.
0:15:45 > 0:15:49In India. And sometimes in Malaysia.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51So what's your plan?
0:15:51 > 0:15:53So to make all of that cheaper, he took out
0:15:53 > 0:15:58BT's International Freedom Package, which for an extra £5 a month
0:15:58 > 0:16:02gave him 600 minutes to talk to his friends around the world.
0:16:02 > 0:16:06I can't afford to be without the International Freedom package
0:16:06 > 0:16:11because it will be very expensive to be in touch with my family.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13Happy with the phone tariff that he was on,
0:16:13 > 0:16:16Len wanted see how BT measured up in other areas.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19So he signed up for one of their broadband packages
0:16:19 > 0:16:22after being offered three months for free.
0:16:22 > 0:16:29BT contacted me several times boasting about their BT Infinity package
0:16:29 > 0:16:36and it's much better for the price I'd pay.
0:16:36 > 0:16:40They said I'd get a better speed and better performance.
0:16:41 > 0:16:46So Len signed up to an 18-month BT Infinity package, including
0:16:46 > 0:16:51broadband, and he thought, keeping his International Freedom add-on.
0:16:51 > 0:16:55And after being a customer for nearly 30 years,
0:16:55 > 0:16:58he expected the same reliable service that he was used to.
0:16:58 > 0:17:02I was depending on BT to provide a very good service for me
0:17:02 > 0:17:07and also they said that this will have no impact on any of my other
0:17:07 > 0:17:09services that I have.
0:17:09 > 0:17:14But it did. Len's direct debit suddenly rocketed
0:17:14 > 0:17:19from £41 to £183 per month.
0:17:19 > 0:17:23And due to ill health he didn't check his first quarterly bill
0:17:23 > 0:17:26as thoroughly as he normally would have done, so it wasn't until
0:17:26 > 0:17:32his next bill arrived three months later that he spotted the increased cost.
0:17:32 > 0:17:37I noticed that BT was charging me for the international calls
0:17:37 > 0:17:42which is supposed to be free with the International Freedom package.
0:17:42 > 0:17:48I was very stressed and worried about why this has happened.
0:17:48 > 0:17:50And no wonder.
0:17:50 > 0:17:54Over the last eight months, Len's international calls had
0:17:54 > 0:18:00cost him a total of £409, whereas normally, apart from the £5 a month
0:18:00 > 0:18:05Freedom Package fee, those same calls would have been free.
0:18:05 > 0:18:09Len rang BT to find out what was going on.
0:18:09 > 0:18:14They said when the BT Broadband Infinity package was installed
0:18:14 > 0:18:19there was a system error and they struck my International Freedom
0:18:19 > 0:18:21calls due to the system error,
0:18:21 > 0:18:26and they were charging full rate for my international calls.
0:18:26 > 0:18:31So if Len's International Freedom package had been
0:18:31 > 0:18:35removed by mistake when BT set up his broadband surely
0:18:35 > 0:18:37that would be easy enough to sort out?
0:18:37 > 0:18:40And at first it seemed that the answer was yes.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43They said they will refund the money.
0:18:43 > 0:18:47Relieved, Len sat back and waited for the money to arrive.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53And then after few weeks nothing happens, then I call again.
0:18:53 > 0:18:58And they say to hold the line for a long time and then they say,
0:18:58 > 0:19:04the problem was due to the system error and they will sort it out.
0:19:04 > 0:19:09But again Len heard nothing more and the problem wasn't sorted.
0:19:09 > 0:19:13So he rang BT back and this time he got to speak to a manager.
0:19:13 > 0:19:18He apologised and he said this is their mistake
0:19:18 > 0:19:22and they will sort it out, let me investigate the bills.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25And he asked me to hold the line,
0:19:25 > 0:19:28I was holding the line for a long time, for more than hour.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31The line got cut off.
0:19:32 > 0:19:36Infuriatingly, Len spent a lot of time over the next few days
0:19:36 > 0:19:39listening to BT's hold music.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42Over the last few months Len has made more than twenty calls
0:19:42 > 0:19:45to them to sort his problem out and twice been put on hold
0:19:45 > 0:19:49for more than an hour and then cut off.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55It keeps on going like this, the problem of contacting BT,
0:19:55 > 0:19:59it's horrendous. I wanted to scream!
0:19:59 > 0:20:02In their company report BT pledged that...
0:20:06 > 0:20:09But, that was NOT Len's experience.
0:20:09 > 0:20:13From the telephone calls I was not getting anywhere.
0:20:13 > 0:20:19So then I decided to write to BT and send an email to them.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22And almost two months since he'd first complained
0:20:22 > 0:20:27Len got a resolution - although it wasn't the one he was expecting.
0:20:27 > 0:20:32BT now said they WOULD NOT be refunding
0:20:32 > 0:20:37his international calls as he hadn't notified them of the extra charges straight away.
0:20:37 > 0:20:42It makes me very angry because I never asked them to cancel
0:20:42 > 0:20:46my International Freedom package and they never asked me
0:20:46 > 0:20:49and they never said it's been cancelled
0:20:49 > 0:20:54so I can't understand why this is my mistake.
0:20:54 > 0:20:57I feel that BT doesn't care about me
0:20:59 > 0:21:02We put that to BT and they apologised for
0:21:02 > 0:21:05the "disruption and poor service" that Len suffered
0:21:05 > 0:21:10after they accidentally cancelled his International Freedom package.
0:21:10 > 0:21:12They've now reinstated him on it
0:21:12 > 0:21:14AND they've given him a full refund
0:21:14 > 0:21:15for the international calls
0:21:15 > 0:21:19that he was charged while he was without it.
0:21:20 > 0:21:26But Len still feels let down by the company that he's been loyal to for so long.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29I've been faithful to them for nearly 30 years.
0:21:29 > 0:21:34So I would expect the same thing from a service provider -
0:21:34 > 0:21:38to be faithful, to provide a good service to me.
0:21:39 > 0:21:43If you think that you've been left out of pocket by a mistake
0:21:43 > 0:21:44that a company has made,
0:21:44 > 0:21:47or indeed if you feel that your complaint is being ignored
0:21:47 > 0:21:52then here are just a few tips on how you can make your voice heard.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56The first thing to do is to complain directly to the company.
0:21:56 > 0:21:59So I recommend you either write to them or send an e-mail
0:21:59 > 0:22:02and keep a copy of the correspondence.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05It's important that when you complain you're very clear
0:22:05 > 0:22:08about what's gone wrong and what you want the company to do right.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11Make sure that you're calm, clear and logical
0:22:11 > 0:22:14and tell them what you want by the way of compensation
0:22:14 > 0:22:17if you want any compensation at all.
0:22:18 > 0:22:20If you're not getting anywhere
0:22:20 > 0:22:23then ask if your complaint can be referred up.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26If you're doing this in writing, say that you want it dealt with
0:22:26 > 0:22:28by somebody who's senior in customer services.
0:22:28 > 0:22:31If you're dealing with somebody on the phone then insist
0:22:31 > 0:22:34that you're not just passed from one call centre person to the other.
0:22:34 > 0:22:36See if you can speak to a supervising manager.
0:22:39 > 0:22:41If you're sending follow-up correspondence
0:22:41 > 0:22:45to see how the company's dealing with your complaint then keep copies.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48And if you're phoning them, make sure you keep a record
0:22:48 > 0:22:49of who you spoke to,
0:22:49 > 0:22:51when you spoke to them
0:22:51 > 0:22:52and what they said.
0:22:52 > 0:22:53Most companies these days
0:22:53 > 0:22:55record their phone calls
0:22:55 > 0:22:57and that could be useful for you
0:22:57 > 0:22:59if there's a dispute later on about who said what.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02If you're still getting nowhere, it may be time
0:23:02 > 0:23:04to refer your complaint to one of the ombudsman.
0:23:04 > 0:23:06It's free to complain
0:23:06 > 0:23:10and the ombudsman can force companies to pay you compensation.
0:23:10 > 0:23:14Another route is using social media such as Facebook and Twitter.
0:23:14 > 0:23:17Quite a lot of companies have people monitoring
0:23:17 > 0:23:21Facebook and Twitter comments and you may find you get a speedier result
0:23:21 > 0:23:23than going down a traditional route.
0:23:25 > 0:23:28Still to come on Rip-Off Britain...
0:23:28 > 0:23:32How a mistake by the DVLA left this driver off the road
0:23:32 > 0:23:34and hundreds of pounds out of pocket.
0:23:35 > 0:23:39It was extremely frustrating and very upsetting
0:23:39 > 0:23:43because it restricted almost everything one did.
0:23:48 > 0:23:50We've opened our very own pop-up shop
0:23:50 > 0:23:53at the Metro Centre in Gateshead...
0:23:53 > 0:23:55We declare our pop-up shop open!
0:23:57 > 0:23:59Overnight, we've transformed this space
0:23:59 > 0:24:02into a one-stop consumer advice centre.
0:24:02 > 0:24:04Hello, how are you?
0:24:04 > 0:24:07So we can try and solve some of your problems face to face.
0:24:08 > 0:24:10- Is this your good lady? - Yes, it is.- Hi.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13For one weekend, our team of experts is inside,
0:24:13 > 0:24:16ready to offer practical advice on a variety of consumer issues.
0:24:18 > 0:24:23Gemma popped in to see personal finance expert, Sarah Pennels,
0:24:23 > 0:24:26after a mistake by her bank, when she switched accounts,
0:24:26 > 0:24:27left her out of pocket.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30- Fire away, Gemma. - When I changed my bank account over
0:24:30 > 0:24:33and changed where my wages were going to be going,
0:24:33 > 0:24:36they took all the direct debits out of the wrong account.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39I was then charged by the mortgage company for a missed payment.
0:24:39 > 0:24:42I'm worried now there's going to be something on my credit rating.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45Well you said you've already made a complaint to the bank
0:24:45 > 0:24:48so I think you have to wait for up to eight weeks
0:24:48 > 0:24:50while they work out what, if anything, they're going to do,
0:24:50 > 0:24:53and if they don't offer to pay back the £42 that they've charged you
0:24:53 > 0:24:55then I would go and take the complaint
0:24:55 > 0:24:58to the Financial Ombudsman Service which is free to use.
0:24:58 > 0:24:59But I think more importantly,
0:24:59 > 0:25:03you do need to get hold of a copy of your credit reference file,
0:25:03 > 0:25:05just to make sure that that payment that was late
0:25:05 > 0:25:07that wasn't your fault isn't marked down there.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10Because if it is, that could cause you some problems.
0:25:10 > 0:25:12- Yeah.- If you look at your credit file
0:25:12 > 0:25:15and you see something there that you think is not just,
0:25:15 > 0:25:17what can you do about it?
0:25:17 > 0:25:19If you think the information isn't correct
0:25:19 > 0:25:23then you've got the right to dispute it and basically you should contact
0:25:23 > 0:25:25the credit reference company concerned,
0:25:25 > 0:25:27tell them what you think is wrong and they've got 28 days
0:25:27 > 0:25:29to either get back to you and tell you,
0:25:29 > 0:25:33"Yes we'll remove this disputed mark, "No, we won't and here's why,"
0:25:33 > 0:25:36or, "We need longer to look into it."
0:25:36 > 0:25:41You know we don't care whether your consumer problem is big or small.
0:25:41 > 0:25:43- We just like to hear about it, right?- Absolutely right.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46And I can tell you that our gripe box is just the place
0:25:46 > 0:25:48to get it all off your chest.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50I'm really annoyed about the price of fuel.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53It's ridiculous as to how expensive it is.
0:25:53 > 0:25:56Car insurance is an absolute disgrace.
0:25:56 > 0:25:58I paid £2,200 for my first year's insurance
0:25:58 > 0:26:00and that's just a total rip-off.
0:26:00 > 0:26:05I've come to complain about the high prices that holiday companies
0:26:05 > 0:26:07charge during the school holidays.
0:26:07 > 0:26:11I feel that the pensioners in this country are getting ripped off.
0:26:11 > 0:26:15But one pensioner determined not to get a raw deal is Norman.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17Norman, it seems to me
0:26:17 > 0:26:20that you're someone who's got an eye for a bargain
0:26:20 > 0:26:24but it sounds as if you very nearly got caught out by an optician.
0:26:24 > 0:26:26Tell me what happened.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29Well my wife and I decided to go and get new spectacles.
0:26:29 > 0:26:34We saw an advertisement for a company offering 25% discount
0:26:34 > 0:26:38for pensioners who went in and purchased on their quiet days.
0:26:38 > 0:26:40So the assistant chose my wife's spectacles
0:26:40 > 0:26:42and she eventually decided on two pair.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45So the girl immediately got the calculator out
0:26:45 > 0:26:49and said it wouldn't be any benefit, the pensioner's discount.
0:26:49 > 0:26:51How much the spectacles would have cost you
0:26:51 > 0:26:55with your 25% discount "special" for pensioners
0:26:55 > 0:26:58and how much it would have cost you if you didn't have the 25%?
0:26:58 > 0:27:01Well If I had the 25% discount for pensioners
0:27:01 > 0:27:04and had insisted on that, they would have cost me £215.
0:27:05 > 0:27:07If I didn't have the pensioner's discount
0:27:07 > 0:27:10and went in as a normal member of the public,
0:27:10 > 0:27:12- they would have cost £198.- Crikey!
0:27:14 > 0:27:15It sounds very strange
0:27:15 > 0:27:17and I'm sure it's something
0:27:17 > 0:27:19Trading Standards would want to look at.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22If you're being offered a discount, you shouldn't pay more
0:27:22 > 0:27:24than the people who aren't being offered the discount.
0:27:24 > 0:27:28This a story where it really is "Read the small print" and "Buyer beware."
0:27:32 > 0:27:33When you feel you've had a raw deal,
0:27:33 > 0:27:37it can be hard to know what to do or where to turn.
0:27:37 > 0:27:40So to help you we've put together a new booklet
0:27:40 > 0:27:42full of practical tips and advice.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44You can download the free guide on our website.
0:27:48 > 0:27:50Or to receive a copy in the post,
0:27:50 > 0:27:52send an A5 stamped and self-addressed envelope
0:27:52 > 0:27:55to the address that we'll give you at the end of the programme.
0:27:59 > 0:28:03Now, we hear a lot of examples of frustrating customer service,
0:28:03 > 0:28:06but here's one that really takes the biscuit.
0:28:06 > 0:28:08It all started with, as their own ads might say,
0:28:08 > 0:28:11"Not just a mistake but an M&S mistake."
0:28:11 > 0:28:15And it's been compounded by the people that, "Promise you extra."
0:28:15 > 0:28:16The Halifax.
0:28:16 > 0:28:19But in this case, the "extra" is confusion.
0:28:19 > 0:28:22Between them, two of the best-known names on the High Street
0:28:22 > 0:28:23have created a situation
0:28:23 > 0:28:27that's left Natalie Harvey hundreds of pounds out of pocket.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30And neither seems able to put things right.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37It's money they can't afford to be without.
0:28:40 > 0:28:42But for almost a year now, through no fault of their own,
0:28:42 > 0:28:48Natalie Harvey and her family have been out of pocket by £1,456.
0:28:50 > 0:28:52I literally was running backwards and forwards
0:28:52 > 0:28:54between Marks and Spencers and Halifax,
0:28:54 > 0:28:57with both of them saying, "I don't know where your money is."
0:28:57 > 0:28:58I have to watch every single penny.
0:28:58 > 0:29:02So £1,400, not having in my account,
0:29:02 > 0:29:06is a significant amount of money for bringing up my family.
0:29:07 > 0:29:10The trouble dates back to May 2009,
0:29:10 > 0:29:12when Natalie cancelled her car insurance policy
0:29:12 > 0:29:15with Marks and Spencer after an accident.
0:29:15 > 0:29:17My car was written off.
0:29:17 > 0:29:21So...I sent all my documentation off that I needed
0:29:21 > 0:29:23to send to Marks and Spencers to cancel my policy
0:29:23 > 0:29:27and as far as I was concerned my policy should have been cancelled.
0:29:27 > 0:29:30But it wasn't and because Natalie's premiums
0:29:30 > 0:29:34came out of an account she rarely used, she didn't notice that M&S
0:29:34 > 0:29:39continued to debit that account for a further two years.
0:29:39 > 0:29:41It's an account that I use purely for my son,
0:29:41 > 0:29:44just for his birthday parties, school uniform.
0:29:44 > 0:29:48I don't get bank statements and it's just a case of,
0:29:48 > 0:29:51I look online every now and then to just see how much is in there really.
0:29:51 > 0:29:55When I finally realised, I was absolutely shocked.
0:29:55 > 0:29:57Natalie immediately contacted M&S,
0:29:57 > 0:30:01who told her they had no record that her car was no longer in use
0:30:01 > 0:30:04and she'd need to contact the DVLA to get the documents
0:30:04 > 0:30:06to prove it had been written off.
0:30:06 > 0:30:08Which she did.
0:30:08 > 0:30:10Once they'd received the documentation,
0:30:10 > 0:30:13they did, finally, admit that they were at fault
0:30:13 > 0:30:16and they shouldn't have taken the payment.
0:30:16 > 0:30:18Once M&S had the proof they needed,
0:30:18 > 0:30:21they agreed to refund Natalie the money they'd taken in error.
0:30:21 > 0:30:24I was over the moon.
0:30:24 > 0:30:28I was so pleased because over the two years the total had come to £1,400.
0:30:28 > 0:30:31What I'm going to do, count to ten, you've gotta hide
0:30:31 > 0:30:33and I'll come and find you.
0:30:33 > 0:30:37BUT two months went by and Natalie still hadn't received the refund.
0:30:37 > 0:30:39So she called M&S again.
0:30:39 > 0:30:44The good news was they insisted they HAD refunded the money.
0:30:44 > 0:30:47But the BAD news was they couldn't confirm exactly
0:30:47 > 0:30:48into which account they'd paid it.
0:30:48 > 0:30:52And they couldn't give her many clues.
0:30:52 > 0:30:55They couldn't give me the name of the card,
0:30:55 > 0:30:58the bank detail, the branch or anything.
0:30:58 > 0:31:02Rather than refund the money to the account they'd regularly used
0:31:02 > 0:31:05to take Natalie's premiums, M&S said it had gone to one
0:31:05 > 0:31:08she'd used four years ago to make a one-off payment.
0:31:08 > 0:31:11But those last four digits were the only thing
0:31:11 > 0:31:12they could tell her about it.
0:31:15 > 0:31:18Marks and Spencers literally left the detective work up to me
0:31:18 > 0:31:21to try and track down the account that it was actually relevant to.
0:31:21 > 0:31:26So I literally had to do all the digging about myself.
0:31:26 > 0:31:28Natalie checked all her bank accounts,
0:31:28 > 0:31:29but the money wasn't there.
0:31:29 > 0:31:33And when she couldn't find any card ending with those four numbers,
0:31:33 > 0:31:35she went back to M&S.
0:31:35 > 0:31:39Who suggested that maybe they'd sent the money to an account
0:31:39 > 0:31:40that was now closed.
0:31:40 > 0:31:44And if that was the case, the bank who had it would return it to them
0:31:44 > 0:31:47but that process would take six months.
0:31:47 > 0:31:50When they told me I had to wait six months,
0:31:50 > 0:31:51I did think it was ridiculous.
0:31:51 > 0:31:55But nonetheless I did wait six months and I called them back
0:31:55 > 0:31:59for them to simply tell me that the money hadn't been returned,
0:31:59 > 0:32:00so I must have it.
0:32:01 > 0:32:06Natalie assured M&S that, no, she still hadn't received her money,
0:32:06 > 0:32:09and persuaded them to investigate further.
0:32:09 > 0:32:10It's just draining.
0:32:10 > 0:32:12You have to spend so much time
0:32:12 > 0:32:15and so much effort actually having to chase money
0:32:15 > 0:32:18that they should have paid into the correct account to start with.
0:32:19 > 0:32:21Meanwhile, Natalie had a breakthrough,
0:32:21 > 0:32:23when she finally found the bank card
0:32:23 > 0:32:26ending with the four digits M&S had given her.
0:32:26 > 0:32:28It belonged to a Halifax account
0:32:28 > 0:32:31that had been closed since December 2008.
0:32:31 > 0:32:35But unfortunately, that wasn't the end of the matter.
0:32:35 > 0:32:38I think last I spoke to her,
0:32:38 > 0:32:40she listened back in to my phone calls?
0:32:40 > 0:32:44When Natalie contacted Halifax, they couldn't find the money either.
0:32:44 > 0:32:48They basically told me that no money had come in or out,
0:32:48 > 0:32:50it's a closed account
0:32:50 > 0:32:55and that the money must've been returned to Marks and Spencers.
0:32:55 > 0:32:57Halifax said that to trace the payments,
0:32:57 > 0:32:59they'd need some extra information.
0:33:01 > 0:33:03So Natalie contacted M&S to get a unique code
0:33:03 > 0:33:06called a transaction sequence number,
0:33:06 > 0:33:08which both they AND the receiving bank would have.
0:33:08 > 0:33:12But within a week, Halifax had some bad news.
0:33:13 > 0:33:17The branch manager said that, "That particular account was closed
0:33:17 > 0:33:19"and no money had come in and no money had come out"
0:33:19 > 0:33:22and that she couldn't trace them at all.
0:33:22 > 0:33:25Increasingly frustrated, Natalie went back to M&S
0:33:25 > 0:33:29to say the numbers they'd given her HADN'T helped locate the money.
0:33:29 > 0:33:34All they could do was reiterate that the money HAD been sent to Halifax.
0:33:35 > 0:33:39With neither M&S nor Halifax able to locate her money,
0:33:39 > 0:33:43and Natalie stuck in the middle of it all, she got in touch with us
0:33:43 > 0:33:46to see if we could help.
0:33:46 > 0:33:49And surprise, surprise, that's done the trick.
0:33:49 > 0:33:53Both M&S and Halifax agree that the delay in resolving this case
0:33:53 > 0:33:57has been "unacceptable", and that the standard of customer service
0:33:57 > 0:34:01has been below their expectations.
0:34:01 > 0:34:03And not only have they apologised to Natalie
0:34:03 > 0:34:05and refunded ALL the money she's owed,
0:34:05 > 0:34:07but they've given her compensation
0:34:07 > 0:34:09for the inconvenience she experienced.
0:34:09 > 0:34:14But Natalie still doesn't understand why it all took so long.
0:34:14 > 0:34:19It is not acceptable for a refund to take a year to get back.
0:34:19 > 0:34:22It's just absolutely ridiculous.
0:34:22 > 0:34:27It should take... It literally should take a matter of minutes or days.
0:34:29 > 0:34:34Now driving isn't always just about getting from A to B.
0:34:34 > 0:34:37For some of us, it's a necessity. For others, it's a pleasure.
0:34:37 > 0:34:40Either way, finding yourself without a licence,
0:34:40 > 0:34:42let's face it, is a big deal.
0:34:42 > 0:34:46And when that's because of an error that should never have happened -
0:34:46 > 0:34:48well, you can imagine not just the inconvenience,
0:34:48 > 0:34:50but the utter frustration.
0:34:50 > 0:34:53So put yourself in the shoes of 83-year-old Alban
0:34:53 > 0:34:57driven to distraction by the consequences of a careless mistake
0:34:57 > 0:35:00that cost him, not just his independence,
0:35:00 > 0:35:02but an awful lot of money as well.
0:35:06 > 0:35:10Driving tests were first introduced in Britain back in 1935.
0:35:10 > 0:35:14And since then, more than 98 million people have taken their test.
0:35:17 > 0:35:20Amongst them, 83-year-old Alban Pearson.
0:35:20 > 0:35:24Now to say that he enjoys driving would be an understatement.
0:35:25 > 0:35:27He's been doing it most of his life.
0:35:27 > 0:35:30I've been driving since 1946.
0:35:30 > 0:35:35Prior to that, off-road in the fields with tractors.
0:35:35 > 0:35:38Went into the forces at 21 after an apprenticeship.
0:35:38 > 0:35:42One of activities I did there - I trained a lot of drivers.
0:35:42 > 0:35:47I did a little competition driving both on motorcycles and cars.
0:35:49 > 0:35:52Alban's driving skills are still very much in demand.
0:35:52 > 0:35:57His friends rely on him, for example, for a lift to their bridge games.
0:35:57 > 0:36:01Come wind, rain or shine - he's there, he picks us up
0:36:01 > 0:36:05- and he's really, really good, isn't he, Margaret?- Yes.
0:36:05 > 0:36:08- We don't know what we'd do without him.- Of course.
0:36:09 > 0:36:13Alban's pride and joy - his beloved Rolls Royce.
0:36:13 > 0:36:15A very stylish Silver Spirit.
0:36:15 > 0:36:18And he was looking forward to a very special opportunity
0:36:18 > 0:36:20to put it to good use.
0:36:20 > 0:36:24The pending wedding of my grandchild,
0:36:24 > 0:36:28we'd arranged to have me drive our Rolls,
0:36:28 > 0:36:31which they'd looked forward to and I was going to ferry them
0:36:31 > 0:36:35to and fro and certainly I was looking forward to that day.
0:36:37 > 0:36:39But unfortunately, that was not to be!
0:36:40 > 0:36:44All UK drivers over 70 have their licence reviewed every three years.
0:36:44 > 0:36:48Now as part of that, the government licensing authority,
0:36:48 > 0:36:52the DVLA, can also request an eye test.
0:36:52 > 0:36:54They did that with Alban last year.
0:36:54 > 0:36:56And when he'd been to the optician,
0:36:56 > 0:36:58the results were sent on to the DVLA.
0:37:01 > 0:37:06When they wrote back, Alban couldn't believe his eyes.
0:37:06 > 0:37:09Because the DVLA were saying that following the eye test
0:37:09 > 0:37:12they were taking away his licence.
0:37:12 > 0:37:17Well, I was astounded really because the letter indicated that
0:37:17 > 0:37:20I needed to be able to read a car number plate
0:37:20 > 0:37:22at something like 20.5 metres.
0:37:22 > 0:37:24This is something I had no problems with
0:37:24 > 0:37:28and my eyes had been monitored for a number of years.
0:37:28 > 0:37:29Good number of years now.
0:37:31 > 0:37:33Baffled, Alban paid out of his own pocket
0:37:33 > 0:37:36for ANOTHER eye test with a consultant.
0:37:36 > 0:37:39He passed and immediately let the DVLA know.
0:37:40 > 0:37:43It turned out that THEY had made an error
0:37:43 > 0:37:46with Alban's first eye test and although they admitted that
0:37:46 > 0:37:48and apologised for taking away his licence,
0:37:48 > 0:37:52it took a full five months for him to get it back.
0:37:53 > 0:37:58It was extremely frustrating and very upsetting
0:37:58 > 0:38:02because it restricted almost everything one did
0:38:02 > 0:38:07and obviously we were very upset at not getting, you know,
0:38:07 > 0:38:09a good response from the DVLA with regard to it.
0:38:10 > 0:38:12So through no fault of his own,
0:38:12 > 0:38:16not only was Alban unable to do the driving at his grandson's wedding,
0:38:16 > 0:38:20but for months the DVLA's mistake stopped him
0:38:20 > 0:38:22from doing ANY driving whatsoever.
0:38:23 > 0:38:27I think it's unfortunate that whoever is dealing with it
0:38:27 > 0:38:29at the DVLA doesn't put themselves
0:38:29 > 0:38:32into the position that I found myself in.
0:38:32 > 0:38:34It meant that you were constricted in a way
0:38:34 > 0:38:37that was like putting a fence round you, really.
0:38:37 > 0:38:41The friends who relied on Alban to ferry them around
0:38:41 > 0:38:43were also left stranded.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46It was devastating for him, wasn't it?
0:38:46 > 0:38:49It was stressful and I think he really felt it.
0:38:51 > 0:38:53And there wasn't just an emotional cost.
0:38:54 > 0:38:55Over those five months,
0:38:55 > 0:38:59Alban drove up quite a few financial losses as well.
0:38:59 > 0:39:02Including £314.70
0:39:02 > 0:39:05for car insurance he couldn't use.
0:39:05 > 0:39:08£175 for road tax.
0:39:08 > 0:39:11And £320 to hire another car for the wedding.
0:39:13 > 0:39:16And by the time he'd added up all his costs,
0:39:16 > 0:39:21including that second eye test and a solicitor's bill for legal advice,
0:39:21 > 0:39:26Alban estimated he was out of pocket by a total of £1,500.
0:39:26 > 0:39:30So he asked the DVLA to give him that back.
0:39:30 > 0:39:32After all, THEY had made the mistake.
0:39:32 > 0:39:35We had only asked for
0:39:35 > 0:39:38that we considered was an absolute direct consequence
0:39:38 > 0:39:42of the action of the DVLA and, you know,
0:39:42 > 0:39:48didn't really allow for all the trauma and the consequences
0:39:48 > 0:39:52of not being able to drive on, you know, more normal occasions.
0:39:52 > 0:39:58But when the DVLA responded they offered Alban £700 -
0:39:58 > 0:40:00less than half of what he felt he was due.
0:40:00 > 0:40:04For them to offer half that, again is, you know,
0:40:04 > 0:40:07some indication that they didn't understand
0:40:07 > 0:40:10and appreciate the consequence of their actions.
0:40:10 > 0:40:14We contacted the DVLA, and they told us they're
0:40:14 > 0:40:17"sorry for the error that was made", but point out that they
0:40:17 > 0:40:20"Handle around 700,000 medical cases a year
0:40:20 > 0:40:23"and mistakes are extremely rare".
0:40:23 > 0:40:26And when mistakes DO happen, they insist they correct them
0:40:26 > 0:40:29"As quickly as possible".
0:40:29 > 0:40:33As for the amount of compensation- after we got in touch,
0:40:33 > 0:40:38the DVLA upped their offer to £1,000, which Alban has now accepted
0:40:38 > 0:40:42and he's absolutely delighted to be back on the road.
0:40:42 > 0:40:44Oh, I'm very happy to be driving again,
0:40:44 > 0:40:46I would never want to have that same experience again
0:40:46 > 0:40:50and certainly my good ladies that I pick up for the bridge club
0:40:50 > 0:40:53appreciate the fact that there isn't a problem again
0:40:53 > 0:40:55and certainly it's a big relief.
0:40:55 > 0:40:56A big relief.
0:41:02 > 0:41:03Here at Rip-Off Britain,
0:41:03 > 0:41:06we're always ready to investigate more of your stories.
0:41:08 > 0:41:09Confused over your bills?
0:41:09 > 0:41:12Trying to wade your way through never-ending small print?
0:41:12 > 0:41:15We should read it but it's no in plain English, it's not...
0:41:15 > 0:41:18it should be simple, you know, ABC, you know - very basic stuff.
0:41:18 > 0:41:21Unsure what to do when you discover you've lost out,
0:41:21 > 0:41:24and that "great deal" has ended up costing you money?
0:41:24 > 0:41:26You get home, you get your bill and it's like £70,
0:41:26 > 0:41:29when it's meant to be £35.
0:41:29 > 0:41:32And it's just basically, you just get ripped off, don't you?
0:41:33 > 0:41:35You might have a cautionary tale of your own
0:41:35 > 0:41:38and want to share the mistakes you made with us,
0:41:38 > 0:41:40so that other people don't do the same thing.
0:41:40 > 0:41:44We paid them good money to act in our best interest, they didn't.
0:41:46 > 0:41:48You can write to us at...
0:41:56 > 0:41:58Or you can send us an e-mail to...
0:42:03 > 0:42:07Remember the Rip-Off team are always ready and waiting
0:42:07 > 0:42:08to investigate your stories.
0:42:10 > 0:42:14So as we've heard today, when you're paying for somebody
0:42:14 > 0:42:18to do a good job on your behalf, it can be incredibly frustrating,
0:42:18 > 0:42:19not to mention seem very unfair,
0:42:19 > 0:42:22when it's YOU left counting the cost of THEIR mistakes.
0:42:22 > 0:42:24And it's all the more maddening
0:42:24 > 0:42:28when something that you'd hoped could be sorted very quickly
0:42:28 > 0:42:32actually takes months, or maybe even longer, to sort out.
0:42:32 > 0:42:35Now, I know it can seem a very daunting task
0:42:35 > 0:42:37when you're taking on big companies,
0:42:37 > 0:42:39even though YOU are completely in the right.
0:42:39 > 0:42:42But there IS help out there, so don't give up!
0:42:42 > 0:42:44And remember, if you don't get resolution,
0:42:44 > 0:42:47or you feel you're getting a raw deal, come to us.
0:42:47 > 0:42:50In the meantime, thanks for joining us, and until next time...
0:42:50 > 0:42:52ALL: Goodbye.
0:42:54 > 0:42:57Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd