0:00:03 > 0:00:06We asked you to tell us who has left you feeling ripped-off.
0:00:06 > 0:00:08And you contacted us in your thousands,
0:00:08 > 0:00:11by post, email...
0:00:11 > 0:00:13even stopping us on the street.
0:00:13 > 0:00:15And the message could not be clearer.
0:00:15 > 0:00:19It feels to me that I'm fighting a battle that I can't win.
0:00:19 > 0:00:21Costs you a fortune.
0:00:21 > 0:00:24And when you actually get through, you get fobbed off.
0:00:24 > 0:00:26You told us, with money tighter than ever,
0:00:26 > 0:00:29you need to be sure that every pound counts.
0:00:29 > 0:00:30We ploughed thousands into it
0:00:30 > 0:00:32and we had nowhere to turn.
0:00:32 > 0:00:34So whether it's a deliberate rip-off,
0:00:34 > 0:00:37a simple mistake or a catch in the small print,
0:00:37 > 0:00:39we'll find out why you're out of pocket
0:00:39 > 0:00:41and what you can do about it.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44Your stories, your money. This is Rip-Off Britain.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50Hello. It's good to have you with us, because on Rip-Off Britain today,
0:00:50 > 0:00:53we're going to be investigating problems with something that,
0:00:53 > 0:00:55is this day and age, should be pretty fundamental,
0:00:55 > 0:00:59and that is heating your home and keeping warm.
0:00:59 > 0:01:01Not too much to ask, you might think.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04But for some of you, it has proved surprisingly tricky.
0:01:04 > 0:01:08You're absolutely right. Now, whether that's down to equipment not working the way it should
0:01:08 > 0:01:11or bills much higher than you could ever, ever have imagined,
0:01:11 > 0:01:13the situations some of you have told us about
0:01:13 > 0:01:16are not ones that you want to find yourself in next winter.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19Although, in some cases, they've rumbled on for years
0:01:19 > 0:01:22without anybody ever being able to sort them out.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25And what's especially frustrating about that
0:01:25 > 0:01:28is that some of the heating systems we'll be talking about
0:01:28 > 0:01:29are real state-of-the-art stuff -
0:01:29 > 0:01:33clever devices that are supposed to be energy-efficient too.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36So as well as finding out why that's not always been the case,
0:01:36 > 0:01:39we'll see what we can do to help put things right.
0:01:39 > 0:01:41Coming up on today's programme...
0:01:41 > 0:01:43Why homeowners across dozens of estates
0:01:43 > 0:01:47blame the same supposedly energy-efficient heating system
0:01:47 > 0:01:49for pushing them into debt.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52I won't be able to afford to heat my house for my children.
0:01:52 > 0:01:56Now, how can you stand there and say this is an OK situation?
0:01:56 > 0:01:59Plus, how a more traditional way of heating their home
0:01:59 > 0:02:02has left this couple out in the cold.
0:02:02 > 0:02:04This thing weighs half a tonne. We had to take doors off
0:02:04 > 0:02:07and all sorts of things to get it in to the cottage.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10And...it's just half a tonne of scrap at the moment.
0:02:14 > 0:02:16During our last series of Rip-Off Britain,
0:02:16 > 0:02:20we revealed an apparently energy-efficient heating system
0:02:20 > 0:02:23that, for many of you, turned out to be anything but.
0:02:23 > 0:02:27In fact, quite a lot of you wrote to us saying that having had the system fitted,
0:02:27 > 0:02:30your electricity bills turned out to be four times more
0:02:30 > 0:02:33than you were expecting.
0:02:33 > 0:02:37Well, exactly the same system has been fitted into thousands of homes across the country
0:02:37 > 0:02:39and while the manufacturer is absolutely adamant
0:02:39 > 0:02:42that there is nothing wrong with it,
0:02:42 > 0:02:46we do keep hearing from people who are having exactly the same problems.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49So, I went to one of the estates that's affected,
0:02:49 > 0:02:54where, for some residents, things really have reached a crisis point.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58These housing association homes here in Coventry
0:02:58 > 0:03:00look really nice, don't they?
0:03:00 > 0:03:03And as an added bonus, they're supposed to be eco-friendly and affordable.
0:03:03 > 0:03:07Trouble is, some of the residents I've been talking to
0:03:07 > 0:03:10tell me that they've turned out to be anything but.
0:03:10 > 0:03:14Tell me what you were told about the heating system in the house.
0:03:14 > 0:03:18They said that it would only cost us no more than £30 to £35 a month
0:03:18 > 0:03:20to run the whole system.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22But it hasn't worked out that way.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25My first ever bill... I'd only been in the house for four months
0:03:25 > 0:03:28and it was for £2,700.
0:03:28 > 0:03:30It's an absolute nightmare.
0:03:31 > 0:03:33It really is.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36- I'm never going to be out of debt. - What would you ideally like to happen?
0:03:36 > 0:03:40I'd ideally like them to rip it out and smash it up.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43So what is it that's causing Deborah and other residents
0:03:43 > 0:03:45such grief?
0:03:45 > 0:03:48Deborah's home, like most of them on the estate,
0:03:48 > 0:03:51is fitted with this heating system,
0:03:51 > 0:03:55which is made by the Swedish company Nibe.
0:03:55 > 0:03:59Rip-Off Britain first became aware of problems with these heating systems last year,
0:03:59 > 0:04:04after we'd been round hearing from people who were receiving astronomical electricity bills.
0:04:04 > 0:04:08What they all had in common was the same Nibe system fitted into their homes.
0:04:08 > 0:04:12Called an exhaust air-source heat pump,
0:04:12 > 0:04:14it replaces the need for a gas boiler,
0:04:14 > 0:04:17but performs the same function using electricity.
0:04:17 > 0:04:21It works by taking the heat from the waste air leaving your house
0:04:21 > 0:04:24and then pumping it back into your home
0:04:24 > 0:04:26to help provide heating and hot water.
0:04:26 > 0:04:28All very clever.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31And, all being well, as friendly to your pocket as it is to the environment.
0:04:31 > 0:04:35Sounds like a really practical solution, doesn't it?
0:04:35 > 0:04:39And when it works properly, it really should be energy-efficient.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42Sadly, many of the people living on this estate have told us
0:04:42 > 0:04:44that that is not the case.
0:04:44 > 0:04:48That in fact they've been saddled with horrendous electricity bills
0:04:48 > 0:04:51that have left them in serious debt.
0:04:51 > 0:04:56At this moment in time, I'm paying £351 a month with my direct debit.
0:04:58 > 0:05:00Over the past three years, it has increased.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03We moved in in August and the bill we received in December
0:05:03 > 0:05:05was over £1,000.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08The thing is, this isn't just an isolated incident
0:05:08 > 0:05:10restricted to this one estate.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14We've heard of exactly the same problems happening where this system has been installed
0:05:14 > 0:05:17in hundreds of homes across the country.
0:05:19 > 0:05:23The high bills occur when the system's emergency, but expensive,
0:05:23 > 0:05:25backup immersion heater kicks in.
0:05:25 > 0:05:30So what is it that's making these systems work less effectively than they're supposed to
0:05:30 > 0:05:33and sending families who are expecting to save money into debt?
0:05:33 > 0:05:37Samantha Clawson has lived on this estate in Cambridgeshire
0:05:37 > 0:05:39since 2010.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41When we filmed with her last year,
0:05:41 > 0:05:44she was struggling to make ends meet after receiving energy bills
0:05:44 > 0:05:46far higher than she'd anticipated.
0:05:46 > 0:05:48We were told we had a great heating system
0:05:48 > 0:05:52that was going to be economical and it was going to be green,
0:05:52 > 0:05:55which was perfect.
0:05:55 > 0:05:59We have a report telling us it was going to be around £500 a year
0:05:59 > 0:06:01for our heating and our hot water.
0:06:01 > 0:06:03It couldn't have been better, really.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06The energy performance certificate that came with the house
0:06:06 > 0:06:10had been very clear about how much Sam could expect to pay for her electricity.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13But when the bill arrived two months after she moved in,
0:06:13 > 0:06:15it said something quite different.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18When our first electricity bill came through,
0:06:18 > 0:06:21for £252 - that was for just under two months -
0:06:21 > 0:06:23we were horrified.
0:06:23 > 0:06:25And with subsequent bills equally high,
0:06:25 > 0:06:27Sam was facing some tough decisions.
0:06:27 > 0:06:31We owed in the region of £1,500.
0:06:31 > 0:06:36Our only choice was to pay half of that or go on a key meter.
0:06:36 > 0:06:40Once we were put on to a key meter, it became absolutely clear
0:06:40 > 0:06:44that this system was far from economical
0:06:44 > 0:06:46and was in fact costing us a fortune to run.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48Over Christmas,
0:06:48 > 0:06:52it very quickly became £10 a day.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55And I was horrified.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58In fact, when I realised this,
0:06:58 > 0:07:00I turned our heating off
0:07:00 > 0:07:02and the choice was we eat...
0:07:02 > 0:07:04or we keep warm.
0:07:04 > 0:07:08We'd already heard of similar experiences,
0:07:08 > 0:07:10but after highlighting Sam's case,
0:07:10 > 0:07:13more of you in the same position got in touch,
0:07:13 > 0:07:18dozens of households having now told us that instead of saving them money,
0:07:18 > 0:07:21their Nibe system was actually costing them more.
0:07:21 > 0:07:25Lorraine Pommells moved onto this estate in July 2011.
0:07:25 > 0:07:26The estate was marketed as
0:07:26 > 0:07:30one of the most eco-friendly and energy-efficient developments in the country.
0:07:30 > 0:07:35Like all the residents, Lorraine was delighted at the prospect
0:07:35 > 0:07:37of saving money on heating bills.
0:07:37 > 0:07:39When we moved in here,
0:07:39 > 0:07:46they said that it cost half of an average normal four-bedroom house
0:07:46 > 0:07:48per year.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52Indeed, the paperwork she was given when she moved in
0:07:52 > 0:07:54showed that she could expect electricity bills
0:07:54 > 0:07:56as low as £426 a year.
0:07:56 > 0:08:00But when her first bill arrived in August of 2011,
0:08:00 > 0:08:01Lorraine was horrified to find
0:08:01 > 0:08:04that it was three times more than predicted.
0:08:04 > 0:08:06And things only got worse.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09Every month during the winter she was getting bills that added up
0:08:09 > 0:08:13to over half of what she thought she would spend across the whole year.
0:08:14 > 0:08:18When the second bill arrived, it just went up.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21The third bill came, it went up.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23And the more bills that came, it went up, up, up.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25We was promised
0:08:25 > 0:08:27that they were going to be cheap to run.
0:08:27 > 0:08:30And this is showing quite the opposite.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33Some of Lorraine's neighbours have had exactly the same trouble.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36And since the estate is classed as affordable housing,
0:08:36 > 0:08:38it's a serious problem for many on the street.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41Lorraine's next-door-neighbour, Chrissie,
0:08:41 > 0:08:43has been struggling with the system since she moved in,
0:08:43 > 0:08:47although the housing association has tried to help where it can.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50Tell them you've no heating, you've got young children. OK?
0:08:50 > 0:08:52Somebody will bring heaters out to you.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56If you want, the heaters I've got, I'll let you have some of them.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59As well as generating high bills,
0:08:59 > 0:09:02Chrissie's Nibe system has also sometimes broken down
0:09:02 > 0:09:05and with four children to keep clean and warm,
0:09:05 > 0:09:06that's a problem.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09At the beginning of the year, I was without hot water and heating
0:09:09 > 0:09:12and I had to go stay in a Travelodge for five full days.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15I'm getting slightly worried now about next winter coming
0:09:15 > 0:09:17and how much the bills are going to be again.
0:09:17 > 0:09:21I have actually got somebody coming this week to see if I can move somewhere else,
0:09:21 > 0:09:23because I'm just that stressed out,
0:09:23 > 0:09:25worried about all the bills all the time.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27On this estate,
0:09:27 > 0:09:29rather than chat over the garden fence,
0:09:29 > 0:09:32neighbours often meet in each other's boiler cupboard -
0:09:32 > 0:09:34a scene that's been replicated in other neighbourhoods
0:09:34 > 0:09:37where the Nibe system has not worked as expected.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39In total, we've now heard from people
0:09:39 > 0:09:43living on 30 different housing estates up and down the UK,
0:09:43 > 0:09:46who say they've been hit with bills much higher than expected.
0:09:46 > 0:09:50And it's not always been simple to get things resolved.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53You get tired and depressed
0:09:53 > 0:09:55and upset.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58You know, and you don't feel like you're being listened to
0:09:58 > 0:09:59and it's been two years now,
0:09:59 > 0:10:01coming up to two years.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04We shouldn't be having this much pressure on us.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08Well, Nibe are adamant that there's nothing wrong with their systems,
0:10:08 > 0:10:11so later in the programme, we'll hear their explanation
0:10:11 > 0:10:13for what's gone wrong.
0:10:13 > 0:10:17It could be the installation, it could be the sizing of the unit,
0:10:17 > 0:10:19it could be how the unit's being used.
0:10:19 > 0:10:23And as some residents in Coventry reach breaking point...
0:10:23 > 0:10:28I won't be able to heat my house for my children.
0:10:28 > 0:10:32Now, how can you stand there and say this is an OK situation?
0:10:32 > 0:10:36We'll also see how the housing association responsible for that estate
0:10:36 > 0:10:39is promising drastic action to resolve the situation.
0:10:39 > 0:10:41I can give a commitment today
0:10:41 > 0:10:45that we will replace those systems, because clearly they're not performing as they should do.
0:10:50 > 0:10:54Next, a way of heating your home that has the added bonus of looking good in the kitchen.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57And on top of that, it'll cook your dinner as well.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00It's a souped-up version of a traditional cooking range,
0:11:00 > 0:11:03but as you might expect, a device that works as a boiler
0:11:03 > 0:11:05and as an oven doesn't come cheap.
0:11:05 > 0:11:07So if you've splashed out to have one fitted,
0:11:07 > 0:11:10obviously you're going to hope that it does the job.
0:11:10 > 0:11:12But here's a couple who say they've had nothing but trouble
0:11:12 > 0:11:14since theirs was installed.
0:11:17 > 0:11:19Alison and Bob Taylor's country cottage
0:11:19 > 0:11:22dates back to when the first Queen Elizabeth was on the throne.
0:11:22 > 0:11:26Nestled in the heart of Kent, it looked as if all should be perfect.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29But the couple have had a problem for most of the last five years
0:11:29 > 0:11:33which they say has made living here very difficult.
0:11:35 > 0:11:37The cooker hasn't worked properly for five years.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39It's a ridiculous situation.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42We've had more takeaways than we care to think of,
0:11:42 > 0:11:45we've had ruined meals,
0:11:45 > 0:11:47we're freezing cold in winter,
0:11:47 > 0:11:49we've got no hot water.
0:11:49 > 0:11:50It's just a disaster.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53Their problems stem from this -
0:11:53 > 0:11:55the heavyweight of the cooking world,
0:11:55 > 0:11:58a £5,500 Redfyre range cooker.
0:11:58 > 0:12:02It's an investment purchase which the couple thought would last them for many years.
0:12:02 > 0:12:04But most of the time they've had it,
0:12:04 > 0:12:07it hasn't worked the way it should.
0:12:08 > 0:12:10At the time of speaking, of course,
0:12:10 > 0:12:12we've been seven months without water and heating.
0:12:12 > 0:12:16If the oven's working, the heating is not,
0:12:16 > 0:12:18and if the heating's working, the oven's not working.
0:12:18 > 0:12:22So, whatever happens, it's never actually all working together.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25Bob and Alison have lived in the cottage for 12 years.
0:12:25 > 0:12:31For the first few, they were happy using the previous range cooker that came with the property.
0:12:31 > 0:12:33When we arrived at the cottage,
0:12:33 > 0:12:35it was lovely, because we had the Rayburn cooker
0:12:35 > 0:12:38and it was such a lovely thing to have in the kitchen
0:12:38 > 0:12:40and I'd always wanted one.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42That's part of the reason why we bought the cottage.
0:12:42 > 0:12:44It really enticed us in.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47It was like the heart of the cottage, and we loved this thing.
0:12:47 > 0:12:49Eventually, after about five or six years,
0:12:49 > 0:12:51- this thing died.- So we decided
0:12:51 > 0:12:55to push the boat out and really invest in a really nice cooker, which was great.
0:12:55 > 0:12:57I was thrilled to bits.
0:12:57 > 0:12:59In April 2008,
0:12:59 > 0:13:02they bought a Redfyre gas central heating cooker
0:13:02 > 0:13:05from the local firm Woodstock Fires Ltd.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08The hefty price tag meant that it wasn't a purchase they made lightly,
0:13:08 > 0:13:12but as it was going to heat their home as well as cooking their food,
0:13:12 > 0:13:14they felt the spend was justified.
0:13:14 > 0:13:16We went along to the showroom.
0:13:16 > 0:13:19The Redfyre just ticked all the boxes.
0:13:19 > 0:13:24It works independently - you can cook without having the heater and water on.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27Water and heating work perfectly without the cooker being on.
0:13:27 > 0:13:28And that was the choice we made.
0:13:28 > 0:13:32And we hadn't heard anything bad about it. We looked on the internet
0:13:32 > 0:13:34and there wasn't any bad press or anything,
0:13:34 > 0:13:37so we thought, "Well, this has got to be it".
0:13:37 > 0:13:40The cooker looked resplendent in its new home,
0:13:40 > 0:13:43but Bob and Alison's delight was very short-lived.
0:13:43 > 0:13:45We had to cancel Christmas that year,
0:13:45 > 0:13:47because the cooker wasn't working.
0:13:47 > 0:13:49And it just got from bad to worse.
0:13:49 > 0:13:53It was cutting out four, five times during cooking time.
0:13:53 > 0:13:57I threw away legs of lamb that were half-cooked.
0:13:57 > 0:14:00If we went out for a walk, we'd come home and the oven had turned itself off.
0:14:00 > 0:14:05It's no fun cooking on the barbecue in the middle of winter with the snow on the ground.
0:14:05 > 0:14:09So the couple got in touch with the company that sold them the cooker,
0:14:09 > 0:14:10Woodstock Fires Ltd.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13They came out to the cottage, they did a site visit.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16We trusted what we thought were experts.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19As they had just parted with thousands of pounds,
0:14:19 > 0:14:22Bob and Alison were hoping that the shop could fix their problem.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25But as no-one from the shop is a registered gas engineer,
0:14:25 > 0:14:29they couldn't, and referred them on to the manufacturers, Redfyre.
0:14:29 > 0:14:33Engineers approved by Redfyre tried lots of different things,
0:14:33 > 0:14:34but none seemed to do the trick.
0:14:34 > 0:14:39We had replacement burners, we had the cut-out switch dropped off,
0:14:39 > 0:14:40so that was replaced.
0:14:40 > 0:14:44We had new gas-air equalising tubes.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47They changed the top of the hotplate round.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50We had rods stuck down the top of it,
0:14:50 > 0:14:52testing the temperature.
0:14:52 > 0:14:56And eventually they said, "Well, it's the flue".
0:14:57 > 0:14:59But that didn't work either
0:14:59 > 0:15:01and Bob and Alison say they spent the next two years
0:15:01 > 0:15:04to-ing and fro-ing between the manufacturer,
0:15:04 > 0:15:07the shop and even independent engineers,
0:15:07 > 0:15:09trying to get things resolved,
0:15:09 > 0:15:10all to no avail.
0:15:10 > 0:15:12Finally, after two years,
0:15:12 > 0:15:15Redfyre send up their engineer.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18He turns up with one of the guys who had previously visited.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21After about an hour, discovers that the thermostat
0:15:21 > 0:15:24has fallen out of its housing, it's laying against the oven wall,
0:15:24 > 0:15:27the oven's warming up, then tripping the thermostat.
0:15:27 > 0:15:29So the oven is cutting out.
0:15:29 > 0:15:30A very simple thing.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33So, a fix at last...or so it seemed.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36But then after two years of all being well,
0:15:36 > 0:15:38another problem arose in January.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41Our son lives in Majorca and he sent us tickets for Christmas,
0:15:41 > 0:15:44so we went over to Majorca for Christmas,
0:15:44 > 0:15:46had a wonderful time, so relaxing.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49We were looking forward to getting home in the new year
0:15:49 > 0:15:51to our lovely cosy cottage.
0:15:51 > 0:15:55And sure enough, we arrived home in the middle of winter
0:15:55 > 0:15:58and the cottage was so lovely. It was so warm, wasn't it?
0:15:58 > 0:16:00Yeah, it was lovely.
0:16:00 > 0:16:02It was lovely for about four days.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05Just as the couple were thinking they were home and dry,
0:16:05 > 0:16:08winter seemed to get too much for their Redfyre
0:16:08 > 0:16:11and this time, it was the heating side of the oven that packed in.
0:16:11 > 0:16:14If it was a car and we could actually drive it away
0:16:14 > 0:16:16and take it back to the manufacturer or the garage,
0:16:16 > 0:16:18and just leave it with them, we would.
0:16:18 > 0:16:20But this things weighs half a tonne.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23We had to take doors off and all sorts of things to get it in to the cottage.
0:16:23 > 0:16:27And it's just half a tonne of scrap at the moment.
0:16:27 > 0:16:32The manufacturers, Redfyre, have now been sold to the biggest name in the range ovens - Aga.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35But despite sending out various parts,
0:16:35 > 0:16:38they haven't been able to fix the temperamental cooker either.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41Eventually, in May, they sent the parts through.
0:16:41 > 0:16:43Unfortunately, when the parts arrived,
0:16:43 > 0:16:46they were for an oil-fired cooker and not for gas-fired.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48So there we were again.
0:16:48 > 0:16:50Gone through the coldest part of the winter
0:16:50 > 0:16:53with no heating and no hot water.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56And after seven months, we're pretty exhausted with it.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59Bob and Alison firmly believe that they've ended up
0:16:59 > 0:17:02with a cooker that just isn't fit for purpose.
0:17:02 > 0:17:04According to the Sale of Goods Act,
0:17:04 > 0:17:07all products sold must be in good working order.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10But as their cooker hasn't worked properly most of the time they've had it,
0:17:10 > 0:17:12they don't feel that this has been the case.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15The law puts the responsibility
0:17:15 > 0:17:19not on the manufacturer but on the retailer where you bought your goods from.
0:17:19 > 0:17:21In this case, Woodstock Fires.
0:17:21 > 0:17:25So we asked the shop whether they had any plans to replace the cooker
0:17:25 > 0:17:27or refund what the couple had spent on it.
0:17:27 > 0:17:32They told us that at no stage had they refused to deal with this complaint,
0:17:32 > 0:17:35reiterating that they are not gas engineers
0:17:35 > 0:17:37and have not been involved in the repairs.
0:17:37 > 0:17:39They say when they learned of the problems,
0:17:39 > 0:17:41they contacted the manufacturer...
0:17:47 > 0:17:49..that the issue was being resolved.
0:17:49 > 0:17:51Now, after hearing this year that the couple...
0:17:53 > 0:17:56..they have asked to see it again with a qualified gas engineer...
0:18:03 > 0:18:07We also contacted Aga, who bought the Redfyre brand back in 2011.
0:18:07 > 0:18:11They said this particular cooker is no longer available,
0:18:11 > 0:18:14so while they've...
0:18:19 > 0:18:21They're now talking to the couple...
0:18:27 > 0:18:29But with another winter looming,
0:18:29 > 0:18:32Bob and Alison just want this finally sorted out.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35They didn't shell out so many thousands of pounds for a system
0:18:35 > 0:18:37that doesn't do what it's supposed to.
0:18:37 > 0:18:41I still look forward to the day when we have a nice warm cottage again
0:18:41 > 0:18:44and food comes out
0:18:44 > 0:18:46and I know it's going to come out cooked.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57Our one-stop consumer advice shop is back.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00This time, we visited Liverpool
0:19:00 > 0:19:03with experts tackling your problems inside and outside
0:19:03 > 0:19:05with workshops on the street.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08Fantastic to see you all here.
0:19:09 > 0:19:11We heard you sound off.
0:19:11 > 0:19:14I don't fill my car up. I can't afford to fill my car up.
0:19:14 > 0:19:16We shared our top tips.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19I'm going to talk to you guys today a little bit about broadband
0:19:19 > 0:19:21and how you can save money by switching.
0:19:21 > 0:19:25An tried our best to solve your consumer conundrums.
0:19:25 > 0:19:29Natalie came to see financial expert Sarah Pennells
0:19:29 > 0:19:30about the cost of her energy.
0:19:30 > 0:19:32She has a pay-as-you-go meter,
0:19:32 > 0:19:35so she knows exactly what she's used and can avoid surprise bills.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38But when she recently moved to a new supplier,
0:19:38 > 0:19:40her old one gave her quite a shock.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42I received a bill a couple of days later
0:19:42 > 0:19:45for £160.
0:19:45 > 0:19:49So that's why I don't understand, really,
0:19:49 > 0:19:51what's going on.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54Well, I think this sounds completely illogical
0:19:54 > 0:19:58that you pay for your gas or electricity before you use it,
0:19:58 > 0:19:59and then get a bill.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02Sarah can't be sure why the company billed her,
0:20:02 > 0:20:06but suspects that it may be because they had failed to come and adjust the meter
0:20:06 > 0:20:07to account for energy price rises.
0:20:07 > 0:20:11Legally, if they are meant to be responsible for adjusting their meters
0:20:11 > 0:20:16when prices go up and they don't do it, they've failed in their duty to do it,
0:20:16 > 0:20:17so she's not liable, surely?
0:20:17 > 0:20:20Well, I think it's a bit of a grey area.
0:20:20 > 0:20:22Personally, I think it's quite shoddy.
0:20:22 > 0:20:27The whole principle is you can budget, you know what you're paying and you pay as you go along,
0:20:27 > 0:20:29and that helps you manage your money.
0:20:29 > 0:20:31So I would definitely dispute it.
0:20:31 > 0:20:34Ask them to show that you actually owe this money,
0:20:34 > 0:20:36find out whether there's a mistake with the meter.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39- Right.- How does all that sound? - Sounds brilliant.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42We really enjoy meeting you at our pop-up shop.
0:20:44 > 0:20:48But it's clear a lot of you aren't surprised when you end up feeling ripped-off.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51I think there's a general feeling that as a consumer,
0:20:51 > 0:20:53you expect to be taken for a ride,
0:20:53 > 0:20:54and that if things go wrong,
0:20:54 > 0:20:57you're going to have a devil of a job getting your money back.
0:21:01 > 0:21:04And Bob's certainly had trouble with a company he used.
0:21:04 > 0:21:08He spent £9,000 on a solar-powered hot water system
0:21:08 > 0:21:10he saw advertised in a national newspaper.
0:21:10 > 0:21:12But soon after it was installed,
0:21:12 > 0:21:15the system developed some electrical faults.
0:21:15 > 0:21:17The panels are generating power OK,
0:21:17 > 0:21:19but part of the deal was
0:21:19 > 0:21:22the excess electricity that you made through the day
0:21:22 > 0:21:25was supposed to warm your old immersion heater up,
0:21:25 > 0:21:27ie, you wouldn't have to use as much gas
0:21:27 > 0:21:30for your hot water to wash and what-have-you.
0:21:30 > 0:21:32Well, it never worked.
0:21:32 > 0:21:34- Have they sent somebody out to have a look?- No.
0:21:34 > 0:21:41They just sent us a letter saying "get a local firm to remedy the electrics of it".
0:21:41 > 0:21:42So that's what Bob did.
0:21:42 > 0:21:46He got two different companies to come out to solve the problem,
0:21:46 > 0:21:47but they were as baffled as he was.
0:21:47 > 0:21:51They failed to figure out exactly what's going on with the electrics.
0:21:51 > 0:21:53They tried to contact the firm
0:21:53 > 0:21:55and they just blanked them as well,
0:21:55 > 0:21:57which is not very good customer service.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59It's no customer service.
0:21:59 > 0:22:04Bob says he's tried again and again to contact the company, but to no avail.
0:22:04 > 0:22:06So, after eight months, he'd had enough.
0:22:06 > 0:22:10I said to my partner, "Right, this is no good, this.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13"We're losing money, they won't speak to us."
0:22:13 > 0:22:16I just decided to get the hot water system ripped out
0:22:16 > 0:22:18and a combi boiler put in.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21I think the problem is any company can advertise in the national press.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24It's just a matter of paying money for an advertising slot.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27It's a bit difficult, because you've already done something yourself.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30If you are going to try and pursue the trader for compensation,
0:22:30 > 0:22:33you'll have to have evidence there's something wrong with it.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35I think it's a good idea to get a report from an expert.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38- I've got a free-hand one. - Get something on headed paper
0:22:38 > 0:22:41with his experience, so he knows exactly what he's talking about.
0:22:41 > 0:22:43Send a copy of that to the trader with a letter
0:22:43 > 0:22:47saying that you're very unhappy it's taken them so long to sort it out,
0:22:47 > 0:22:49and you therefore want to claim compensation from them.
0:22:49 > 0:22:51The system never worked.
0:22:51 > 0:22:54- It just didn't work, full stop. - Very frustrating.
0:22:54 > 0:22:55But don't give up hope.
0:22:55 > 0:22:58As I say, there are things you can do,
0:22:58 > 0:23:02and I hope you'll be able to get a system eventually that will do what you want it to do.
0:23:05 > 0:23:07Still to come on Rip-Off Britain...
0:23:07 > 0:23:08An energy system that relies on sunshine,
0:23:08 > 0:23:12but, for this woman, was almost scuppered by fog.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15The whole idea of getting the solar panels
0:23:15 > 0:23:17is to make use of the electricity from the sun,
0:23:17 > 0:23:19so it seems ironic that at the end of the day,
0:23:19 > 0:23:21it's the weather that's caused all the problems
0:23:21 > 0:23:23and cost me a lot of money.
0:23:25 > 0:23:28Earlier in the programme, we heard about the affordable homes
0:23:28 > 0:23:32that have become anything but for some of the people living in them,
0:23:32 > 0:23:36thanks to a heating system that's sent their bills sky-high.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39Made by the Swedish manufacturers Nibe,
0:23:39 > 0:23:43it's supposed to result in lower energy costs,
0:23:43 > 0:23:47but some estates, with bills and tensions mounting,
0:23:47 > 0:23:51are taking drastic action in an attempt to solve the problem once and for all.
0:23:51 > 0:23:53And on one of them,
0:23:53 > 0:23:56things are about to get very lively.
0:23:57 > 0:24:01We've now heard from residents on 30 estates across the country
0:24:01 > 0:24:05who say the supposedly energy-efficient heating system installed in their homes
0:24:05 > 0:24:07has done the opposite of what was promised.
0:24:07 > 0:24:11Any everyone who's contacted us about this has a similar story.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14Instead of providing low-cost heating and hot water,
0:24:14 > 0:24:18their systems have led to bills four times higher than they should be.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21On this estate in Coventry,
0:24:21 > 0:24:23Deborah Hambridge has had problems with her Nibe system
0:24:23 > 0:24:26ever since she moved in back in 2010.
0:24:26 > 0:24:28It's an absolute nightmare.
0:24:29 > 0:24:33It really is. I'm never going to be out of debt with it.
0:24:34 > 0:24:38I can't afford to pay. At the moment, I'm paying £200 a month on a direct debit.
0:24:38 > 0:24:42And I can't pay any more. There isn't any more to pay.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45You must be angry and frustrated,
0:24:45 > 0:24:48but can you see any solution to this at all?
0:24:48 > 0:24:51No, because nobody will tell you that there's anything wrong.
0:24:51 > 0:24:53They just, like...
0:24:53 > 0:24:56It doesn't matter who you speak to. Nobody wants to know anything about it.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58They're saying there isn't a problem,
0:24:58 > 0:25:02although they have said they'll do some investigations in the next couple of weeks.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05But this is three years on and we're still in the same boat.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08And what do your neighbours say?
0:25:08 > 0:25:10They can't do anything about it either. None of us can.
0:25:10 > 0:25:14So if you were faced by somebody from Nibe,
0:25:14 > 0:25:16and somebody from the housing association,
0:25:16 > 0:25:18what would you say to them?
0:25:18 > 0:25:20Do something about these boilers.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23They can't say it's affordable housing
0:25:23 > 0:25:28when we're paying out every penny to keep the house heated.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31Well, today the housing association responsible for the estate
0:25:31 > 0:25:35has agreed to come and meet me and listen to residents' frustrations.
0:25:35 > 0:25:39Morning, Alan. Ladies, here's your man.
0:25:39 > 0:25:42- That's been...- You've known about this problem since 2010.
0:25:42 > 0:25:46- We all moved in...- What are you actually going to do?
0:25:46 > 0:25:50The debts need to be sorted out. We're in huge amounts of debt
0:25:50 > 0:25:52through no fault of our own.
0:25:52 > 0:25:56We've come to you. You're the people that are supposed to be helping us.
0:25:56 > 0:25:58And we've hit a brick wall.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01Well, what we're going to do is meet with everybody
0:26:01 > 0:26:03who's got a problem.
0:26:03 > 0:26:08It's not all of the properties, but all the properties that have got a concern, we'll meet with you.
0:26:08 > 0:26:12You say it's a minority. It's not a minority.
0:26:12 > 0:26:16There's quite a large number of people on this estate.
0:26:16 > 0:26:20Every time I ring up and complain, I get told I'm in the minority.
0:26:20 > 0:26:25I'm not a minority. We know here today that there's at least 30-odd houses
0:26:25 > 0:26:28in the same situation as us.
0:26:28 > 0:26:32Obviously, the issue for us is that Nibe supplied these boilers.
0:26:32 > 0:26:34We're not happy with what's happened here.
0:26:34 > 0:26:37And clearly it's not a sustainable situation
0:26:37 > 0:26:39if winter after winter, your bills are too high,
0:26:39 > 0:26:44so what we're saying is we'll commit to cover the costs...
0:26:44 > 0:26:46I'm a single parent.
0:26:46 > 0:26:51And we're still having to pay our direct debit, otherwise we have to sit in that house with no heating.
0:26:51 > 0:26:55- That's not acceptable, and we will...- It is NOT acceptable.
0:26:55 > 0:26:56No, it really isn't acceptable.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59But why does it have to come to this extent?
0:26:59 > 0:27:03For you to actually sit up and take some notice of us
0:27:03 > 0:27:06and start listening? We have made phone calls after phone calls
0:27:06 > 0:27:09to people that passed the buck to another person.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12I've had to go, in my own time...
0:27:12 > 0:27:15I've been in court three or four different Wednesday afternoons
0:27:15 > 0:27:18that I've had to take off work, to go to court to argue
0:27:18 > 0:27:23to not get pre-payment meters fitted in my house, because if they do,
0:27:23 > 0:27:26I won't be able to afford to heat my house for my children.
0:27:26 > 0:27:30Now, how can you stand there and say this is an OK situation?
0:27:30 > 0:27:34Well, it's not an OK situation, which is exactly the reason why...
0:27:34 > 0:27:37So why hasn't some notice been taken of us before?
0:27:37 > 0:27:39Three years we've been living like this!
0:27:39 > 0:27:42Well, we've now established a team of people
0:27:42 > 0:27:44who'll be working with you
0:27:44 > 0:27:47and we've got meetings that are booked for everybody.
0:27:47 > 0:27:51We'll talk about your bills, we'll actually arrange
0:27:51 > 0:27:52to make payments...
0:27:52 > 0:27:55The whole thing is, we were told we were moving into affordable housing
0:27:55 > 0:27:59with energy-efficient boilers, heating systems
0:27:59 > 0:28:02that were going to cost us no more than between £60 and £80 a month
0:28:02 > 0:28:04for all of our bills.
0:28:04 > 0:28:06That has never happened.
0:28:06 > 0:28:10Well, we've now established a team that will specifically work on this problem.
0:28:10 > 0:28:15We will work with you to look back over the period you've been involved in living on this estate.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18And we're here to commit to help you solve this problem.
0:28:18 > 0:28:22The housing association has now decided that by the start of winter,
0:28:22 > 0:28:27they'll have replaced the Nibe systems in all of the estate's larger homes
0:28:27 > 0:28:31with what they call a highly efficient, more traditional gas-fired boiler.
0:28:31 > 0:28:34And they'll do the same in the smaller houses if the residents want them to.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37They'll also carry on making hardship payments to customers
0:28:37 > 0:28:39who've had high bills in the past.
0:28:41 > 0:28:44It's a similar story on some other estates across the country,
0:28:44 > 0:28:48including all those we've heard about on this programme.
0:28:48 > 0:28:51Those residents who've had months of sky-high bills
0:28:51 > 0:28:54are also now having their Nibe systems removed.
0:28:54 > 0:28:57As a result, people like Samantha Clawson,
0:28:57 > 0:28:59one of the first to tell us about this problem,
0:28:59 > 0:29:02have already seen their bills come down.
0:29:02 > 0:29:04But here in Coventry, the housing association
0:29:04 > 0:29:08regret making the decision to have these systems installed in the first place.
0:29:08 > 0:29:11You've been very honest and straightforward with me
0:29:11 > 0:29:12about what you intend to do.
0:29:12 > 0:29:14How angry are you with Nibe?
0:29:14 > 0:29:18Well, I'm pretty unhappy about this. They gave us that confidence.
0:29:18 > 0:29:21Clearly, what's happening on the ground now is not the same.
0:29:21 > 0:29:22It's a different story.
0:29:22 > 0:29:26And I think there are particular issues where... This is electric heating
0:29:26 > 0:29:30and where people can't pay their bills, some are being put on to pre-payment meters.
0:29:30 > 0:29:33I've spoken to other housing associations with similar problems
0:29:33 > 0:29:35and I wonder how many people there are out there,
0:29:35 > 0:29:38how many tenants are struggling like some of the people we've got here today.
0:29:38 > 0:29:41With the housing association taking the flak,
0:29:41 > 0:29:43what do manufacturers Nibe have to say?
0:29:43 > 0:29:47They insist there is no problem with the heating system itself
0:29:47 > 0:29:51and any failures are entirely the result of poor installation or misuse.
0:29:51 > 0:29:56We've got thousands of these units installed throughout the country,
0:29:56 > 0:30:00from the Highlands of Scotland all the way down to the south coast,
0:30:00 > 0:30:04the majority of them running very efficiently, very effectively.
0:30:04 > 0:30:08I understand that we have systems on this estate here where we are today
0:30:08 > 0:30:11that we're having no problems with at all
0:30:11 > 0:30:17and the end users are extremely happy with the heating, hot water and ventilation the units produce.
0:30:17 > 0:30:20Let me tell you that on this site,
0:30:20 > 0:30:23the housing association feel, perhaps,
0:30:23 > 0:30:26that you have mis-sold the boilers.
0:30:28 > 0:30:30That's their view?
0:30:30 > 0:30:32They're not up to the job that they need of them.
0:30:32 > 0:30:36That's contrary to the meetings I've had with the housing association.
0:30:36 > 0:30:39There's been no mention of that at all to us.
0:30:39 > 0:30:44That comes as a...that comes as a big surprise.
0:30:44 > 0:30:47Nibe went on to tell us that although they've had...
0:30:50 > 0:30:52..it is inappropriate to hold them responsible
0:30:52 > 0:30:54for the performance of a system if...
0:30:57 > 0:30:59They say...
0:31:04 > 0:31:06And that they've identified...
0:31:09 > 0:31:10..generally because...
0:31:15 > 0:31:18They say independent research shows their systems...
0:31:23 > 0:31:26And although ultimately they consider these issues to be...
0:31:29 > 0:31:32..they say that they have tried to rectify the problems
0:31:32 > 0:31:35reported to them with visits and repairs at their own expense.
0:31:42 > 0:31:47And have made it a condition of the guarantee that all installers are properly accredited and trained.
0:31:48 > 0:31:53But the residents in Coventry and elsewhere who've had problems with their Nibe systems
0:31:53 > 0:31:55aren't really bothered who's to blame.
0:31:55 > 0:31:57They're just hoping that these measures put an end
0:31:57 > 0:32:00to their heating problems once and for all.
0:32:04 > 0:32:06Most companies you tell us about
0:32:06 > 0:32:08haven't set out to rip you off.
0:32:08 > 0:32:10So when you feel that's what's happened,
0:32:10 > 0:32:14it may be that their terms and conditions just weren't clear enough,
0:32:14 > 0:32:17or there's been a genuine mistake where they've been slow to put it right.
0:32:17 > 0:32:20Whatever the explanation when things go wrong,
0:32:20 > 0:32:22you need to know what to do and where to turn.
0:32:22 > 0:32:25So we've put together a guide of tips and advice.
0:32:25 > 0:32:28Now, you can find a link to this free guide on our website...
0:32:32 > 0:32:33Or for a hard copy,
0:32:33 > 0:32:35send a self-addressed, stamped A5 envelope
0:32:35 > 0:32:38to the address we'll give you right at the end of the programme.
0:32:40 > 0:32:44Now, we may live in an age of text, Twitter and instant communication,
0:32:44 > 0:32:48but there's still something special about getting an old-fashioned letter through your door.
0:32:48 > 0:32:51And sometimes you've no choice but to send items through the post -
0:32:51 > 0:32:55for instance, if it's an important document that you can't send any other way.
0:32:55 > 0:32:58If that's what you're doing, you may decide the safest thing to do
0:32:58 > 0:33:01is to pay extra for it to get there on time.
0:33:01 > 0:33:03Well, here's someone who did just that.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06But for her, "guaranteed delivery"
0:33:06 > 0:33:07didn't do what it said on the tin.
0:33:07 > 0:33:12And as far as she's concerned, that's ended up costing her hundreds of pounds.
0:33:15 > 0:33:19The great British weather is unpredictable at the best of times,
0:33:19 > 0:33:22but Lyndon Watson's dreams of making money while the sun shines
0:33:22 > 0:33:25were scuppered by freak fog.
0:33:25 > 0:33:30In March 2012, she had solar panels installed on her home just outside Newcastle.
0:33:32 > 0:33:38I was thinking of solar panels particularly because of electricity savings that you would make.
0:33:38 > 0:33:42With the electricity going up all the time, it seemed like a good idea.
0:33:42 > 0:33:45Her sister had recently had solar panels installed,
0:33:45 > 0:33:48so Lyndon was keen to join her in being able to save some money,
0:33:48 > 0:33:52because if your panels generate more electricity than you need,
0:33:52 > 0:33:55you're able to sell the surplus back to the National Grid,
0:33:55 > 0:33:57provided you've registered to do so.
0:33:57 > 0:33:59The amount of money you'll get for that,
0:33:59 > 0:34:02which usually comes off your next energy bill,
0:34:02 > 0:34:03is called the Feed In Tariff.
0:34:03 > 0:34:07But when Lyndon got an installer to come round to talk her through it,
0:34:07 > 0:34:11he explained that the Government would soon be cutting the tariff you're paid in half,
0:34:11 > 0:34:14so she was up against a deadline to get the system fitted
0:34:14 > 0:34:17if she wanted to benefit from the higher rate.
0:34:19 > 0:34:21He explained that if I got the higher tariff,
0:34:21 > 0:34:24it would be around £1,500 a year
0:34:24 > 0:34:26in savings, or if it was the lower tariff,
0:34:26 > 0:34:29it would be round about £850 in savings per year,
0:34:29 > 0:34:32which was over 25 years
0:34:32 > 0:34:35and took into account the way that the house faced.
0:34:35 > 0:34:41The installer had lots of other customers trying to get their panels installed before the rate dropped,
0:34:41 > 0:34:44but if Lyndon took the first available date he could fit the system,
0:34:44 > 0:34:48though it was tight, it seemed she could just make the deadline.
0:34:49 > 0:34:53I got the solar panels installed on March 1 2012.
0:34:53 > 0:34:56I got a 16-panel system installed
0:34:56 > 0:34:59and it cost just under £8,000.
0:34:59 > 0:35:02In order for Lyndon to qualify for the higher tariff,
0:35:02 > 0:35:05she needed to get her application forms to her energy supplier,
0:35:05 > 0:35:07EDF, by the 2nd of March,
0:35:07 > 0:35:10just one day after the panels were installed.
0:35:10 > 0:35:12Forms had to be sent by post,
0:35:12 > 0:35:16but Lyndon was happy that she'd found a way to do that in time.
0:35:16 > 0:35:18Because the deadline was coming up,
0:35:18 > 0:35:24I had to go to the post office to make sure that I paid for the guaranteed next-day delivery,
0:35:24 > 0:35:26so that it was delivered before one o'clock the next day,
0:35:26 > 0:35:29which was the Friday the 2nd of March.
0:35:29 > 0:35:34It was pay this extra amount so it was definitely a guaranteed delivery.
0:35:35 > 0:35:38Forms posted off, over the next few days, Lyndon watched
0:35:38 > 0:35:40as her new solar panels started to work
0:35:40 > 0:35:43in the sunny Newcastle spring.
0:35:43 > 0:35:46Every time the sun shone, she thought of the savings
0:35:46 > 0:35:49she was confident they were already generating for her.
0:35:49 > 0:35:50But a couple of weeks later,
0:35:50 > 0:35:53she got an unexpected letter from EDF.
0:35:54 > 0:35:57I got a letter from the energy company on the 17th of March,
0:35:57 > 0:36:00which said they'd received my application
0:36:00 > 0:36:02on the 3rd of March.
0:36:02 > 0:36:05It started to ring alarm bells, because I was confident
0:36:05 > 0:36:10that my letter would have been received by the energy supplier on the 2nd of March.
0:36:10 > 0:36:13So I got straight on the phone to the energy supplier
0:36:13 > 0:36:18and explained to them that it might not have got to their desk on the 2nd of March,
0:36:18 > 0:36:21but it definitely would have been received in the building
0:36:21 > 0:36:23on the 2nd of March, because I'd paid for
0:36:23 > 0:36:27the guaranteed next-day delivery service with Royal Mail.
0:36:27 > 0:36:29However, EDF's representative explained
0:36:29 > 0:36:32that unfortunately that hadn't been the case.
0:36:32 > 0:36:35They said there'd been a problem in Exeter with fog
0:36:35 > 0:36:37that particular day
0:36:37 > 0:36:40and they'd had a problem getting their post,
0:36:40 > 0:36:43so unfortunately they hadn't received it until the 3rd of March.
0:36:43 > 0:36:46In Newcastle, it had been beautiful weather
0:36:46 > 0:36:48when I posted off the application,
0:36:48 > 0:36:51so I had no idea that there would have been any problem.
0:36:51 > 0:36:56The delay meant that Lyndon was only eligible for the new lower Feed In Tariff,
0:36:56 > 0:36:59meaning that the potential savings she could earn from the panels
0:36:59 > 0:37:01were slashed from around £1,500 a year
0:37:01 > 0:37:06to £850, but there was nothing EDF could do.
0:37:06 > 0:37:08They were very sympathetic about it all
0:37:08 > 0:37:12and explained that usually Ofgem were quite lenient
0:37:12 > 0:37:15about things like that, but on this particular occasion,
0:37:15 > 0:37:20they wouldn't allow for any discrepancies with the date at all.
0:37:20 > 0:37:23Lyndon was deeply frustrated.
0:37:23 > 0:37:28As far as she was concerned, she'd done everything she could to get the documents to EDF on time.
0:37:28 > 0:37:30I was so disappointed to find out that
0:37:30 > 0:37:33potentially, I was going to get the lower tariff.
0:37:33 > 0:37:36The whole reason for getting the solar panels in
0:37:36 > 0:37:39in the March was because of getting the higher tariff
0:37:39 > 0:37:42and potentially the difference in those few hours
0:37:42 > 0:37:44is going to cost me.
0:37:44 > 0:37:47Faced with the loss of around £16,000
0:37:47 > 0:37:49over the lifetime of the solar panels,
0:37:49 > 0:37:51Lyndon was determined not to give up.
0:37:51 > 0:37:54She tried complaining to Royal Mail.
0:37:54 > 0:37:57After all, though they weren't to blame for the bad weather,
0:37:57 > 0:38:00she had paid for what she thought was a guaranteed delivery.
0:38:00 > 0:38:02Like EDF, they were sympathetic,
0:38:02 > 0:38:04but said there was nothing they could do either
0:38:04 > 0:38:07because her complaint hadn't been made within 14 days of delivery,
0:38:07 > 0:38:11although, at that point, she hadn't even known there was a problem.
0:38:11 > 0:38:13They did, though, as a gesture of good will,
0:38:13 > 0:38:17refund the £5.45 she'd spent on postage.
0:38:17 > 0:38:21Lyndon then approached the Government department that sets the Feed In Tariffs.
0:38:21 > 0:38:25She hoped that they would see if it hadn't been for the fluke weather,
0:38:25 > 0:38:27her application would have arrived on time.
0:38:27 > 0:38:31I really thought that eventually
0:38:31 > 0:38:36they would accept that I'd made every effort to get the letter there in time for the 2nd of March.
0:38:36 > 0:38:38But they didn't.
0:38:38 > 0:38:40They told Lyndon that the tariffs were set by law
0:38:40 > 0:38:43and EDF had to abide by the legislation.
0:38:43 > 0:38:47I'm sure the organisations are doing everything by the book,
0:38:47 > 0:38:50but I just find it totally frustrating
0:38:50 > 0:38:53and totally unfair that they're not taking into account
0:38:53 > 0:38:56these mitigating circumstances.
0:38:56 > 0:38:59We asked the companies involved about Lyndon's case.
0:38:59 > 0:39:01Royal Mail reiterated that...
0:39:06 > 0:39:10Mail scheduled on the flight was transferred to their road network
0:39:10 > 0:39:12and they apologise for the fact it was delayed.
0:39:12 > 0:39:15EDF say the matter was out of their hands
0:39:15 > 0:39:19as the Department of Energy and Climate Change instructed that...
0:39:21 > 0:39:24And when we spoke to that Government department,
0:39:24 > 0:39:26they told us that the relevant legislation
0:39:26 > 0:39:29does not give them powers to alter the cut-off dates or...
0:39:32 > 0:39:34They say they receive...
0:39:38 > 0:39:39But point out that Lyndon...
0:39:41 > 0:39:43..and the tariff available to her...
0:39:46 > 0:39:49Despite Lyndon's frustration, it really does seem
0:39:49 > 0:39:51that none of the bodies or organisations involved
0:39:51 > 0:39:53have flexibility on this.
0:39:53 > 0:39:56So though she couldn't have got the panels installed any sooner
0:39:56 > 0:39:58because the installer was booked up,
0:39:58 > 0:40:01was there any way she could have got her forms there faster?
0:40:01 > 0:40:04Well, if you're up against a deadline for sending important documents,
0:40:04 > 0:40:08it may be worth calling the organisation to see if there's any alternative way
0:40:08 > 0:40:11of sending what they need - by email, for example.
0:40:11 > 0:40:15That option is now included on the Feed In Tariff application forms,
0:40:15 > 0:40:18though of course it wasn't when Lyndon filled hers in.
0:40:18 > 0:40:21But if you're relying on the post,
0:40:21 > 0:40:24Royal Mail recommends purchasing what's called "consequential loss cover",
0:40:24 > 0:40:27which insures you for up to £10,000
0:40:27 > 0:40:30if your item is lost, damaged or delayed.
0:40:30 > 0:40:33But even then, you have to complain within 14 days of posting,
0:40:33 > 0:40:39so it wouldn't have worked for Lyndon, who only discovered there'd been a delay after that time.
0:40:39 > 0:40:43She's now questioning whether she should have had her solar panels fitted at all.
0:40:44 > 0:40:47The whole idea of getting the solar panels
0:40:47 > 0:40:49is to make use of the electricity from the sun,
0:40:49 > 0:40:52so it seems ironic that at the end of the day,
0:40:52 > 0:40:54it's the weather that's caused all the problems
0:40:54 > 0:40:56and cost me a lot of money.
0:41:03 > 0:41:07Here at Rip-Off Britain, we are always keen to hear more of your stories
0:41:07 > 0:41:10and we're particularly interested in ones to do with food
0:41:10 > 0:41:12for a new series next year.
0:41:12 > 0:41:16Confused by all those different labels on the supermarket shelves?
0:41:16 > 0:41:19Worried that products described as "healthy"
0:41:19 > 0:41:21may be nothing of the kind?
0:41:21 > 0:41:25Whatever's worrying you about the things we put on our plates,
0:41:25 > 0:41:27you can write to us at...
0:41:38 > 0:41:40Or send us an email to...
0:41:43 > 0:41:47The Rip-Off team is ready and waiting to investigate your stories.
0:41:50 > 0:41:54Well, with the sun shining, winter may seem a long way off at this moment,
0:41:54 > 0:41:57but it really won't be too long before we all might need a little bit of help
0:41:57 > 0:41:59keeping our homes as warm as we would like,
0:41:59 > 0:42:03which means having a heating system that not only works, but is affordable.
0:42:03 > 0:42:06Because as we've heard, when that doesn't happen,
0:42:06 > 0:42:08it really can make life extremely difficult.
0:42:08 > 0:42:10It really does, and the good news is
0:42:10 > 0:42:15that so many of the people we've been meeting today are having their problems resolved,
0:42:15 > 0:42:19so that they don't have to dread the day when the temperature starts to drop.
0:42:19 > 0:42:22I think it's hard for us to imagine just how frustrating
0:42:22 > 0:42:27their situation must have been, but it is great to see that things are being sorted out now.
0:42:27 > 0:42:29Well, do let us know if, for whatever reason,
0:42:29 > 0:42:33someone leaves you out in the cold next winter.
0:42:33 > 0:42:38But in the meantime, we look forward to seeing you again the next time we investigate more of your stories.
0:42:38 > 0:42:40- Thanks for joining us, and from all of us here, bye.- Bye.- Bye.
0:42:51 > 0:42:54Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd