0:00:02 > 0:00:06'We asked you to tell us who's left you feeling ripped off,
0:00:06 > 0:00:08'and you contacted us in your thousands -
0:00:08 > 0:00:11'by post, email, even stopping us on the street!
0:00:11 > 0:00:14'And the message could not be clearer.'
0:00:14 > 0:00:19It feels to me that I'm fighting a battle that I can't win.
0:00:19 > 0:00:22Costs you a fortune, and when you actually get through, you get fobbed off.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25'You told us, with money tighter than ever,
0:00:25 > 0:00:28'you need to be sure that every pound spent is worth it.'
0:00:28 > 0:00:31We'd ploughed thousands into it, and we had nowhere to turn.
0:00:31 > 0:00:36'So whether it's a deliberate rip-off, a simple mistake or a catch in the small print,
0:00:36 > 0:00:38'we'll find out why you're out of pocket
0:00:38 > 0:00:42'and what you can do about it. Your stories, your money.
0:00:42 > 0:00:44'This is Rip-Off Britain.'
0:00:46 > 0:00:48Hello and welcome to Rip-Off Britain,
0:00:48 > 0:00:50where, as ever, we're very busy fighting your corner
0:00:50 > 0:00:54any time you tell us you're not happy about the way you've been treated,
0:00:54 > 0:00:56and you need someone to ask the tough questions
0:00:56 > 0:00:58that you're not in a position to ask.
0:00:58 > 0:01:02Every case we investigate comes directly from you,
0:01:02 > 0:01:04and whatever has prompted you to get in touch,
0:01:04 > 0:01:07often something very similar will have happened to someone else,
0:01:07 > 0:01:12either in the past, or the same time that you're going through it.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15So today, although we're investigating a real mix of stories,
0:01:15 > 0:01:17what they all have in common is that they're topics
0:01:17 > 0:01:19that a number of you have raised with us -
0:01:19 > 0:01:23whether there's a group of you battling through it right now,
0:01:23 > 0:01:25or perhaps lots of you have raised the very same issue
0:01:25 > 0:01:28over a period of time.
0:01:28 > 0:01:33In each case, you don't think that the situation that you've ended up in is fair.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35Coming up, the couple taking desperate measures
0:01:35 > 0:01:37to avoid a rising charge from the council.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40I thought, "Right. We will make a stand."
0:01:40 > 0:01:45And so I said, "Alan, this will be drastic action from us two."
0:01:45 > 0:01:48Why cashback promises may not be the great deal they seem.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51When we opened the cheques and saw they were only for £20
0:01:51 > 0:01:54instead of the full amount, we were a little annoyed.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57It was, like, "Why? What's wrong?"
0:01:57 > 0:02:00And we put right more of your problems at our pop-up shop.
0:02:00 > 0:02:04Now, when a company that you believe owes you money goes bust,
0:02:04 > 0:02:07the chances are that you can say goodbye to getting your money back,
0:02:07 > 0:02:10or at least all of it. But if, just days later,
0:02:10 > 0:02:13a new business sprang up in the same premises as the old one,
0:02:13 > 0:02:16with what appears to be exactly the same people running it
0:02:16 > 0:02:20and even the same stock, you probably wouldn't be happy, to say the least.
0:02:20 > 0:02:22Unfortunately that does happen a lot,
0:02:22 > 0:02:26and I'm afraid there's not always much you can do about it.
0:02:26 > 0:02:30When Colin Parsons was undergoing treatment for cancer in 2009,
0:02:30 > 0:02:33he didn't want his wife and kids to miss out on family holidays,
0:02:33 > 0:02:36so he came up with a solution - this motorhome.
0:02:36 > 0:02:40I was diagnosed with cancer in late 2009.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42And we've always loved our holidays.
0:02:42 > 0:02:46I've worked in the teaching profession for a few years now,
0:02:46 > 0:02:48which gives me plenty of holiday time,
0:02:48 > 0:02:51and I just saw it as a perfect solution
0:02:51 > 0:02:55for us to take holidays as a family together in this country,
0:02:55 > 0:02:58as I was told not to travel too far, not to go abroad.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01- So this was a perfect answer for you. - It was an absolute perfect choice.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04Everybody agreed that it was,
0:03:04 > 0:03:07and, you know, I looked around for a little while,
0:03:07 > 0:03:13saw that there was one for sale that suited our needs,
0:03:13 > 0:03:16as I saw it at the time, and so we went for it.
0:03:16 > 0:03:18So, now you've got your dream motorhome,
0:03:18 > 0:03:21a great reason for you to be able to spend holidays with your family.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24- So, what went wrong? - The first time we used it, actually,
0:03:24 > 0:03:29we noticed that, you know, as the British weather goes,
0:03:29 > 0:03:32we had a little bit of rain.
0:03:32 > 0:03:34My daughter was actually sleeping in the above...
0:03:34 > 0:03:38- What, this compartment at the top? - The over-cab area with the window,
0:03:38 > 0:03:43as you can see, and she complained that it was a little bit damp.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46'The family holiday that was supposed to give Colin some respite
0:03:46 > 0:03:48'from his treatment quickly turned sour,
0:03:48 > 0:03:51'thanks to the leaky motorhome.'
0:03:51 > 0:03:54So, just show me roughly where the damp is.
0:03:54 > 0:04:00The main area is in the corners of where the boarding stops,
0:04:00 > 0:04:03and around the light fitting, which you can see is loose.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06Which would be very dangerous, with the water coming in.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09If anybody touched that, it could become live.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12Um, the whole area is really damp.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15I should just show you one of the cushions.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18You can see that that's got extensively damaged.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21- Would you like your child sleeping on something like that?- Not nice.
0:04:21 > 0:04:23It's just not healthy, is it?
0:04:23 > 0:04:27'Colin took his leaking motorhome back to the original seller,
0:04:27 > 0:04:30'caravan specialists Rivershore (Shropshire) Limited.
0:04:30 > 0:04:32'They agreed to fix it free of charge,
0:04:32 > 0:04:36'but within a couple of weeks, the leak had returned.'
0:04:36 > 0:04:39I was assured that the leak had been detected
0:04:39 > 0:04:43and that it had been repaired. It had been tested, as well.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46'Rivershore say they offered further repairs, which Colin refused,
0:04:46 > 0:04:50'but as their first attempt hadn't fixed the problem,
0:04:50 > 0:04:52'Colin was keen to get a second opinion
0:04:52 > 0:04:54'from a different caravan firm,
0:04:54 > 0:04:58'and their detailed assessment was worse than he feared.'
0:04:58 > 0:05:01What did they say about the condition of it?
0:05:01 > 0:05:05Basically they said that it shouldn't be slept in,
0:05:05 > 0:05:08and that it's unfit for habitation, you know?
0:05:08 > 0:05:13And that the strength of the over-cab area was compromised,
0:05:13 > 0:05:16because there may be damage to the timber structure.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19'And worst of all was that the total repair cost
0:05:19 > 0:05:24'could cost Colin over four and a half thousand pounds.'
0:05:24 > 0:05:26When you took that report to the original company,
0:05:26 > 0:05:29- what did they say? - Well, they wouldn't accept it.
0:05:29 > 0:05:35Their main argument was to be that the caravan was 16, 17 years old,
0:05:35 > 0:05:39and that these are the sort of problems that can occur.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41'So Colin felt he had no choice but to pursue Rivershore
0:05:41 > 0:05:43'through the small-claims court,
0:05:43 > 0:05:46'in the hope that he would win a bit of money
0:05:46 > 0:05:48'that would take care of the repairs.'
0:05:48 > 0:05:51But then something really unexpected happened,
0:05:51 > 0:05:54because the very day before he was due in court,
0:05:54 > 0:05:57his solicitor had a call from an insolvency company
0:05:57 > 0:06:00to say that Rivershore had gone into liquidation.
0:06:00 > 0:06:04And to Colin's surprise, a business with a different name
0:06:04 > 0:06:08of Craig's Caravans has soon started trading from exactly the same site.
0:06:08 > 0:06:12I believe that he's just changed the name. It's the same premises.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15The phone was still the same. Everything looks the same
0:06:15 > 0:06:18as I remember it the last time I was here.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21There's nothing to say that Colin would have won the case
0:06:21 > 0:06:23against Rivershore in the small-claims court.
0:06:23 > 0:06:27Indeed, the company was defending it. But once they'd gone into liquidation
0:06:27 > 0:06:30it meant that Colin had lost the chance to try and get his money back,
0:06:30 > 0:06:33because his issue was with the old company,
0:06:33 > 0:06:35not the one now trading instead.
0:06:35 > 0:06:39So how is it that a company can cease trading one day,
0:06:39 > 0:06:41leaving Colin in the lurch,
0:06:41 > 0:06:43and then seemingly just start trading again
0:06:43 > 0:06:46with little or no responsibility to their previous customers?
0:06:46 > 0:06:51Well, Craig's Caravans could be what's known as a phoenix company.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54Typically assets are sold from a failing firm to a new one,
0:06:54 > 0:06:58which may operate from the same address, with the same directors.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01This arrangement is perfectly legal, and not at all uncommon.
0:07:01 > 0:07:05It allows the profitable elements of a failed business to survive,
0:07:05 > 0:07:09offering some continuity for both suppliers and employees.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12However, it's absolutely infuriating
0:07:12 > 0:07:15for people who believe that they've been left out of pocket,
0:07:15 > 0:07:19cos so often, the pot of assets that's left in a failed company
0:07:19 > 0:07:23is so small that there's nothing for the creditors to claim back on.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28Over 7,000 companies went into liquidation
0:07:28 > 0:07:30in the first six months of 2013.
0:07:30 > 0:07:34'I went to meet Liz Bingham, who's president of R3,
0:07:34 > 0:07:37'the trade association for insolvency practitioners,
0:07:37 > 0:07:40'to find out why, in cases like this,
0:07:40 > 0:07:42'consumers can be left out of pocket.'
0:07:42 > 0:07:44It is quite common,
0:07:44 > 0:07:48particularly for entrepreneurs in this country,
0:07:48 > 0:07:51to try something and if it doesn't succeed,
0:07:51 > 0:07:53to then try again,
0:07:53 > 0:07:57and in many respects, I think that's something to be encouraged.
0:07:57 > 0:07:59However, then the entrepreneur wins,
0:07:59 > 0:08:02and the customer, the consumer, actually loses.
0:08:02 > 0:08:04And that's not fair.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07Well, I can certainly empathise with the fairness point,
0:08:07 > 0:08:09and, you know, yeah, you're right.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11In many respects that isn't fair.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13But it isn't illegal,
0:08:13 > 0:08:18and until such time as individuals have shown
0:08:18 > 0:08:22to not be worthy of being a company director,
0:08:22 > 0:08:24then they can carry on doing this.
0:08:24 > 0:08:28Is it worth Colin getting in touch with the insolvency company?
0:08:28 > 0:08:32Colin should definitely get in touch with the insolvency practitioner
0:08:32 > 0:08:36who is handling that case to set out his claim,
0:08:36 > 0:08:39and to see if there is any kind of remedy
0:08:39 > 0:08:41that the liquidator is considering
0:08:41 > 0:08:46that will help bring more money back into the pot for Colin to share.
0:08:46 > 0:08:50We contacted the owner of Craig's Caravans,
0:08:50 > 0:08:53who made clear that he doesn't agree with what Colin had been told
0:08:53 > 0:08:55about the state of his caravan,
0:08:55 > 0:08:58considering the written report on that "unreliable",
0:08:58 > 0:09:01and concluding, from the advice that he had received,
0:09:01 > 0:09:04that "he was not liable for the damage" Colin claimed.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07His solicitors say that, had Rivershore not gone into liquidation,
0:09:07 > 0:09:10the company would have continued to defend the claim,
0:09:10 > 0:09:13but they point out that liquidation was the only option
0:09:13 > 0:09:16once it became clear the business was insolvent.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19They also say that, as Rivershore had no assets,
0:09:19 > 0:09:22and few other creditors apart from the owner himself...
0:09:33 > 0:09:36'But with Rivershore ceasing to exist as a company,
0:09:36 > 0:09:39'the court will never be able to decide if Colin had a case,
0:09:39 > 0:09:42'or whether Rivershore acted in good faith,
0:09:42 > 0:09:46'and in any event, Colin is now stuck with a motorhome he can't use,
0:09:46 > 0:09:49'and can't afford to repair.'
0:09:49 > 0:09:52It's just, you know, absolutely unbelievable
0:09:52 > 0:09:55that people are allowed to do this so easily.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03Now, with cash-strapped local councils
0:10:03 > 0:10:06having to make tough decisions to balance their books,
0:10:06 > 0:10:08not everything they come up with is going to be popular,
0:10:08 > 0:10:12and that's especially true in the Suffolk seaside town of Felixstowe,
0:10:12 > 0:10:14where a group of locals with common cause
0:10:14 > 0:10:19have banded together against one particular move by the council,
0:10:19 > 0:10:22and are really ready to fight them on the beaches.
0:10:26 > 0:10:30Alan Sarfas, from Felixstowe, loves spending time by the sea -
0:10:30 > 0:10:33so much so that he and his partner Barbara
0:10:33 > 0:10:35bought their own slice of the coast,
0:10:35 > 0:10:39and are among the 23,000 people in the UK who own a beach hut.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42In some resorts, more elaborate huts can sell
0:10:42 > 0:10:45for more than the average house, but the simpler ones here
0:10:45 > 0:10:48are much loved and treasured by their owners,
0:10:48 > 0:10:52and in some cases have been handed down through generations of families.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54We've had this hut for ten years now,
0:10:54 > 0:10:57and it's been an absolute joy.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00My grandchildren have grown up down here,
0:11:00 > 0:11:02and we've just had a wonderful time with the hut.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04It's been absolutely superb.
0:11:04 > 0:11:08Each year, Barbara, Alan and the rest of Felixstowe's hut owners
0:11:08 > 0:11:12pay the local council a fee for a licence to occupy the land.
0:11:12 > 0:11:16But this year, the fee has shot up by 12 percent,
0:11:16 > 0:11:19and that's caused shockwaves among the licence holders.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22This year when I opened the bill, I looked at it,
0:11:22 > 0:11:26and I just couldn't believe it. I thought they'd made a mistake.
0:11:26 > 0:11:30It's almost a hundred pounds more than it was last year,
0:11:30 > 0:11:33which I just thought was just completely unacceptable.
0:11:33 > 0:11:38Exactly how much each owner pays Suffolk Coastal District Council
0:11:38 > 0:11:40for their licence depends on a number of factors,
0:11:40 > 0:11:43including the hut's size and distance from amenities.
0:11:43 > 0:11:47But as neither of these things has changed since they've owned it,
0:11:47 > 0:11:49Barbara and Alan just can't understand
0:11:49 > 0:11:52what's caused this year's bill to shoot up.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55To be perfectly honest, the bill used to come in,
0:11:55 > 0:11:59and we used to just pay it in April, and it was just a pleasure to do so.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02We understand that everything goes up,
0:12:02 > 0:12:05but this time was just absolutely way off the board.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08So I thought, "Right. We will make a stand."
0:12:08 > 0:12:13And so I said, "Alan, this will be drastic action from us two."
0:12:14 > 0:12:19Faced with a bill of £769.66 for this year's fee,
0:12:19 > 0:12:22an increase of 12 percent from the year before,
0:12:22 > 0:12:25Alan decided to take matters into his own hands.
0:12:25 > 0:12:30I went to the council, found out the exact figures, exact size,
0:12:30 > 0:12:33and spoke to Barbara, my partner,
0:12:33 > 0:12:35and we decided that we could save money
0:12:35 > 0:12:40and stop giving it to the council by taking the 18 inches off the back.
0:12:41 > 0:12:43So, in order to cut his costs,
0:12:43 > 0:12:46Alan's cut his hut down to size.
0:12:46 > 0:12:50In March this year, he was filmed chopping just enough off the back
0:12:50 > 0:12:52to save him £150 a year.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55It wasn't fun doing it, trust me,
0:12:55 > 0:12:58because it was freezing cold at the time,
0:12:58 > 0:13:00up on the roof, chopping bits off
0:13:00 > 0:13:03just to make a stand against Suffolk Coastal.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06To me it's ridiculous, because it's a waste of space
0:13:06 > 0:13:09for the council anyway, cos they're not getting anything.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12It's not usable as a space.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15Although other hut owners haven't gone to such lengths,
0:13:15 > 0:13:17some of them are just as cross,
0:13:17 > 0:13:20and Barbara and Alan's hut is the meeting place
0:13:20 > 0:13:22for them to air their concerns.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25This is unsustainable for many families in Felixstowe
0:13:25 > 0:13:29who own beach huts and have had them for a long time.
0:13:29 > 0:13:31We've got young children and we feel,
0:13:31 > 0:13:35in a recession that we've been going through for three or four years,
0:13:35 > 0:13:39that we can't afford to keep on paying these sort of rates year in, year out.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42Had a hut here about six years.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45I can't see how the council can justify the increases every year.
0:13:45 > 0:13:49I don't like the rent increase,
0:13:49 > 0:13:52but at the same time I would like to see something back
0:13:52 > 0:13:56for what I'm actually paying. No facilities, no toilet,
0:13:56 > 0:13:59no access to the beach, no access for parking...
0:13:59 > 0:14:02Water tap works when it feels like it.
0:14:02 > 0:14:04So along this stretch of coastline,
0:14:04 > 0:14:07beach-hut owners are joining forces to form an association
0:14:07 > 0:14:11which they hope can prevent any future rent increases.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14I would like it, when the association's up and running,
0:14:14 > 0:14:20that we work with the council, not against them or them against us.
0:14:20 > 0:14:25Let's get some truths out of where they get their figures,
0:14:25 > 0:14:27and what we would like.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30I know we won't get everything straight away
0:14:30 > 0:14:33and maybe not this year, but maybe they could give us a promise
0:14:33 > 0:14:38that they're not going to raise it by astronomical amounts next year.
0:14:38 > 0:14:40But, faced with cuts to its own budget,
0:14:40 > 0:14:43that's not a promise the council can easily make.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46We've had to make very, very difficult choices.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49We want to maintain our core services,
0:14:49 > 0:14:52the rubbish collection, all the toilets,
0:14:52 > 0:14:55all the regeneration, the economic development,
0:14:55 > 0:14:57promoting our market towns.
0:14:57 > 0:15:02And of course, the beach-hut licences go to contribute to that.
0:15:02 > 0:15:08I can't guarantee the huts won't have an increase in licences next year.
0:15:08 > 0:15:10We've brought them up to market rate,
0:15:10 > 0:15:15so I hope the increases in the future will be more modest than this year.
0:15:15 > 0:15:19And as for the cost-saving measures taken by Barbara and Alan...
0:15:19 > 0:15:22They chose to have larger than the standard pitch,
0:15:22 > 0:15:25and had a pay a little extra for that privilege.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28By reducing their beach hut in size,
0:15:28 > 0:15:31they're obviously reducing the cost to themselves,
0:15:31 > 0:15:33and it is their choice.
0:15:33 > 0:15:35It's not an easy situation for either side,
0:15:35 > 0:15:39and you can understand the position of both parties,
0:15:39 > 0:15:42but the hut owners hope that by banding together
0:15:42 > 0:15:44they can send the council a clear message.
0:15:44 > 0:15:48ALL: # Oh, I do like to be beside the seaside
0:15:48 > 0:15:52# Oh, I do like to watch the world go by
0:15:52 > 0:15:55# But the rate is just too much
0:15:55 > 0:15:57# They're completely out of touch
0:15:57 > 0:16:00# Beside the seaside, beside the sea #
0:16:07 > 0:16:09'Liverpool -
0:16:09 > 0:16:11'one weekend earlier this year,
0:16:11 > 0:16:15'the location for our annual pop-up shop.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18'We had a team of experts giving advice inside...'
0:16:18 > 0:16:21Ask for everything in writing before you part with any money.
0:16:21 > 0:16:23'..whilst outside we ran workshops for passersby,
0:16:23 > 0:16:26'full of tips and advice.'
0:16:26 > 0:16:30Over 90 percent of apps actually expose personal information.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33'But wherever the information was given out,
0:16:33 > 0:16:36'the aim was to leave you better protected.'
0:16:36 > 0:16:39Amongst those calling in were Ann and Colin,
0:16:39 > 0:16:41wanting help from financial expert Sarah Pennells
0:16:41 > 0:16:45about a car deal where the finance didn't really add up.
0:16:45 > 0:16:47We went along to purchase a car
0:16:47 > 0:16:50because the car we had previously was quite a large car,
0:16:50 > 0:16:54and we decided that we didn't need it. We needed something smaller.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57The car showroom offered 0-percent finance
0:16:57 > 0:17:01and displayed the cars on offer with the amount to pay per month.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04The didn't show the actual price of the car without any finance deals.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07- You never knew how much the car was? - No.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10We should then really have worked it out,
0:17:10 > 0:17:12but we thought, "That's fine. We can afford that."
0:17:12 > 0:17:14"That's just what we want to pay per month."
0:17:14 > 0:17:17It was only months later that they realised
0:17:17 > 0:17:20that the paperwork they'd signed included an extra fee.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23We looked at this, where it says transfer fee
0:17:23 > 0:17:26- of £1,990. - £2,000, basically.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29Yes. We couldn't understand what it was for.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32We went back into the garage, and we asked him what it was.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35And after much fluster and bluster, he couldn't tell us.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38So we made a complaint to the head office.
0:17:38 > 0:17:42The company wrote back saying the cost was part of the finance package
0:17:42 > 0:17:46they'd signed up to. Nearly £2,000 out of pocket,
0:17:46 > 0:17:48Ann and Colin wanted to know if there were any other avenues
0:17:48 > 0:17:50they could pursue.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53There's no reason why they should be getting away with it.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56I have to say, I'm a bit flabbergasted by this,
0:17:56 > 0:17:59because I've never seen a 0-percent finance deal
0:17:59 > 0:18:02where you basically, it seems, by any other name
0:18:02 > 0:18:06end up paying the interest that you're supposedly saving.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09I've been doing a bit of research on this company online
0:18:09 > 0:18:11since I found out about your details,
0:18:11 > 0:18:14and there are quite a string of unhappy customers.
0:18:14 > 0:18:18Sarah believes that the company should have put the price of the car
0:18:18 > 0:18:21on display before Ann and Colin bought it.
0:18:21 > 0:18:23She's confident that they have a case.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26My recommendation would be to go back again
0:18:26 > 0:18:28to the head office of the company,
0:18:28 > 0:18:30and say that you are complaining on the grounds
0:18:30 > 0:18:32of misrepresentation of the contract,
0:18:32 > 0:18:35that this fee wasn't spelt out to you,
0:18:35 > 0:18:38that you were told clearly it was 0-percent finance,
0:18:38 > 0:18:40and then give them eight weeks to respond.
0:18:40 > 0:18:44If they don't, take your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47- I hope that's been useful. - Yes, extremely.- Good.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50- Thank you.- You won't give up? - Oh, no, no. No.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55Hundreds of you came to see us over the weekend,
0:18:55 > 0:18:59and we were keen to solve as many of your problems as we could fit in.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02People walk along this street in the shopping centre,
0:19:02 > 0:19:04they have a problem, but we can solve it on the spot
0:19:04 > 0:19:08because of all of our experts, and that's what we like.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12'Stan came to see us with another car problem.
0:19:12 > 0:19:14'He'd bought one second-hand,
0:19:14 > 0:19:17'and bought additional cover to give him extra peace of mind.
0:19:17 > 0:19:19'But he realised he didn't have that
0:19:19 > 0:19:22'when the car developed a major mechanical fault.'
0:19:22 > 0:19:26I took a warranty out with it, and something went wrong with it.
0:19:26 > 0:19:28And when I went to try and claim off the warranty,
0:19:28 > 0:19:31they just said it was wear and tear,
0:19:31 > 0:19:35so I think the garage mis-sell me a policy what was no good.
0:19:35 > 0:19:37It's really common, on these sort of policies,
0:19:37 > 0:19:40to find that there'll be a clause in there saying,
0:19:40 > 0:19:42"We exclude anything that's general wear and tear."
0:19:42 > 0:19:44But when you're buying a second-hand car,
0:19:44 > 0:19:47and you've only had it for a few months,
0:19:47 > 0:19:50you know, you'd expect that the garage that sold it to you
0:19:50 > 0:19:53delivered it to you in a decent condition.
0:19:53 > 0:19:55'The garage that sold Stan the car
0:19:55 > 0:19:57'say his issue is with the insurance company,
0:19:57 > 0:20:00'but the insurance company say it's simply down to the small print.'
0:20:00 > 0:20:04It's got to be worth the paper it's written on. It's got to cover you.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07It doesn't sound like it was, and having looked at the papers,
0:20:07 > 0:20:11it says this company's regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority,
0:20:11 > 0:20:14so your next step is to put in a formal letter of complaint,
0:20:14 > 0:20:16in writing, to the company,
0:20:16 > 0:20:19and say "I will take this to the Financial Ombudsman
0:20:19 > 0:20:21if you don't give me a resolution I'm happy with,"
0:20:21 > 0:20:23and hopefully you'll get your money back.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26- What we always say on the programme is, "Never give up."- Yeah.
0:20:26 > 0:20:30You have to go right to the top. You have to pursue them and pursue them.
0:20:30 > 0:20:34Stick to your guns, cos you believe you've got a really good case,
0:20:34 > 0:20:36and James also believes you've got a good case.
0:20:36 > 0:20:40- Good man! OK. I'm glad you came today.- Thank you.
0:20:43 > 0:20:45Still to come, broken promises
0:20:45 > 0:20:49that have left these winners empty-handed.
0:20:49 > 0:20:53The whole situation's made me feel very, very upset, to be honest.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56Everybody we've spoke to has said, "We've received nothing at all."
0:20:57 > 0:21:00A topic on which we've had lots of correspondence from you again
0:21:00 > 0:21:04is something that sounds like it should be a great deal,
0:21:04 > 0:21:07but can be unexpectedly complicated.
0:21:07 > 0:21:11Cashback deals are when companies literally offer customers cash back
0:21:11 > 0:21:14when you buy a product or service,
0:21:14 > 0:21:16and these deals are becoming increasingly common.
0:21:16 > 0:21:20They work with retailers charging you a full price for a product
0:21:20 > 0:21:23or a service, then asking you to claim a portion of that money back,
0:21:23 > 0:21:26often from the manufacturer.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29It's easy to see why offers like this are tempting,
0:21:29 > 0:21:33but some of you would say the companies behind cashback deals
0:21:33 > 0:21:36can make quite a meal out of things
0:21:36 > 0:21:38when you try and claim that promised money back.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41Take David Billinghurst from London, for example.
0:21:41 > 0:21:45Now, for him, a cashback deal meant double trouble.
0:21:45 > 0:21:49Last Christmas, David wanted to buy his nine-year-old twins,
0:21:49 > 0:21:52Harry and George, a tablet computer each.
0:21:52 > 0:21:54We came across the deal PC World were offering.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57They were offering a cashback on the tablets,
0:21:57 > 0:22:01and that cashback made the price very reasonable for us,
0:22:01 > 0:22:05so we went through with the deal from PC World.
0:22:05 > 0:22:09The deal promised £50 cashback on each tablet and case
0:22:09 > 0:22:13that were bought together, so the £167 price tag
0:22:13 > 0:22:16would eventually come down to £117.
0:22:16 > 0:22:20For two tablets and cases, that meant a total saving of £100.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23The terms of the cashback deal were basically simple.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26Once you buy equipment for the set price,
0:22:26 > 0:22:30fill in the claim form, and then you receive the money back
0:22:30 > 0:22:32after the set period of time.
0:22:32 > 0:22:36And, I mean, we were expecting that to be as simple as that, really.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40Unfortunately it wasn't that simple.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42As is often the case with these deals,
0:22:42 > 0:22:45David had to wait before he could claim the cashback,
0:22:45 > 0:22:49so after the requisite 30 days, he filled in the form
0:22:49 > 0:22:51and submitted it to PC World.
0:22:51 > 0:22:54He got two emails back saying that the claim had been verified.
0:22:54 > 0:22:58All he had to do was wait for the cheques to come through the post.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00But when the cheques arrived,
0:23:00 > 0:23:03they weren't quite what had been expected.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06When we opened the cheques and found they were only for £20
0:23:06 > 0:23:09instead of the full amount, we were a little annoyed.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11And it was, like, "Why? What's wrong?"
0:23:11 > 0:23:14Perplexed, David contacted PC World,
0:23:14 > 0:23:17only to be told that he should have filled out two forms
0:23:17 > 0:23:21for each tablet - one for PC World, who would pay £20 per tablet,
0:23:21 > 0:23:24and the other for the manufacturer, Samsung,
0:23:24 > 0:23:26who would pay the remaining £30.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29When they said we should've done two forms,
0:23:29 > 0:23:31it was disbelief, really, because it's, like,
0:23:31 > 0:23:36"There's nowhere on your paperwork does it say two forms."
0:23:36 > 0:23:40The validation email we got for each claim was clear and precise.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42'It stated, "Your claim is now validated."
0:23:42 > 0:23:44'"You will be paid within 42 days."'
0:23:44 > 0:23:48And from our point of view, that is good notice,
0:23:48 > 0:23:50saying the whole claim is validated, not just half of it.
0:23:50 > 0:23:54David contacted Samsung, who also told him
0:23:54 > 0:23:57that he should have filled out a separate application form.
0:23:57 > 0:24:02But eventually they did agree to pay the second part of the cashback,
0:24:02 > 0:24:04and sent David two more cheques,
0:24:04 > 0:24:06bringing the total cashback to the £50
0:24:06 > 0:24:08that he'd originally been promised per tablet.
0:24:08 > 0:24:12When we asked Samsung about this case,
0:24:12 > 0:24:14they told us that they were aware of some other customers
0:24:14 > 0:24:17who'd experienced similar problems to David,
0:24:17 > 0:24:20and in those cases they had extended the claim deadline
0:24:20 > 0:24:22and paid the full cashback amount.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25We also spoke to PC World, who said that they offer cashback
0:24:25 > 0:24:28to give "better value to customers",
0:24:28 > 0:24:30but they accept that, "on this occasion"
0:24:30 > 0:24:33combining the two offers caused some difficulty
0:24:33 > 0:24:35"for a small number of customers".
0:24:35 > 0:24:37They say that they'll simplify future offers.
0:24:37 > 0:24:42Now, what happened to David is typical of the cashback experiences
0:24:42 > 0:24:44that you tell us about -
0:24:44 > 0:24:46having to claim from two separate places
0:24:46 > 0:24:48or within a specific period of time,
0:24:48 > 0:24:51stores not making it clear how to claim,
0:24:51 > 0:24:54and in some cases, even seeming unsure themselves
0:24:54 > 0:24:56about how it's supposed to work -
0:24:56 > 0:24:59all problems that you might well not consider
0:24:59 > 0:25:02when you see the deal advertised in the shop.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05There are three common problems with cashback.
0:25:05 > 0:25:09First of all, it's not always clear who to claim from and how to claim.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12Secondly, some of the claim processes are complicated
0:25:12 > 0:25:15and have lots of obstacles in them,
0:25:15 > 0:25:19and thirdly, there's often a time-limited offer,
0:25:19 > 0:25:23so if you don't claim within that time, you won't get your money back.
0:25:23 > 0:25:26A piece of advice would be, "Don't go for the biggest cashback,"
0:25:26 > 0:25:28because that sometimes isn't the best deal on the market.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31Secondly, check those terms and conditions.
0:25:31 > 0:25:33Ask a salesperson how difficult it is.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36If it looks too difficult, it probably is.
0:25:36 > 0:25:38Finally, for a big purchase,
0:25:38 > 0:25:41go online and see if other people are having problems.
0:25:41 > 0:25:44Of course, some cashback deals work perfectly well,
0:25:44 > 0:25:47but remember that they are not always as simple as they appear.
0:25:47 > 0:25:51So before you sign up, do make sure that you know
0:25:51 > 0:25:54exactly what it is that you're letting yourself in for.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59If you're looking for some help or advice
0:25:59 > 0:26:02on problems to do with money or just about anything else, really,
0:26:02 > 0:26:05then, there is one place you really should start.
0:26:05 > 0:26:08It's 74 years old. It's never been busier!
0:26:08 > 0:26:11So, as the volunteers and the staff get ready to take on
0:26:11 > 0:26:14a whole raft of new responsibilities to support consumers,
0:26:14 > 0:26:17this is what goes on behind the scenes
0:26:17 > 0:26:19at the Citizens Advice Bureau.
0:26:19 > 0:26:21Citizens Advice Bureau.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24The first Citizens Advice Bureau opened their doors
0:26:24 > 0:26:26on the 4th of September 1939,
0:26:26 > 0:26:30the day after World War II broke out.
0:26:30 > 0:26:32Set up by the Government
0:26:32 > 0:26:34to help civilians get through the daily problems
0:26:34 > 0:26:37that war might throw up, volunteers running the service
0:26:37 > 0:26:40dealt with issues ranging from rationing to clothing allowances.
0:26:40 > 0:26:45- Can I help?- We came about extra clothing coupons for my wife.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48And debt quickly became an issue too,
0:26:48 > 0:26:52as household incomes fell as men were called up for service.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56Fast forward more than 70 years,
0:26:56 > 0:26:58and the CAB is still going strong.
0:26:58 > 0:27:02In fact it's estimated that nearly half of us will pay them a visit
0:27:02 > 0:27:06- at some point in our lives. - Morning!
0:27:06 > 0:27:08The people working here may have changed,
0:27:08 > 0:27:11but some of the issues have not.
0:27:11 > 0:27:13If you'd like to come down this way.
0:27:13 > 0:27:17It's nine o'clock in the morning at the Wolverhampton branch of the CAB,
0:27:17 > 0:27:22and senior advice supervisor Ian arrives to start his shift.
0:27:22 > 0:27:25Number six, and we'll shout the number
0:27:25 > 0:27:27as soon as we've got somebody to see you.
0:27:27 > 0:27:29Today they can expect up to 70 people
0:27:29 > 0:27:32visiting their drop-in service, covering every issue
0:27:32 > 0:27:34from debt to divorce.
0:27:34 > 0:27:36Most of our clients that come through the door,
0:27:36 > 0:27:38we are a last resort to them.
0:27:41 > 0:27:44Number seven. We'll shout the number when we've got someone to see you.
0:27:44 > 0:27:48They're normally full of tension,
0:27:48 > 0:27:51and they're at the point where they just can't cope.
0:27:51 > 0:27:53- Is this debt, or something else? - Mortgage-related.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56People's attitudes vary a lot,
0:27:56 > 0:27:58from the "Why won't they give me my money?"
0:27:58 > 0:28:00to the desperate,
0:28:00 > 0:28:03to the very sad.
0:28:03 > 0:28:05We do have people who walk in here in tears.
0:28:05 > 0:28:10Have we got any rooms, Hetty? Oh, yes. That one's empty.
0:28:10 > 0:28:13The advisors never know what problems they'll face daily,
0:28:13 > 0:28:16but there are some that crop up again and again.
0:28:16 > 0:28:19What change in your circumstances brings you back today?
0:28:19 > 0:28:21- Bedroom tax. - Bedroom tax.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24Your first payment's not till the end of May.
0:28:24 > 0:28:27Last year, Citizens Advice Bureaux across England and Wales
0:28:27 > 0:28:30dealt with over 8,000 new debt-related problems
0:28:30 > 0:28:32every working day.
0:28:32 > 0:28:34That's why my arrears have gone up so high.
0:28:34 > 0:28:38- Yeah. You can't afford it. - Yeah.- OK.
0:28:38 > 0:28:40Good morning!
0:28:40 > 0:28:43We've had clients who've been terrified to even come in!
0:28:43 > 0:28:46One of the first clients I ever saw, she'd been sitting outside,
0:28:46 > 0:28:50plucking up the courage, because she was in debt.
0:28:50 > 0:28:52She felt she'd been stupid,
0:28:52 > 0:28:55and she thought we were going to tell her she'd been stupid.
0:28:59 > 0:29:01My never-ending bits of paper!
0:29:01 > 0:29:06I think it's very, very rarely that I actually switch off.
0:29:06 > 0:29:10It used to be easier to do before my wife started as a volunteer,
0:29:10 > 0:29:12as well.
0:29:12 > 0:29:15It's only chocolate biscuits when Hazel comes in.
0:29:15 > 0:29:20As she reminds me, she's retired, and only does two days voluntary.
0:29:20 > 0:29:22SHE LAUGHS
0:29:25 > 0:29:30I think the very fact that we're a free service
0:29:30 > 0:29:34is paramount to lots of individuals out there.
0:29:34 > 0:29:37Maria has come to the Citizens Advice Bureau today
0:29:37 > 0:29:41for another common problem, hoping Elaine can help with her grievance
0:29:41 > 0:29:43about a previous employer, who hasn't paid her.
0:29:43 > 0:29:48- How long did you work there for? - Three weeks.- Three weeks.
0:29:48 > 0:29:51And she's not alone,
0:29:51 > 0:29:54as last year, this Wolverhampton branch had over 1,300 people
0:29:54 > 0:29:57seeking advice on employment issues.
0:29:57 > 0:30:00Last month I have work in coffee shop in Walsall,
0:30:00 > 0:30:05but, um, because I... not possible speak English very well,
0:30:05 > 0:30:09- is finish my work. - Did they give you a letter
0:30:09 > 0:30:12explaining why they didn't want you to go back?
0:30:12 > 0:30:17Only send message in Facebook. I... I have proofs.
0:30:17 > 0:30:22Elaine is just one of 22,000 volunteers nationwide
0:30:22 > 0:30:26who all have to keep abreast of policy changes and legislation
0:30:26 > 0:30:29to ensure they they're giving out the most up-to-date advice.
0:30:29 > 0:30:33Right. This lady, she's only worked for this company for three weeks...
0:30:33 > 0:30:35- Yeah. - ..in a coffee shop.
0:30:35 > 0:30:39They dismissed her because she didn't speak very good English,
0:30:39 > 0:30:42and she had a contract to work, but she's got no copy of it.
0:30:42 > 0:30:44All she's following is this one.
0:30:44 > 0:30:48- "I worked for you for three weeks and I haven't been paid."- Right.
0:30:48 > 0:30:52And it's saying, "Can you set up a meeting to discuss this?",
0:30:52 > 0:30:55- because the next stage is the tribunal.- Yeah.
0:30:55 > 0:30:59She's got to do this stage first, so the tribunal can see she's tried.
0:30:59 > 0:31:03If she comes back in to us, we'll explain the next bit.
0:31:03 > 0:31:05OK. Yeah, no problem.
0:31:08 > 0:31:12Only a handful of people actually stay as advisors,
0:31:12 > 0:31:15simply because, after so many hundreds,
0:31:15 > 0:31:18thousands of people's problems you're dealing with,
0:31:18 > 0:31:20it does do people's heads in.
0:31:20 > 0:31:24- OK. All right. - Thanks a lot.- OK, no problem.
0:31:24 > 0:31:26In fact, from next year,
0:31:26 > 0:31:29the CAB is set to take on the work currently being done
0:31:29 > 0:31:31by the Government-appointed body, Consumer Futures,
0:31:31 > 0:31:34which means it'll be the main place to come
0:31:34 > 0:31:37for all problems to do with energy, postal services,
0:31:37 > 0:31:39and, in Scotland, water.
0:31:39 > 0:31:42The aim is to make things simpler for consumers,
0:31:42 > 0:31:45so that whatever the issue, they know that they can get help
0:31:45 > 0:31:47from the same place.
0:31:47 > 0:31:49Number 29?
0:31:49 > 0:31:51And, as the day draws to a close in Wolverhampton,
0:31:51 > 0:31:54the flow of people needing advice just keeps on coming,
0:31:54 > 0:31:56and it's the same every day.
0:31:56 > 0:31:59When I think about it,
0:31:59 > 0:32:02I'm helping people resolve problems in their life.
0:32:02 > 0:32:05If you can't talk openly
0:32:05 > 0:32:09and help every person who comes through that door,
0:32:09 > 0:32:12then, you shouldn't be here.
0:32:12 > 0:32:15And there's more information about the Citizens Advice Bureau
0:32:15 > 0:32:19and what help it can offer you on our website.
0:32:28 > 0:32:31Sometimes when you feel ripped off,
0:32:31 > 0:32:33it could be you that's made a mistake.
0:32:33 > 0:32:36Perhaps you didn't read the small print or realise the consequences
0:32:36 > 0:32:39of what you signed up to. Whoever's at fault,
0:32:39 > 0:32:42when things go wrong, you need to know what to do about it,
0:32:42 > 0:32:45so we've put together an online booklet of tips and advice.
0:32:45 > 0:32:48You can find a link to download the free guide
0:32:48 > 0:32:50on our website.
0:32:52 > 0:32:56Or for a hard copy, send a self-addressed, stamped, A5 envelope
0:32:56 > 0:33:00to the address that we'll give you right at the end of the programme.
0:33:00 > 0:33:05These days we all know that talent shows can be really big business,
0:33:05 > 0:33:07and we're not just talking about television here.
0:33:07 > 0:33:09And indeed, for the people who are taking part,
0:33:09 > 0:33:13after months of hard work and dedicated practice,
0:33:13 > 0:33:16well, it really all comes down to the performance on the day.
0:33:16 > 0:33:20And if they get that right, the rewards can be absolutely enormous.
0:33:20 > 0:33:22But you've been telling us
0:33:22 > 0:33:25about a well established national talent competition for children
0:33:25 > 0:33:28where the dreams didn't come true, and the reasons why
0:33:28 > 0:33:32have absolutely nothing at all to do with the potential talent!
0:33:32 > 0:33:34Apparently, after paying a fee to enter,
0:33:34 > 0:33:38the big prizes that were promised have just not materialised,
0:33:38 > 0:33:41leaving the families who had stars in their eyes
0:33:41 > 0:33:45with a rather nasty taste in their mouths.
0:33:45 > 0:33:49This was the final of the Festival For Stars Talent Search UK
0:33:49 > 0:33:52held in North Wales last October.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55Hundreds of young people had competed in regional heats
0:33:55 > 0:33:58to get here, including dance duo Ryan and Connor.
0:33:58 > 0:34:00MUSIC: "Sandstorm" by Darude
0:34:00 > 0:34:03We are passionate about dancing.
0:34:03 > 0:34:05When we're building up to a competition,
0:34:05 > 0:34:08it pretty much takes over your life.
0:34:08 > 0:34:10Also performing in the finals
0:34:10 > 0:34:15were dance trio Hollie, Megan and Natasha, known as the Woo Hoos.
0:34:16 > 0:34:18We thought we'd maybe won a certificate,
0:34:18 > 0:34:22so we thought, "That'll be nice. At least we've got a title
0:34:22 > 0:34:24and we can tell people and be so proud."
0:34:24 > 0:34:28Festival 4 Stars was one of the best-loved talent contests
0:34:28 > 0:34:32in the country. The first event was held in 2003.
0:34:32 > 0:34:34But eight years later there was a change in management,
0:34:34 > 0:34:37and a new company was running the show.
0:34:37 > 0:34:40By the time of last year's final, the founder had stepped aside,
0:34:40 > 0:34:44and a third company eventually stepped in to take charge.
0:34:44 > 0:34:49The face of that company was a man called Nicholas Pamment,
0:34:49 > 0:34:53and Connor's mum Annie noticed that he had a big presence at the final.
0:34:53 > 0:34:56He stood up, introduced the acts, told us the running order.
0:34:56 > 0:34:59He seemed to take charge of everything,
0:34:59 > 0:35:02and that's when we realised that he was running the show.
0:35:02 > 0:35:04When all the winners were announced,
0:35:04 > 0:35:07he stood on stage and announced the prizes
0:35:07 > 0:35:10to every single finalist.
0:35:10 > 0:35:14And amongst the 2012 winners were the Woo Hoos,
0:35:14 > 0:35:16who were awarded the top dance prize.
0:35:16 > 0:35:20It was just amazing. We all jumped up onto our feet,
0:35:20 > 0:35:22crying, screaming as loud as we could,
0:35:22 > 0:35:25because to win was absolutely amazing.
0:35:25 > 0:35:27We were all so shocked and just so happy.
0:35:27 > 0:35:32And the Woo Hoos weren't the only ones to come off stage on a high.
0:35:32 > 0:35:37Street-dance duo Ryan and Connor, who go to the same dance school in Blackpool as the girls,
0:35:37 > 0:35:39were awarded the runners-up prize.
0:35:39 > 0:35:42- You can't really describe it. - Wanted to cry.
0:35:42 > 0:35:46We both came off saying we wanted to cry, and we don't know why.
0:35:46 > 0:35:50And things were about to get even better for the prizewinners.
0:35:50 > 0:35:52Entrants had already been impressed
0:35:52 > 0:35:55by the promise of a bigger prize fund than in previous years,
0:35:55 > 0:35:58but on the night itself, some of the winners were also told
0:35:58 > 0:36:01that they'd been awarded the opportunity to perform onstage
0:36:01 > 0:36:03in theme parks.
0:36:03 > 0:36:06On the day when the final results were announced,
0:36:06 > 0:36:10as soon as he started talking about things like Euro Disney,
0:36:10 > 0:36:12the kids were virtually hysterical,
0:36:12 > 0:36:15cos this was the biggest thing that had ever happened to them.
0:36:15 > 0:36:18The most we've ever won, I think we once got £100
0:36:18 > 0:36:21for best costume.
0:36:21 > 0:36:23Nobody expected prizes like that.
0:36:23 > 0:36:28To their complete astonishment, dance trio the Woo Hoos were told
0:36:28 > 0:36:30that they'd won a trip to Disneyland Paris
0:36:30 > 0:36:32and the chance to perform in a Disney stage show.
0:36:32 > 0:36:35'It just sounded amazing, really.'
0:36:35 > 0:36:39When we heard it, it was a once-in- a-lifetime thing for us to get.
0:36:39 > 0:36:42We weren't just going to go on the rides, to be there.
0:36:42 > 0:36:45We were actually invited, basically, as an act.
0:36:45 > 0:36:50Runners-up Ryan and Connor were told they'd won tickets to a theme park,
0:36:50 > 0:36:53but when they didn't arrive and with the school holidays approaching,
0:36:53 > 0:36:56Annie contacted the company in charge of the final,
0:36:56 > 0:36:58Festival For Stars Talent Search UK Limited,
0:36:58 > 0:37:01to find out what was going on.
0:37:01 > 0:37:05We wanted to go in Easter, make a bit of a family day of it,
0:37:05 > 0:37:09so I contacted Mr Pamment to say, "Would that be a possibility?"
0:37:09 > 0:37:11"Would we be able to get the theme-park tickets?"
0:37:11 > 0:37:15The only way of getting in touch with him was through his Facebook page
0:37:15 > 0:37:17for Festival For Stars.
0:37:17 > 0:37:20But that didn't get her any further, and then she was blocked
0:37:20 > 0:37:24from contacting him that way again. Confused by the lack of response
0:37:24 > 0:37:26and about why they hadn't received the prize
0:37:26 > 0:37:29when, after all, they'd had to pay £15 to enter,
0:37:29 > 0:37:31Annie got in touch with other winners
0:37:31 > 0:37:34to see if any of them had received their prizes.
0:37:34 > 0:37:38Unfortunately, to date, not one person has come forward
0:37:38 > 0:37:40and said, "Yes, we have."
0:37:40 > 0:37:43In fact, everybody has said, "We've received nothing at all."
0:37:44 > 0:37:48And that meant that the Woo Hoos' dream trip to Disneyland, Paris
0:37:48 > 0:37:50might never happen.
0:37:50 > 0:37:54We heard absolutely nothing. My dance teacher tried to get in touch,
0:37:54 > 0:37:57and we didn't know what was happening or what to expect.
0:37:57 > 0:38:00We kept rehearsing the dance, making it cleaner,
0:38:00 > 0:38:02making it more presentable.
0:38:02 > 0:38:05When the winners have tried to find out what's going on,
0:38:05 > 0:38:08they've been told it's all down to the change in management
0:38:08 > 0:38:12of the competition. The company that ran the heats
0:38:12 > 0:38:15says responsibility lies with the business
0:38:15 > 0:38:17that took over from them to organise the final,
0:38:17 > 0:38:20but that company says they only stepped in to help,
0:38:20 > 0:38:22and it's not down to them either.
0:38:22 > 0:38:25But the disappointed winners don't care who's to blame.
0:38:25 > 0:38:29They just want someone to give them the prizes that they were promised.
0:38:29 > 0:38:33The whole situation's made me feel very, very upset, to be honest.
0:38:33 > 0:38:36'We entered this competition in good faith. We all paid our money.'
0:38:36 > 0:38:40Our children rehearsed and put a vast amount of time and effort into it.
0:38:40 > 0:38:44They did brilliantly. When your own children come to you and say,
0:38:44 > 0:38:48"Where's my prize?", it's heartbreaking to say to them,
0:38:48 > 0:38:51"Well, this man's not going to give us the prize."
0:38:51 > 0:38:55Natasha, Megan and Hollie's parents have also tried to find out what's going on,
0:38:55 > 0:38:58and contacted Disney to ask whether the chance
0:38:58 > 0:39:02for the winners to dance onstage at Disneyland Paris had even existed.
0:39:02 > 0:39:06They were told no such prize had ever been offered,
0:39:06 > 0:39:08and there was no association between Disney
0:39:08 > 0:39:12and Festival For Stars Talent Search UK Limited.
0:39:12 > 0:39:15Other winners were told that they would take part in a video
0:39:15 > 0:39:18by the group Little Mix, but record company Syco told us
0:39:18 > 0:39:20they'd never offered such a prize.
0:39:20 > 0:39:23When we contacted Nicholas Pamment,
0:39:23 > 0:39:27the managing director of Festival For Stars Talent Search UK Limited
0:39:27 > 0:39:29and the man who had announced the prizes at the final,
0:39:29 > 0:39:32he told us he has no liability on this issue,
0:39:32 > 0:39:35and no longer has anything to do with the company,
0:39:35 > 0:39:38which is no longer trading. He says he's received offers
0:39:38 > 0:39:41from parties interested in using the Festival For Stars name,
0:39:41 > 0:39:44and has asked them to agree to pay some sort of recompense
0:39:44 > 0:39:48to the winners who have a grievance "due to the confusion".
0:39:48 > 0:39:52But his representatives insist that his only role in the event
0:39:52 > 0:39:54was to act...
0:39:56 > 0:39:58They reiterate their position
0:39:58 > 0:40:00that responsibility for the advertised prizes
0:40:00 > 0:40:04lies with the previous company, UK Festival 4 Stars Limited,
0:40:04 > 0:40:07which had been in charge of the heats.
0:40:07 > 0:40:12So we tried asking the director of that company for an explanation.
0:40:12 > 0:40:14We had no response.
0:40:14 > 0:40:16But, when previously asked about this,
0:40:16 > 0:40:19they stressed that they had nothing to do with the final...
0:40:21 > 0:40:23They pulled out...
0:40:33 > 0:40:36So it looks like the only thing clear about all of this
0:40:36 > 0:40:39is that the Woo Hoos, Ryan, Connor and all the other prizewinners
0:40:39 > 0:40:42still haven't got what they were promised,
0:40:42 > 0:40:45and they're convinced they won't ever see their prizes.
0:40:45 > 0:40:47I feel so angry, so disappointed.
0:40:47 > 0:40:50We wanted to dance in Disney.
0:40:50 > 0:40:53He shouldn't have advertised us to be able to do that.
0:41:02 > 0:41:04Here at Rip-Off Britain,
0:41:04 > 0:41:08we're always ready to investigate more of your stories,
0:41:08 > 0:41:12and we'd especially like to hear from you if you've had a problem on holiday
0:41:12 > 0:41:14or while travelling at home or abroad.
0:41:14 > 0:41:17So if you feel let down by your airline,
0:41:17 > 0:41:19disappointed that the hotel looked very different
0:41:19 > 0:41:21from the glossy pictures in the brochure,
0:41:21 > 0:41:26or you're angry about hidden charges that weren't clear when you booked...
0:41:27 > 0:41:30you can write to us at...
0:41:37 > 0:41:39Or send us an email to...
0:41:42 > 0:41:47The Rip-Off team is ready and waiting to investigate your stories.
0:41:51 > 0:41:54Whether you're dealing with a big-name company
0:41:54 > 0:41:56or a smaller business that's less familiar,
0:41:56 > 0:41:58it's not always easy to get the answers
0:41:58 > 0:42:01when things haven't gone to plan. And even when you do,
0:42:01 > 0:42:03the explanation may not be one you like.
0:42:03 > 0:42:07But don't give up. It really is worth persevering
0:42:07 > 0:42:10and asking the questions, so that you can be absolutely confident
0:42:10 > 0:42:13that your concerns really have been dealt with properly.
0:42:13 > 0:42:17It may well turn out that you were actually not treated unfairly,
0:42:17 > 0:42:20but while you believe that you are in the right,
0:42:20 > 0:42:23keep on going, and don't be fobbed off
0:42:23 > 0:42:25if you're not happy with what you've been told.
0:42:25 > 0:42:28That really is good advice, and if you don't get anywhere,
0:42:28 > 0:42:31do come to us. We're always keen to hear your experiences,
0:42:31 > 0:42:34and we love hearing from you. So whether it's a one-off situation
0:42:34 > 0:42:38or something much more common, if sharing it on the programme
0:42:38 > 0:42:41can stop the same thing happening to somebody else, so much the better.
0:42:41 > 0:42:43That's where we have to leave it for today,
0:42:43 > 0:42:46but we'll be seeing you again very soon with more of your problems.
0:42:46 > 0:42:50- So, until next time, from all the team, bye-bye.- Bye-bye.- Bye.
0:42:50 > 0:42:54Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:42:54 > 0:42:58E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk
0:42:58 > 0:42:58.