0:00:02 > 0:00:04We asked YOU to tell us what's left you feeling ripped off
0:00:04 > 0:00:07and you contacted us in your thousands.
0:00:07 > 0:00:09You've told us about the companies you think get it wrong
0:00:09 > 0:00:13and the customer service that simply isn't up to scratch.
0:00:13 > 0:00:16There's a lot of blurb written down,
0:00:16 > 0:00:18but in practice, the words are absolutely meaningless.
0:00:18 > 0:00:22I mean, people just can't afford these prices. It's ridiculous.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25You've asked us to track down the scammers who stole your money.
0:00:25 > 0:00:29And investigate the extra charges that you say are unfair.
0:00:29 > 0:00:31They're in a win-win situation
0:00:31 > 0:00:33and you're in a lose-lose situation.
0:00:33 > 0:00:37If you don't do something about it, I think it's your own fault.
0:00:38 > 0:00:41And when you've lost out but nobody else is to blame,
0:00:41 > 0:00:45you've come to us to stop others falling into the same trap.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48So whether it's a blatant rip-off, or a genuine mistake...
0:00:48 > 0:00:51We're here to find out why you're out of pocket
0:00:51 > 0:00:53and what you can do about it.
0:00:53 > 0:00:57Your stories, your money. This is Rip-Off Britain.
0:01:00 > 0:01:02Hello and welcome to Rip-Off Britain.
0:01:02 > 0:01:05Now, this is a programme that fights your corner
0:01:05 > 0:01:07when you don't think that you've been fairly treated.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10And we have some corking examples of that on the programme today.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13But in the sort of situations we'll be hearing about,
0:01:13 > 0:01:15what can make things particularly frustrating
0:01:15 > 0:01:17is that however fed up you might feel,
0:01:17 > 0:01:21it doesn't necessarily mean whoever you've been dealing with
0:01:21 > 0:01:23has actually done anything wrong.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26Each of our stories involves some sort of decision
0:01:26 > 0:01:29that the people on the receiving end would say is unreasonable.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32But the companies or official bodies they're up against,
0:01:32 > 0:01:35and they're the kind of organisations all of us might deal with every day,
0:01:35 > 0:01:38would argue that they're completely within their rights
0:01:38 > 0:01:40to take the line that they have,
0:01:40 > 0:01:42even if it means leaving you out of pocket
0:01:42 > 0:01:46or stuck with the long-term repercussions of some you really disagree with.
0:01:46 > 0:01:50So, if you have ever felt aggrieved at having to pay for something
0:01:50 > 0:01:52that you really didn't think you should have,
0:01:52 > 0:01:55some of today's stories really will strike a chord with you,
0:01:55 > 0:01:57especially as frankly anyone of us
0:01:57 > 0:02:00could very easily end up in the same situation.
0:02:00 > 0:02:02So, I hope we're going to have plenty of advice to make sure
0:02:02 > 0:02:04that if the same thing does happen to you,
0:02:04 > 0:02:07you will know exactly what to do next.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12Coming up: why extending or improving your home
0:02:12 > 0:02:15could push your council tax bill through the roof...
0:02:15 > 0:02:18They're basically saying that it is two separate properties,
0:02:18 > 0:02:20which we don't feel it is.
0:02:21 > 0:02:22..how a missing car key
0:02:22 > 0:02:25left this woman thousands of pounds out of pocket,
0:02:25 > 0:02:27when her car was stolen...
0:02:27 > 0:02:30The insurance company said without the spare key,
0:02:30 > 0:02:32they would not pay out the claim.
0:02:32 > 0:02:36..and more on-the-spot advice at our pop-up shop.
0:02:40 > 0:02:44As the saying goes, an Englishman's home is his castle.
0:02:44 > 0:02:46And every year, we spend billions of pounds
0:02:46 > 0:02:48making our homes bigger and better,
0:02:48 > 0:02:50some of us choosing to add an extra room or two,
0:02:50 > 0:02:54by perhaps converting the loft or maybe building above the garage,
0:02:54 > 0:02:58or even transforming downstairs by creating a big extension.
0:02:58 > 0:02:59But whatever the reason,
0:02:59 > 0:03:03the whole point is you're adding to the home you've already got,
0:03:03 > 0:03:06rather than going to all the bother of moving to a new one.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09But, you know, that smart new extension or annexe
0:03:09 > 0:03:13can have an unexpected and very expensive consequence.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16It could mean that as far as the local authority is concerned,
0:03:16 > 0:03:19you are the proud owner of not one, but two houses.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22And if what you thought was just a bit more space
0:03:22 > 0:03:24is classed as an entirely separate property,
0:03:24 > 0:03:28you may find yourself hit with a second council tax bill.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33Martin Strange and his partner Ciaran O'Hagan
0:03:33 > 0:03:37moved to this bungalow in Dorset just before Christmas in 2011.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41Compared to their old house, it has one big advantage
0:03:41 > 0:03:44that instantly convinced them it was right for them...
0:03:44 > 0:03:46..space.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50Not least because of this very versatile bit at the back.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53There's the extension in question, that contains a bedroom,
0:03:53 > 0:03:57en suite facilities and a utility room that we used it for.
0:03:57 > 0:04:01The bungalow had been extended by the previous owners
0:04:01 > 0:04:03ten years before Martin and Ciaran bought it.
0:04:03 > 0:04:05It had passed all building regulations
0:04:05 > 0:04:09but had not been inspected the Valuation Office Agency.
0:04:09 > 0:04:13That's the government body that checks that you're paying the right amount of council tax.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16And when Martin and Ciaran bought the property,
0:04:16 > 0:04:18it prompted the Valuation Office Agency
0:04:18 > 0:04:21to ask if someone could come and have a look.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26After they left, we received a report from them
0:04:26 > 0:04:28and they said that the extension,
0:04:28 > 0:04:30they want to classify that as a separate annexe,
0:04:30 > 0:04:33therefore liable to its own separate council tax.
0:04:33 > 0:04:35The Valuation Office Agency didn't believe
0:04:35 > 0:04:38that the bungalow was just one property.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41They were saying this extension is a self-contained unit,
0:04:41 > 0:04:44it's got its own separate bedroom with en suite facilities,
0:04:44 > 0:04:47they classified the utility space as being a kitchen,
0:04:47 > 0:04:49because there was a sink in there as well,
0:04:49 > 0:04:54and they were saying we could just plug in a microwave, therefore we've got cooking facilities
0:04:54 > 0:04:56and it's also got these patio doors here, as well.
0:04:56 > 0:05:01So they were saying that was an entranceway to the extension.
0:05:01 > 0:05:03So, on top of their existing council tax bill,
0:05:03 > 0:05:07Martin and Ciaran were being told they would have to pay a second one
0:05:07 > 0:05:09just for the extension.
0:05:09 > 0:05:11We just couldn't believe it when that letter came through.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15Because if you look at this property, it's an extension.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18And everyone else, all our friends, family who arrive here,
0:05:18 > 0:05:20they just see it as an extension
0:05:20 > 0:05:23- so, we were absolutely livid, weren't we?- Yeah, furious.
0:05:23 > 0:05:28In addition to the £1,540 a year that they paid in council tax
0:05:28 > 0:05:29for the rest of the bungalow,
0:05:29 > 0:05:34the extension would cost the couple another £868 a year,
0:05:34 > 0:05:37despite the fact that they only used it as a guest bedroom
0:05:37 > 0:05:39and a utility room.
0:05:40 > 0:05:44Their argument to that was that it's the potential use for that area.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47It doesn't matter what it's being used for at the moment.
0:05:47 > 0:05:48In the two years since,
0:05:48 > 0:05:53Martin and Ciaran have paid almost £2,000 in extra council tax.
0:05:53 > 0:05:55They also tried appealing the decision.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57But when their appeal was unsuccessful,
0:05:57 > 0:06:01they decided the only solution was to fork out even more money
0:06:01 > 0:06:04to convert their property again so that they could convince the
0:06:04 > 0:06:08Valuation Office Agency that their home really is just one dwelling.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13We've taken out the tumble dryer, the washing machine,
0:06:13 > 0:06:16the sink, removed all the power points.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19And we've put a wall in as well.
0:06:19 > 0:06:21By just changing the character of that room,
0:06:21 > 0:06:24the Valuation Office Agency have classed it as just one property now.
0:06:24 > 0:06:29But even that decision in April 2014 had a sting in its tail.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32The Valuation Office Agency raised the council tax band
0:06:32 > 0:06:34of the whole property,
0:06:34 > 0:06:37so Martin and Ciaran are still left paying hundreds of pounds a year
0:06:37 > 0:06:41more than they expected when they first bought the house.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44Now, it's estimated by the government
0:06:44 > 0:06:47that over 24,000 homes in England alone have an annexe.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50So, this extra council taxation
0:06:50 > 0:06:52could really affect an awful lot of people.
0:06:53 > 0:06:57Sue Meyer and Paul Meredith decided to build an extension
0:06:57 > 0:07:00after Sue's mum moved in with them a few years back.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03But as soon as they put the house on the market at the end of 2013,
0:07:03 > 0:07:05the same thing happened to them.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09Along came an extra council tax bill.
0:07:09 > 0:07:13Paul and Sue, maybe we'll just start by demonstrating
0:07:13 > 0:07:15really how you extended the house?
0:07:15 > 0:07:17Yeah, the original house was that section over there which was
0:07:17 > 0:07:21built in the 1960s and we've basically extended it by putting
0:07:21 > 0:07:25two rooms up above which was an old garage.
0:07:25 > 0:07:27So, the downstairs bit was a garage?
0:07:27 > 0:07:29This was a garage which we turned into a living room
0:07:29 > 0:07:32and we basically extended it by putting two rooms above.
0:07:32 > 0:07:34What really is the Valuation Office saying to you?
0:07:34 > 0:07:37They're basically saying that it is two separate properties,
0:07:37 > 0:07:39which we don't feel it is.
0:07:39 > 0:07:41On what grounds?
0:07:41 > 0:07:43On the grounds we all live together.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46There's only one lot of facilities going in, services,
0:07:46 > 0:07:51telephone and as I say, to us, it's just one house.
0:07:51 > 0:07:56Even so, the Valuation Office Agency deemed the extension
0:07:56 > 0:07:58a separate property entirely.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01The extension doesn't include new external entrances
0:08:01 > 0:08:04because both doors at the front were in the original house
0:08:04 > 0:08:08but Paul and Sue have added a bedroom with en-suite,
0:08:08 > 0:08:11converted the garage into a sitting room, and changed the old
0:08:11 > 0:08:15utility room into an overflow kitchen area and breakfast room.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18- So now we're in the new part of the extension.- That's right.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22And how much are you being charged for effectively two rooms?
0:08:22 > 0:08:251,230-something pounds.
0:08:25 > 0:08:27- To be precise.- Yeah.
0:08:27 > 0:08:30So, really, that's a lot of money for just two rooms, isn't it?
0:08:30 > 0:08:32It is, yes.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35When you were getting permission to add on what you have,
0:08:35 > 0:08:37did anybody at any stage ever say that perhaps you were
0:08:37 > 0:08:41opening yourself up to having two council tax bills
0:08:41 > 0:08:43because this could be regarded as two houses?
0:08:43 > 0:08:46No, we weren't informed at all.
0:08:46 > 0:08:49No, all the correspondence we had regarding planning
0:08:49 > 0:08:51from the architects, from the council.
0:08:51 > 0:08:55Nothing was ever mentioned with regard to two separate bandings
0:08:55 > 0:08:58- on this property.- And did you ever raise the issue yourself?
0:08:58 > 0:09:01No, because we never thought it was relevant
0:09:01 > 0:09:06because we treat it as one house. You know, it's one family home.
0:09:07 > 0:09:09If you have an extension,
0:09:09 > 0:09:12the last thing you'll want is to suddenly find yourself landed
0:09:12 > 0:09:17with an unexpected extra bill, especially years after it was built.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20So we asked planning expert Ian Woodward-Court
0:09:20 > 0:09:24to visit Sue and Paul's house to shed some light on it all.
0:09:24 > 0:09:28If you're just building an extension with an extra bedroom,
0:09:28 > 0:09:31then that's unlikely to start being classed as a true annexe.
0:09:31 > 0:09:33If you put in extra bathrooms and kitchens,
0:09:33 > 0:09:36you start erring towards it being self-contained
0:09:36 > 0:09:39and then the Valuation Agency will get interested.
0:09:39 > 0:09:40But then it brings me to this house
0:09:40 > 0:09:43- because there are no separate utilities.- Yep.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46The actual facilities were all there originally,
0:09:46 > 0:09:50they just added up and, of course, did add on an extra bathroom,
0:09:50 > 0:09:53so what is the weakness here then in this scenario?
0:09:53 > 0:09:55Having walked around the house earlier,
0:09:55 > 0:09:57I think the real shame is they have...
0:09:57 > 0:10:00It does feel like they've got two separate kitchens,
0:10:00 > 0:10:03if that was just one big kitchen, there might not be an issue here.
0:10:03 > 0:10:05What would you like to see happening?
0:10:05 > 0:10:08Well, what most councils provide now is pre-application advice.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11Unfortunately, I'm not sure many councils at that meeting
0:10:11 > 0:10:13will flag up the issue of council tax.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16Every local authority have their planning policies
0:10:16 > 0:10:19and really all it needs to be is a sentence or two
0:10:19 > 0:10:23in there about the potential for a council tax liability.
0:10:23 > 0:10:25It's not clear how many houses nationwide
0:10:25 > 0:10:27may have been affected in this way.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30But I've come to Sue and Paul's local authority in Hereford
0:10:30 > 0:10:34to see what they can do to make homeowners more aware
0:10:34 > 0:10:36of the risk that this could happen.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38Very good of you to see us. How are you?
0:10:38 > 0:10:41'Tony Johnson is the leader of the council.'
0:10:41 > 0:10:44The main cry seems to be "nobody told us,
0:10:44 > 0:10:48"we didn't know that we might be liable for two tax bills."
0:10:48 > 0:10:50So, surely there must be responsibility
0:10:50 > 0:10:52somewhere in the planning?
0:10:52 > 0:10:54There's no formal requirement placed on us
0:10:54 > 0:10:58to provide such notification, but the point you raised is a very good one.
0:10:58 > 0:11:02And whilst it's not been done in the past, we'd be very happy to
0:11:02 > 0:11:05make sure that in future anybody that applies to this authority
0:11:05 > 0:11:08for an extension or an annexe to the house,
0:11:08 > 0:11:12we will draw to their attention the fact that this application
0:11:12 > 0:11:16could bring with it an additional council tax liability.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19So you're giving us the assurance that will happen in the future?
0:11:19 > 0:11:21Here in Herefordshire it will happen.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25So, that's a really good result for anyone in the area planning
0:11:25 > 0:11:27an extension in the future.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30But I'm afraid it comes too late for Sue and Paul
0:11:30 > 0:11:34who are very disappointed they were not made aware of this in advance.
0:11:35 > 0:11:37We put their case and Martin and Ciaran's
0:11:37 > 0:11:40to the body that checks the level of council tax,
0:11:40 > 0:11:43the Valuation Office Agency or the VOA.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45And they reiterated that in both cases
0:11:45 > 0:11:48the adapted layout of the buildings meant that,
0:11:48 > 0:11:52in the eyes of the law, each had become two separate dwellings.
0:11:52 > 0:11:53And they pointed out
0:11:53 > 0:11:56that when Martin and Ciaran's property was marketed,
0:11:56 > 0:11:59it was actually advertised as having a one bedroom annexe.
0:11:59 > 0:12:03The VOA then went on to explain that they always make their decisions
0:12:03 > 0:12:06based on the physical characteristics of a building,
0:12:06 > 0:12:09rather than whether anybody lives in the extension,
0:12:09 > 0:12:13or whether it has a separate postal address or utilities.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16They told us that if a homeowner disagrees with the decision,
0:12:16 > 0:12:18they can always ask for a review
0:12:18 > 0:12:20and if they're still not happy with the decision,
0:12:20 > 0:12:24there's an independent valuation tribunal which they can go to.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29But there is good news for people like Sue and Paul and anyone else
0:12:29 > 0:12:33who's genuinely using their extension as a granny annexe.
0:12:33 > 0:12:36In April 2014, the law was changed
0:12:36 > 0:12:39so that if you have a family member living in this type of extension
0:12:39 > 0:12:44they could get a 50% reduction to the second council tax bill.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47And if they're over 65, or disabled,
0:12:47 > 0:12:50they will be exempt from paying altogether.
0:12:50 > 0:12:52But if, like Martin and Ciaran,
0:12:52 > 0:12:55your extra space was added just to make your home bigger,
0:12:55 > 0:12:57then there's no such reduction available.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00And while the second round of changes they've made to the property
0:13:00 > 0:13:03has led to their home being classed as just one dwelling again,
0:13:03 > 0:13:08they had no idea that this situation could ever even arise.
0:13:08 > 0:13:10We bought this bungalow on the understanding
0:13:10 > 0:13:14that we were told by both the estate agents and the solicitors
0:13:14 > 0:13:15that it's one property.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18That's what we bought it on and if we had been told otherwise,
0:13:18 > 0:13:20we would've walked away from it.
0:13:26 > 0:13:30Now, here's a question to make you go hot and cold all over.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32Have you ever lost your car keys?
0:13:32 > 0:13:35And do you know for sure where the spare key is,
0:13:35 > 0:13:37or if you even have one at all?
0:13:37 > 0:13:41Well, for one Rip-Off Britain viewer, not having a spare key for her car
0:13:41 > 0:13:45has led to a host of problems that, if she can't sort them out,
0:13:45 > 0:13:47will leave her hugely out of pocket.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50Mention the name Dagenham, East London,
0:13:50 > 0:13:54and there's one particular car brand which will typically spring to mind.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56This is where the line starts at Dagenham.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59Fords call it a carousel,
0:13:59 > 0:14:04a worker's merry-go-round on which the belly of the car is built.
0:14:04 > 0:14:06Nicola Baker is a teacher in the town.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09Normally her attention's taken up with the rigours of marking
0:14:09 > 0:14:11and lesson planning.
0:14:11 > 0:14:15But when her mind does turn to transport, her choice of wheels
0:14:15 > 0:14:19has inevitably been influenced by her home and her dad, Frank.
0:14:19 > 0:14:23He worked at the Dagenham car plant for 35 years,
0:14:23 > 0:14:27so, little wonder that when she bought a car it was a Ford Fiesta.
0:14:28 > 0:14:32Love driving the car, windows down, especially when it was hot,
0:14:32 > 0:14:34being a bright red car it was very easily noticeable
0:14:34 > 0:14:37so, all my friends liked it, as well.
0:14:37 > 0:14:41But then, in the early hours of one morning in May 2013,
0:14:41 > 0:14:45Nicola's pride and joy was stolen from outside her house.
0:14:45 > 0:14:47Her neighbour, Keith, saw it happen.
0:14:47 > 0:14:49What do you remember that morning, Keith?
0:14:49 > 0:14:534:30, alarm went off, went to the window
0:14:53 > 0:14:58and I saw it pull from there going that way.
0:14:58 > 0:15:00And then they just...
0:15:00 > 0:15:02raced off.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06With no sign of the car, Nicola called her insurer
0:15:06 > 0:15:08One Call Insurance, to report the theft.
0:15:08 > 0:15:10They asked her to send them the logbook,
0:15:10 > 0:15:12a list of things that were left inside the vehicle,
0:15:12 > 0:15:16along with the main key and any other keys she might have.
0:15:16 > 0:15:18Nicola didn't think she had a spare key
0:15:18 > 0:15:21so she just sent everything else off instead.
0:15:21 > 0:15:25While the claim was being processed, Nicola borrowed her parents' car
0:15:25 > 0:15:27just like she had when she was a teenager.
0:15:27 > 0:15:31I thought, "I'll be paid out soon and I'll be able to have a new car."
0:15:32 > 0:15:35But it would turn out that Nicola would be driving her parents' car
0:15:35 > 0:15:37for a lot longer than any of them expected.
0:15:39 > 0:15:42One Call Insurance had told her that she'd either get a new car
0:15:42 > 0:15:46or the value of the car in cash, but they couldn't process the claim
0:15:46 > 0:15:49until the police had sent them their report.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53Months passed and Nicola repeatedly called One Call
0:15:53 > 0:15:57and the police to find out why the report wasn't being sent through.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59I'm ringing up regularly,
0:15:59 > 0:16:01asking to find out what's happening with my claim.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03One week I speak to someone
0:16:03 > 0:16:06and then he's not working there the next week,
0:16:06 > 0:16:08he might have given me some information,
0:16:08 > 0:16:11I'm then told that the information he gave me was incorrect,
0:16:11 > 0:16:14I then speak to someone else the following week.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17Nobody seemed able to explain to Nicola properly
0:16:17 > 0:16:20what was behind the delay.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23Finally, almost five months after the car was stolen,
0:16:23 > 0:16:26One Call received the report.
0:16:26 > 0:16:29I was so thrilled that the police report had arrived
0:16:29 > 0:16:33at the insurance company, I thought, "OK, this is going to be it."
0:16:33 > 0:16:36But a further three and a half months passed
0:16:36 > 0:16:39and One Call still hadn't paid out on Nicola's claims.
0:16:39 > 0:16:41Eventually, they told her why.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44She hadn't returned the spare car key.
0:16:44 > 0:16:48I get a phone call to say without the spare key to the car
0:16:48 > 0:16:50the claim will not be going through.
0:16:50 > 0:16:52I didn't actually remember getting a spare key
0:16:52 > 0:16:56when I bought the car, but when the insurance company spoke to Fords,
0:16:56 > 0:17:00on the log it says that I had two keys.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03Still unsure that she even had a spare key at all,
0:17:03 > 0:17:06Nicola thought that if there was one, it could only be in one place.
0:17:06 > 0:17:10The keys are always kept at Mum and Dad's house in their kitchen
0:17:10 > 0:17:13so I went to the kitchen, took out the key that was in there,
0:17:13 > 0:17:16the only key, that must be the spare key to my car.
0:17:16 > 0:17:20Sent off the spare key to the car thinking, that's that done,
0:17:20 > 0:17:22a bit sooner to getting the money.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25But the insurance company told her that the key she'd sent
0:17:25 > 0:17:28wasn't the spare key for her car
0:17:28 > 0:17:31because it didn't match the main key she'd already sent.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33And to Nicola's utter astonishment,
0:17:33 > 0:17:36for that reason her claim was rejected.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39The insurance company accused her of making a false claim.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43The insurance company have said without the spare key
0:17:43 > 0:17:45and the spare key that I had didn't fit the car,
0:17:45 > 0:17:48they would not pay out the claim for the car.
0:17:48 > 0:17:52Keen to get to the bottom of what could have happened, Nicola asked
0:17:52 > 0:17:55the insurer to send back the key she thought could've been her spare.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58After all, if it wasn't her key,
0:17:58 > 0:18:00it must have been the spare for one of her parents' cars.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03But they didn't return it.
0:18:03 > 0:18:07I asked for the car key back, to have as my property.
0:18:07 > 0:18:10It's not been sent back, so I still haven't got it.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13Nicola can't understand why her insurer hasn't explained
0:18:13 > 0:18:15what they mean by a false claim
0:18:15 > 0:18:19and she says it feels like the finger is being pointed at her.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22I didn't arrange the theft of my own car.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25I've never done anything that's dodgy. I'm not going to start now.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28They don't believe me and that's why they're not paying out.
0:18:28 > 0:18:34So, Nicola is now stuck with no car, and nothing to show for the £10,000
0:18:34 > 0:18:37she spent on it less than two years ago.
0:18:37 > 0:18:39All because she couldn't be sure
0:18:39 > 0:18:42whether she ever had a spare key for the car.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45So, here's a couple of little questions for you to think about.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48Do you remember how many keys came with your car?
0:18:48 > 0:18:53And would you be able to tell me where your spare key is right now?
0:18:53 > 0:18:56Finance expert James Daley believes Nicola's right to feel
0:18:56 > 0:18:59that she's been treated unfairly.
0:18:59 > 0:19:01And he's never before come across a claim being
0:19:01 > 0:19:03turned down for this reason.
0:19:03 > 0:19:07If an insurance company asks you to send a spare key then yes,
0:19:07 > 0:19:10send it to them, but if you've lost it, that is perfectly acceptable,
0:19:10 > 0:19:12you just need to let them know you have lost it.
0:19:12 > 0:19:16That can't be used as evidence that you've made a fraudulent claim
0:19:16 > 0:19:19unless they've got something to back it up with.
0:19:19 > 0:19:20One Call's refusal to pay out
0:19:20 > 0:19:23doesn't just mean Nicola's out of pocket.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25It could also have a serious impact
0:19:25 > 0:19:28on her ability to get car insurance in the future
0:19:28 > 0:19:32as she'd have to declare that she's previously had insurance withdrawn.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35But James thinks there could yet be a solution.
0:19:36 > 0:19:40She needs to write a stern letter to her insurance company and say,
0:19:40 > 0:19:41"Look, my car was stolen.
0:19:41 > 0:19:45"There's no evidence that I was fraudulent here.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48"I accidently sent you the wrong key, as it happens I've lost
0:19:48 > 0:19:50"the spare key. If you don't pay me out immediately
0:19:50 > 0:19:53"I am going to take this claim on to the Financial Ombudsman Service."
0:19:53 > 0:19:57That's a free service, it's independent, and I would be amazed
0:19:57 > 0:20:00if they didn't uphold this case in favour of the customer.
0:20:02 > 0:20:06When we put all that to One Call Insurance on Nicola's behalf,
0:20:06 > 0:20:10they stood by their decision that she does not have a valid claim.
0:20:10 > 0:20:14They told us that they too had advised Nicola to take her complaint
0:20:14 > 0:20:18to the Financial Ombudsman Service but as she hadn't done this,
0:20:18 > 0:20:21they have referred the matter to the Ombudsman themselves.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24And they don't consider it appropriate to comment further
0:20:24 > 0:20:28while they wait for the Ombudsman's decision.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31But while it's good news that the case is being looked at
0:20:31 > 0:20:32by the Ombudsman,
0:20:32 > 0:20:36Nicola still can't quite believe that her predicament boils down to her
0:20:36 > 0:20:41not being sure where she might have put a spare car key.
0:20:41 > 0:20:42First of all it was annoyance,
0:20:42 > 0:20:46annoying how long it had taken for the claim to go through.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48Then it was frustration
0:20:48 > 0:20:51because obviously no-one seemed to want to listen to me.
0:20:51 > 0:20:54The fact that the insurance company have made me feel
0:20:54 > 0:20:56that I've had something to do with this claim.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59For now, Nicola can only dream of the time
0:20:59 > 0:21:01that she can afford her own car again.
0:21:01 > 0:21:05And in the meantime, she'll just have to keep on borrowing her dad's.
0:21:14 > 0:21:16Still to come on Rip-Off Britain -
0:21:16 > 0:21:19the railway works that have split a community in half,
0:21:19 > 0:21:22and locals say have had a devastating affect
0:21:22 > 0:21:23on their lives and businesses.
0:21:23 > 0:21:27To have this done to us, you know, we've got all that extra expense
0:21:27 > 0:21:29which nobody's going to compensate us for.
0:21:29 > 0:21:31It's just like being ripped off.
0:21:38 > 0:21:40Once again, we've opened up our pop-up shop.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43And, this year, we've come to one of the biggest shopping centres
0:21:43 > 0:21:45in the West Midlands.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47Yes, for one weekend only,
0:21:47 > 0:21:49we've brought our team of experts on the road
0:21:49 > 0:21:51to offer advice on all kinds of things -
0:21:51 > 0:21:54you come along, we'll try to help.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57As Julia says, we've brought along the entire team to make sure
0:21:57 > 0:22:00that we give you all the tools and information that you need
0:22:00 > 0:22:03to ensure that, the next time you hand over your cash,
0:22:03 > 0:22:04you're not ripped off.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09- Hi, how are you?- Hello. - Thanks very much for coming.
0:22:09 > 0:22:13'After being told that the vouchers she'd been bought for her birthday
0:22:13 > 0:22:15'were no longer valid, Debra Bate called in
0:22:15 > 0:22:18'to see Trading Standards expert Sylvia Rook.'
0:22:18 > 0:22:20My 40th birthday was last year
0:22:20 > 0:22:24and a group of friends bought me some vouchers for a beauty salon.
0:22:24 > 0:22:28Before I could use them, the salon changed hands
0:22:28 > 0:22:30and the new salon refused to honour the vouchers.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33And I contacted the previous owner
0:22:33 > 0:22:36and they refused to refund the value of the vouchers, either.
0:22:36 > 0:22:41So I'm left with £55 worth of beauty salon vouchers that I can't use.
0:22:41 > 0:22:43What assurance did the previous owner give you
0:22:43 > 0:22:46that the vouchers would actually be valid?
0:22:46 > 0:22:48When I found out that she was selling the business,
0:22:48 > 0:22:50I contacted her and she said
0:22:50 > 0:22:53that it had been agreed in the transfer of the business
0:22:53 > 0:22:55that the new salon would honour the vouchers.
0:22:55 > 0:22:57But, when I went to the salon, they refused to.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00And you didn't have anything in writing to that effect, did you?
0:23:00 > 0:23:03- No.- No. So what about that, then, Sylvia?
0:23:03 > 0:23:04It's a really sad story,
0:23:04 > 0:23:06and it's one of these stories we get quite a lot,
0:23:06 > 0:23:09where a business has gone bust and a new business takes over
0:23:09 > 0:23:11and it doesn't have to take over liabilities
0:23:11 > 0:23:13of the previous business.
0:23:13 > 0:23:14But the company didn't go bust,
0:23:14 > 0:23:16they just sold that part of the business.
0:23:16 > 0:23:18The business is still going, they're still operating,
0:23:18 > 0:23:19but just not in that shop.
0:23:19 > 0:23:23Well, certainly the original business is in breach of contract.
0:23:23 > 0:23:25The new business doesn't have to honour it.
0:23:25 > 0:23:26It's very unfortunate.
0:23:26 > 0:23:28Unless there was something in writing,
0:23:28 > 0:23:30saying that they would honour vouchers.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32They're a separate legal entity.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34So then you're back to look at the previous owner.
0:23:34 > 0:23:37Because you could argue they're in breach of contract
0:23:37 > 0:23:40and, if they were a present, the person that has to make the claim
0:23:40 > 0:23:42is the person that bought the vouchers.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45And if you find out that somebody's going out of business,
0:23:45 > 0:23:47if they say somebody else will take on the liability,
0:23:47 > 0:23:50don't trust them unless you've got something in writing.
0:23:50 > 0:23:52I think on moral grounds, surely, you go back and say,
0:23:52 > 0:23:55"Look, there is no legal contract for the new owner,
0:23:55 > 0:23:58"but you took the money, I haven't had the treatment..."
0:23:58 > 0:24:00All I want, really, is what's fair,
0:24:00 > 0:24:03and it doesn't seem right that one company can sell vouchers,
0:24:03 > 0:24:05sell the business and then nobody has the responsibility.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08- At least you've got a couple of routes to go.- Yeah.
0:24:08 > 0:24:10It's always worth trying, because you lose nothing by trying.
0:24:10 > 0:24:12The thing is you look beautiful anyway,
0:24:12 > 0:24:14so you don't need that beauty treatment.
0:24:14 > 0:24:15THEY LAUGH
0:24:18 > 0:24:20'Meanwhile, out in our workshop area,
0:24:20 > 0:24:25'legal expert Gary Rycroft and Julia were busy entertaining the crowds.'
0:24:25 > 0:24:26Music!
0:24:26 > 0:24:28MUSIC: YMCA by Village People
0:24:28 > 0:24:31# It's fun to stay at the YMCA
0:24:31 > 0:24:34# It's fun to stay at the YMCA... #
0:24:34 > 0:24:36'Julia, don't give up the day job!
0:24:36 > 0:24:37'But the hard hats and dance routine
0:24:37 > 0:24:39'were to catch the attention of passing shoppers
0:24:39 > 0:24:42'as Gary dished out tips and advice
0:24:42 > 0:24:44'on how to avoid being ripped off by bogus tradesmen.'
0:24:44 > 0:24:46It's always a good idea
0:24:46 > 0:24:48to have something written down in black and white
0:24:48 > 0:24:51and a good quality tradesmen will be more than happy
0:24:51 > 0:24:53to give you a contract that sets out
0:24:53 > 0:24:55the work that they're going to do for you,
0:24:55 > 0:24:59who's going to be responsible for making good things that go wrong,
0:24:59 > 0:25:02whether they're insured and also when payments are going to be made
0:25:02 > 0:25:04cos, clearly, you want to know when you to have to pay for it.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07Does your home insurance cover if any building work goes wrong
0:25:07 > 0:25:09or does that not count?
0:25:09 > 0:25:11No, it doesn't, because you're asking someone
0:25:11 > 0:25:13to come in and carry out work on your behalf,
0:25:13 > 0:25:16so you really want to know that a builder, plumber has insurance...
0:25:16 > 0:25:17Oh, so they've got to be insured.
0:25:17 > 0:25:19..so that you can pursue them for a claim
0:25:19 > 0:25:24if they do something that causes your property to go down in value.
0:25:25 > 0:25:27'Gary wrapped things up with another quick tip
0:25:27 > 0:25:29'to help if something DOES go wrong.'
0:25:29 > 0:25:32What about things like taking before and after photographs?
0:25:32 > 0:25:34Photos are wonderful.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37It's a really good idea to take before and after photos and videos.
0:25:37 > 0:25:41Nothing's better than keeping track of it as it moves along
0:25:41 > 0:25:44so, if it all goes wrong in the end, and you need to make a claim in law
0:25:44 > 0:25:47in the county court, you've got the evidence that you need
0:25:47 > 0:25:50- to prove your case. - Good advice.- Thank you.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57We're all used to hearing complaints about Britain's railways.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59But, for some of the people getting most steamed up
0:25:59 > 0:26:03about our rail network, it's not about delays or fares.
0:26:03 > 0:26:05In fact, they may not have even stepped on a train.
0:26:05 > 0:26:07They're angry about the effect
0:26:07 > 0:26:10that repairs and improvements to the rail service
0:26:10 > 0:26:12have on their homes and businesses -
0:26:12 > 0:26:15work that sometimes begins with very little notice
0:26:15 > 0:26:17and can drag on for weeks.
0:26:21 > 0:26:23Tim Webb's family have lived
0:26:23 > 0:26:27and worked on this farm in Wiltshire for around 60 years.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30Farming to me is very, very important.
0:26:30 > 0:26:32It's a good way of life and I enjoy it a lot
0:26:32 > 0:26:34but, this year, we had something happen
0:26:34 > 0:26:37that was nothing we were ever prepared for.
0:26:37 > 0:26:41In March, the farm faced one of the biggest challenges in its history.
0:26:41 > 0:26:45Network Rail, who run and maintain Britain's railway tracks,
0:26:45 > 0:26:48closed the nearby bridge at Dauntsey Lock.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51This bridge not only links the local villages of Lyneham and Dauntsey,
0:26:51 > 0:26:54it also sits slap bang in the middle of the fields
0:26:54 > 0:26:56that the Webb family work.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59The closure was to allow the line between Bristol and London
0:26:59 > 0:27:02to be electrified, which should result in faster journeys
0:27:02 > 0:27:06when travelling between the two cities.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09At first, even though the works were scheduled to last five months,
0:27:09 > 0:27:12Tim wasn't too worried, as there are three other smaller roads
0:27:12 > 0:27:16to reach the land on the other side of the bridge.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19When they said they were going to shut the bridge, I thought,
0:27:19 > 0:27:20"Oh, yeah, that won't be too bad."
0:27:20 > 0:27:23But, you know, when it did actually happen,
0:27:23 > 0:27:26it was a lot worse than we ever, ever imagined it would be.
0:27:27 > 0:27:29Three weeks after the bridge closure,
0:27:29 > 0:27:33Wiltshire County Council also shut the three alternative routes
0:27:33 > 0:27:36after complaints from residents about the high volume of traffic
0:27:36 > 0:27:40and unsuitable heavy vehicles using them.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43All of which meant that this pretty part of the country
0:27:43 > 0:27:44was suddenly a divided one -
0:27:44 > 0:27:47with what residents say had a catastrophic effect
0:27:47 > 0:27:50on their lives and businesses.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53Tim and his neighbours were forced to make a 20-mile detour
0:27:53 > 0:27:56to get from one side of the bridge to the other.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59The journey used to take Tim a matter of minutes.
0:27:59 > 0:28:02Now, it was taking up to an hour each way.
0:28:04 > 0:28:07With the bridge shut, it takes an extra 20 miles.
0:28:07 > 0:28:10With the tractor only doing 16mph, you know,
0:28:10 > 0:28:12you're talking two hours a day extra to get to where you...
0:28:12 > 0:28:17there and back, so I mean, you know, it's not very good at all.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21And the bridge closure didn't just cost Tim time.
0:28:21 > 0:28:25He also claims he suffered a drop of about 20% in passing trade
0:28:25 > 0:28:29at his farm shop since the closure began in March.
0:28:29 > 0:28:31We're all small, independent businesses.
0:28:31 > 0:28:35You know, we're not multinational companies, we make our own money -
0:28:35 > 0:28:38but to have this done to us, you know,
0:28:38 > 0:28:39we've got all that extra expense
0:28:39 > 0:28:42which nobody's going to compensate us for.
0:28:42 > 0:28:44It's just like being ripped off.
0:28:44 > 0:28:47Other local businesses, while recognising the need for the work,
0:28:47 > 0:28:50say they were disastrously affected, too.
0:28:50 > 0:28:53We're finding it very difficult to do deliveries.
0:28:53 > 0:28:58The 24-mile round detour is horrendous for staffing costs,
0:28:58 > 0:29:03extra fuel, and you cannot pass those costs onto the customer.
0:29:03 > 0:29:07You can't do a bouquet of flowers for £20
0:29:07 > 0:29:10and ask for £15 delivery charges.
0:29:10 > 0:29:14So our business is absorbing all those extra costs
0:29:14 > 0:29:15and we're struggling.
0:29:16 > 0:29:20The difficulties for businesses on both sides of the tracks here
0:29:20 > 0:29:23is part of a much bigger national picture.
0:29:23 > 0:29:26And it's a picture the people here were powerless to halt.
0:29:26 > 0:29:30The works were part of a much-needed upgrade of the country's railways.
0:29:30 > 0:29:33Although the electrification of the network
0:29:33 > 0:29:34has been ongoing for decades,
0:29:34 > 0:29:37the UK still lags behind the rest of Europe
0:29:37 > 0:29:40when it comes to providing a modern rail network.
0:29:40 > 0:29:42Time for nursery, love. Ready?
0:29:42 > 0:29:45But local resident Andy Humm speaks for many
0:29:45 > 0:29:47when he says that, in situations like this,
0:29:47 > 0:29:50where communities are affected in a major way,
0:29:50 > 0:29:54more should be done by Network Rail to help.
0:29:54 > 0:29:57The diversions are really a pain in the neck.
0:29:57 > 0:30:03We've got issues with emergency services, education, buses.
0:30:03 > 0:30:05There's been a lack of thought,
0:30:05 > 0:30:07a lack of consideration to the local community
0:30:07 > 0:30:10in the way that it was managed.
0:30:10 > 0:30:13Andy takes it in turns with his wife to take their granddaughter, Lilly,
0:30:13 > 0:30:16to nursery three times a week.
0:30:16 > 0:30:17They live in Lyneham,
0:30:17 > 0:30:20but the nursery is situated on the Dauntsey side of the tracks.
0:30:20 > 0:30:25So what was an easy journey became an 80-minute round trip.
0:30:25 > 0:30:29That's two journeys, that's obviously 44 miles.
0:30:29 > 0:30:31Three days, you're looking about, on average,
0:30:31 > 0:30:33about another 150 miles per week.
0:30:33 > 0:30:36That's actually working out to be £18 a week,
0:30:36 > 0:30:37which is quite a lot of money
0:30:37 > 0:30:41when you're trying to do the best for your grandchild.
0:30:41 > 0:30:44Locals here feel they've had a pretty raw deal.
0:30:44 > 0:30:46And Network Rail does have an awful lot of freedom
0:30:46 > 0:30:49when it comes to doing work of this sort.
0:30:49 > 0:30:53They're what's known as statutory undertakers.
0:30:53 > 0:30:54That might sound grim,
0:30:54 > 0:30:56but what it actually means is that,
0:30:56 > 0:30:58like energy and communication companies,
0:30:58 > 0:31:02they have special privileges when it comes to development work,
0:31:02 > 0:31:05and can sidestep normal planning regulations and rules.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09If you lose money as a result of negligence
0:31:09 > 0:31:12by a statutory undertaker, you can apply for compensation.
0:31:12 > 0:31:14But individuals aren't eligible
0:31:14 > 0:31:16if they just have to make longer journeys.
0:31:16 > 0:31:17And, for businesses,
0:31:17 > 0:31:20a drop in passing trade doesn't qualify you either.
0:31:20 > 0:31:23So it looks as if these residents will get nothing
0:31:23 > 0:31:27for the inconvenience caused by the bridge closure.
0:31:27 > 0:31:29I feel rather annoyed and upset
0:31:29 > 0:31:31in the fact that we're not benefitting.
0:31:31 > 0:31:33And we've been hit hard.
0:31:33 > 0:31:35Financially, we've been hit hard.
0:31:36 > 0:31:38When we contacted Network Rail,
0:31:38 > 0:31:42they told us that electrifying the Great Western Main Line
0:31:42 > 0:31:45will "improve the journeys of millions of people."
0:31:45 > 0:31:47But, of course, that work can't be done without creating
0:31:47 > 0:31:50"extra clearance for overhead power lines,"
0:31:50 > 0:31:53something that often requires road closures.
0:31:53 > 0:31:56They told us they sympathised with local businesses
0:31:56 > 0:31:58over the reduction in passing trade,
0:31:58 > 0:32:00but that there is, unfortunately,
0:32:00 > 0:32:03"no legal basis for a claim for compensation,"
0:32:03 > 0:32:05and it is "vital for taxpayers"
0:32:05 > 0:32:08that the project is delivered "as efficiently as possible."
0:32:08 > 0:32:10They also said that they
0:32:10 > 0:32:12"worked closely with Wiltshire County Council"
0:32:12 > 0:32:16to plan the work in a way that "caused minimal disruption"
0:32:16 > 0:32:19and they made sure residents "were kept informed throughout."
0:32:20 > 0:32:23But Tim and Andy don't think that residents
0:32:23 > 0:32:25were informed enough about the work.
0:32:25 > 0:32:27For Network Rail, I think lessons need to be learned
0:32:27 > 0:32:30in the fact that they do need to talk
0:32:30 > 0:32:35and involve the community more so than they have done in the past.
0:32:35 > 0:32:37TRAIN HORN
0:32:38 > 0:32:40Well, since we filmed in Dauntsey,
0:32:40 > 0:32:43the bridge has reopened - ahead of schedule!
0:32:43 > 0:32:46So, while they remain annoyed, residents did at least
0:32:46 > 0:32:50get three weeks less disruption than was originally on the cards.
0:32:57 > 0:32:58If you'd like more advice
0:32:58 > 0:33:01on any of the situations we investigate on the programme,
0:33:01 > 0:33:04all you have to do is to log on to our website -
0:33:04 > 0:33:08bbc.co.uk/ripoffbritain -
0:33:08 > 0:33:12and there you'll find a huge range of practical information
0:33:12 > 0:33:16on everything from cold calling and how to check a company's credentials
0:33:16 > 0:33:20to warnings on the latest scams to look out for.
0:33:20 > 0:33:21You'll also find hints and tips
0:33:21 > 0:33:25from the experts and workshops at our pop-up shop,
0:33:25 > 0:33:27some of which can really save you money.
0:33:31 > 0:33:33With more cars than ever on British roads,
0:33:33 > 0:33:35keeping the traffic moving
0:33:35 > 0:33:39while also keeping drivers, passengers and pedestrians safe
0:33:39 > 0:33:41is quite a big challenge.
0:33:41 > 0:33:44So playing their part is everything from speed bumps
0:33:44 > 0:33:47and one-way systems to traffic calming and bus lanes.
0:33:47 > 0:33:51They're often monitored by an army of traffic cameras
0:33:51 > 0:33:54that record your number plate and then trigger a system
0:33:54 > 0:33:57that sends a fine directly to your home a few days later.
0:33:57 > 0:34:00Now, if it's a fair cop, then you might just pay the fine,
0:34:00 > 0:34:02chalk it down to experience
0:34:02 > 0:34:05and vow to drive a bit more carefully next time.
0:34:05 > 0:34:08But what happens if you don't think you broke the rules?
0:34:08 > 0:34:10Well, across the country,
0:34:10 > 0:34:13thousands of drivers are in exactly that situation,
0:34:13 > 0:34:16after cameras caught them driving in bus lanes
0:34:16 > 0:34:18that they say they didn't even know were there.
0:34:21 > 0:34:24For hundreds of years, the medieval city of York
0:34:24 > 0:34:27was confined firmly inside the city walls.
0:34:27 > 0:34:31And, although the city has long since spread beyond those walls,
0:34:31 > 0:34:35the heart of town is still crammed into narrow streets and bridges
0:34:35 > 0:34:39that are no wider now than they were when horses and carts pounded them.
0:34:39 > 0:34:43And that makes things tough for York's 200,000 residents.
0:34:43 > 0:34:46Among them, Nigel Rhodes.
0:34:46 > 0:34:49At times, it can become a bit of a nightmare...
0:34:49 > 0:34:51with the congestion.
0:34:51 > 0:34:53Nigel volunteers for a local charity,
0:34:53 > 0:34:57driving elderly people in and out of York city centre.
0:34:57 > 0:35:01But, on one trip in August 2013, he hadn't realised
0:35:01 > 0:35:03that York Council had introduced new rules
0:35:03 > 0:35:05to calm congestion in the city.
0:35:07 > 0:35:11I came straight through the lights at green and proceeded up here,
0:35:11 > 0:35:16just going about my business, never saw no cameras, never saw any signs.
0:35:18 > 0:35:21The council's new rules meant that they would now be responsible
0:35:21 > 0:35:25for enforcing traffic restrictions, rather than North Yorkshire Police,
0:35:25 > 0:35:27and camera enforcement would be used to monitor
0:35:27 > 0:35:30the new bus lanes where Nigel had driven -
0:35:30 > 0:35:35along Coppergate and also around the city's Lendal Bridge -
0:35:35 > 0:35:39to ensure that, during the daytime, only buses and taxis were allowed.
0:35:39 > 0:35:42All other cars were banned.
0:35:42 > 0:35:45But the first Nigel knew about that was a week later,
0:35:45 > 0:35:48when he was sent a £60 fine.
0:35:48 > 0:35:50He insists he couldn't see anything
0:35:50 > 0:35:53to tell drivers that new measures were in place.
0:35:53 > 0:35:57But even now, weeks later, Nigel still thinks the Coppergate cameras
0:35:57 > 0:36:00could catch out drivers who don't know that they're there.
0:36:01 > 0:36:05Like, where that bus is now and that car's behind there,
0:36:05 > 0:36:08how can they see that sign there?
0:36:08 > 0:36:11The driver is on right-hand side and he's right behind that bus.
0:36:11 > 0:36:14And then, when the bus pulls off when he's behind him,
0:36:14 > 0:36:17there's no way as he goes across there
0:36:17 > 0:36:21that he knows that he's not allowed to go into Coppergate.
0:36:23 > 0:36:24The signs ARE there,
0:36:24 > 0:36:27but it may be that, driving along here,
0:36:27 > 0:36:29you wouldn't have spotted them either.
0:36:29 > 0:36:33So, while the restrictions that caught out Nigel are in York,
0:36:33 > 0:36:36there are similar situations happening in towns and cities
0:36:36 > 0:36:37right across the country.
0:36:37 > 0:36:39Because there are plenty of other councils
0:36:39 > 0:36:41who've brought in part-time bus lanes
0:36:41 > 0:36:43as a way of tackling heavy traffic
0:36:43 > 0:36:45and, at the same time, plenty of other drivers who -
0:36:45 > 0:36:50like Nigel - say the new rules have NOT been made clear.
0:36:50 > 0:36:54Motoring lawyer Nick Freeman, famously known as "Mr Loophole",
0:36:54 > 0:36:58says it's crucial that when councils introduce new regulations like this,
0:36:58 > 0:37:01they have enough signs for drivers to spot.
0:37:03 > 0:37:06If there is a serious congestion problem,
0:37:06 > 0:37:08and the council feel that they need to have bus lanes,
0:37:08 > 0:37:11they need to comply with the appropriate provisions
0:37:11 > 0:37:14and appropriate legislation and they need to make sure
0:37:14 > 0:37:17that these bus lanes are properly signed and properly demarked.
0:37:19 > 0:37:20But that isn't always the case.
0:37:20 > 0:37:23And certainly in York, there are lots of drivers
0:37:23 > 0:37:27who'd agree with Nigel that the signs were NOT sufficiently clear.
0:37:27 > 0:37:32The new rules led to 57,000 motorists receiving penalty charges,
0:37:32 > 0:37:36netting the council a total of £1.3 million.
0:37:36 > 0:37:39Even the local tourist board joined in the row,
0:37:39 > 0:37:42raising concerns that unsuspecting tourists were being fined.
0:37:42 > 0:37:45And many drivers, Nigel included,
0:37:45 > 0:37:48felt so strongly about this that they refused to pay
0:37:48 > 0:37:51and took their case to the traffic penalty tribunal -
0:37:51 > 0:37:53a free, independent adjudication process
0:37:53 > 0:37:57that's the final port of call for anyone disputing a parking
0:37:57 > 0:38:02or bus lane penalty that's been issued by their local council.
0:38:02 > 0:38:04The adjudicator agreed with Nigel,
0:38:04 > 0:38:06and others who'd complained at the same time,
0:38:06 > 0:38:10that the signage on Coppergate and Lendal Bridge was NOT adequate.
0:38:13 > 0:38:18And in August 2014, a year after Nigel drove over Lendal Bridge,
0:38:18 > 0:38:21City of York Council made a big decision.
0:38:21 > 0:38:24Just as this programme was being finished, they told us that,
0:38:24 > 0:38:26subject to their normal approval procedures,
0:38:26 > 0:38:29they plan to refund all motorists who were fined
0:38:29 > 0:38:31for driving over Lendal Bridge.
0:38:31 > 0:38:35And they'll open up an application process for people to do that.
0:38:35 > 0:38:37They point out the bridge restrictions
0:38:37 > 0:38:42were only in place for a six-month trial, which has NOT been extended.
0:38:42 > 0:38:44But they say that, on Coppergate,
0:38:44 > 0:38:46while the traffic cameras might have been new,
0:38:46 > 0:38:49the restrictions had been in place for quite some time,
0:38:49 > 0:38:52so the council told us that they intend to challenge
0:38:52 > 0:38:56the Traffic Penalty Review's decision on the signage here.
0:38:56 > 0:39:00But they added that the traffic cameras have since been removed.
0:39:02 > 0:39:04Some believe it can suit local authorities
0:39:04 > 0:39:08to have confusing rules and regulations around bus lanes,
0:39:08 > 0:39:11as those caught out can provide useful funds
0:39:11 > 0:39:13to cash-strapped councils' coffers.
0:39:13 > 0:39:16The reason that Lendal Bridge didn't work
0:39:16 > 0:39:18was because the signage was described,
0:39:18 > 0:39:21on an appeal by a traffic adjudicator, as being inadequate.
0:39:21 > 0:39:24Motorists tend to be law-abiding citizens -
0:39:24 > 0:39:27they're not going to knowingly drive in a bus lane,
0:39:27 > 0:39:29knowing that it's going to be recorded on camera,
0:39:29 > 0:39:33knowing that it's going to cost them hard-earned cash.
0:39:33 > 0:39:35But York isn't the only city where there's been controversy
0:39:35 > 0:39:37over whether the new rules around bus lanes
0:39:37 > 0:39:39have been signposted well enough.
0:39:39 > 0:39:42In fact, it's happened across the country.
0:39:42 > 0:39:45In Birmingham, the Traffic Penalty Tribunal ruled
0:39:45 > 0:39:49that signage was not adequate at a number of city centre bus lanes,
0:39:49 > 0:39:53leading the council to review 18,000 penalties
0:39:53 > 0:39:57but, despite the ruling, they've only refunded 218 drivers.
0:39:59 > 0:40:03In Essex, the county council agreed to repay or cancel
0:40:03 > 0:40:0730,000 fines issued from bus lanes in Colchester.
0:40:08 > 0:40:13And, in Bath, the council refunded 7,200 penalty charge notices,
0:40:13 > 0:40:16totalling more than £200,000,
0:40:16 > 0:40:19after they acknowledged that some motorists found it difficult
0:40:19 > 0:40:24to adjust to the changes and to alter their normal travel patterns.
0:40:24 > 0:40:27It seems that, nationwide, there's a lot of confusion -
0:40:27 > 0:40:28and embarrassment -
0:40:28 > 0:40:31that does nothing to solve the problems that the bus lanes
0:40:31 > 0:40:34were designed for in the first place.
0:40:34 > 0:40:35The whole purpose of having a bus lane
0:40:35 > 0:40:37is not to set a trap to the motorist.
0:40:37 > 0:40:39The purpose, the spirit behind the bus lane
0:40:39 > 0:40:42is to ensure that you have a bus lane for buses to use.
0:40:42 > 0:40:45I think the difficulties that councils have at the moment
0:40:45 > 0:40:48is that they're cash-strapped, and motorists are an easy target -
0:40:48 > 0:40:51they tend to just pay up without question -
0:40:51 > 0:40:55and it fills their urgently-needed coffers, which are empty.
0:40:55 > 0:40:58Nigel is glad that he didn't pay up without question,
0:40:58 > 0:41:00and he thinks more drivers should do as he did
0:41:00 > 0:41:04and appeal any fine they consider unfair and he hopes that,
0:41:04 > 0:41:06thanks to motorists like him appealing their tickets,
0:41:06 > 0:41:09everyone might soon get their money back.
0:41:09 > 0:41:10Well, it was a complete rip-off
0:41:10 > 0:41:13and I just hope the people of York get their money back.
0:41:22 > 0:41:23Here at Rip-Off Britain,
0:41:23 > 0:41:27we're always ready to investigate more of your stories.
0:41:27 > 0:41:29You can write to us at...
0:41:36 > 0:41:38..or send us an e-mail to...
0:41:42 > 0:41:46The Rip-Off team is ready and waiting to investigate your stories.
0:41:49 > 0:41:50Well, as we've just seen,
0:41:50 > 0:41:53it can feel like a real David and Goliath battle
0:41:53 > 0:41:56to get decisions such as the ones in today's programme overturned,
0:41:56 > 0:41:59especially if you can't understand why that decision
0:41:59 > 0:42:00was made in the first place.
0:42:00 > 0:42:02I must say, I did find some of those stories
0:42:02 > 0:42:04rather surprising and extremely interesting.
0:42:04 > 0:42:07But I'm sure we've given you plenty of food for thought
0:42:07 > 0:42:10should you find yourself going through something similar,
0:42:10 > 0:42:12especially if you're planning on building an extension
0:42:12 > 0:42:14or that granny annexe!
0:42:14 > 0:42:17But, on that note, that's where we have to leave you for today,
0:42:17 > 0:42:21but do please keep telling us who you think has treated you unfairly
0:42:21 > 0:42:23and we'll keep trying to get to the bottom of what's gone on.
0:42:23 > 0:42:26And, indeed, you can contact us through our website...
0:42:29 > 0:42:33..where you'll also find lots of tips and advice from our experts,
0:42:33 > 0:42:37as well as details of how you could take part in future programmes,
0:42:37 > 0:42:40including a very special week of live programmes
0:42:40 > 0:42:42that we've got coming up that we'd love you to get involved in.
0:42:42 > 0:42:46But, for now, thanks for watching and you'll see you us all very soon.
0:42:46 > 0:42:48- Bye-bye. - BOTH: Bye-bye.