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 > 0:00:10You've told us about the companies you think get it wrong
0:00:10 > 0:00:13and the customer service that simply is not up to scratch.
0:00:13 > 0:00:14People should expect more
0:00:14 > 0:00:17for when they're paying for something these days.
0:00:17 > 0:00:20Everything you buy, I just think we're getting ripped off.
0:00:20 > 0:00:23You've asked us to track down the scammers who stole your money
0:00:23 > 0:00:27and investigate the extra charges you'd say are unfair.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29We have to rely on them giving you a fair price for something.
0:00:29 > 0:00:31You can't always rely on that.
0:00:31 > 0:00:33You don't want more hassle.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36You want them to honour their agreement with you.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39And when you've lost out but no-one else is to blame,
0:00:39 > 0:00:42you've come to us to stop others falling into the same trap.
0:00:42 > 0:00:45That is disgusting!
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.
0:01:01 > 0:01:03Hello, and welcome to Rip-Off Britain,
0:01:03 > 0:01:05the programme that really likes to make sure
0:01:05 > 0:01:06that whatever you're buying,
0:01:06 > 0:01:09you really are getting it at a fair price.
0:01:09 > 0:01:11After all, there's nothing that any of us hate more
0:01:11 > 0:01:13than feeling we've been ripped off
0:01:13 > 0:01:17when we get to the till or when a big bill comes through the post.
0:01:17 > 0:01:18And in fact, that's what all the stories
0:01:18 > 0:01:22in today's programme are about - those moments that make you wonder
0:01:22 > 0:01:25whether what you've paid for really was worth it.
0:01:25 > 0:01:26Which is absolutely infuriating.
0:01:26 > 0:01:28But as we'll see, there are some cases
0:01:28 > 0:01:31where the product you're buying is not cheaper elsewhere.
0:01:31 > 0:01:35So if you've ever felt you paid over the odds, you're not alone.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38And today we're after answers from some of the companies
0:01:38 > 0:01:41that you've told us about, whom you think are charging just too much.
0:01:41 > 0:01:43In some cases, not even delivering
0:01:43 > 0:01:45what you're paying for in the first place.
0:01:46 > 0:01:49Coming up, as we test out an expensive new way
0:01:49 > 0:01:50to tackle cold calls,
0:01:50 > 0:01:53we meet the sons desperate to protect their father
0:01:53 > 0:01:56from being persuaded into buying overpriced products
0:01:56 > 0:01:57he just doesn't need.
0:01:59 > 0:02:00Makes me feel really bad.
0:02:00 > 0:02:02I mean, there's my father, he's getting on in life
0:02:02 > 0:02:04and now needs protecting
0:02:04 > 0:02:07and there's people out there trying to rip off his money. I'm disgusted.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11And it may well be called the beautiful game,
0:02:11 > 0:02:14but we'll reveal which football clubs tops the league
0:02:14 > 0:02:18for the not so pretty prices you'll be paying for wearing their colours.
0:02:18 > 0:02:22It might cost me 50, 60, 70 quid to buy that shirt,
0:02:22 > 0:02:26but if you're having to do that each season, it's going to become
0:02:26 > 0:02:27incredibly hefty on the pocket.
0:02:31 > 0:02:33Whether it's a cold call on your phone,
0:02:33 > 0:02:35an enthusiastic approach from someone in the street,
0:02:35 > 0:02:37or indeed a knock at your front door,
0:02:37 > 0:02:41there's absolutely no shortage of all those eager sales people
0:02:41 > 0:02:44trying to grab our attention with the promise of irresistible deals.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47We all have our own ways, of course, of dealing with them.
0:02:47 > 0:02:48Mine is usually a polite,
0:02:48 > 0:02:51"No, thank you. I'm making dinner," before I hang up the phone.
0:02:51 > 0:02:55But there are those who find it more difficult to say no,
0:02:55 > 0:02:59and there are particular concerns that people with Alzheimer's
0:02:59 > 0:03:01or forms of dementia can find themselves
0:03:01 > 0:03:04spending hundreds or even thousands of pounds
0:03:04 > 0:03:07without fully appreciating what has actually been agreed.
0:03:10 > 0:03:12Alan Partridge is 84.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15No, not that one. This one.
0:03:15 > 0:03:17Ahh!
0:03:18 > 0:03:21Our Alan Partridge has put sharing a name
0:03:21 > 0:03:24with a fictional comedy character to good use,
0:03:24 > 0:03:26taking part in skits and spoofs in local papers
0:03:26 > 0:03:28to raise money for charity.
0:03:28 > 0:03:32And long before that Alan Partridge was even a twinkle
0:03:32 > 0:03:33in comedian Steve Coogan's eye,
0:03:33 > 0:03:37this one led a successful career as a physicist.
0:03:37 > 0:03:42You went in to science because you were learning...
0:03:45 > 0:03:47You were learning new techniques.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50Sadly now, Alan's been diagnosed with dementia,
0:03:50 > 0:03:54prompting his sons, Jim and Luke, to keep a closer eye on him.
0:03:54 > 0:03:55He's mainly coherent, isn't he?
0:03:55 > 0:03:57Just sometimes his memory's going,
0:03:57 > 0:03:59and it's not like he's stupid or anything,
0:03:59 > 0:04:01it's just he gets forgetful.
0:04:01 > 0:04:05Dad has trouble evaluating whether something is a risk now, doesn't he?
0:04:05 > 0:04:07- Yeah. He never used to. - He never used to.
0:04:07 > 0:04:12He is a really bright guy, but he no longer can make
0:04:12 > 0:04:15those sort of decisions and protect himself.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18- He can be led easily. - Yeah, that's right.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22And that's what Jim and Luke fear might have happened
0:04:22 > 0:04:23in January, 2014,
0:04:23 > 0:04:25when Alan answered a cold-call
0:04:25 > 0:04:29which resulted in a salesman coming round to his house.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32His memory of the subsequent sales pitch isn't too clear.
0:04:32 > 0:04:34But it ended with Alan agreeing
0:04:34 > 0:04:36to have two air conditioning units installed.
0:04:36 > 0:04:42He signed up to pay instalments totalling £7,745.
0:04:42 > 0:04:47And when Jim and Luke found out what he paid, they were horrified.
0:04:47 > 0:04:49So did you understand how much it was going to cost you
0:04:49 > 0:04:53- right from the start? - Not really, no.- Cos I know you...
0:04:53 > 0:04:55Do you remember the original cheque you wrote for them?
0:04:55 > 0:04:57- How much that was for?- Not offhand.
0:04:57 > 0:05:03The next thing was they were coming round with the actual heaters.
0:05:04 > 0:05:07And that's when they asked you for the balance,
0:05:07 > 0:05:10- which was £5,000, was it? - Something like that.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14The cheque for the deposit had been cashed, but Jim and Luke
0:05:14 > 0:05:17were able to stop any later payments going out of Alan's account.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20They believe that the salesman talked their dad
0:05:20 > 0:05:23into buying air conditioning units that he simply didn't need
0:05:23 > 0:05:25at hugely inflated prices.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28But Alan's memory of what he was promised isn't clear.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30It wasn't till, you know...
0:05:33 > 0:05:36..the ultimate requests for additional money came
0:05:36 > 0:05:42that it suddenly shook me... Stopped me...
0:05:42 > 0:05:45- Stopped you in your tracks, didn't it?- Yeah, that's right.
0:05:45 > 0:05:47Alan's family say the air conditioning units
0:05:47 > 0:05:49Alan had installed aren't the first things
0:05:49 > 0:05:51that he's bought from cold callers.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54Jim and Luke believe he finds it hard to say no
0:05:54 > 0:05:56to someone on his doorstep,
0:05:56 > 0:05:58but they still want him to hold on to the independence he has
0:05:58 > 0:06:00living on his own.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03So they're installing a CCTV system so he can see
0:06:03 > 0:06:05exactly who's ringing the bell
0:06:05 > 0:06:08before deciding whether or not to let them in.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11Makes me feel really bad. I mean, there's my father,
0:06:11 > 0:06:13he's getting on in life and now needs protecting
0:06:13 > 0:06:17and there's people out there trying to rip off his money. I'm disgusted.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20The company who sold Alan his two air conditioning units wanted him
0:06:20 > 0:06:25to pay not far off £8,000 to buy and install them.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28So we've shopped around to see how much other businesses
0:06:28 > 0:06:30would typically charge for the same two units.
0:06:30 > 0:06:33And even the most expensive quote we were given
0:06:33 > 0:06:36was over £4,000 less than Alan was asked for.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39After Jim and Luke had stopped any further payments,
0:06:39 > 0:06:42they asked their solicitor to write to the sales firm
0:06:42 > 0:06:44explaining that the price they were charging Alan
0:06:44 > 0:06:46seemed grossly inflated.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49They also asked for the contract to be rescinded,
0:06:49 > 0:06:51the units to be removed,
0:06:51 > 0:06:54and for Alan's £2,000 deposit to be refunded in full.
0:06:54 > 0:06:56To me, it seems almost criminal
0:06:56 > 0:06:59- to take advantage of someone that's vulnerable.- Yeah.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04When we spoke to the sales company, they told us that at the time,
0:07:04 > 0:07:08they believed the installation had been "completed satisfactorily",
0:07:08 > 0:07:11as Alan hadn't let them know that he was unhappy,
0:07:11 > 0:07:13nor were they aware he had dementia,
0:07:13 > 0:07:16telling us he didn't display any signs of it whatsoever.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20The company also rejected criticism of the price,
0:07:20 > 0:07:25saying their own costs would have been approximately £5,000 - £6,000
0:07:25 > 0:07:29taking into account the various commissions, charges, and overheads.
0:07:29 > 0:07:33They believe they would have a good case to begin legal proceedings
0:07:33 > 0:07:37to recover the unpaid balance, but have decided not to do so
0:07:37 > 0:07:40in light of "the possibility that Alan may suffer
0:07:40 > 0:07:41"from some form of dementia".
0:07:41 > 0:07:44Instead, they have refunded Alan's deposit,
0:07:44 > 0:07:46written off all the other charges,
0:07:46 > 0:07:48and will allow him to keep the system for free.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53Of course, it's not always easy for door-to-door sellers
0:07:53 > 0:07:56to judge whether a potential customer is in a fit state
0:07:56 > 0:07:58to make an informed decision.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01But the issue of vulnerable people being sold
0:08:01 > 0:08:04and particularly mis-sold something on their doorstep
0:08:04 > 0:08:06is a concern for the government.
0:08:06 > 0:08:07It's not just immoral, it's illegal.
0:08:07 > 0:08:11And it's really important that we do everything we can to drive them
0:08:11 > 0:08:13out of the business so that just legitimate traders are left
0:08:13 > 0:08:17and that vulnerable people are protected as much as we can.
0:08:17 > 0:08:19Thanks to a new EU directive,
0:08:19 > 0:08:21even if you have signed on the dotted line,
0:08:21 > 0:08:25you can now still pull out of doorstep purchases within 14 days.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28And our own government is increasing the amount of time
0:08:28 > 0:08:31consumers can cancel a contract and receive a full refund
0:08:31 > 0:08:34after they think they've been mis-sold something.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37So we're extending to 90 days the length of time they have
0:08:37 > 0:08:39to take action against the tradesmen,
0:08:39 > 0:08:42which gives them three months, which should hopefully
0:08:42 > 0:08:44be long enough to help most people be able to take action
0:08:44 > 0:08:47before they have to go down the court route.
0:08:47 > 0:08:51For Jim and Luke, though, these measures simply don't go far enough.
0:08:51 > 0:08:54I think door-to-door, definitely they should ban it.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57I think if we belong in a modern society
0:08:57 > 0:09:00where there's an increasing number of elderly and vulnerable people,
0:09:00 > 0:09:03we owe it to them to create a system whereby they're protected
0:09:03 > 0:09:06and we should all take responsibility for the elderly
0:09:06 > 0:09:09and not let them be vulnerable...
0:09:09 > 0:09:11or exploited by people that are deliberately
0:09:11 > 0:09:13trying to take their money.
0:09:18 > 0:09:22Next, a phrase to chill the blood - cold calls.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25We've all had them and most of us hate them.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28Now, we've often mentioned the official free service,
0:09:28 > 0:09:30which is designed to try and cut down on the number
0:09:30 > 0:09:32of unwanted calls that you receive,
0:09:32 > 0:09:36but this year you've been telling us about other ways to stop cold calls.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39But these ones cost money, and as you can probably guess
0:09:39 > 0:09:42by the fact we've been getting complaints about them,
0:09:42 > 0:09:44they don't always do what you hoped for.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47On top of that, though, and this is what really takes the biscuit,
0:09:47 > 0:09:51the way you may be contacted to sign up with the service is, yes,
0:09:51 > 0:09:54you've guessed it, an unsolicited call.
0:09:54 > 0:09:56In other words, it's a cold call
0:09:56 > 0:09:59that promises to stop your cold-calls. Lovely.
0:09:59 > 0:10:01So what do you get in return for your money?
0:10:03 > 0:10:06It's something most of us have experienced at one time or another.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09This is a once in a lifetime deal.
0:10:09 > 0:10:14Eight out of ten homes with a landline were cold called in 2013,
0:10:14 > 0:10:18and one in ten had more than 20 calls a month.
0:10:19 > 0:10:25Crossword enthusiast Mavis Chattle from Sheffield is plagued by them.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28I get a lot of cold calls, sometimes two or three times a day.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32People try to sell me all sorts of stuff
0:10:32 > 0:10:35PHONE RINGS and it's just a perishing nuisance.
0:10:35 > 0:10:39You've got to stop what you're doing, answer the telephone.
0:10:39 > 0:10:41But it is upsetting. It is annoying.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44But Mavis has tried to put an end to the cold calls.
0:10:44 > 0:10:46Like more than 20 million others,
0:10:46 > 0:10:49she's registered with the Telephone Preference Service,
0:10:49 > 0:10:51set up to stop unsolicited calls.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54In fact, it's illegal for companies to cold call anyone
0:10:54 > 0:10:56who's registered with the service.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59But it doesn't always work.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02Even the people behind the Telephone Preference Service
0:11:02 > 0:11:07admit they can't stop every call, something Mavis knows only too well.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10So when she was called out of the blue by a company
0:11:10 > 0:11:14with a very similar name, the Telecom Protection Service,
0:11:14 > 0:11:17who claimed that they could stop all her nuisance calls
0:11:17 > 0:11:21for just a small fee, Mavis jumped at the chance.
0:11:21 > 0:11:26I've been on this list for goodness knows how many years
0:11:26 > 0:11:28and they're still phoning me up.
0:11:28 > 0:11:33And you think, "Well, OK, if it costs me, £9.99 to stop it...
0:11:34 > 0:11:36"I'll pay it."
0:11:36 > 0:11:38But Mavis' optimism was short lived.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41Well, as soon as I put the phone down, my husband said,
0:11:41 > 0:11:44"That's not right. That's a con."
0:11:46 > 0:11:50So I tried phoning them back on the telephone number
0:11:50 > 0:11:54that they'd given me, and they said there was no such number.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57So I phoned my bank
0:11:57 > 0:12:01and within two telephone calls,
0:12:01 > 0:12:05£79.99 had been taken out of my account.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08This was very different to what Mavis thought she'd agreed to -
0:12:08 > 0:12:13a one-off payment of £9.99 to stop all cold calls, for good.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16I was thinking I was an idiot.
0:12:17 > 0:12:21But also, that this shouldn't have been allowed to happen
0:12:21 > 0:12:22in the first place.
0:12:23 > 0:12:28Unsure what to do next, Mavis asked her daughter, Laura, for help.
0:12:28 > 0:12:29When I heard what had happened,
0:12:29 > 0:12:32at first, I was really concerned about giving over bank details
0:12:32 > 0:12:34on the phone to a company we didn't know.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36I'd never heard of them before.
0:12:37 > 0:12:41Not expecting to see anything for the money she'd paid the company,
0:12:41 > 0:12:43Mavis was surprised when, a few days later,
0:12:43 > 0:12:46the Telecom Protection Service sent her a parcel
0:12:46 > 0:12:49containing a small white plastic box.
0:12:49 > 0:12:52But she was baffled as to what it was actually for.
0:12:52 > 0:12:57Laura suspected the box was designed to block unwanted calls.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00But as Mavis didn't recall any such thing being mentioned on the phone,
0:13:00 > 0:13:04she sent the box back and asked for a refund.
0:13:04 > 0:13:06But then nothing happened. I kept having to phone.
0:13:06 > 0:13:09I kept having to ring them up and see what was happening.
0:13:09 > 0:13:10I spoke to the manager.
0:13:10 > 0:13:14He said that the box hadn't been returned,
0:13:14 > 0:13:15that it had not arrived,
0:13:15 > 0:13:17and he gave me a run around on the phone, really.
0:13:17 > 0:13:19There was no way she was going to get a refund.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24Mavis doesn't know much about the Telecom Protection Service.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27After all, they contacted her, not the other way around.
0:13:27 > 0:13:31So we've been doing a bit of digging into the company on her behalf
0:13:31 > 0:13:35and found that their website makes some pretty bold claims.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38They describe themselves as being an added value service
0:13:38 > 0:13:40to the Telephone Preference Service,
0:13:40 > 0:13:44the free service that Mavis' number was already registered with.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48The website makes some strong statements
0:13:48 > 0:13:50about where the official Telephone Preference Service fails
0:13:50 > 0:13:54and where their own Telecom Protection Service comes in.
0:13:54 > 0:13:58They say they're committed to fully stopping all UK cold calls
0:13:58 > 0:14:01and reducing calls from overseas,
0:14:01 > 0:14:04but that the free Telephone Preference Service isn't.
0:14:05 > 0:14:09We wanted to get our hands on one of these mysterious white boxes
0:14:09 > 0:14:11to see just what they can do.
0:14:11 > 0:14:15But Mavis had sent hers back when she asked for a refund.
0:14:15 > 0:14:17So we asked another viewer who'd contacted us
0:14:17 > 0:14:19with a similar complaint.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22Peter, from Powys, agreed to submit his box
0:14:22 > 0:14:26to the scrutiny of our tech expert, David McClelland.
0:14:26 > 0:14:30The instructions provided in the box tell you how to install it
0:14:30 > 0:14:33and how to plug the cables in, but they don't tell you
0:14:33 > 0:14:36how to configure it, and for that, I had to go online
0:14:36 > 0:14:37and hunt for them myself.
0:14:37 > 0:14:41And when I did find them, they're still pretty complex.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44It seems the box is a legitimate call blocker,
0:14:44 > 0:14:46but there's a lot of work for David to carry out
0:14:46 > 0:14:49before it will actually start doing its job.
0:14:49 > 0:14:53And even then, it can only stop calls from a nuisance number
0:14:53 > 0:14:55after the first time you've had one.
0:14:55 > 0:14:58Because of how the box works, you need to receive a nuisance call
0:14:58 > 0:15:00in order to then block them.
0:15:00 > 0:15:02And that's a problem
0:15:02 > 0:15:04because a lot of nuisance callers know
0:15:04 > 0:15:05how these call-blocking devices work,
0:15:05 > 0:15:08they know that people try to remember these numbers
0:15:08 > 0:15:10so they will change the number that they're calling from.
0:15:10 > 0:15:12So really it's a moving target.
0:15:12 > 0:15:14It's a cat and mouse game if you like,
0:15:14 > 0:15:17with you blocking certain numbers and the nuisance callers
0:15:17 > 0:15:19using different numbers,
0:15:19 > 0:15:21still to carry on giving you these nuisance calls.
0:15:22 > 0:15:26Still, the box does appear to have some useful features.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29The call-blocker also lets you block any incoming calls
0:15:29 > 0:15:32from withheld, private, or international numbers.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35Now that might sound like a good idea, but sometimes you get
0:15:35 > 0:15:38good calls from withheld numbers.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41For example, from doctors or from local council,
0:15:41 > 0:15:44or from companies that you might want to hear from.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48In any case, that, along with some of the box's other functions,
0:15:48 > 0:15:52are services that you can usually get from your phone provider
0:15:52 > 0:15:55for a small fee, typically under £5 a month.
0:15:56 > 0:15:58And even if you did want a box that does the same,
0:15:58 > 0:16:01you don't have to fork out £80 for it.
0:16:02 > 0:16:06Having a look online, I can see that the box is available
0:16:06 > 0:16:10from other retailers for really a fraction of that cost.
0:16:11 > 0:16:14We put all this to the Telecom Protection Service,
0:16:14 > 0:16:17but so far they haven't replied to any of our questions.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22But with other companies selling similar products
0:16:22 > 0:16:24and making the same sort of claims,
0:16:24 > 0:16:27we asked the official Telephone Preference Service
0:16:27 > 0:16:31what they make of all the businesses promising they can do better.
0:16:31 > 0:16:32There's quite a range
0:16:32 > 0:16:34of organisations that are out there
0:16:34 > 0:16:38claiming to help people deal with the issue of nuisance calls.
0:16:38 > 0:16:42On one end of things, we've got companies that will charge you a fee
0:16:42 > 0:16:46to put your name on a list, similar to TPS,
0:16:46 > 0:16:50and then they claim to distribute that list amongst call centres
0:16:50 > 0:16:52around the world so that you won't get called anymore.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55At the other end of the spectrum, you've got organisations
0:16:55 > 0:16:57that are basically just a complete scam.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00They'll call you up and they may even claim to be from the TPS,
0:17:00 > 0:17:03BT, or another telecoms provider,
0:17:03 > 0:17:05and they will just want your credit card details, take some money,
0:17:05 > 0:17:08and you'll never hear from them again.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11So why can't the TPS ensure that once you've signed up,
0:17:11 > 0:17:14you won't receive any further cold calls?
0:17:14 > 0:17:16The important thing to remember about TPS
0:17:16 > 0:17:18is that it's not a call-blocking system.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21So it does rely on companies obeying the law
0:17:21 > 0:17:24and following the correct legislation.
0:17:24 > 0:17:26But there are always companies out there
0:17:26 > 0:17:28that are willing to ignore the law.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30With that in mind,
0:17:30 > 0:17:35David has plenty of tips to help avoid unwanted calls.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38Try not to give out your number when you don't have to,
0:17:38 > 0:17:41particularly when filling in forms on paper or online
0:17:41 > 0:17:44because sometimes these numbers can make it into the wrong hands,
0:17:44 > 0:17:48and that's where some of these marketing calls do come from.
0:17:48 > 0:17:50Screening calls is actually a very efficient way
0:17:50 > 0:17:54of managing nuisance calls, either using a call blocker
0:17:54 > 0:17:56or even a simple answering machine.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59Fact is, if it's friends or family that want to speak to you,
0:17:59 > 0:18:01they will leave you a message.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04If it's a marketing company, they probably won't.
0:18:04 > 0:18:06And as a last resort, if you've tried everything else
0:18:06 > 0:18:09and you're still being deluged by these nuisance calls,
0:18:09 > 0:18:11consider changing your number.
0:18:11 > 0:18:16Speak to your service provider and ask them for a non-recycled number.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19Meanwhile, because Mavis paid her money
0:18:19 > 0:18:22to the Telecom Protection Service with her bank card,
0:18:22 > 0:18:25she has been able to get her money back from her bank.
0:18:25 > 0:18:29Even so, the whole experience has made Laura worry about her mother
0:18:29 > 0:18:31receiving more cold calls.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36I'm concerned about her getting calls in the future
0:18:36 > 0:18:39because they talked her into giving her bank details out to them,
0:18:39 > 0:18:41which she knows not to do.
0:18:41 > 0:18:45But they talk to you in such a way, they convince you that it's safe.
0:18:45 > 0:18:47I mean, most of the time now she's just putting the phone down
0:18:47 > 0:18:49if she doesn't know the person on the other end,
0:18:49 > 0:18:53and I think that's the safest thing to do if you get these calls.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01Still to come on Rip-Off Britain - the customers who all say
0:19:01 > 0:19:03they didn't get the phone and broadband deal
0:19:03 > 0:19:05the same company promised them.
0:19:05 > 0:19:07Can we sort everything out?
0:19:07 > 0:19:11I was very distressed and fraught.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13And to be honest, I felt a bit bamboozled.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21For one weekend in summer, we brought our team of experts
0:19:21 > 0:19:25to the West Midlands with our Rip-Off Britain Pop Up Shop.
0:19:25 > 0:19:29Not only were we giving out advice inside the shop,
0:19:29 > 0:19:31but outside, we ran plenty of workshops
0:19:31 > 0:19:33absolutely packed with information
0:19:33 > 0:19:36to answer the consumer queries we hear the most.
0:19:36 > 0:19:40Come and join us because we're going to tell you all about credit ratings!
0:19:41 > 0:19:44Financial expert Sarah Pennells had lots of facts and tips
0:19:44 > 0:19:47on how and why you should check your credit file.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50So there are three credit reference agencies
0:19:50 > 0:19:53called Experian, Equifax, and Call Credit,
0:19:53 > 0:19:56and they get fed in information every month
0:19:56 > 0:19:58from all the companies that supply credit.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01They will then compile that information,
0:20:01 > 0:20:03and that's why it's so important for you
0:20:03 > 0:20:06to make sure the information is correct.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09So your credit report... You can get hold of that directly
0:20:09 > 0:20:11from the credit reference agencies.
0:20:11 > 0:20:13Does it cost you anything or is it just a phone call?
0:20:13 > 0:20:15Unfortunately, it does cost you.
0:20:15 > 0:20:20- It'll cost you £2 a time from each company.- That's not too much.
0:20:20 > 0:20:22I think it's £6 really well spent
0:20:22 > 0:20:25and I would recommend that you go to each of the companies.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27What you'll actually see for £2 is your credit file
0:20:27 > 0:20:31and that shows you exactly what the companies will see
0:20:31 > 0:20:35when they're assessing whether you're a good or bad credit risk.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39Have you ever thought of checking your credit rating, sir?
0:20:39 > 0:20:41No, I've never done it and I'm an accountant,
0:20:41 > 0:20:43so you'd think I would, but I've never done it.
0:20:43 > 0:20:44But I've got plenty of clients
0:20:44 > 0:20:47who've had adverse credit ratings that isn't their fault.
0:20:47 > 0:20:49If they've missed a payment, then moved house,
0:20:49 > 0:20:50then it's a very small amount
0:20:50 > 0:20:52outstanding on a phone bill or something.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55And just one missed bill, as you say, you've moved house
0:20:55 > 0:20:57or are on holiday, and it can make a huge difference.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02This year we were really struck by how many of you came in
0:21:02 > 0:21:05with problems to do with those cold-call blocking devices
0:21:05 > 0:21:07we saw earlier in the programme.
0:21:07 > 0:21:08It seems clear a lot of you
0:21:08 > 0:21:11aren't sure what you're getting for your money.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14- Are you Gilbert?- I'm Gilbert. - Hi Gilbert, I'm Gloria.
0:21:14 > 0:21:17Gilbert Tunley is just one of the people who got a cold call
0:21:17 > 0:21:19persuading him to buy one.
0:21:19 > 0:21:21But he hasn't found it easy to set up.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24So he's brought it to show technology expert, David McClelland,
0:21:24 > 0:21:27who by now is familiar with how they're supposed to work.
0:21:27 > 0:21:29I wrote a letter back and said,
0:21:29 > 0:21:33"I'm sorry this isn't what I want at all. Could I, er...
0:21:33 > 0:21:37"I want to return it. If you've taken any money,
0:21:37 > 0:21:39"could I have a refund of any money you may have taken?"
0:21:39 > 0:21:42A week later, they sent this letter which said
0:21:42 > 0:21:46that I was outside a three-week cooling-off period.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49I must admit, I didn't know about that.
0:21:49 > 0:21:52Then I looked at how much they wanted overall,
0:21:52 > 0:21:55they want me to pay them £119.95.
0:21:55 > 0:21:57I don't want that. I can't afford it!
0:21:57 > 0:22:00Yes. So really your purpose here today
0:22:00 > 0:22:03is to warn other people about this device.
0:22:03 > 0:22:05Cold calls are a nuisance and they are a fact.
0:22:05 > 0:22:07We get them whether we like it or not,
0:22:07 > 0:22:09so it's a question of how we deal with those.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12This little box that they've sold to you...
0:22:12 > 0:22:16They actually kind of do work, but they are not straightforward.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19The fact is, you can buy these online for not very much money.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22The other thing is, what are they actually selling you?
0:22:22 > 0:22:25They're selling you this box, which we can pick up online
0:22:25 > 0:22:29for about £30, they're opting you out of the official register,
0:22:29 > 0:22:33that's the TPS, that's the Telephone Preference Service.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36The key thing is that is a free service.
0:22:36 > 0:22:38The idea behind that is that your number
0:22:38 > 0:22:41goes onto an official register and any marketing companies
0:22:41 > 0:22:44that follow by the official rules will therefore not call you.
0:22:44 > 0:22:48Really they're taking a £80-90 premium
0:22:48 > 0:22:51just for the privilege of them having phoned you up
0:22:51 > 0:22:53and offering some telephone support.
0:22:53 > 0:22:55And when it doesn't work, it's an even bigger rip off.
0:22:55 > 0:22:58So what I would suggest is that you put a letter stating
0:22:58 > 0:23:01this is what's happened. I do not want to be part of this anymore.
0:23:01 > 0:23:05I am returning, recorded delivery, the goods back to you.
0:23:05 > 0:23:07I don't expect to hear anymore of this situation.
0:23:10 > 0:23:14While the excitement of the World Cup has long since faded,
0:23:14 > 0:23:19the frustration felt by many families who were pestered
0:23:19 > 0:23:21into shelling out £90 for the latest
0:23:21 > 0:23:24official England football shirt probably hasn't.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27You know, we get a steady stream of complaints about just how much
0:23:27 > 0:23:31it costs these days to show support for your favourite football team.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34And, whilst of course, no-one is actually forcing you
0:23:34 > 0:23:37into buying a shirt, with so many clubs now changing their kit
0:23:37 > 0:23:41pretty much every season, even the most die-hard fans can see
0:23:41 > 0:23:46that their loyalty and their wallets are being severely stretched.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49So we've worked out our very own league table
0:23:49 > 0:23:53to see which champions of the beautiful game
0:23:53 > 0:23:56have what some might call the ugliest prices.
0:23:59 > 0:24:04This group of 11 and 12-year-olds near Stockport are football crazy.
0:24:04 > 0:24:08And they're coached by the equally enthusiastic 21-year-old Connor.
0:24:08 > 0:24:10He's a Wolverhampton Wanderers fan
0:24:10 > 0:24:13and his love of the team goes way back.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16The first game that I can really think of that really stands out
0:24:16 > 0:24:18was when I was about ten years old.
0:24:18 > 0:24:20And it was a playoff final.
0:24:20 > 0:24:24In this game, a player stepped up to take this penalty.
0:24:24 > 0:24:29He saved this penalty, and the whole stadium goes mental.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32From that moment, I just knew I wanted to be a part of football.
0:24:32 > 0:24:36Like many a true fan, Connor wears his love for his team on his chest.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38I had this one when I was about eight or so...
0:24:38 > 0:24:40It's the first goal keeper shirt I ever got.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43And then we get a bit more recent, like this one.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46Only a couple of seasons old now.
0:24:46 > 0:24:48This is last season's. Yeah, nice kit.
0:24:48 > 0:24:50I really liked that one
0:24:50 > 0:24:52so I wanted to buy that one as soon as possible.
0:24:52 > 0:24:56But Connor has found that demonstrating support for his team
0:24:56 > 0:24:59by buying the latest season's kit comes at a price.
0:24:59 > 0:25:04It shouldn't cost that much to have to follow your team,
0:25:04 > 0:25:06so I tend to wait towards the end of the season,
0:25:06 > 0:25:09where maybe, I don't know, they're about to introduce the new one
0:25:09 > 0:25:11and it's sort of come down a bit.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14But not all football fans are quite as patient.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16When their team's new shirt comes out,
0:25:16 > 0:25:18many of this lot want it straightaway.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23When the new shirt comes out, I think, "Oh, I want that!"
0:25:23 > 0:25:26And hope that my mum and dad might buy me it.
0:25:26 > 0:25:28When your friends ask you, "Who do you support?"
0:25:28 > 0:25:30And you say whatever team,
0:25:30 > 0:25:32and then they ask, "Have you got the top?"
0:25:32 > 0:25:35And then you say, "No, cos it's too expensive,"
0:25:35 > 0:25:37then you're a bit of a laughing stock.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40The kids I coach, definitely, they love the shirts,
0:25:40 > 0:25:43but they're still paying £30, £40 for it.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46Then you've got the full-size adult kit,
0:25:46 > 0:25:48which is another ten pounds on top.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50It's just ridiculous.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54For kids, Manchester United and Manchester City
0:25:54 > 0:25:57have two of the most expensive shirts.
0:25:57 > 0:26:01Their latest junior home strip costs £42,
0:26:01 > 0:26:03and that's just for a short-sleeved shirt.
0:26:03 > 0:26:06But that price is kicked into touch by Chelsea,
0:26:06 > 0:26:09who flog their version for £45.
0:26:09 > 0:26:11Add in £20 for the shorts, £12 for the socks,
0:26:11 > 0:26:14and you're up to £77.
0:26:14 > 0:26:18Throw in personalised patches and printing and that's another £14.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21Making a full, personalised junior Chelsea kit
0:26:21 > 0:26:25the Russian billionaire-friendly price of £91.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28My mum and dad says that, like, it's a rip off
0:26:28 > 0:26:33because it's dead cheap material and I get it dirty really fast.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38At least mum and dad are only paying the kids prices
0:26:38 > 0:26:42because, as Connor points out, the adult ones cost even more.
0:26:42 > 0:26:46So who's offside when it comes to their shirt prices?
0:26:46 > 0:26:49Let's kick off the Rip-Off Costly Kit League.
0:26:49 > 0:26:52This should be just like when I used to announce
0:26:52 > 0:26:53the football scores on the news.
0:26:53 > 0:26:57In joint fifth place are all these teams with shirts costing £45.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00Three pounds more, in fourth place - Aston Villa,
0:27:00 > 0:27:03with their jersey coming in at £48.
0:27:03 > 0:27:05Hotly pursued in joint third place
0:27:05 > 0:27:06are Liverpool, West Ham,
0:27:06 > 0:27:07and Blackburn Rovers,
0:27:07 > 0:27:10whose shirts all sell at £49.99.
0:27:10 > 0:27:12Just a penny behind, in joint second place are
0:27:12 > 0:27:16Tottenham, Southampton, Everton and Arsenal, whose shirts sell at £50.
0:27:16 > 0:27:20But topping the league with their shirts costing a cool £55,
0:27:20 > 0:27:24once again, Chelsea, along with the local rivals Manchester United
0:27:24 > 0:27:26and Manchester City.
0:27:26 > 0:27:30It all leaves many regular fans like Connor fuming.
0:27:30 > 0:27:34He'd have to shell out £42 for the latest kit for his beloved Wolves,
0:27:34 > 0:27:38despite them being a league below our table toppers.
0:27:38 > 0:27:41Former England player, Dion Dublin, agrees with those who say
0:27:41 > 0:27:44that the prices charged are just too high.
0:27:44 > 0:27:48When I was a player, if somebody asked me for a signed shirt,
0:27:48 > 0:27:51I would ask the football club, can I keep this shirt I've played in,
0:27:51 > 0:27:52sign it and give it to them.
0:27:52 > 0:27:55Now I'm retired, I get letters saying,
0:27:55 > 0:27:58"Can I have a signed Villa shirt or Leicester shirt?"
0:27:58 > 0:28:01I now have to go and buy that shirt physically myself,
0:28:01 > 0:28:03buy it from the club shop.
0:28:03 > 0:28:07It might cost me £50, £60, £70 to buy that shirt
0:28:07 > 0:28:09to sign it, to give it to the charity.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12Now, I don't mind that, because it's once in a blue moon,
0:28:12 > 0:28:15but if you're having to do that each season,
0:28:15 > 0:28:18it's going to become incredibly hefty on the pocket.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21Perhaps it wouldn't be quite so hefty on the pocket
0:28:21 > 0:28:24if clubs kept the same shirt for more than one season.
0:28:24 > 0:28:26But with sponsorship contracts
0:28:26 > 0:28:29and manufacturing deals changing more frequently than in the past,
0:28:29 > 0:28:33many clubs have no difficulty at all finding plenty of reasons
0:28:33 > 0:28:36to ring in the changes with a brand-new strip every year.
0:28:37 > 0:28:39I understand that they want to change their shirt
0:28:39 > 0:28:42because sponsors want to change it, there might be a new sponsor.
0:28:42 > 0:28:46I don't think there has to be as many changes as we see
0:28:46 > 0:28:51at the moment, you know, cos they will lose that ground-level fan.
0:28:51 > 0:28:54And grass roots is where you want your fans to come from.
0:28:54 > 0:28:56Our Costly Kit League revealed
0:28:56 > 0:29:00that the average Premier League shirt costs £48.70.
0:29:00 > 0:29:03So even if just a fraction of the almost 14 million fans
0:29:03 > 0:29:05who attended Premier League matches
0:29:05 > 0:29:06last year were to buy one,
0:29:06 > 0:29:08these kits feel like a real money-spinner.
0:29:08 > 0:29:11So are football clubs simply profiteering
0:29:11 > 0:29:13by charging premiership prices?
0:29:13 > 0:29:15Rob Wilson is a football finance expert
0:29:15 > 0:29:17at Sheffield Hallam University,
0:29:17 > 0:29:20and he thinks he's cornered the moment that kit changes
0:29:20 > 0:29:22became a seasonal affair.
0:29:22 > 0:29:25We used to see kit changes every two to three years.
0:29:25 > 0:29:28I think really around the 2000-2001 mark
0:29:28 > 0:29:31was where we saw an acceleration, really, in the number of kits
0:29:31 > 0:29:32that were available.
0:29:32 > 0:29:35Manchester United probably started that trend when they signed up
0:29:35 > 0:29:40to the deal in 2002-3 with the big American supplier.
0:29:40 > 0:29:43But if you think back to the 1950s, '60s, and even '70s,
0:29:43 > 0:29:46it used to just be the man on the gate through the turnstile
0:29:46 > 0:29:50paying his four or five pounds to watch his team play
0:29:50 > 0:29:52and, you know, he might have a scarf.
0:29:52 > 0:29:54Nowadays, everybody needs to be in replica kits,
0:29:54 > 0:29:57everybody needs scarves, everybody needs hats,
0:29:57 > 0:30:00and all of that generates significant revenue for football.
0:30:01 > 0:30:05When previously asked if they felt that fans were paying over the odds,
0:30:05 > 0:30:09the FA has said that they avoid any involvement with how its partners
0:30:09 > 0:30:13set their prices to avoid any risk or implication of price fixing.
0:30:14 > 0:30:17So we contacted the Premier League, who told us that owning a kit
0:30:17 > 0:30:21is "a fundamental part of supporting" a team,
0:30:21 > 0:30:23and that Premier League kits are sold
0:30:23 > 0:30:26"at prices that are consistently lower"
0:30:26 > 0:30:29than those charged by clubs in Europe's other big leagues.
0:30:29 > 0:30:33And when we got in touch with the individual clubs
0:30:33 > 0:30:36whose kits cost the most, Manchester United told us
0:30:36 > 0:30:39it "does not set the price of its replica shirts"
0:30:39 > 0:30:42which are "decided by each retailer".
0:30:42 > 0:30:44Manchester City said its kits
0:30:44 > 0:30:47"provide the latest innovative performance technology",
0:30:47 > 0:30:51and pointed out that club members can get them more cheaply.
0:30:51 > 0:30:54And Chelsea, the most expensive in our league table,
0:30:54 > 0:30:57told us its prices are "comparable with those
0:30:57 > 0:31:01"of other Premier League clubs across all ages and styles"
0:31:01 > 0:31:04and that taking into account their durability and
0:31:04 > 0:31:08how often they are worn, "the kits offer fantastic value for money".
0:31:09 > 0:31:13As for Connor's beloved Wolves, they added that they believe
0:31:13 > 0:31:15their kit is priced favourably
0:31:15 > 0:31:18"compared to other clubs of a similar size"
0:31:18 > 0:31:20and they said the price of their junior kit
0:31:20 > 0:31:22has been frozen for the last 15 years.
0:31:26 > 0:31:30But for all those who still feel costly kits deserve a red card,
0:31:30 > 0:31:34there is of course one very simple thing you can do.
0:31:34 > 0:31:36I think ultimately, for parents, if they're not happy
0:31:36 > 0:31:39with the price of replica kits, then the simple answer is,
0:31:39 > 0:31:41"Well, don't buy them."
0:31:41 > 0:31:43If they haven't got people running around in their football clubs,
0:31:43 > 0:31:46in their after school clubs in those replica kits,
0:31:46 > 0:31:49then it's going to damage the longevity of their brand awareness.
0:31:51 > 0:31:54I mean, you've got to be careful not to change it too many times,
0:31:54 > 0:31:58because you'll lose the fan, you'll lose the colour in the crowd.
0:31:58 > 0:32:01If you price the normal fan away from the shirt,
0:32:01 > 0:32:02I think it's worrying times.
0:32:09 > 0:32:12Now, you send us hundreds of letters and e-mails about phone
0:32:12 > 0:32:14and broadband companies.
0:32:14 > 0:32:17So, which would you think we get the most complaints about?
0:32:17 > 0:32:20BT? TalkTalk? Virgin? Sky?
0:32:20 > 0:32:22In fact, it's none of those.
0:32:22 > 0:32:25The phone and broadband supplier that we hear most about,
0:32:25 > 0:32:28proportionate to the number of customers they've got,
0:32:28 > 0:32:29isn't one of the household names.
0:32:29 > 0:32:32But for a small company, they do seem to be making
0:32:32 > 0:32:34a lot of customers unhappy.
0:32:38 > 0:32:40Unicom made me feel incredibly angry and cheated.
0:32:40 > 0:32:43The contract will cost me many hundreds of pounds.
0:32:43 > 0:32:46I felt like I'd been mis-sold a deal.
0:32:50 > 0:32:52The experiences you've told us about don't quite tally
0:32:52 > 0:32:56with what telecoms company Unicom promises on its website.
0:32:56 > 0:33:00Specialising in supplying phone and broadband to small businesses,
0:33:00 > 0:33:04Unicom says it wants to "provide a high quality service",
0:33:04 > 0:33:07promising "exceptional value" and, even better,
0:33:07 > 0:33:10that it won't "tolerate any form of mis-selling".
0:33:12 > 0:33:16But it seems that Unicom doesn't always live up to those promises
0:33:16 > 0:33:18even that last one about mis-selling,
0:33:18 > 0:33:21because many of the complaints are from customers
0:33:21 > 0:33:24who believe they were indeed mis-sold their phone
0:33:24 > 0:33:25or broadband package.
0:33:25 > 0:33:28And that's an area in which Unicom has form.
0:33:28 > 0:33:30In fact, back in 2006,
0:33:30 > 0:33:33they were investigated by the industry regulator Ofcom
0:33:33 > 0:33:35for exactly that.
0:33:35 > 0:33:38So could they be up to their old tricks again?
0:33:38 > 0:33:42Kerry Hobbs runs a cake company with her mother, Jan,
0:33:42 > 0:33:45where they also run after-school baking classes for children.
0:33:45 > 0:33:49It's a small but successful business where every penny counts,
0:33:49 > 0:33:53so when she was cold-called by Unicom offering a cheap phone
0:33:53 > 0:33:56and broadband deal, Kerry jumped at the chance.
0:33:58 > 0:34:03She said that they could bring the two services in under £40 a month,
0:34:03 > 0:34:07which at the moment I was paying £40, maybe £44, £45.
0:34:07 > 0:34:10Obviously, we're a small business, a new business,
0:34:10 > 0:34:12and we wanted to try and save some money where we could.
0:34:12 > 0:34:14Break your egg into there.
0:34:15 > 0:34:19Kerry also decided to switch her home phone and broadband to Unicom,
0:34:19 > 0:34:22because it seemed she could make such good savings.
0:34:22 > 0:34:25The rep dealt with the phone contracts there and then,
0:34:25 > 0:34:27but Kerry says she was told
0:34:27 > 0:34:30that the broadband would be handled by head office.
0:34:30 > 0:34:34Under pressure to get back to work, Kerry signed on the dotted line.
0:34:34 > 0:34:38I was very distressed and fraught. And to be honest,
0:34:38 > 0:34:40I felt a bit bamboozled.
0:34:40 > 0:34:43But I'd signed this contract.
0:34:45 > 0:34:47Worried that she'd rushed into signing,
0:34:47 > 0:34:50Kerry tried to examine the paperwork the rep had left behind.
0:34:50 > 0:34:52And while she couldn't find any mention
0:34:52 > 0:34:54of the price she'd be paying,
0:34:54 > 0:34:56the contract she'd been given included a confirmation
0:34:56 > 0:34:58that she had received a pricing sheet.
0:35:00 > 0:35:01I was very confused.
0:35:01 > 0:35:03I even rang my mum up and says look, "I don't know what I've done,
0:35:03 > 0:35:05"I don't know if I've done the right thing.
0:35:05 > 0:35:08"We're going to have to have a look at it."
0:35:08 > 0:35:10But there was nothing there to look at.
0:35:11 > 0:35:13Despite her concerns,
0:35:13 > 0:35:16when the phone line switched from her old provider over to Unicom,
0:35:16 > 0:35:18everything appeared to be going to plan.
0:35:18 > 0:35:22Until, that is, Kerry tried to use the internet.
0:35:22 > 0:35:25We went on the internet like we do every morning.
0:35:25 > 0:35:29I check me e-mails and any messages that's come through from the website.
0:35:29 > 0:35:33And no internet access. Nothing. It was just blank.
0:35:33 > 0:35:35So we left it a couple of days.
0:35:35 > 0:35:38We thought, "We'll leave it and just wait...just wait and see."
0:35:38 > 0:35:41And then that's when we started to make the phone calls, wasn't it?
0:35:41 > 0:35:42Yep.
0:35:42 > 0:35:46Unicom's response took Kerry by surprise.
0:35:46 > 0:35:48She was told the broadband wasn't working
0:35:48 > 0:35:50because she hadn't signed up for it.
0:35:50 > 0:35:52We were on the understanding
0:35:52 > 0:35:56that we would get the telephone line and the broadband together.
0:35:56 > 0:36:01But upon receiving a letter, this stated just the broadband
0:36:01 > 0:36:05and it was saying that we were having to pay another £29.99 per month
0:36:05 > 0:36:09on top of our telephone charges.
0:36:09 > 0:36:11And that was just for the business.
0:36:11 > 0:36:14Getting broadband for her home, too, would mean, in total,
0:36:14 > 0:36:18Kerry would have to pay an additional £60 a month.
0:36:18 > 0:36:20Once all the costs were taken into account,
0:36:20 > 0:36:24Kerry reckoned she'd be paying around £28 more
0:36:24 > 0:36:25than she had to her previous supplier
0:36:25 > 0:36:29the supplier Unicom had assured her they would undercut.
0:36:30 > 0:36:34We're a new business and we work to a really tight budget,
0:36:34 > 0:36:38so that would have had a massive effect on us.
0:36:39 > 0:36:42Without the combined phone and broadband package
0:36:42 > 0:36:43she was convinced she'd signed up to,
0:36:43 > 0:36:47Kerry told Unicom she didn't want to go ahead with the deal.
0:36:47 > 0:36:50But to her horror, the company told her
0:36:50 > 0:36:52that to end both her home and work contracts,
0:36:52 > 0:36:58she'd have to pay two hefty termination fees of more than £600,
0:36:58 > 0:37:00a total of over £1,200.
0:37:00 > 0:37:02Or putting it another way,
0:37:02 > 0:37:06she'd need to sell over 1,200 extra cupcakes.
0:37:07 > 0:37:10At the moment, we're receiving letters saying that
0:37:10 > 0:37:13we're going to have debt collectors and bailiffs coming round.
0:37:13 > 0:37:15Well, if they took things out of here,
0:37:15 > 0:37:18- then the business would go under. - That's the business gone.
0:37:18 > 0:37:19We wouldn't be able to replace them.
0:37:19 > 0:37:22We haven't got the money to replace them.
0:37:22 > 0:37:25- It would leave us up the creek... - Without a paddle.
0:37:25 > 0:37:27- Without a paddle.- Definitely.
0:37:27 > 0:37:30We've spoken to other people who, like Kerry,
0:37:30 > 0:37:33thought they'd signed up for phone and broadband
0:37:33 > 0:37:37only to discover too late that broadband wasn't included.
0:37:37 > 0:37:40And because it comes down to their word against Unicom's,
0:37:40 > 0:37:43many of those customers ended up in stalemate.
0:37:43 > 0:37:45But when Daniel Campbell from Cambridgeshire
0:37:45 > 0:37:47found himself in that position,
0:37:47 > 0:37:51he took matters into his own hands to prove he was right.
0:37:54 > 0:37:58Just like Kerry, coffee shop owner Daniel switched to Unicom
0:37:58 > 0:38:01after a cold call offering him a cheaper deal.
0:38:02 > 0:38:06I was looking to save around £500 over the three years
0:38:06 > 0:38:08that I signed up for them with.
0:38:08 > 0:38:11Again, like Kerry, he signed a contract
0:38:11 > 0:38:14that confirmed he had received the prices on paper.
0:38:14 > 0:38:17However, Daniel denies he ever saw this.
0:38:18 > 0:38:20There were no prices on paper.
0:38:20 > 0:38:23He said that he needs a contract signed and then what will happen
0:38:23 > 0:38:27is someone will phone me and confirm all the prices over the phone.
0:38:27 > 0:38:31But when that call came, the Unicom rep on the other end of the line
0:38:31 > 0:38:34was only ready to sign Daniel up for the phone service,
0:38:34 > 0:38:36NOT the broadband.
0:38:36 > 0:38:40I said, "This should be a telecoms and broadband package,"
0:38:40 > 0:38:43and he goes, "Oh, sorry, sir. We will get someone from the broadband team
0:38:43 > 0:38:46"to give you a ring because if that's what the rep has said,
0:38:46 > 0:38:47"then that's obviously what will happen."
0:38:47 > 0:38:50I was expecting the next call to just confirm
0:38:50 > 0:38:53that the telecoms and broadband had all been sold together.
0:38:53 > 0:38:55But the call didn't come.
0:38:55 > 0:38:59A couple of weeks later, the cafe's internet stopped working,
0:38:59 > 0:39:01and just like Kerry, Daniel discovered
0:39:01 > 0:39:05that his new Unicom account didn't include broadband.
0:39:05 > 0:39:09To get it would cost an extra £29.99 a month,
0:39:09 > 0:39:12taking his total bill to almost £57,
0:39:12 > 0:39:15more than double the deal he'd been sold by the sales rep.
0:39:15 > 0:39:17He sold me it as a package,
0:39:17 > 0:39:20so it was telephone and broadband,
0:39:20 > 0:39:22and that was £26.99.
0:39:22 > 0:39:25And I made sure that that is the package that I was sold,
0:39:25 > 0:39:27cos I wouldn't be interested in anything else.
0:39:27 > 0:39:30Refusing to pay more for a broadband deal
0:39:30 > 0:39:32he thought he should already be getting,
0:39:32 > 0:39:34Daniel decided to terminate his contract.
0:39:34 > 0:39:37In response, Unicom sent him a bill
0:39:37 > 0:39:40for over £400 of termination charges.
0:39:41 > 0:39:43Daniel didn't see why he should have to pay,
0:39:43 > 0:39:45so he took a different tack.
0:39:45 > 0:39:48He called the rep who'd sold him the package in the first place
0:39:48 > 0:39:50and secretly recorded the call.
0:39:56 > 0:40:01'You sold me the phone line and the broadband package for £26.99,
0:40:01 > 0:40:02'which was agreed by your manager.'
0:40:02 > 0:40:06OVER PHONE:
0:40:07 > 0:40:08Well, after I had got him
0:40:08 > 0:40:11to sort of admit that he'd sold me that deal,
0:40:11 > 0:40:13I thought, "Well, that's it. I can send them that.
0:40:13 > 0:40:15"That's probably my golden ticket."
0:40:17 > 0:40:20Daniel sent the recording to Unicom, who, faced with the evidence,
0:40:20 > 0:40:24waived the hefty termination fees and settled his case.
0:40:24 > 0:40:26So that was good news for Daniel.
0:40:26 > 0:40:29But it still leaves other people who are adamant
0:40:29 > 0:40:31that what they've ended up with from Unicom
0:40:31 > 0:40:33isn't what they'd signed up to.
0:40:34 > 0:40:37When we contacted Unicom about the cases we've heard about,
0:40:37 > 0:40:39the company agreed that...
0:40:43 > 0:40:47They said direct sales processes "can sometimes go wrong"
0:40:47 > 0:40:49and that whilst it's their
0:40:49 > 0:40:51"responsibility to resolve these problems",
0:40:51 > 0:40:54they admit that they "have not always done that".
0:40:54 > 0:40:57Unicom has now waived Kerry's termination fees
0:40:57 > 0:41:01and also given her a sum equivalent to the cancellation fee
0:41:01 > 0:41:03she paid to her previous supplier to join them.
0:41:03 > 0:41:06What's more, the company has also resolved the complaints
0:41:06 > 0:41:09of all the other viewers we contacted them about.
0:41:09 > 0:41:13They stressed they're "committed to providing excellent service"
0:41:13 > 0:41:15and are always looking to improve their processes
0:41:15 > 0:41:18and the performance of their employees
0:41:18 > 0:41:20so they "get it wrong less often".
0:41:22 > 0:41:23While Daniel's own efforts
0:41:23 > 0:41:26had already resulted in Unicom resolving his case,
0:41:26 > 0:41:30he'll now be very much more wary of tantalising sales pitches.
0:41:30 > 0:41:34Now I'm very cautious of anyone that phones the business
0:41:34 > 0:41:37trying to offer me some deal or send a rep through.
0:41:46 > 0:41:48Here at Rip-Off Britain,
0:41:48 > 0:41:51we're always ready to investigate more of your stories.
0:41:51 > 0:41:53Unsure what to do when you discover you've lost out
0:41:53 > 0:41:57and that "great deal" has ended up costing you money?
0:41:57 > 0:42:00People are buying into this. I did, you know.
0:42:00 > 0:42:03And are they going to be as awkward with them as they were with me?
0:42:04 > 0:42:07You can write to us at...
0:42:13 > 0:42:15Or send us an e-mail to...
0:42:18 > 0:42:23The Rip-Off team is ready and waiting to investigate your stories.
0:42:28 > 0:42:30Well, I think it's true to say that none of us
0:42:30 > 0:42:33likes paying more than we think we ought to for anything.
0:42:33 > 0:42:37But as we've seen today, it can be even more frustrating
0:42:37 > 0:42:39if you only handed over cash in the first place
0:42:39 > 0:42:42because you were told you were getting something
0:42:42 > 0:42:45for which it really was worth paying that little bit extra.
0:42:45 > 0:42:47Sometimes, of course, you really can get a great service
0:42:47 > 0:42:49at a bargain price.
0:42:49 > 0:42:53But to be sure that the slick sales pitch really lives up to reality,
0:42:53 > 0:42:55do shop around before handing over your money.
0:42:55 > 0:42:59Take the time to compare what other companies are offering, too,
0:42:59 > 0:43:01especially if you're signing up to a lengthy contract.
0:43:01 > 0:43:03It could save you hundreds of pounds,
0:43:03 > 0:43:06not to mention a whole lot of frustration later on.
0:43:06 > 0:43:08You can find plenty more money-saving tips and advice
0:43:08 > 0:43:09on our website.
0:43:09 > 0:43:11I hope you know it by now, but it is...
0:43:15 > 0:43:17Also there, of course, you'll find details
0:43:17 > 0:43:19of how to get in touch with us if you've got your own story
0:43:19 > 0:43:22about a time you thought you'd really paid over the odds
0:43:22 > 0:43:24or been locked into an expensive contract
0:43:24 > 0:43:26you just couldn't get out of.
0:43:26 > 0:43:29But from all of us and the entire team, working away as usual,
0:43:29 > 0:43:30that's it for today.
0:43:30 > 0:43:32- From all of us, bye-bye. - BOTH: Bye-bye.