Episode 13 Rip Off Britain

We asked you to tell us what's left you feeling ripped off,

and you contacted us in your thousands.

You've told us about the companies you think get it wrong

and the customer service that simply is not up to scratch.

People should expect more

for when they're paying for something these days.

Everything you buy, I just think we're getting ripped off.

You've asked us to track down the scammers who stole your money

and investigate the extra charges you'd say are unfair.

We have to rely on them giving you a fair price for something.

You can't always rely on that.

You don't want more hassle.

You want them to honour their agreement with you.

And when you've lost out but no-one else is to blame,

you've come to us to stop others falling into the same trap.

That is disgusting!

So whether it's a blatant rip-off or a genuine mistake,

we're here to find out why you're out of pocket

and what you can do about it.

Your stories, your money. This is Rip-Off Britain.

Hello, and welcome to Rip-Off Britain,

the programme that really likes to make sure

that whatever you're buying,

you really are getting it at a fair price.

After all, there's nothing that any of us hate more

than feeling we've been ripped off

when we get to the till or when a big bill comes through the post.

And in fact, that's what all the stories

in today's programme are about - those moments that make you wonder

whether what you've paid for really was worth it.

Which is absolutely infuriating.

But as we'll see, there are some cases

where the product you're buying is not cheaper elsewhere.

So if you've ever felt you paid over the odds, you're not alone.

And today we're after answers from some of the companies

that you've told us about, whom you think are charging just too much.

In some cases, not even delivering

what you're paying for in the first place.

Coming up, as we test out an expensive new way

to tackle cold calls,

we meet the sons desperate to protect their father

from being persuaded into buying overpriced products

he just doesn't need.

Makes me feel really bad.

I mean, there's my father, he's getting on in life

and now needs protecting

and there's people out there trying to rip off his money. I'm disgusted.

And it may well be called the beautiful game,

but we'll reveal which football clubs tops the league

for the not so pretty prices you'll be paying for wearing their colours.

It might cost me 50, 60, 70 quid to buy that shirt,

but if you're having to do that each season, it's going to become

incredibly hefty on the pocket.

Whether it's a cold call on your phone,

an enthusiastic approach from someone in the street,

or indeed a knock at your front door,

there's absolutely no shortage of all those eager sales people

trying to grab our attention with the promise of irresistible deals.

We all have our own ways, of course, of dealing with them.

Mine is usually a polite,

"No, thank you. I'm making dinner," before I hang up the phone.

But there are those who find it more difficult to say no,

and there are particular concerns that people with Alzheimer's

or forms of dementia can find themselves

spending hundreds or even thousands of pounds

without fully appreciating what has actually been agreed.

Alan Partridge is 84.

No, not that one. This one.

Ahh!

Our Alan Partridge has put sharing a name

with a fictional comedy character to good use,

taking part in skits and spoofs in local papers

to raise money for charity.

And long before that Alan Partridge was even a twinkle

in comedian Steve Coogan's eye,

this one led a successful career as a physicist.

You went in to science because you were learning...

You were learning new techniques.

Sadly now, Alan's been diagnosed with dementia,

prompting his sons, Jim and Luke, to keep a closer eye on him.

He's mainly coherent, isn't he?

Just sometimes his memory's going,

and it's not like he's stupid or anything,

it's just he gets forgetful.

Dad has trouble evaluating whether something is a risk now, doesn't he?

-Yeah. He never used to.

-He never used to.

He is a really bright guy, but he no longer can make

those sort of decisions and protect himself.

-He can be led easily.

-Yeah, that's right.

And that's what Jim and Luke fear might have happened

in January, 2014,

when Alan answered a cold-call

which resulted in a salesman coming round to his house.

His memory of the subsequent sales pitch isn't too clear.

But it ended with Alan agreeing

to have two air conditioning units installed.

He signed up to pay instalments totalling £7,745.

And when Jim and Luke found out what he paid, they were horrified.

So did you understand how much it was going to cost you

-right from the start?

-Not really, no.

-Cos I know you...

Do you remember the original cheque you wrote for them?

-How much that was for?

-Not offhand.

The next thing was they were coming round with the actual heaters.

And that's when they asked you for the balance,

-which was £5,000, was it?

-Something like that.

The cheque for the deposit had been cashed, but Jim and Luke

were able to stop any later payments going out of Alan's account.

They believe that the salesman talked their dad

into buying air conditioning units that he simply didn't need

at hugely inflated prices.

But Alan's memory of what he was promised isn't clear.

It wasn't till, you know...

..the ultimate requests for additional money came

that it suddenly shook me... Stopped me...

-Stopped you in your tracks, didn't it?

-Yeah, that's right.

Alan's family say the air conditioning units

Alan had installed aren't the first things

that he's bought from cold callers.

Jim and Luke believe he finds it hard to say no

to someone on his doorstep,

but they still want him to hold on to the independence he has

living on his own.

So they're installing a CCTV system so he can see

exactly who's ringing the bell

before deciding whether or not to let them in.

Makes me feel really bad. I mean, there's my father,

he's getting on in life and now needs protecting

and there's people out there trying to rip off his money. I'm disgusted.

The company who sold Alan his two air conditioning units wanted him

to pay not far off £8,000 to buy and install them.

So we've shopped around to see how much other businesses

would typically charge for the same two units.

And even the most expensive quote we were given

was over £4,000 less than Alan was asked for.

After Jim and Luke had stopped any further payments,

they asked their solicitor to write to the sales firm

explaining that the price they were charging Alan

seemed grossly inflated.

They also asked for the contract to be rescinded,

the units to be removed,

and for Alan's £2,000 deposit to be refunded in full.

To me, it seems almost criminal

-to take advantage of someone that's vulnerable.

-Yeah.

When we spoke to the sales company, they told us that at the time,

they believed the installation had been "completed satisfactorily",

as Alan hadn't let them know that he was unhappy,

nor were they aware he had dementia,

telling us he didn't display any signs of it whatsoever.

The company also rejected criticism of the price,

saying their own costs would have been approximately £5,000 - £6,000

taking into account the various commissions, charges, and overheads.

They believe they would have a good case to begin legal proceedings

to recover the unpaid balance, but have decided not to do so

in light of "the possibility that Alan may suffer

"from some form of dementia".

Instead, they have refunded Alan's deposit,

written off all the other charges,

and will allow him to keep the system for free.

Of course, it's not always easy for door-to-door sellers

to judge whether a potential customer is in a fit state

to make an informed decision.

But the issue of vulnerable people being sold

and particularly mis-sold something on their doorstep

is a concern for the government.

It's not just immoral, it's illegal.

And it's really important that we do everything we can to drive them

out of the business so that just legitimate traders are left

and that vulnerable people are protected as much as we can.

Thanks to a new EU directive,

even if you have signed on the dotted line,

you can now still pull out of doorstep purchases within 14 days.

And our own government is increasing the amount of time

consumers can cancel a contract and receive a full refund

after they think they've been mis-sold something.

So we're extending to 90 days the length of time they have

to take action against the tradesmen,

which gives them three months, which should hopefully

be long enough to help most people be able to take action

before they have to go down the court route.

For Jim and Luke, though, these measures simply don't go far enough.

I think door-to-door, definitely they should ban it.

I think if we belong in a modern society

where there's an increasing number of elderly and vulnerable people,

we owe it to them to create a system whereby they're protected

and we should all take responsibility for the elderly

and not let them be vulnerable...

or exploited by people that are deliberately

trying to take their money.

Next, a phrase to chill the blood - cold calls.

We've all had them and most of us hate them.

Now, we've often mentioned the official free service,

which is designed to try and cut down on the number

of unwanted calls that you receive,

but this year you've been telling us about other ways to stop cold calls.

But these ones cost money, and as you can probably guess

by the fact we've been getting complaints about them,

they don't always do what you hoped for.

On top of that, though, and this is what really takes the biscuit,

the way you may be contacted to sign up with the service is, yes,

you've guessed it, an unsolicited call.

In other words, it's a cold call

that promises to stop your cold-calls. Lovely.

So what do you get in return for your money?

It's something most of us have experienced at one time or another.

This is a once in a lifetime deal.

Eight out of ten homes with a landline were cold called in 2013,

and one in ten had more than 20 calls a month.

Crossword enthusiast Mavis Chattle from Sheffield is plagued by them.

I get a lot of cold calls, sometimes two or three times a day.

People try to sell me all sorts of stuff

PHONE RINGS and it's just a perishing nuisance.

You've got to stop what you're doing, answer the telephone.

But it is upsetting. It is annoying.

But Mavis has tried to put an end to the cold calls.

Like more than 20 million others,

she's registered with the Telephone Preference Service,

set up to stop unsolicited calls.

In fact, it's illegal for companies to cold call anyone

who's registered with the service.

But it doesn't always work.

Even the people behind the Telephone Preference Service

admit they can't stop every call, something Mavis knows only too well.

So when she was called out of the blue by a company

with a very similar name, the Telecom Protection Service,

who claimed that they could stop all her nuisance calls

for just a small fee, Mavis jumped at the chance.

I've been on this list for goodness knows how many years

and they're still phoning me up.

And you think, "Well, OK, if it costs me, £9.99 to stop it...

"I'll pay it."

But Mavis' optimism was short lived.

Well, as soon as I put the phone down, my husband said,

"That's not right. That's a con."

So I tried phoning them back on the telephone number

that they'd given me, and they said there was no such number.

So I phoned my bank

and within two telephone calls,

£79.99 had been taken out of my account.

This was very different to what Mavis thought she'd agreed to -

a one-off payment of £9.99 to stop all cold calls, for good.

I was thinking I was an idiot.

But also, that this shouldn't have been allowed to happen

in the first place.

Unsure what to do next, Mavis asked her daughter, Laura, for help.

When I heard what had happened,

at first, I was really concerned about giving over bank details

on the phone to a company we didn't know.

I'd never heard of them before.

Not expecting to see anything for the money she'd paid the company,

Mavis was surprised when, a few days later,

the Telecom Protection Service sent her a parcel

containing a small white plastic box.

But she was baffled as to what it was actually for.

Laura suspected the box was designed to block unwanted calls.

But as Mavis didn't recall any such thing being mentioned on the phone,

she sent the box back and asked for a refund.

But then nothing happened. I kept having to phone.

I kept having to ring them up and see what was happening.

I spoke to the manager.

He said that the box hadn't been returned,

that it had not arrived,

and he gave me a run around on the phone, really.

There was no way she was going to get a refund.

Mavis doesn't know much about the Telecom Protection Service.

After all, they contacted her, not the other way around.

So we've been doing a bit of digging into the company on her behalf

and found that their website makes some pretty bold claims.

They describe themselves as being an added value service

to the Telephone Preference Service,

the free service that Mavis' number was already registered with.

The website makes some strong statements

about where the official Telephone Preference Service fails

and where their own Telecom Protection Service comes in.

They say they're committed to fully stopping all UK cold calls

and reducing calls from overseas,

but that the free Telephone Preference Service isn't.

We wanted to get our hands on one of these mysterious white boxes

to see just what they can do.

But Mavis had sent hers back when she asked for a refund.

So we asked another viewer who'd contacted us

with a similar complaint.

Peter, from Powys, agreed to submit his box

to the scrutiny of our tech expert, David McClelland.

The instructions provided in the box tell you how to install it

and how to plug the cables in, but they don't tell you

how to configure it, and for that, I had to go online

and hunt for them myself.

And when I did find them, they're still pretty complex.

It seems the box is a legitimate call blocker,

but there's a lot of work for David to carry out

before it will actually start doing its job.

And even then, it can only stop calls from a nuisance number

after the first time you've had one.

Because of how the box works, you need to receive a nuisance call

in order to then block them.

And that's a problem

because a lot of nuisance callers know

how these call-blocking devices work,

they know that people try to remember these numbers

so they will change the number that they're calling from.

So really it's a moving target.

It's a cat and mouse game if you like,

with you blocking certain numbers and the nuisance callers

using different numbers,

still to carry on giving you these nuisance calls.

Still, the box does appear to have some useful features.

The call-blocker also lets you block any incoming calls

from withheld, private, or international numbers.

Now that might sound like a good idea, but sometimes you get

good calls from withheld numbers.

For example, from doctors or from local council,

or from companies that you might want to hear from.

In any case, that, along with some of the box's other functions,

are services that you can usually get from your phone provider

for a small fee, typically under £5 a month.

And even if you did want a box that does the same,

you don't have to fork out £80 for it.

Having a look online, I can see that the box is available

from other retailers for really a fraction of that cost.

We put all this to the Telecom Protection Service,

but so far they haven't replied to any of our questions.

But with other companies selling similar products

and making the same sort of claims,

we asked the official Telephone Preference Service

what they make of all the businesses promising they can do better.

There's quite a range

of organisations that are out there

claiming to help people deal with the issue of nuisance calls.

On one end of things, we've got companies that will charge you a fee

to put your name on a list, similar to TPS,

and then they claim to distribute that list amongst call centres

around the world so that you won't get called anymore.

At the other end of the spectrum, you've got organisations

that are basically just a complete scam.

They'll call you up and they may even claim to be from the TPS,

BT, or another telecoms provider,

and they will just want your credit card details, take some money,

and you'll never hear from them again.

So why can't the TPS ensure that once you've signed up,

you won't receive any further cold calls?

The important thing to remember about TPS

is that it's not a call-blocking system.

So it does rely on companies obeying the law

and following the correct legislation.

But there are always companies out there

that are willing to ignore the law.

With that in mind,

David has plenty of tips to help avoid unwanted calls.

Try not to give out your number when you don't have to,

particularly when filling in forms on paper or online

because sometimes these numbers can make it into the wrong hands,

and that's where some of these marketing calls do come from.

Screening calls is actually a very efficient way

of managing nuisance calls, either using a call blocker

or even a simple answering machine.

Fact is, if it's friends or family that want to speak to you,

they will leave you a message.

If it's a marketing company, they probably won't.

And as a last resort, if you've tried everything else

and you're still being deluged by these nuisance calls,

consider changing your number.

Speak to your service provider and ask them for a non-recycled number.

Meanwhile, because Mavis paid her money

to the Telecom Protection Service with her bank card,

she has been able to get her money back from her bank.

Even so, the whole experience has made Laura worry about her mother

receiving more cold calls.

I'm concerned about her getting calls in the future

because they talked her into giving her bank details out to them,

which she knows not to do.

But they talk to you in such a way, they convince you that it's safe.

I mean, most of the time now she's just putting the phone down

if she doesn't know the person on the other end,

and I think that's the safest thing to do if you get these calls.

Still to come on Rip-Off Britain - the customers who all say

they didn't get the phone and broadband deal

the same company promised them.

Can we sort everything out?

I was very distressed and fraught.

And to be honest, I felt a bit bamboozled.

For one weekend in summer, we brought our team of experts

to the West Midlands with our Rip-Off Britain Pop Up Shop.

Not only were we giving out advice inside the shop,

but outside, we ran plenty of workshops

absolutely packed with information

to answer the consumer queries we hear the most.

Come and join us because we're going to tell you all about credit ratings!

Financial expert Sarah Pennells had lots of facts and tips

on how and why you should check your credit file.

So there are three credit reference agencies

called Experian, Equifax, and Call Credit,

and they get fed in information every month

from all the companies that supply credit.

They will then compile that information,

and that's why it's so important for you

to make sure the information is correct.

So your credit report... You can get hold of that directly

from the credit reference agencies.

Does it cost you anything or is it just a phone call?

Unfortunately, it does cost you.

-It'll cost you £2 a time from each company.

-That's not too much.

I think it's £6 really well spent

and I would recommend that you go to each of the companies.

What you'll actually see for £2 is your credit file

and that shows you exactly what the companies will see

when they're assessing whether you're a good or bad credit risk.

Have you ever thought of checking your credit rating, sir?

No, I've never done it and I'm an accountant,

so you'd think I would, but I've never done it.

But I've got plenty of clients

who've had adverse credit ratings that isn't their fault.

If they've missed a payment, then moved house,

then it's a very small amount

outstanding on a phone bill or something.

And just one missed bill, as you say, you've moved house

or are on holiday, and it can make a huge difference.

This year we were really struck by how many of you came in

with problems to do with those cold-call blocking devices

we saw earlier in the programme.

It seems clear a lot of you

aren't sure what you're getting for your money.

-Are you Gilbert?

-I'm Gilbert.

-Hi Gilbert, I'm Gloria.

Gilbert Tunley is just one of the people who got a cold call

persuading him to buy one.

But he hasn't found it easy to set up.

So he's brought it to show technology expert, David McClelland,

who by now is familiar with how they're supposed to work.

I wrote a letter back and said,

"I'm sorry this isn't what I want at all. Could I, er...

"I want to return it. If you've taken any money,

"could I have a refund of any money you may have taken?"

A week later, they sent this letter which said

that I was outside a three-week cooling-off period.

I must admit, I didn't know about that.

Then I looked at how much they wanted overall,

they want me to pay them £119.95.

I don't want that. I can't afford it!

Yes. So really your purpose here today

is to warn other people about this device.

Cold calls are a nuisance and they are a fact.

We get them whether we like it or not,

so it's a question of how we deal with those.

This little box that they've sold to you...

They actually kind of do work, but they are not straightforward.

The fact is, you can buy these online for not very much money.

The other thing is, what are they actually selling you?

They're selling you this box, which we can pick up online

for about £30, they're opting you out of the official register,

that's the TPS, that's the Telephone Preference Service.

The key thing is that is a free service.

The idea behind that is that your number

goes onto an official register and any marketing companies

that follow by the official rules will therefore not call you.

Really they're taking a £80-90 premium

just for the privilege of them having phoned you up

and offering some telephone support.

And when it doesn't work, it's an even bigger rip off.

So what I would suggest is that you put a letter stating

this is what's happened. I do not want to be part of this anymore.

I am returning, recorded delivery, the goods back to you.

I don't expect to hear anymore of this situation.

While the excitement of the World Cup has long since faded,

the frustration felt by many families who were pestered

into shelling out £90 for the latest

official England football shirt probably hasn't.

You know, we get a steady stream of complaints about just how much

it costs these days to show support for your favourite football team.

And, whilst of course, no-one is actually forcing you

into buying a shirt, with so many clubs now changing their kit

pretty much every season, even the most die-hard fans can see

that their loyalty and their wallets are being severely stretched.

So we've worked out our very own league table

to see which champions of the beautiful game

have what some might call the ugliest prices.

This group of 11 and 12-year-olds near Stockport are football crazy.

And they're coached by the equally enthusiastic 21-year-old Connor.

He's a Wolverhampton Wanderers fan

and his love of the team goes way back.

The first game that I can really think of that really stands out

was when I was about ten years old.

And it was a playoff final.

In this game, a player stepped up to take this penalty.

He saved this penalty, and the whole stadium goes mental.

From that moment, I just knew I wanted to be a part of football.

Like many a true fan, Connor wears his love for his team on his chest.

I had this one when I was about eight or so...

It's the first goal keeper shirt I ever got.

And then we get a bit more recent, like this one.

Only a couple of seasons old now.

This is last season's. Yeah, nice kit.

I really liked that one

so I wanted to buy that one as soon as possible.

But Connor has found that demonstrating support for his team

by buying the latest season's kit comes at a price.

It shouldn't cost that much to have to follow your team,

so I tend to wait towards the end of the season,

where maybe, I don't know, they're about to introduce the new one

and it's sort of come down a bit.

But not all football fans are quite as patient.

When their team's new shirt comes out,

many of this lot want it straightaway.

When the new shirt comes out, I think, "Oh, I want that!"

And hope that my mum and dad might buy me it.

When your friends ask you, "Who do you support?"

And you say whatever team,

and then they ask, "Have you got the top?"

And then you say, "No, cos it's too expensive,"

then you're a bit of a laughing stock.

The kids I coach, definitely, they love the shirts,

but they're still paying £30, £40 for it.

Then you've got the full-size adult kit,

which is another ten pounds on top.

It's just ridiculous.

For kids, Manchester United and Manchester City

have two of the most expensive shirts.

Their latest junior home strip costs £42,

and that's just for a short-sleeved shirt.

But that price is kicked into touch by Chelsea,

who flog their version for £45.

Add in £20 for the shorts, £12 for the socks,

and you're up to £77.

Throw in personalised patches and printing and that's another £14.

Making a full, personalised junior Chelsea kit

the Russian billionaire-friendly price of £91.

My mum and dad says that, like, it's a rip off

because it's dead cheap material and I get it dirty really fast.

At least mum and dad are only paying the kids prices

because, as Connor points out, the adult ones cost even more.

So who's offside when it comes to their shirt prices?

Let's kick off the Rip-Off Costly Kit League.

This should be just like when I used to announce

the football scores on the news.

In joint fifth place are all these teams with shirts costing £45.

Three pounds more, in fourth place - Aston Villa,

with their jersey coming in at £48.

Hotly pursued in joint third place

are Liverpool, West Ham,

and Blackburn Rovers,

whose shirts all sell at £49.99.

Just a penny behind, in joint second place are

Tottenham, Southampton, Everton and Arsenal, whose shirts sell at £50.

But topping the league with their shirts costing a cool £55,

once again, Chelsea, along with the local rivals Manchester United

and Manchester City.

It all leaves many regular fans like Connor fuming.

He'd have to shell out £42 for the latest kit for his beloved Wolves,

despite them being a league below our table toppers.

Former England player, Dion Dublin, agrees with those who say

that the prices charged are just too high.

When I was a player, if somebody asked me for a signed shirt,

I would ask the football club, can I keep this shirt I've played in,

sign it and give it to them.

Now I'm retired, I get letters saying,

"Can I have a signed Villa shirt or Leicester shirt?"

I now have to go and buy that shirt physically myself,

buy it from the club shop.

It might cost me £50, £60, £70 to buy that shirt

to sign it, to give it to the charity.

Now, I don't mind that, because it's once in a blue moon,

but if you're having to do that each season,

it's going to become incredibly hefty on the pocket.

Perhaps it wouldn't be quite so hefty on the pocket

if clubs kept the same shirt for more than one season.

But with sponsorship contracts

and manufacturing deals changing more frequently than in the past,

many clubs have no difficulty at all finding plenty of reasons

to ring in the changes with a brand-new strip every year.

I understand that they want to change their shirt

because sponsors want to change it, there might be a new sponsor.

I don't think there has to be as many changes as we see

at the moment, you know, cos they will lose that ground-level fan.

And grass roots is where you want your fans to come from.

Our Costly Kit League revealed

that the average Premier League shirt costs £48.70.

So even if just a fraction of the almost 14 million fans

who attended Premier League matches

last year were to buy one,

these kits feel like a real money-spinner.

So are football clubs simply profiteering

by charging premiership prices?

Rob Wilson is a football finance expert

at Sheffield Hallam University,

and he thinks he's cornered the moment that kit changes

became a seasonal affair.

We used to see kit changes every two to three years.

I think really around the 2000-2001 mark

was where we saw an acceleration, really, in the number of kits

that were available.

Manchester United probably started that trend when they signed up

to the deal in 2002-3 with the big American supplier.

But if you think back to the 1950s, '60s, and even '70s,

it used to just be the man on the gate through the turnstile

paying his four or five pounds to watch his team play

and, you know, he might have a scarf.

Nowadays, everybody needs to be in replica kits,

everybody needs scarves, everybody needs hats,

and all of that generates significant revenue for football.

When previously asked if they felt that fans were paying over the odds,

the FA has said that they avoid any involvement with how its partners

set their prices to avoid any risk or implication of price fixing.

So we contacted the Premier League, who told us that owning a kit

is "a fundamental part of supporting" a team,

and that Premier League kits are sold

"at prices that are consistently lower"

than those charged by clubs in Europe's other big leagues.

And when we got in touch with the individual clubs

whose kits cost the most, Manchester United told us

it "does not set the price of its replica shirts"

which are "decided by each retailer".

Manchester City said its kits

"provide the latest innovative performance technology",

and pointed out that club members can get them more cheaply.

And Chelsea, the most expensive in our league table,

told us its prices are "comparable with those

"of other Premier League clubs across all ages and styles"

and that taking into account their durability and

how often they are worn, "the kits offer fantastic value for money".

As for Connor's beloved Wolves, they added that they believe

their kit is priced favourably

"compared to other clubs of a similar size"

and they said the price of their junior kit

has been frozen for the last 15 years.

But for all those who still feel costly kits deserve a red card,

there is of course one very simple thing you can do.

I think ultimately, for parents, if they're not happy

with the price of replica kits, then the simple answer is,

"Well, don't buy them."

If they haven't got people running around in their football clubs,

in their after school clubs in those replica kits,

then it's going to damage the longevity of their brand awareness.

I mean, you've got to be careful not to change it too many times,

because you'll lose the fan, you'll lose the colour in the crowd.

If you price the normal fan away from the shirt,

I think it's worrying times.

Now, you send us hundreds of letters and e-mails about phone

and broadband companies.

So, which would you think we get the most complaints about?

BT? TalkTalk? Virgin? Sky?

In fact, it's none of those.

The phone and broadband supplier that we hear most about,

proportionate to the number of customers they've got,

isn't one of the household names.

But for a small company, they do seem to be making

a lot of customers unhappy.

Unicom made me feel incredibly angry and cheated.

The contract will cost me many hundreds of pounds.

I felt like I'd been mis-sold a deal.

The experiences you've told us about don't quite tally

with what telecoms company Unicom promises on its website.

Specialising in supplying phone and broadband to small businesses,

Unicom says it wants to "provide a high quality service",

promising "exceptional value" and, even better,

that it won't "tolerate any form of mis-selling".

But it seems that Unicom doesn't always live up to those promises

even that last one about mis-selling,

because many of the complaints are from customers

who believe they were indeed mis-sold their phone

or broadband package.

And that's an area in which Unicom has form.

In fact, back in 2006,

they were investigated by the industry regulator Ofcom

for exactly that.

So could they be up to their old tricks again?

Kerry Hobbs runs a cake company with her mother, Jan,

where they also run after-school baking classes for children.

It's a small but successful business where every penny counts,

so when she was cold-called by Unicom offering a cheap phone

and broadband deal, Kerry jumped at the chance.

She said that they could bring the two services in under £40 a month,

which at the moment I was paying £40, maybe £44, £45.

Obviously, we're a small business, a new business,

and we wanted to try and save some money where we could.

Break your egg into there.

Kerry also decided to switch her home phone and broadband to Unicom,

because it seemed she could make such good savings.

The rep dealt with the phone contracts there and then,

but Kerry says she was told

that the broadband would be handled by head office.

Under pressure to get back to work, Kerry signed on the dotted line.

I was very distressed and fraught. And to be honest,

I felt a bit bamboozled.

But I'd signed this contract.

Worried that she'd rushed into signing,

Kerry tried to examine the paperwork the rep had left behind.

And while she couldn't find any mention

of the price she'd be paying,

the contract she'd been given included a confirmation

that she had received a pricing sheet.

I was very confused.

I even rang my mum up and says look, "I don't know what I've done,

"I don't know if I've done the right thing.

"We're going to have to have a look at it."

But there was nothing there to look at.

Despite her concerns,

when the phone line switched from her old provider over to Unicom,

everything appeared to be going to plan.

Until, that is, Kerry tried to use the internet.

We went on the internet like we do every morning.

I check me e-mails and any messages that's come through from the website.

And no internet access. Nothing. It was just blank.

So we left it a couple of days.

We thought, "We'll leave it and just wait...just wait and see."

And then that's when we started to make the phone calls, wasn't it?

Yep.

Unicom's response took Kerry by surprise.

She was told the broadband wasn't working

because she hadn't signed up for it.

We were on the understanding

that we would get the telephone line and the broadband together.

But upon receiving a letter, this stated just the broadband

and it was saying that we were having to pay another £29.99 per month

on top of our telephone charges.

And that was just for the business.

Getting broadband for her home, too, would mean, in total,

Kerry would have to pay an additional £60 a month.

Once all the costs were taken into account,

Kerry reckoned she'd be paying around £28 more

than she had to her previous supplier

the supplier Unicom had assured her they would undercut.

We're a new business and we work to a really tight budget,

so that would have had a massive effect on us.

Without the combined phone and broadband package

she was convinced she'd signed up to,

Kerry told Unicom she didn't want to go ahead with the deal.

But to her horror, the company told her

that to end both her home and work contracts,

she'd have to pay two hefty termination fees of more than £600,

a total of over £1,200.

Or putting it another way,

she'd need to sell over 1,200 extra cupcakes.

At the moment, we're receiving letters saying that

we're going to have debt collectors and bailiffs coming round.

Well, if they took things out of here,

-then the business would go under.

-That's the business gone.

We wouldn't be able to replace them.

We haven't got the money to replace them.

-It would leave us up the creek...

-Without a paddle.

-Without a paddle.

-Definitely.

We've spoken to other people who, like Kerry,

thought they'd signed up for phone and broadband

only to discover too late that broadband wasn't included.

And because it comes down to their word against Unicom's,

many of those customers ended up in stalemate.

But when Daniel Campbell from Cambridgeshire

found himself in that position,

he took matters into his own hands to prove he was right.

Just like Kerry, coffee shop owner Daniel switched to Unicom

after a cold call offering him a cheaper deal.

I was looking to save around £500 over the three years

that I signed up for them with.

Again, like Kerry, he signed a contract

that confirmed he had received the prices on paper.

However, Daniel denies he ever saw this.

There were no prices on paper.

He said that he needs a contract signed and then what will happen

is someone will phone me and confirm all the prices over the phone.

But when that call came, the Unicom rep on the other end of the line

was only ready to sign Daniel up for the phone service,

NOT the broadband.

I said, "This should be a telecoms and broadband package,"

and he goes, "Oh, sorry, sir. We will get someone from the broadband team

"to give you a ring because if that's what the rep has said,

"then that's obviously what will happen."

I was expecting the next call to just confirm

that the telecoms and broadband had all been sold together.

But the call didn't come.

A couple of weeks later, the cafe's internet stopped working,

and just like Kerry, Daniel discovered

that his new Unicom account didn't include broadband.

To get it would cost an extra £29.99 a month,

taking his total bill to almost £57,

more than double the deal he'd been sold by the sales rep.

He sold me it as a package,

so it was telephone and broadband,

and that was £26.99.

And I made sure that that is the package that I was sold,

cos I wouldn't be interested in anything else.

Refusing to pay more for a broadband deal

he thought he should already be getting,

Daniel decided to terminate his contract.

In response, Unicom sent him a bill

for over £400 of termination charges.

Daniel didn't see why he should have to pay,

so he took a different tack.

He called the rep who'd sold him the package in the first place

and secretly recorded the call.

'You sold me the phone line and the broadband package for £26.99,

'which was agreed by your manager.'

OVER PHONE:

Well, after I had got him

to sort of admit that he'd sold me that deal,

I thought, "Well, that's it. I can send them that.

"That's probably my golden ticket."

Daniel sent the recording to Unicom, who, faced with the evidence,

waived the hefty termination fees and settled his case.

So that was good news for Daniel.

But it still leaves other people who are adamant

that what they've ended up with from Unicom

isn't what they'd signed up to.

When we contacted Unicom about the cases we've heard about,

the company agreed that...

They said direct sales processes "can sometimes go wrong"

and that whilst it's their

"responsibility to resolve these problems",

they admit that they "have not always done that".

Unicom has now waived Kerry's termination fees

and also given her a sum equivalent to the cancellation fee

she paid to her previous supplier to join them.

What's more, the company has also resolved the complaints

of all the other viewers we contacted them about.

They stressed they're "committed to providing excellent service"

and are always looking to improve their processes

and the performance of their employees

so they "get it wrong less often".

While Daniel's own efforts

had already resulted in Unicom resolving his case,

he'll now be very much more wary of tantalising sales pitches.

Now I'm very cautious of anyone that phones the business

trying to offer me some deal or send a rep through.

Here at Rip-Off Britain,

we're always ready to investigate more of your stories.

Unsure what to do when you discover you've lost out

and that "great deal" has ended up costing you money?

People are buying into this. I did, you know.

And are they going to be as awkward with them as they were with me?

You can write to us at...

Or send us an e-mail to...

The Rip-Off team is ready and waiting to investigate your stories.

Well, I think it's true to say that none of us

likes paying more than we think we ought to for anything.

But as we've seen today, it can be even more frustrating

if you only handed over cash in the first place

because you were told you were getting something

for which it really was worth paying that little bit extra.

Sometimes, of course, you really can get a great service

at a bargain price.

But to be sure that the slick sales pitch really lives up to reality,

do shop around before handing over your money.

Take the time to compare what other companies are offering, too,

especially if you're signing up to a lengthy contract.

It could save you hundreds of pounds,

not to mention a whole lot of frustration later on.

You can find plenty more money-saving tips and advice

on our website.

I hope you know it by now, but it is...

Also there, of course, you'll find details

of how to get in touch with us if you've got your own story

about a time you thought you'd really paid over the odds

or been locked into an expensive contract

you just couldn't get out of.

But from all of us and the entire team, working away as usual,

that's it for today.

-From all of us, bye-bye.

-BOTH: Bye-bye.