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 that you think get it wrong
0:00:10 > 0:00:13and the customer service that simply is not up to scratch.
0:00:13 > 0:00:15People should expect more
0:00:15 > 0:00:17when 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 > 0:00:29You 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 > 0:00:35You want them to honour their agreement with you.
0:00:35 > 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 > 0:00:44That is disgusting!
0:00:44 > 0:00:48So whether it's a blatant rip-off or a genuine mistake...
0:00:48 > 0:00:51..we're here to find out why you're out of pocket
0:00:51 > 0:00:52and what you can do about it.
0:00:54 > 0:00:56Your stories, your money -
0:00:56 > 0:00:58this is Rip-Off Britain.
0:01:01 > 0:01:03Hello and welcome to Rip-Off Britain,
0:01:03 > 0:01:06the programme that's here to get to the bottom of
0:01:06 > 0:01:08what's gone wrong if you feel you've been short-changed,
0:01:08 > 0:01:10or if you haven't got what you paid for.
0:01:10 > 0:01:12So that, with a bit of luck,
0:01:12 > 0:01:14the same thing won't happen to anyone else.
0:01:14 > 0:01:17Of course, it's very easy to get frustrated when you feel
0:01:17 > 0:01:21you have not had value for money. We like value for money.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24But for the people we'll be hearing from today, it's worse than that.
0:01:24 > 0:01:26As far as they're concerned,
0:01:26 > 0:01:28they got a lot less than they actually paid out.
0:01:28 > 0:01:32In some cases, spending hundreds of pounds on something they say
0:01:32 > 0:01:35simply did not live up to the promises made
0:01:35 > 0:01:36when they handed over their money.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39Some of them had already complained to the companies that were
0:01:39 > 0:01:41involved before they even thought about coming to us.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44They just didn't think that anyone was listening to them.
0:01:44 > 0:01:46So, in today's programme,
0:01:46 > 0:01:49we're also going to be looking at how tools like social media
0:01:49 > 0:01:51are actually forcing companies
0:01:51 > 0:01:54to respond to complaints a lot more quickly.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57So, by the end of today's programme, we hope you're going to have
0:01:57 > 0:01:59a much better idea of what you can do
0:01:59 > 0:02:02to get your complaint dealt with and settled.
0:02:03 > 0:02:07Coming up - botched deliveries, big days ruined,
0:02:07 > 0:02:10and the online florists that don't come up smelling of roses.
0:02:10 > 0:02:12My mother-in-law was quite understanding.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15However, it's still quite upsetting to know that
0:02:15 > 0:02:18what you had planned isn't there and hasn't arrived.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21And a masterclass in new ways of complaining
0:02:21 > 0:02:24from a woman who never backs down.
0:02:24 > 0:02:26Everything about complaining, it's the principle.
0:02:26 > 0:02:30Whether it's 20p or thousands of pounds, it's the principle.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36From commiserations to congratulations,
0:02:36 > 0:02:38those happy birthdays to happy anniversaries,
0:02:38 > 0:02:41a bunch of flowers has always been the most popular way
0:02:41 > 0:02:43to say something really special.
0:02:43 > 0:02:45And, thanks to the boom in online florists,
0:02:45 > 0:02:48organising the whole thing, including delivery,
0:02:48 > 0:02:50can, of course, be sorted out without us even seeing
0:02:50 > 0:02:52the flowers that we're sending.
0:02:52 > 0:02:56Now, as you know, most of the time that works OK and it's convenient.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59But you've also been telling us about a number of online florists
0:02:59 > 0:03:02whose flowers, I'm afraid, have been a real flop,
0:03:02 > 0:03:06and whose service has almost ruined some very important occasions.
0:03:09 > 0:03:13Every Mother's Day, 2.5 million of us tell our mums we love them
0:03:13 > 0:03:15by sending flowers.
0:03:15 > 0:03:17Second only to Valentine's Day,
0:03:17 > 0:03:19Mother's Day is big business for florists.
0:03:19 > 0:03:23And, with so many flowers being picked, arranged and delivered,
0:03:23 > 0:03:27it's no surprise that things sometimes can go wrong.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30Julie Cooper is a pub landlady and she seems to have had
0:03:30 > 0:03:33more than her fair share of bad luck with her orders.
0:03:33 > 0:03:35The latest disappointment was when she tried ordering some
0:03:35 > 0:03:38Mother's Day flowers for her mother-in-law.
0:03:38 > 0:03:42We left Doncaster over a year ago now, so we were quite close
0:03:42 > 0:03:44and we were able to see her.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46With it being Mothering Sunday, we wanted her to know
0:03:46 > 0:03:48that we were thinking of her.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51After searching online, Julie found a company called
0:03:51 > 0:03:55Hallmark Bouquets and was impressed with what was on offer.
0:03:55 > 0:03:59They'd got separate sections for "Thank you" flowers, Mothering Sunday
0:03:59 > 0:04:00and all those sort of things,
0:04:00 > 0:04:04and you could add your optional extras on, like flowers and balloons.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07So Julie ordered flowers, chocolates and a balloon
0:04:07 > 0:04:10and, thanks to a 25% discount and free delivery,
0:04:10 > 0:04:14the whole package cost just £22.49.
0:04:14 > 0:04:18Julie ordered weeks in advance to make sure the package would be
0:04:18 > 0:04:20delivered on the Friday before Mother's Day.
0:04:20 > 0:04:24But as the day went on, there was no sign of any delivery.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27When it got to about three o'clock on the Friday afternoon,
0:04:27 > 0:04:30I was a bit anxious. I was thinking, "Gosh, where are these flowers?"
0:04:30 > 0:04:31I didn't want to phone my mother-in-law up
0:04:31 > 0:04:34and say, "Have your flowers come yet?" to spoil the surprise.
0:04:34 > 0:04:36But anxiety got the better of her
0:04:36 > 0:04:38and, when Julie DID pick up the phone,
0:04:38 > 0:04:40her worst fears were realised -
0:04:40 > 0:04:42there were no flowers.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45Julie immediately tried to contact Hallmark Bouquets.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48I got an automated response that said,
0:04:48 > 0:04:50"We'll respond within 48 hours."
0:04:50 > 0:04:52I tried the telephone number on the site
0:04:52 > 0:04:54and that just went to a fax machine.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57The flowers didn't arrive on the Saturday or
0:04:57 > 0:04:59even on Mother's Day itself.
0:04:59 > 0:05:01Nor was there any response to Julie's e-mail,
0:05:01 > 0:05:05so she wrote another one, making sure it was worded strongly enough
0:05:05 > 0:05:08for Hallmark Bouquets to understand that she was not happy.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11Within 20 minutes, they responded straightaway
0:05:11 > 0:05:14with such a rude e-mail, saying, "Don't use words like that.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17"We've sent your flowers, it's not our fault you haven't received them."
0:05:17 > 0:05:22I was a bit angry that they could respond straightaway to that
0:05:22 > 0:05:25but not to any of the other e-mails that I'd sent.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28After more e-mails, Hallmark Bouquets did offer Julie
0:05:28 > 0:05:31some replacement flowers but, with Mother's Day done and dusted,
0:05:31 > 0:05:34she saw little point and asked for a refund instead.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36Well, a month passed and Julie got her money back.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39But she doesn't feel that's made up for what had happened.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41My mother-in-law was quite understanding.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43She understood that it weren't my fault that there was
0:05:43 > 0:05:45nothing there for her on Mothering Sunday.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48However, it's still quite upsetting to know that
0:05:48 > 0:05:52what you had planned isn't there and hasn't arrived.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55When we spoke to Hallmark Bouquets about Julie's missing flowers,
0:05:55 > 0:05:56they told us that they
0:05:56 > 0:06:00"did everything they could to rectify the situation" with Julie,
0:06:00 > 0:06:03offering her two replacement bouquets and providing a refund.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06They say that they're able to offer customers low prices
0:06:06 > 0:06:08because they use postal services,
0:06:08 > 0:06:10rather than more expensive hand delivery but they told us
0:06:10 > 0:06:15that they "don't guarantee to deliver flowers by a certain date".
0:06:15 > 0:06:19Julie isn't the only person to complain about Hallmark Bouquets.
0:06:19 > 0:06:21Others have been in touch with similar stories
0:06:21 > 0:06:23or telling us that, although their flowers did arrive,
0:06:23 > 0:06:27they either weren't fresh or indeed were damaged in the delivery itself.
0:06:27 > 0:06:29The company, however, assured us
0:06:29 > 0:06:32that they have many satisfied returning customers.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35But you know, we received almost as many complaints
0:06:35 > 0:06:38about a different company called iFlorist.
0:06:38 > 0:06:43Stephen Lee from Birmingham lives over 200 miles away from his mum
0:06:43 > 0:06:45but when Mother's Day came around, he wanted to make sure
0:06:45 > 0:06:49that living so far apart didn't mean his mum missed out.
0:06:49 > 0:06:54'It just seemed easier to go online and, you know, do it that way.'
0:06:54 > 0:06:56You just write down everything that you want
0:06:56 > 0:06:58and pay for it and job's done.
0:06:58 > 0:07:02Stephen found a great deal on iFlorist and was even happier when
0:07:02 > 0:07:05he found out they could deliver on Mother's Day itself, and for free.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09He paid just under £45 for his mum's flowers.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12But when the big day came, the bouquet didn't.
0:07:12 > 0:07:1711 o'clock, I got an e-mail come through telling me, just to say,
0:07:17 > 0:07:19"Your flowers will be delivered Monday,"
0:07:19 > 0:07:22to which, obviously, I straightaway e-mailed back, saying,
0:07:22 > 0:07:26"That's no good to me. Your confirmation tells me Mothering Sunday,
0:07:26 > 0:07:29"it's no good sending them on a Monday."
0:07:29 > 0:07:32But iFlorist didn't respond so he told his mum to refuse
0:07:32 > 0:07:35the flowers from iFlorist when they came on the Monday,
0:07:35 > 0:07:38as he simply wasn't willing to pay for them a day late.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41Also, he tried to call iFlorist to complain and get a refund.
0:07:41 > 0:07:43I think I finally got through on the Tuesday -
0:07:43 > 0:07:45somebody answered the phone.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48They just told me that it was their policy that they could
0:07:48 > 0:07:51give 24-48 hours after their delivery date.
0:07:51 > 0:07:55So, while one section of iFlorist's terms and conditions say that
0:07:55 > 0:07:58Mother's Day flowers will be delivered on Mother's Day,
0:07:58 > 0:08:01there's another bit that states something very different.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04It says that deliveries are not guaranteed and, in fact,
0:08:04 > 0:08:07they could arrive 24 or even 48 hours later.
0:08:08 > 0:08:12We asked iFlorist about Stephen's case and their guaranteed delivery
0:08:12 > 0:08:15but they haven't answered any of our questions.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18However, they eventually did refund Stephen for the flowers
0:08:18 > 0:08:20that didn't arrive on time.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23Unfortunately, even the best known companies don't always
0:08:23 > 0:08:27manage to keep up with the demands of the Mother's Day flowers bonanza.
0:08:27 > 0:08:30Interflora, the biggest online delivery service,
0:08:30 > 0:08:32came in for criticism this past Mother's Day
0:08:32 > 0:08:35when a number of people tweeted their disappointment
0:08:35 > 0:08:38after apparently hundreds of incorrect deliveries.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42Interflora told us that they delivered
0:08:42 > 0:08:45hundreds of thousands of bouquets over the Mother's Day weekend,
0:08:45 > 0:08:48and received only "a small number of complaints"
0:08:48 > 0:08:53all of which they're sorry for and resolved as soon as possible.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56But you know, we've had so many e-mails from customers
0:08:56 > 0:08:58disappointed with a whole range of online florists
0:08:58 > 0:09:01that you can't help wondering how many of these problems stem
0:09:01 > 0:09:05from the particular way we now like to buy flowers.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07More and more these days, people seem to be
0:09:07 > 0:09:09ordering their flowers online, whereas in the past,
0:09:09 > 0:09:12we would have come to a lovely local florist like this.
0:09:12 > 0:09:16But I suppose online it's quick, simple, convenient.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19But when these companies deliver the bouquet,
0:09:19 > 0:09:21the question is are they also delivering
0:09:21 > 0:09:24on the standard that you expect for the money that you've paid?
0:09:24 > 0:09:27Online flower shopping has transformed the industry
0:09:27 > 0:09:29so dramatically that, in many cases,
0:09:29 > 0:09:32the website you've ordered from won't be getting its blooms
0:09:32 > 0:09:34from the cosy little florists you might imagine.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37Instead, flower websites often get their stock from
0:09:37 > 0:09:41big, centralised suppliers, which many of them share.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44But traditional florists are concerned at the way the industry
0:09:44 > 0:09:46is now dominated by two types of business,
0:09:46 > 0:09:48both of which seem a long way
0:09:48 > 0:09:50from your average neighbourhood flower shop.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53The first is what they call a relay company.
0:09:53 > 0:09:57Relay companies collect orders via the internet, over the telephone
0:09:57 > 0:10:00and they send those orders either to a florist
0:10:00 > 0:10:03that belongs to their relay organisation
0:10:03 > 0:10:06or they send them to a warehouse to be made up.
0:10:07 > 0:10:11Relay companies sometimes use independent local flower shops
0:10:11 > 0:10:13but other times they go straight to the warehouse.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16But the other type of online florists, what the industry
0:10:16 > 0:10:21call order gatherers, miss out the traditional shops altogether.
0:10:21 > 0:10:25While ordering from a warehouse reduces costs and maximises profit,
0:10:25 > 0:10:27critics say the customer service
0:10:27 > 0:10:30really suffers by cutting out the trained, skilled florist.
0:10:30 > 0:10:34Not only that, but many of these businesses also cut costs
0:10:34 > 0:10:38by finding the cheapest possible way to deliver their stock.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41Some use courier companies or even post their flowers,
0:10:41 > 0:10:44and you've been telling us that can sometimes have an impact
0:10:44 > 0:10:47on the quality of the bouquet you're getting.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50Now, I do worry about courier services and postal services
0:10:50 > 0:10:54because we've had so many complaints about the quality,
0:10:54 > 0:10:58or lack of quality, really, of flowers when they arrive.
0:10:58 > 0:11:02OK. Well, that tends to be because obviously they're arriving in a box.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05They may have had water in the packaging with them,
0:11:05 > 0:11:08but more often than not that doesn't happen.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11They are supposed to be delivered within a certain time
0:11:11 > 0:11:14so the flowers hopefully should last that long.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17But the biggest problem is that, generally, the people that are doing
0:11:17 > 0:11:21that kind of service don't really know how to look after flowers.
0:11:21 > 0:11:25So if you want a personalised service and a guarantee of what
0:11:25 > 0:11:29you're getting then a traditional florist shop wins hands-down.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32But online companies do often offer much cheaper deals.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35So if price and convenience are key,
0:11:35 > 0:11:37what they offer could be right for you.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39But after her latest experience,
0:11:39 > 0:11:43Julie is certain that she won't be ordering online ever again.
0:11:43 > 0:11:46Next time, I'll probably send a friend who lives local to them
0:11:46 > 0:11:48some money through the bank
0:11:48 > 0:11:50and say, "Can you go and get me some flowers locally?"
0:11:50 > 0:11:52rather than do that.
0:11:59 > 0:12:01Now, you know, we Brits can be a funny old bunch.
0:12:01 > 0:12:05We love a good whinge about bad service or an out-and-out rip-off
0:12:05 > 0:12:09but very often we find it hard to complain to someone face-to-face.
0:12:09 > 0:12:13But the tide is turning and the rise of social media has
0:12:13 > 0:12:17provided a simple and very public way of not just airing a complaint
0:12:17 > 0:12:21but taking it right to the door of the companies concerned,
0:12:21 > 0:12:24and that's provoked a change in the way those companies deal with us,
0:12:24 > 0:12:28as they have to be equally public in how they respond.
0:12:32 > 0:12:36In 2013, the British public made more than 38 million complaints.
0:12:36 > 0:12:41From mobile phone companies to energy providers, councils to railways,
0:12:41 > 0:12:45we were telling them, "You've got it wrong," every 1.2 seconds.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49When I think it's necessary, I do complain because I feel
0:12:49 > 0:12:51that they ought to know.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54I'm paying for a service and I want that so I'll ask
0:12:54 > 0:12:58for a better table if it's not right cos you shouldn't expect secondary.
0:12:58 > 0:13:02And we seem to be overcoming our traditional British reserve too,
0:13:02 > 0:13:05with almost a third of people saying they're more likely
0:13:05 > 0:13:07to complain now than they were a year ago.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09Is that because doing it online
0:13:09 > 0:13:12can provide a simpler way of getting your point across?
0:13:12 > 0:13:14I'm not that bothered about complaining but I think I feel
0:13:14 > 0:13:16a bit uncomfortable doing it on the phone.
0:13:16 > 0:13:19Probably write an e-mail, maybe, instead.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22Helen Dewdney thinks it's our duty to tell companies
0:13:22 > 0:13:24when they've done something wrong,
0:13:24 > 0:13:28and she's been doing that herself since she was just 12.
0:13:28 > 0:13:30To me, it's the principle of the thing.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33For everything about complaining, it's the principle.
0:13:33 > 0:13:36Whether it's 20p or thousands of pounds, it's the principle.
0:13:37 > 0:13:41Helen calls herself The Complaining Cow
0:13:41 > 0:13:44and, for over 30 years, she's been airing her dissatisfaction
0:13:44 > 0:13:47to companies who she thinks haven't got it right.
0:13:47 > 0:13:48MOO!
0:13:48 > 0:13:51She has contested and won three court cases
0:13:51 > 0:13:56and, in 2013, received over £2,500 in redress from 11 companies,
0:13:56 > 0:14:01as well as helping her friends and family recover over £1,800
0:14:01 > 0:14:04from companies who'd let them down, too.
0:14:04 > 0:14:06I very rarely do it actually in person
0:14:06 > 0:14:09unless it is something that needs to be dealt with there and then.
0:14:09 > 0:14:11I will go home, think about it.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14You need to do it quite quickly, so it's all fresh in your mind,
0:14:14 > 0:14:18and do the complaint in writing so you've got a record of everything.
0:14:18 > 0:14:21But for Helen, the point of complaining is not
0:14:21 > 0:14:23to get freebies or compensation.
0:14:23 > 0:14:25I like to know what assurances
0:14:25 > 0:14:27I'm going to get that it won't happen again
0:14:27 > 0:14:29and, quite often, they'll come back and say,
0:14:29 > 0:14:31"We've put in place this training,"
0:14:31 > 0:14:33or, "We've sent that particular person on training,"
0:14:33 > 0:14:35or, "We've now set up a new database,"
0:14:35 > 0:14:38or whatever it is - it's nice to know that I've effected change.
0:14:39 > 0:14:41For most of her complaining career,
0:14:41 > 0:14:44Helen's relied on detailed letters and then e-mails.
0:14:44 > 0:14:46But recently, like many others,
0:14:46 > 0:14:49she's started expressing her disgruntlement through a channel
0:14:49 > 0:14:54that limits her to a very concise 140 characters - Twitter.
0:14:54 > 0:14:58The brevity of a Tweet makes it an easy way to write a complaint
0:14:58 > 0:15:01but the real reason it's taken off as a forum for airing a grievance
0:15:01 > 0:15:03is because it's so public.
0:15:03 > 0:15:07Anyone can see and respond to what you've said.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10So it's not surprising that a company whose name is mentioned
0:15:10 > 0:15:13might want to act quickly to show that they're dealing with it,
0:15:13 > 0:15:16especially if others start joining in the conversation.
0:15:16 > 0:15:21I find it easy for complaining about small things.
0:15:21 > 0:15:25So if I've had an order and a delivery and my grapes are rotten
0:15:25 > 0:15:29or my eggs are broken, it's much easier to just Tweet somebody and
0:15:29 > 0:15:31they can find my order number and I get a refund.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34But anything more complicated, I think, than that,
0:15:34 > 0:15:36it's very difficult in 140 characters.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40Somewhere along the line, you have to send an e-mail or a letter.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44Even so, more than a quarter of consumers who
0:15:44 > 0:15:47complained about a product or service in the last year
0:15:47 > 0:15:50are reckoned to have shared their gripe on social media.
0:15:50 > 0:15:54Paul Lewis, presenter of Radio 4's Moneybox, was one of them.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57Twitter has helped me, personally, to file a complaint
0:15:57 > 0:15:59against an energy company - my energy company.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02They were very late in sending me a refund.
0:16:02 > 0:16:04I went through all the normal procedures
0:16:04 > 0:16:07and then I tried tweeting about it and, you know,
0:16:07 > 0:16:08I had a response within a few hours.
0:16:08 > 0:16:11And it was really that, a few months ago, that made me think,
0:16:11 > 0:16:14"Well, maybe Twitter IS the way to complain."
0:16:14 > 0:16:17When Paul asked his Twitter followers to tell him
0:16:17 > 0:16:19if they've used the service to complain as well,
0:16:19 > 0:16:22he was inundated with success stories.
0:16:22 > 0:16:26I've had messages from people with a gym, with a railway company,
0:16:26 > 0:16:29with a bank, or a building society,
0:16:29 > 0:16:32with a council who filled in the potholes.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35All these kind of things getting instant responses
0:16:35 > 0:16:38whereas, in the past, they might have written letters or sent e-mails
0:16:38 > 0:16:39and waited weeks for a reply
0:16:39 > 0:16:42or, even worse, been stuck on the phone for an hour
0:16:42 > 0:16:43with no-one talking to them.
0:16:43 > 0:16:47There are 15 million people in the UK who have a Twitter account,
0:16:47 > 0:16:49hundreds of millions around the world,
0:16:49 > 0:16:51so if you Tweet about something going wrong,
0:16:51 > 0:16:55potentially, everyone can see it and it's because it can be such
0:16:55 > 0:17:00disastrous PR that companies are beginning to take it seriously.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04Of course, companies can get it wrong on social media.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07One Twitter user from London complained that a delayed train
0:17:07 > 0:17:09had made him late for work,
0:17:09 > 0:17:12Transport for London sent a less-than-sympathetic response,
0:17:12 > 0:17:16saying, "Leave early, you will not be late next time."
0:17:16 > 0:17:19Another man, Jim Boyden, posted on Facebook
0:17:19 > 0:17:22a bill including a late payment charge that Virgin Media had sent
0:17:22 > 0:17:26to his father-in-law, who'd died ten months previously.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28Both stories went viral.
0:17:28 > 0:17:32Thousands either responded or posted and tweeted to their own followers,
0:17:32 > 0:17:37forcing both Virgin Media and TfL into embarrassing apologies.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40PR company Smoking Gun helps a number of brands
0:17:40 > 0:17:44and companies manage their reputation through social media.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46If a situation arises on social media,
0:17:46 > 0:17:48it can have a direct impact on the share price,
0:17:48 > 0:17:50momentum can gather very quickly
0:17:50 > 0:17:53and bad news can be spread globally in seconds,
0:17:53 > 0:17:57so brands have to be really mindful of managing their reputation online.
0:17:57 > 0:18:01And are the companies conscious of the fact that once people
0:18:01 > 0:18:03start using social media, they have a sort of crowd effect?
0:18:03 > 0:18:08Absolutely. The worst thing that can happen is to ignore the complaints
0:18:08 > 0:18:12or, even worse, be rude to people and not try and help them.
0:18:12 > 0:18:16All of a sudden, it can pick up momentum and be re-shared.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19OK, so I'm a consumer, I've got a complaint.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21My holiday didn't work out the way I thought it would.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24I've decided I'm going to go on social media
0:18:24 > 0:18:26and vent my spleen and try to get justice.
0:18:26 > 0:18:28How do I go about doing that?
0:18:28 > 0:18:31Probably your first step is to find which channels
0:18:31 > 0:18:33the holiday company's using itself,
0:18:33 > 0:18:35whether it be Facebook, whether it be Twitter,
0:18:35 > 0:18:38whether they've got their own blog that you can post a comment onto,
0:18:38 > 0:18:41and actually contact them that way.
0:18:41 > 0:18:42Don't start ranting - be fair with them
0:18:42 > 0:18:46and, you know, you're likely to get a quicker and smoother resolution.
0:18:46 > 0:18:50But don't forget, everything you say online is both public
0:18:50 > 0:18:52and subject to libel laws,
0:18:52 > 0:18:55so saying the wrong thing could land you in hot water.
0:18:55 > 0:18:57Don't divulge sensitive information,
0:18:57 > 0:19:00personal information. Remember that things,
0:19:00 > 0:19:03information, does stay online forever, potentially.
0:19:03 > 0:19:05No matter how frustrated you get,
0:19:05 > 0:19:08don't swear, don't be rude, just try and keep calm.
0:19:09 > 0:19:11But whether you're complaining through social media
0:19:11 > 0:19:14or you prefer the old-school method of putting pen to paper,
0:19:14 > 0:19:17seasoned complainer Helen has one simple rule.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20It is an old cliche - people power.
0:19:20 > 0:19:21The more people that complain,
0:19:21 > 0:19:25and complain effectively, you know, in the right manner,
0:19:25 > 0:19:29then the more of us that do it then that will bring about change.
0:19:34 > 0:19:38Still to come on Rip-Off Britain, how a cold call convinced
0:19:38 > 0:19:41this couple they were in line for a bumper pay out.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43They said to me I will get this money back.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46There was no doubt about it. I had nothing to lose.
0:19:52 > 0:19:56Once again, we've taken Rip-Off Britain out on the road
0:19:56 > 0:19:58and this year we've set up shop
0:19:58 > 0:20:01in one of the biggest retail centres in the West Midlands.
0:20:01 > 0:20:06Hi. How are you? Thanks very much for coming to the pop-up shop.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09And we were armed with our top team of experts, ready to
0:20:09 > 0:20:11solve your problems face-to-face.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14I think this is something that the energy companies
0:20:14 > 0:20:17really need to get a serious grip on.
0:20:19 > 0:20:23Nisha Summan called in to see Trading Standards expert Sylvia Rook
0:20:23 > 0:20:27after she paid out twice for something she's never received.
0:20:27 > 0:20:32I had an engineer come to my house to repair my old vacuum cleaner.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35Because my five-year guarantee had expired,
0:20:35 > 0:20:40they recommended I had a new vacuum cleaner at a discounted price.
0:20:40 > 0:20:46I agreed to that so I ended up paying a total of £299.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49Delighted with the discount, Nisha paid on her debit card
0:20:49 > 0:20:52but the engineer explained the transaction hadn't gone through
0:20:52 > 0:20:55and he'd need the payment a different way.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57I then paid 299 in cash.
0:20:59 > 0:21:03They said, subject to availability, it should take three to five days
0:21:03 > 0:21:05for this vacuum cleaner to come through.
0:21:06 > 0:21:10I'd waited four weeks and it had never arrived.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13Worse still, it turned out that her first attempt at payment
0:21:13 > 0:21:16HAD gone through after all.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19When I went to the bank, they actually told me
0:21:19 > 0:21:22that I had been charged 299 from my debit card as well.
0:21:22 > 0:21:28So, in essence, I've paid twice so in total I've paid £600.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31- And you still haven't actually got any vacuum cleaner at all?- No.
0:21:31 > 0:21:35After complaining to the retailer, Nisha cancelled the order
0:21:35 > 0:21:37and eventually DID receive a refund from them for the amount
0:21:37 > 0:21:39she'd paid in cash.
0:21:39 > 0:21:41But that was only half of what she was owed.
0:21:41 > 0:21:46I've been waiting since March for me to have the refund come back through
0:21:46 > 0:21:47and it still hasn't come through.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50The bank is a good place to get your money back cos they
0:21:50 > 0:21:54operate a system called chargeback and they should be able to reclaim
0:21:54 > 0:21:57your money if you can't get it back from the retailer.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00So what you now need to do is write to the company
0:22:00 > 0:22:02and explain exactly what's happened -
0:22:02 > 0:22:05the fact that they processed your payment twice, the fact
0:22:05 > 0:22:09that they have refunded the cash side but not the debit card side.
0:22:09 > 0:22:11Include with it the evidence
0:22:11 > 0:22:13that they took the money off your debit card.
0:22:13 > 0:22:15When you send the letter, keep a copy of it,
0:22:15 > 0:22:18send it recorded delivery so you've got evidence that it's been sent.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21It's taken them several months, they haven't given you the money back -
0:22:21 > 0:22:24your next stage is then going to be to pursue them through the courts
0:22:24 > 0:22:26if they don't give you your money back.
0:22:28 > 0:22:32As well as offering one-to-one advice, our experts were kept busy
0:22:32 > 0:22:35giving out money-saving tips to passing shoppers.
0:22:35 > 0:22:37If you get yourselves a Family Railcard
0:22:37 > 0:22:41then that's going to save you one third off your normal fares and
0:22:41 > 0:22:45the youngster will actually pay two thirds off the normal fare.
0:22:45 > 0:22:47- Can you do it on the day?- You can book it on the day. The main thing
0:22:47 > 0:22:50is if you can possibly qualify for a railcard then do.
0:22:50 > 0:22:51You obviously don't because you're...
0:22:51 > 0:22:54- I do. I've got a railcard. - Impossible!
0:22:54 > 0:22:57- Are you still under 26? - Yes, I am. I'm over that a bit.
0:22:57 > 0:22:58No, I've got a Senior Railcard,
0:22:58 > 0:23:01which means I get a third off every time I travel.
0:23:03 > 0:23:07And over at our Gripe Corner, you weren't exactly holding back,
0:23:07 > 0:23:10letting us know what gets you hot under the collar.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15The thing that annoys me most is bad customer service.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18If I'd have gone to the correct site I wouldn't have wasted my money.
0:23:18 > 0:23:21My mum's got a rip-off for you.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24I think it's really bad nowadays when you go shopping
0:23:24 > 0:23:28and a loaf of bread costs £1 in one shop and the same brand of bread
0:23:28 > 0:23:30costs £1.50 in another.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32That's what I call rip-off Britain.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39Whatever your age, there really are some birthdays you just have
0:23:39 > 0:23:41to celebrate, aren't there?
0:23:41 > 0:23:45And, while as you get older you may tend to reserve the big parties
0:23:45 > 0:23:49for the big numbers like 40, 50, 60 and so on,
0:23:49 > 0:23:52when you're younger, every birthday really does deserve a celebration.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55And luckily there is no shortage of companies
0:23:55 > 0:23:58that are offering to take the pain out of party planning...
0:23:58 > 0:24:02at a cost, of course. But then, it is worth every penny if they can
0:24:02 > 0:24:04make a children's party really memorable.
0:24:04 > 0:24:09Provided, that is, that you're remembering it in a good way
0:24:09 > 0:24:12and not, as was the case in our next family,
0:24:12 > 0:24:17because that all-important big day was totally ruined.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22As you know, a teenager's birthday bash can these days be
0:24:22 > 0:24:24much more glamorous than those in the past.
0:24:24 > 0:24:28And Hollie Summerfield was determined to celebrate in style.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31I wanted mine to be different to what everyone else had done
0:24:31 > 0:24:33so people would remember it.
0:24:33 > 0:24:38For her 15th birthday, Hollie was going to have a pamper party.
0:24:38 > 0:24:40We were all kind of excited cos everyone wanted to know, like,
0:24:40 > 0:24:44what we were doing, how we were going to do it, who was coming.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46So that was really exciting.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51The plan for Hollie's party was that she and seven of her friends would
0:24:51 > 0:24:57get spa treatments and their hair, nails and make-up done by experts.
0:24:57 > 0:25:00Hollie's mum Alison had been given a recommendation
0:25:00 > 0:25:03for pamper party specialists Grumpy But Gorgeous.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06So she and husband, Gordon, checked out the company online.
0:25:07 > 0:25:12I looked on the social media site and it looked fantastic
0:25:12 > 0:25:15and they had some really close-up testimonials
0:25:15 > 0:25:19that were done within days of us booking, so it all looked fine.
0:25:19 > 0:25:23And I think because I had personal experience of a colleague at work
0:25:23 > 0:25:25that had used them and he said it had gone well, I was like,
0:25:25 > 0:25:27"Yeah, let's just book it."
0:25:28 > 0:25:33A pamper party for Hollie and seven of her friends would cost £300.
0:25:33 > 0:25:35Although it was a lot of money, we thought,
0:25:35 > 0:25:39for eight people, it's not a bad... it's not actually bad value.
0:25:39 > 0:25:43I paid the deposit by credit card and then you had to pay the
0:25:43 > 0:25:47remaining amount by cash on the day.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51One director of Grumpy But Gorgeous, Katie Brown,
0:25:51 > 0:25:54told Gordon that their team would arrive 45 minutes
0:25:54 > 0:25:57before the party to set everything up.
0:25:57 > 0:26:01After weeks of anticipation, Hollie's big day finally arrived.
0:26:01 > 0:26:02I woke up that day really excited.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05I made sure I didn't put any make-up on
0:26:05 > 0:26:08so that they could do all the pampering and stuff.
0:26:08 > 0:26:13Did my hair, put my onesie on because we were all going to just relax
0:26:13 > 0:26:17in our pyjamas and everything so, yeah, I was really excited.
0:26:17 > 0:26:18MUSIC: You're Gorgeous by Babybird
0:26:18 > 0:26:21# Because you're gorgeous... #
0:26:21 > 0:26:25Next, Hollie's friends turned up, also in their onesies,
0:26:25 > 0:26:27and ready to be made-up.
0:26:27 > 0:26:29There was just one crucial ingredient missing -
0:26:29 > 0:26:31the staff from Grumpy But Gorgeous.
0:26:31 > 0:26:34It kind of got to the stage when everyone was there
0:26:34 > 0:26:36apart from the pamper people.
0:26:36 > 0:26:40We all started wondering where they were, what was happening.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43People didn't know what was going on.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46When Alison tried to call Katie Brown, the woman
0:26:46 > 0:26:49behind Grumpy But Gorgeous, her phone went straight to voice mail.
0:26:49 > 0:26:53By the time we get to 11 o'clock, we're thinking,
0:26:53 > 0:26:55"Oh, dear, they're not here."
0:26:55 > 0:27:00You keep hoping, but by 20 past, half past 11, I decided obviously,
0:27:00 > 0:27:02they're not going to turn up.
0:27:02 > 0:27:06It fell to Alison to break the bad news to Hollie and her friends.
0:27:06 > 0:27:08There was complete disbelief with Hollie.
0:27:08 > 0:27:10But I think that was shared amongst all the girls.
0:27:10 > 0:27:15They were quite horrified. "What do you mean? You paid the deposit.
0:27:15 > 0:27:17"Well, it's booked - why haven't they come?"
0:27:17 > 0:27:22I did get a bit upset. I felt really bad cos they'd all come
0:27:22 > 0:27:26round my house for a pamper party and the people weren't there.
0:27:26 > 0:27:31It is upsetting because now my 15th birthday is lost,
0:27:31 > 0:27:34and it's just really annoying.
0:27:35 > 0:27:39Alison had sent e-mails to Grumpy But Gorgeous throughout the day
0:27:39 > 0:27:42to say they'd left eight 15-year-olds very grumpy
0:27:42 > 0:27:45and not quite so gorgeous as they were expecting.
0:27:45 > 0:27:49She didn't get a reply until 9.30 that evening when one came,
0:27:49 > 0:27:52apologising and saying that they would look into what went wrong.
0:27:52 > 0:27:55They also offered to refund the deposit
0:27:55 > 0:27:57and put on another party for free.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00But weeks went by without that refund materialising.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03As time went on, I was saying to Alison,
0:28:03 > 0:28:07"This is definitely not right. They're just stringing you along."
0:28:07 > 0:28:10I put a message out to all my friends on social media and asked them
0:28:10 > 0:28:13to pass it on not to have anything to do with this company.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16But I think the reason for doing that, at the time, was
0:28:16 > 0:28:20- the fact that we didn't want anyone else to go through what we'd gone through.- Correct.
0:28:20 > 0:28:24Unfortunately, others do appear to have had the same experience,
0:28:24 > 0:28:26both with Grumpy But Gorgeous
0:28:26 > 0:28:30and another similar company run by its managing director Katie Brown.
0:28:30 > 0:28:34Gordon found various complaints about both companies online.
0:28:34 > 0:28:36I googled her name...
0:28:37 > 0:28:39..and came up with some quite shocking stuff
0:28:39 > 0:28:43that people have written about her
0:28:43 > 0:28:45and the businesses she's had before.
0:28:45 > 0:28:47Some of the things that are written
0:28:47 > 0:28:51are identical to the stuff that's happened to us.
0:28:51 > 0:28:54Eventually, after contacting his credit card company,
0:28:54 > 0:28:58Gordon was given a full refund by Grumpy But Gorgeous.
0:28:58 > 0:29:00But if Katie Brown's companies
0:29:00 > 0:29:03have left a number of disgruntled customers in their wake,
0:29:03 > 0:29:05it seems there are some very unhappy staff as well.
0:29:05 > 0:29:10Danielle D'Rozario was an admin assistant at Grumpy But Gorgeous.
0:29:10 > 0:29:12When I first started working for Katie, I didn't see any reason
0:29:12 > 0:29:16why not to work for her. It seemed like a good company at the time.
0:29:16 > 0:29:20But then, after a while, it just became very unreliable with regards
0:29:20 > 0:29:23to being paid wages and then she would start letting
0:29:23 > 0:29:26customers down by cancelling parties, or postponing them.
0:29:26 > 0:29:28After three months working at the company,
0:29:28 > 0:29:30Danielle was made redundant.
0:29:30 > 0:29:34But she was still owed over £1,300 in wages,
0:29:34 > 0:29:36as were seven other people
0:29:36 > 0:29:38who worked for Grumpy But Gorgeous boss Katie Brown.
0:29:38 > 0:29:40I didn't hear anything from her.
0:29:40 > 0:29:43We couldn't get in contact with her and then, after a while,
0:29:43 > 0:29:45me and the other girls that worked for her became rather annoyed
0:29:45 > 0:29:49at waiting and then we took it further and took it to a tribunal.
0:29:49 > 0:29:52Neither Katie Brown nor her fellow director attended
0:29:52 > 0:29:55the employment tribunal and the court ruled in favour
0:29:55 > 0:30:00of the ex-employees, ordering her to pay more than £15,000.
0:30:00 > 0:30:04But Danielle says she still didn't get the money she was owed.
0:30:04 > 0:30:07She even instructed bailiffs to help reclaim the debt,
0:30:07 > 0:30:10but they were unable to find any assets belonging to the company.
0:30:10 > 0:30:12Am I ever going to see my money back?
0:30:12 > 0:30:15I don't think so, to be honest. It's been that long now
0:30:15 > 0:30:18and she hasn't made any contact or any sort of payment.
0:30:19 > 0:30:21When we contacted Grumpy But Gorgeous,
0:30:21 > 0:30:24the company directors disputed what Danielle had told us,
0:30:24 > 0:30:28insisting that she "has categorically been paid up-to-date".
0:30:28 > 0:30:31They said that they had been unable to defend
0:30:31 > 0:30:35the company at the tribunal as they were unaware it was taking place,
0:30:35 > 0:30:38but they have now paid some of the former employees in full.
0:30:38 > 0:30:41They also claimed they dismissed Danielle following issues
0:30:41 > 0:30:45with her conduct at work, although we have seen the excellent
0:30:45 > 0:30:48reference they gave her when she was ostensibly made redundant,
0:30:48 > 0:30:52which makes it clear they would employ her again.
0:30:52 > 0:30:53The directors went on to blame
0:30:53 > 0:30:56dealings with two online voucher companies
0:30:56 > 0:31:00for the "financial difficulties" which led to members of staff
0:31:00 > 0:31:03losing their jobs and to parties not being provided.
0:31:03 > 0:31:06As for the 15th birthday party Grumpy But Gorgeous didn't
0:31:06 > 0:31:09throw for Hollie Summerfield, they told us they
0:31:09 > 0:31:13"publicly and sincerely apologise for any upset caused".
0:31:13 > 0:31:16They say the staff member responsible for Hollie's party
0:31:16 > 0:31:19was unable to make it because her "car had set on fire"
0:31:19 > 0:31:24and no-one else was in the office on the day to take Alison's calls.
0:31:24 > 0:31:26They now make sure there is
0:31:26 > 0:31:28"someone on the telephones seven days a week".
0:31:28 > 0:31:31Grumpy But Gorgeous went on to reiterate that
0:31:31 > 0:31:35the Summerfields were given a full refund and sent flowers.
0:31:35 > 0:31:38And although the family has yet to take them up on it,
0:31:38 > 0:31:41their offer of a free spa party still stands.
0:31:43 > 0:31:47In the end, Hollie did have the 15th birthday pamper party she wanted,
0:31:47 > 0:31:49but several weeks after the event.
0:31:49 > 0:31:54We reorganised another birthday with another company,
0:31:54 > 0:31:57who were really, really good. We had a lot of fun with them.
0:31:57 > 0:32:01They did facials and nails and they were just a good laugh
0:32:01 > 0:32:03and it was really good fun.
0:32:03 > 0:32:06So I'm happy I got to do it again, with a good company.
0:32:13 > 0:32:16If you'd like more advice on any of the situations
0:32:16 > 0:32:18we investigate on the programme
0:32:18 > 0:32:20then log on to our website...
0:32:22 > 0:32:26..which has a huge range of practical information on everything
0:32:26 > 0:32:29from cold calling and how to check a company's credentials to
0:32:29 > 0:32:33warnings on the latest scams to watch out for.
0:32:33 > 0:32:36You'll also find hints and tips from the experts and workshops
0:32:36 > 0:32:39at our pop-up shop, some of which could really save you money.
0:32:43 > 0:32:46At one time or another, most of us have been called up out of the blue
0:32:46 > 0:32:50by a company claiming that you were mis-sold some financial product
0:32:50 > 0:32:53in the past, and then they offer to help win back the money
0:32:53 > 0:32:55to which you're supposedly entitled.
0:32:55 > 0:32:58While such calls may make you suspicious,
0:32:58 > 0:33:02there are enough people who really have reclaimed money this way
0:33:02 > 0:33:04to make you wonder if it just might be worth giving them a go.
0:33:04 > 0:33:08Especially if they make it sound like you've got nothing to lose.
0:33:08 > 0:33:11Trouble is, though, with some of these companies, there really
0:33:11 > 0:33:14is a lot you could lose...
0:33:14 > 0:33:16and most likely never see again.
0:33:19 > 0:33:23This beautiful farmland on Bodmin Moor in Cornwall has been
0:33:23 > 0:33:26home to Graham Higgins for nearly 60 years.
0:33:26 > 0:33:31Born and bred on the family farm, he now runs it with wife Lynsey.
0:33:31 > 0:33:32It's not easy.
0:33:32 > 0:33:37Far from it. It's hard work 365 days of the year, 24/7.
0:33:39 > 0:33:42Farming, to us, is a way of life. We don't know any other, really.
0:33:42 > 0:33:44I was born here.
0:33:44 > 0:33:46Cash flow on the farm can be unpredictable.
0:33:46 > 0:33:48And, with a big mortgage, too,
0:33:48 > 0:33:51Lynsey and Graham haven't always found it easy to make ends meet.
0:33:51 > 0:33:54So when the phone rang one day in November 2012 with
0:33:54 > 0:33:58an offer of help clearing their debts, it seemed like good news.
0:33:58 > 0:34:00I had a cold caller that came through
0:34:00 > 0:34:05and said that they could get all of this money back for me off my credit
0:34:05 > 0:34:09cards that I have been mis-sold and to do with my mortgage as well.
0:34:09 > 0:34:14It appealed to me because he said that I was owed probably thousands.
0:34:14 > 0:34:19That cold call was from a company called Claim Credit Services,
0:34:19 > 0:34:20who told the Higginses that,
0:34:20 > 0:34:23if they had been mis-sold their credit cards and mortgage,
0:34:23 > 0:34:26not only could the company help them get their money back,
0:34:26 > 0:34:30even better, they'd do it all on a no win, no fee basis.
0:34:30 > 0:34:32There was an upfront fee
0:34:32 > 0:34:36but Claim Credit Services, or CCS for short, assured the couple
0:34:36 > 0:34:41that they'd have that money returned if their claims didn't succeed.
0:34:42 > 0:34:47Well, they kept advertising no win, no fee.
0:34:47 > 0:34:50You think that, you know, we're pretty safe to go ahead and do this.
0:34:50 > 0:34:53- And that we'd get the money back. - And we would get the money back.
0:34:53 > 0:34:56There was no doubt about it, I had nothing to lose.
0:34:56 > 0:34:59Unsure whether this was all too good to be true,
0:34:59 > 0:35:03Lynsey checked out Claim Credit Services online.
0:35:03 > 0:35:06The Ministry of Justice website lists claims management
0:35:06 > 0:35:08companies which have been authorised by the regulator
0:35:08 > 0:35:11and, sure enough, CCS did check out.
0:35:11 > 0:35:16I thought it was OK because I went onto the website and checked it out.
0:35:16 > 0:35:19Reassured by this, Lynsey and Graham paid them
0:35:19 > 0:35:24a total of £3,673.39 in two instalments.
0:35:24 > 0:35:26Again, they were told that
0:35:26 > 0:35:29as long as they didn't pull out of the claims before the work was
0:35:29 > 0:35:33complete, they would get their money back if they were not successful.
0:35:33 > 0:35:36If, on the other hand, they were awarded some compensation,
0:35:36 > 0:35:39CCS would charge a 25% fee.
0:35:39 > 0:35:41It all seemed fair enough.
0:35:41 > 0:35:44The Higgins say CCS told them
0:35:44 > 0:35:47that the whole process would take between 60 and 90 days.
0:35:47 > 0:35:52But it actually took just under five months before there was any news.
0:35:52 > 0:35:55In April, when I got the letter and they come back and said that
0:35:55 > 0:35:58we'd got a very good case, I was delighted, really.
0:35:58 > 0:36:00I thought, "Here we go, it's all OK.
0:36:00 > 0:36:03"We're going to get our money back, if not more."
0:36:03 > 0:36:07The letter from CCS said it looked like Graham and Lynsey had
0:36:07 > 0:36:11"a convincing claim" that their mortgage had been mis-sold.
0:36:11 > 0:36:15So, with lambing season under way, they thought little more about it.
0:36:15 > 0:36:20But then communication dropped off from CCS and, in August 2013,
0:36:20 > 0:36:23Lynsey tried calling and e-mailing the company for an update,
0:36:23 > 0:36:25without much luck.
0:36:25 > 0:36:26It would roll on and roll on
0:36:26 > 0:36:31and, I think, eventually it come to about a year and they said
0:36:31 > 0:36:34it should all be all done and dusted within,
0:36:34 > 0:36:35easily, well within the year.
0:36:35 > 0:36:37And it's not.
0:36:37 > 0:36:4111 months after they'd first signed up to CCS,
0:36:41 > 0:36:44the couple received a letter that just confused things even more.
0:36:44 > 0:36:48It said that there was a significant development for CCS,
0:36:48 > 0:36:52going on to explain that CCS - Claim Credit Services -
0:36:52 > 0:36:55had "joined forces" with its "audit team",
0:36:55 > 0:36:59the very similarly named Credit Clear Services.
0:36:59 > 0:37:02But it was months before they knew what that meant for their claims.
0:37:02 > 0:37:05They never heard from the first CCS again
0:37:05 > 0:37:07and, though Lynsey repeatedly called
0:37:07 > 0:37:10and e-mailed the second company, Credit Clear Services,
0:37:10 > 0:37:13it was another four months before she got through.
0:37:13 > 0:37:16And when she did, they dropped a bombshell.
0:37:16 > 0:37:21The chap on the phone from Credit Clear Services told me
0:37:21 > 0:37:25that they, Claim Credit Services, had ceased trading
0:37:25 > 0:37:30and they couldn't get my money back at all.
0:37:30 > 0:37:33With the first company out of business,
0:37:33 > 0:37:37the new CCS - Credit Clear Services - said it was not their job
0:37:37 > 0:37:42to refund the £3,673.39 that Lynsey and Graham had paid.
0:37:42 > 0:37:45And, to cap it all, despite all the reassurance they'd
0:37:45 > 0:37:49previously had that they had a "convincing claim" with
0:37:49 > 0:37:53a "very high chance" of success, they were now told that some of
0:37:53 > 0:37:55the claims being investigated for them
0:37:55 > 0:37:57definitely would not have succeeded.
0:37:57 > 0:37:59I can't get my money back
0:37:59 > 0:38:02and my original case is not going to happen either
0:38:02 > 0:38:06so, yes, it is a bit of a double whammy.
0:38:06 > 0:38:09The remaining claims were apparently still being investigated
0:38:09 > 0:38:13and they were told that they won't be eligible for any refund
0:38:13 > 0:38:16until all the claims have been resolved.
0:38:16 > 0:38:19But nearly two years later, there is still no sign of an end to
0:38:19 > 0:38:22those investigations, much less any pay-out.
0:38:22 > 0:38:26Graham and Lynsey had only signed up to all this on the basis that
0:38:26 > 0:38:29if they didn't win they wouldn't have to pay a penny.
0:38:29 > 0:38:34But, as it stands, not only have they got nothing for their £3,673
0:38:34 > 0:38:37but losing that money has had a direct impact on the farm.
0:38:37 > 0:38:41There used to be cattle here but they've all had to be sold.
0:38:41 > 0:38:45It felt very, very strange not to have cows here on the farm
0:38:45 > 0:38:47seeing as they've been here all my lifetime.
0:38:47 > 0:38:53But, you know, bills and that have got to be paid for.
0:38:53 > 0:38:55So they had to go.
0:38:55 > 0:38:58Well, since we heard Graham and Lynsey's story, we've been trying to
0:38:58 > 0:39:02get to the bottom of what exactly happened to Claim Credit Services
0:39:02 > 0:39:05and we've found a number of other people who have
0:39:05 > 0:39:07uncannily similar experiences.
0:39:07 > 0:39:08They all paid a fee
0:39:08 > 0:39:12then they waited months for CCS to process their claims,
0:39:12 > 0:39:15only to be told later that their case had been handed
0:39:15 > 0:39:19to the other CCS, Credit Clear Services.
0:39:19 > 0:39:21None of them have any proof at all that their case
0:39:21 > 0:39:25was actually looked into and yet they've all lost hundreds
0:39:25 > 0:39:29or, rather like Graham and Lynsey, thousands of pounds.
0:39:31 > 0:39:33Credit Clear services, the second company,
0:39:33 > 0:39:36told us that it is "entirely separate and independent"
0:39:36 > 0:39:38from any other claims management company.
0:39:38 > 0:39:43It told us that when Claim Credit Services ran into problems,
0:39:43 > 0:39:46it "agreed to take over operation of the business" and cases like
0:39:46 > 0:39:51Graham and Lynsey's "to safeguard the interest of consumers".
0:39:51 > 0:39:54The company also told us that all clients at that time were
0:39:54 > 0:39:57"entitled to cancel their contract and seek a refund of any
0:39:57 > 0:40:01"monies paid" but that Graham and Lynsey instructed them to carry on.
0:40:01 > 0:40:04The couple, however, insist this didn't happen.
0:40:04 > 0:40:09Either way, the company maintains it IS still looking into their case
0:40:09 > 0:40:12but advise any clients who wish to make claims for refunds or
0:40:12 > 0:40:15mis-selling from Claim Credit Services to contact
0:40:15 > 0:40:17the insolvency service.
0:40:17 > 0:40:20We also contacted Nicholas Harle,
0:40:20 > 0:40:23the managing director of the first CCS, who told us that
0:40:23 > 0:40:28the company was wound up in January 2014 and that every client was
0:40:28 > 0:40:32told that the closure of the company would not affect their case.
0:40:32 > 0:40:36But CCS number one isn't the first company that Nicholas Harle has been
0:40:36 > 0:40:38involved with that has closed, owing customers thousands.
0:40:38 > 0:40:42In 2009, he was the director of a business which was forced
0:40:42 > 0:40:46into liquidation with debts of more than £600,000.
0:40:46 > 0:40:48Lynsey and Graham regret ever getting involved
0:40:48 > 0:40:50with the whole process.
0:40:50 > 0:40:52And, with so many other companies cold-calling out of the blue with
0:40:52 > 0:40:56similar offers, they wonder how many other people could end up,
0:40:56 > 0:41:01like them, not just disappointed but seriously out of pocket.
0:41:01 > 0:41:05We had reason to believe at the time that we stood a chance.
0:41:06 > 0:41:11I'm gutted because, you know, we've lost this money
0:41:11 > 0:41:14and we don't want this to happen to other people.
0:41:14 > 0:41:17That's the whole reason I'm doing this today.
0:41:26 > 0:41:27Here at Rip-Off Britain,
0:41:27 > 0:41:30we are always keen to hear more of your stories.
0:41:30 > 0:41:34And we are particularly interested in ones to do with food,
0:41:34 > 0:41:35for a new series next year.
0:41:36 > 0:41:38Are you confused by all those different labels
0:41:38 > 0:41:40on the supermarket shelves?
0:41:40 > 0:41:45Worried that products described as healthy may be nothing of the kind?
0:41:45 > 0:41:48Well, whatever's worrying you about the things we put on our plates,
0:41:48 > 0:41:50you can write to us at...
0:42:00 > 0:42:03Or you can send us an e-mail to...
0:42:06 > 0:42:10The Rip-Off team is ready and waiting to investigate your stories.
0:42:13 > 0:42:16Of course, there can be many reasons why a company doesn't
0:42:16 > 0:42:18deliver the service or standards you paid for.
0:42:18 > 0:42:21It can be everything from a deliberate rip-off
0:42:21 > 0:42:24or a simple mistake, to the company itself falling on hard times.
0:42:24 > 0:42:26And, of course, complaining to the company
0:42:26 > 0:42:29could help get some form of compensation
0:42:29 > 0:42:33but as always, the simplest way to make sure you will not be
0:42:33 > 0:42:37out of pocket if you don't get what you expect is to pay by credit card
0:42:37 > 0:42:40because chances are that you're going to be covered
0:42:40 > 0:42:41if anything goes wrong.
0:42:41 > 0:42:45And that really is advice that we can't stress often enough.
0:42:45 > 0:42:47We're going to be back very soon with another
0:42:47 > 0:42:49collection of your stories.
0:42:49 > 0:42:52And, by the way, thank you very much for every single story
0:42:52 > 0:42:54you send in. We read every one of them, even if
0:42:54 > 0:42:57we don't always end up featuring them on the programme.
0:42:57 > 0:42:58So, please, keep them coming.
0:42:58 > 0:43:01Who knows, it might be yours that we're investigating next time.
0:43:01 > 0:43:04- So, until then, from all of us, bye-bye.- Bye-bye.- Bye.