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 told us about the companies you think you get it wrong
0:00:10 > 0:00:13and the customer service that simply is not up to scratch.
0:00:13 > 0:00:16If you're paying for good service, you expect a good service
0:00:16 > 0:00:18and a good product, whatever it may be.
0:00:18 > 0:00:20At the end of the day, we expect value for money.
0:00:20 > 0:00:24You've asked us to track down the scammers who stole your money
0:00:24 > 0:00:27and investigate the extra charges you say are unfair.
0:00:27 > 0:00:30Wool has been pulled over our eyes. I don't think we get a fair price.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33I think they should always put the customer first.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36And when you've lost out but nobody else is to blame,
0:00:36 > 0:00:39you've come to us to stop others falling into the same trap.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44- And no-one could sort that out for you over ten years?- No-one has.
0:00:44 > 0:00:48So, whether it's a blatant rip-off or a genuine mistake,
0:00:48 > 0:00:51we're here to find out why you are out of pocket
0:00:51 > 0:00:52and what you can do about it.
0:00:54 > 0:00:58Your stories, your money. This is Rip Off Britain.
0:01:01 > 0:01:03Hello and welcome once again to Rip Off Britain.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06And if you've ever needed help in sorting out your cash
0:01:06 > 0:01:08then you've definitely come to the right place
0:01:08 > 0:01:12because today we'll be looking at some of the things that can go wrong
0:01:12 > 0:01:14when you're trying to secure your money for the future,
0:01:14 > 0:01:17whether it is for yourself or, indeed, your family.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20Now, I know it's not exactly a cheerful business,
0:01:20 > 0:01:24planning for the worst, but mapping out your finances for whatever
0:01:24 > 0:01:26might crop up, whether it's bad or good,
0:01:26 > 0:01:28can only avoid hassle later on.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31However, you do need to know what you are doing because,
0:01:31 > 0:01:34as we are going to see, there are plenty of people around
0:01:34 > 0:01:38who may give you what turns out to be very much the wrong advice
0:01:38 > 0:01:39on what to do with your money.
0:01:39 > 0:01:43And the consequences of that happening can be disastrous.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46But, don't worry, because although there are some stories today
0:01:46 > 0:01:48that may fill you with utter horror,
0:01:48 > 0:01:50I know they certainly did me,
0:01:50 > 0:01:52and make you think very carefully about your own decisions,
0:01:52 > 0:01:57there is one story that really does prove that, even when things may
0:01:57 > 0:02:01look at their very bleakest, it is always worth persevering with
0:02:01 > 0:02:03a complaint and not giving up
0:02:03 > 0:02:05because this is a tale that ends with
0:02:05 > 0:02:08what could be the biggest pay-out we have ever heard of.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13Coming up, it's Rip Off Britain to the rescue
0:02:13 > 0:02:16after this man's illness left him unable to work
0:02:16 > 0:02:21but without the financial support he thought that he'd put in place.
0:02:21 > 0:02:22I feel incredibly angry
0:02:22 > 0:02:25but helpless at the same time.
0:02:25 > 0:02:27And what would you do if your bank
0:02:27 > 0:02:30remains utterly convinced that you are dead?
0:02:30 > 0:02:34I said to him, "I'm on the phone to you now. How can I be deceased?"
0:02:38 > 0:02:41Well, I guess that most of us know there's been something of a
0:02:41 > 0:02:44revolution in the world of pensions recently with the biggest shake-up
0:02:44 > 0:02:47that we've seen for decades on how they exactly work.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50The changes have been broadly welcomed by most financial experts
0:02:50 > 0:02:53because they do give a lot more flexibility
0:02:53 > 0:02:55on how you support yourself through retirement,
0:02:55 > 0:02:57and they maybe even give you an opportunity
0:02:57 > 0:03:00to cash in your pension early.
0:03:00 > 0:03:04But it's not all good news for anyone planning ahead for the future.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07Greater access to our pensions has also opened the doors to
0:03:07 > 0:03:11plenty of outfits who may try and entice you into taking advantage
0:03:11 > 0:03:14of what could be described as free pension reviews,
0:03:14 > 0:03:18a one-off investment opportunity or even a legal loophole.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22So, watch out because, as happened in these next cases,
0:03:22 > 0:03:26the money that you have spent your entire working life saving for
0:03:26 > 0:03:27could vanish overnight
0:03:27 > 0:03:31and there will be very little you can do to get it back.
0:03:33 > 0:03:38In 2011, Gary Tuff was really struggling financially.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40Having lost his job as a manager at a software business,
0:03:40 > 0:03:45he'd racked up debts of over £30,000 on credit cards and loans,
0:03:45 > 0:03:50and the repayments and interest were getting increasingly unmanageable.
0:03:50 > 0:03:54Over a period of time, financial pressures had grown
0:03:54 > 0:03:57to a point where it had become clearly evident that something
0:03:57 > 0:03:59needed to be done to release the pressure.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05Gary needed a way out of his problems fast.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08You get to a point where you say, "Enough is enough."
0:04:08 > 0:04:11So I need to make a fairly significant decision now
0:04:11 > 0:04:12and that's what I did.
0:04:13 > 0:04:15Desperate for a solution,
0:04:15 > 0:04:19Gary contacted a company of independent financial advisers.
0:04:19 > 0:04:21They told him about a scheme that seemed to be the answer
0:04:21 > 0:04:25to his problems, by freeing up money from his pension.
0:04:25 > 0:04:29On the surface, with the amount of monies that it could release,
0:04:29 > 0:04:32it sounded like a very appropriate way to go forward.
0:04:33 > 0:04:37Gary was told that, by signing up to a type of what is often called
0:04:37 > 0:04:38a pension liberation scheme,
0:04:38 > 0:04:45he'd immediately be able to make use of his entire £167,000 pension pot.
0:04:45 > 0:04:47Half of it would be invested on his behalf,
0:04:47 > 0:04:51but the scheme, run by a company called Ark Business Consulting,
0:04:51 > 0:04:54apparently allowed Gary to get his hands on the rest.
0:04:54 > 0:04:58£83,000 in a lump sum within just seven days.
0:05:00 > 0:05:02It's almost like someone waving a lottery ticket
0:05:02 > 0:05:04in front of your face, saying,
0:05:04 > 0:05:07"This is the winning ticket and your money worries are over."
0:05:07 > 0:05:10So...that's life-changing.
0:05:13 > 0:05:17Because, at 47, Gary was too young to cash in his pension pot,
0:05:17 > 0:05:22you normally need to be 55 to do that, the lump sum would be a loan.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25And it seemed that by giving him the money as a loan,
0:05:25 > 0:05:29Arc had found a way for people to make use of their pension sooner.
0:05:29 > 0:05:31It sounded plausible to Gary.
0:05:31 > 0:05:35But with so much at stake, he wasn't yet completely persuaded.
0:05:36 > 0:05:41I needed convincing that, first of all, this was a legal investment.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43And it was explained to me that this was brand-new,
0:05:43 > 0:05:47that this was literally weeks old, that there was nothing out there.
0:05:47 > 0:05:49It was a loophole being exploited quickly.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54Further reassurance came when the financial adviser said
0:05:54 > 0:05:56that not only was the Arc scheme
0:05:56 > 0:05:58properly registered with HMRC,
0:05:58 > 0:06:02but 15 of their other clients had also signed up -
0:06:02 > 0:06:04one of whom was their company director -
0:06:04 > 0:06:06and Gary was finally swayed.
0:06:07 > 0:06:11All that was left for him to do was sign a contract allowing Arc
0:06:11 > 0:06:15to withdraw all of his £167,000 pension.
0:06:15 > 0:06:19I was quite convinced that this sounded like it was going to work.
0:06:19 > 0:06:24It apparently was an acceptable way to liberate your pension.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28But the seven days in which Gary was told
0:06:28 > 0:06:33he would effectively receive half of his pension pot came and went.
0:06:33 > 0:06:38I went on to the internet, searched for the name of the company,
0:06:38 > 0:06:42the investment vehicle, Arc, and I could see that other people
0:06:42 > 0:06:46had commented in a blog that they had concerns, as well.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48That something had gone, as they said, "smelly".
0:06:48 > 0:06:51It almost stops you being able to breathe because you think,
0:06:51 > 0:06:54"Oh, my goodness. What's about to happen here?"
0:06:56 > 0:07:00And it seemed the money he'd invested could be lost, as well.
0:07:00 > 0:07:05When Gary spoke to his financial advisers, the news wasn't good.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08The Arc scheme wasn't the loophole that it first appeared.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11In fact, The Pensions Regulator had decided that the scheme was
0:07:11 > 0:07:13operating unlawfully.
0:07:13 > 0:07:18That meant no lump sum as it was classed as an unauthorised payment.
0:07:18 > 0:07:22It is as if someone has just taken that lottery ticket
0:07:22 > 0:07:24and ripped it up in front of your face.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28With his financial advisers declaring
0:07:28 > 0:07:31that this was nothing to do with them,
0:07:31 > 0:07:33Gary turned to The Pensions Regulator
0:07:33 > 0:07:36in the hope that they would be able to help,
0:07:36 > 0:07:39but what they had to add was even more devastating.
0:07:39 > 0:07:43The loan Ark had taken from his pension pot
0:07:43 > 0:07:45was taxable at a rate of 55%,
0:07:45 > 0:07:48so not only was Gary facing the prospect of having
0:07:48 > 0:07:52lost his £167,000, but he also faced the very real
0:07:52 > 0:07:57possibility that he owed the taxman nearly £46,000.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00To say that that was the most challenging time of my life
0:08:00 > 0:08:02is not to put too fine a point on it.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07Gary's story is depressingly familiar to Sean Browse,
0:08:07 > 0:08:11who investigates pension schemes on behalf of The Pensions Regulator.
0:08:11 > 0:08:16He's currently looking into around 60 similar cases.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19Many other people are encouraged to join these types of schemes.
0:08:19 > 0:08:23Yes, they may be given access to a cash sum, but the price
0:08:23 > 0:08:27they pay for that is being exposed to significant tax penalties.
0:08:27 > 0:08:30They run the risk of their pension funds being
0:08:30 > 0:08:33invested in highly-risky investments.
0:08:35 > 0:08:37Some of the schemes that Sean and his team
0:08:37 > 0:08:40are investigating were entirely bogus,
0:08:40 > 0:08:45including the one that Jane Hammonds was talked into signing up to.
0:08:45 > 0:08:49In 2013, she invested her £129,000 pension pot
0:08:49 > 0:08:53into a scheme that was known as Iron Stream,
0:08:53 > 0:08:57but it turned out to be totally fictitious.
0:08:57 > 0:09:01I get up and do shift work for a minimum wage, and these guys
0:09:01 > 0:09:04are probably sitting on yachts somewhere drinking champagne.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07Jane has come to meet Sean to see
0:09:07 > 0:09:10if there's any hope of tracking down her cash.
0:09:10 > 0:09:14What are the chances of me ever seeing any of it again?
0:09:14 > 0:09:18I have to say that the chances are probably quite slim.
0:09:18 > 0:09:20The warning signs are there.
0:09:21 > 0:09:25OK. That's actually just made me feel sick.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28- I'm not surprised.- Um... Yeah.
0:09:28 > 0:09:34We will do all that we can to find this money.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38And if we can't find it, we will do all we can
0:09:38 > 0:09:43- to go after the people that have spent your money.- Mm.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47It's estimated that up to £1 billion has been lost
0:09:47 > 0:09:50to pension-liberation schemes like these,
0:09:50 > 0:09:53with most of the cash disappearing into thin air.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55The government has issued stark warnings
0:09:55 > 0:09:59about such opportunities, saying that most schemes are bogus
0:09:59 > 0:10:03and that once money is transferred into a scam, it's too late.
0:10:03 > 0:10:06Which means that Gary's fears that he's lost his money
0:10:06 > 0:10:08are, sadly, likely to be correct.
0:10:08 > 0:10:10But what about Gary's money?
0:10:10 > 0:10:13We asked Ark Business Consulting, who ran the scheme in which
0:10:13 > 0:10:17Gary put his £167,000, where exactly has his money gone?
0:10:17 > 0:10:21It told us that's its scheme was taken over by The Pensions Regulator
0:10:21 > 0:10:25before Gary's funds were received from his pension provider,
0:10:25 > 0:10:27so they have no idea what has happened to his cash,
0:10:27 > 0:10:31and it insisted that everything it did was transparent.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34So we went back to Sean Browse's team,
0:10:34 > 0:10:38who were appointed as trustees of the Ark scheme by The Pensions Regulator.
0:10:38 > 0:10:40They told us that, at the time the scheme was stopped,
0:10:40 > 0:10:43the transfer of Gary's funds was still in progress.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46So, given the recoveries that they've made to date,
0:10:46 > 0:10:48they're optimistic that he will get some of his money back,
0:10:48 > 0:10:51though it might still come with a hefty tax bill.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56And with HM Revenue & Customs reiterating its advice
0:10:56 > 0:10:58to be wary of any such pension schemes,
0:10:58 > 0:11:03personal finance expert Sarah Pennells has advice to keep in mind
0:11:03 > 0:11:06if what seems like an opportunity does come along.
0:11:07 > 0:11:11There's a magic age of 55 and, if you're younger than that,
0:11:11 > 0:11:12then you can't, under the rules,
0:11:12 > 0:11:16take money out without either being seriously ill
0:11:16 > 0:11:19and only having months or a year or so to live,
0:11:19 > 0:11:21or having to pay a large tax charge.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24And for those people who are aged 55 or over,
0:11:24 > 0:11:27there are some companies who are trying to persuade you
0:11:27 > 0:11:29to put your money into either high-risk,
0:11:29 > 0:11:32high-charge or unregulated investments.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35If a company promises returns that are way above anything
0:11:35 > 0:11:38that anybody else is offering you, that's often a bad sign.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42If they're a financial advisor, always check the regulator,
0:11:42 > 0:11:45the Financial Conduct Authority's Register,
0:11:45 > 0:11:48because that will tell you whether they are genuinely registered
0:11:48 > 0:11:49and therefore regulated.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53The recent pensions reforms have created new opportunities of
0:11:53 > 0:11:56which some companies and scammers have been quick to take advantage,
0:11:56 > 0:12:00so the best advice is to steer well clear of any business
0:12:00 > 0:12:06that links pension reforms to one-off investments, loans or upfront cash.
0:12:06 > 0:12:10Some of them will cold call with recorded messages. Don't respond.
0:12:11 > 0:12:13Meanwhile, Gary is still struggling
0:12:13 > 0:12:15to come to terms with what's happened.
0:12:15 > 0:12:19Every day, actually, I ask myself, "How could this have happened?"
0:12:19 > 0:12:22All of a sudden, you could face the rest of your life without
0:12:22 > 0:12:24any financial comfort whatsoever,
0:12:24 > 0:12:28so it's a very, very difficult process to manage in your head.
0:12:33 > 0:12:37Now, if you ever become so ill that you're unable to work,
0:12:37 > 0:12:39you're still going to need a way of paying your bills,
0:12:39 > 0:12:41that's why so many of us take out
0:12:41 > 0:12:44some kind of income-protection insurance
0:12:44 > 0:12:49to safeguard ourselves if the worst happens and our regular income stops.
0:12:49 > 0:12:51Ian Tallach did that several years ago.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53He hoped it was just a precaution
0:12:53 > 0:12:56and that he'd never need to make a claim on the policy,
0:12:56 > 0:13:01but then he did have to make a claim and his cover didn't pay out.
0:13:01 > 0:13:05Ian was convinced he'd been treated unfairly, so he came to us.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09Extra! Extra! Read all about it!
0:13:09 > 0:13:12If you couldn't work due to a serious illness, how would you manage?
0:13:12 > 0:13:15Could you survive on savings or on sick pay?
0:13:15 > 0:13:19250,000 people per year have to stop work due to ill health.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22More people insure their pets than their income.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25Extra! Extra! Read all about it!
0:13:25 > 0:13:30Only around 10% of us have taken out income-protection insurance.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33The cover that, if the worst should happen, is designed to step in
0:13:33 > 0:13:38and pay a proportion of your earnings so you can still live comfortably.
0:13:42 > 0:13:43In Balnain near Loch Ness,
0:13:43 > 0:13:48former paediatric doctor Ian Tallach is one of those who did take out
0:13:48 > 0:13:53an income-protection policy when his wife was expecting their first child.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56We thought it was about time that we got responsible
0:13:56 > 0:13:59and started doing something for our future
0:13:59 > 0:14:01because it wasn't just our future,
0:14:01 > 0:14:04it was the future of our children, as well.
0:14:05 > 0:14:09But in June 2011, a year after taking out the policy,
0:14:09 > 0:14:12Ian started to experience a weakness in his right leg.
0:14:13 > 0:14:18I became increasingly aware that my right leg was leaden and,
0:14:18 > 0:14:20er...I was unable to move it.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23I began to think that there was something here that would
0:14:23 > 0:14:27probably need investigated in a hospital setting.
0:14:29 > 0:14:33Shortly afterwards, when it was investigated,
0:14:33 > 0:14:36Ian was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis or MS.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39MS is a disease of the central nervous system
0:14:39 > 0:14:43and affects around 100,000 people in the UK.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47No-one knows the exact cause but, over time,
0:14:47 > 0:14:50it can lead to significant disability.
0:14:51 > 0:14:55In the months following his diagnosis, Ian began to experience
0:14:55 > 0:14:59difficulties in walking, plus pins and needles in his right arm,
0:14:59 > 0:15:03chronic fatigue and short-term memory problems.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05And he and his family soon had grave concerns
0:15:05 > 0:15:08about the progression of the disease.
0:15:08 > 0:15:10What I've been told is that additional support of some
0:15:10 > 0:15:13kind or another will be required,
0:15:13 > 0:15:19whether it's just a walking aid, or perhaps a wheelchair,
0:15:19 > 0:15:22but the future is very, very uncertain.
0:15:23 > 0:15:27By June of 2014, Ian's condition had deteriorated
0:15:27 > 0:15:30so much that he had no choice but to quit his job.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33Unable to work, he was initially relieved that he'd taken out
0:15:33 > 0:15:35that income-protection insurance.
0:15:35 > 0:15:37For almost four years,
0:15:37 > 0:15:42he'd been paying a monthly premium of £66.34 to Friends Life,
0:15:42 > 0:15:47which he'd hoped would give him a monthly income until he turned 60.
0:15:50 > 0:15:54But Ian was in for a real shock when he contacted Friends Life
0:15:54 > 0:15:57to make what he'd assumed would be a routine claim.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02The company came back to him in February 2015
0:16:02 > 0:16:06with the devastating news that it would not be accepting his claim
0:16:06 > 0:16:11and, therefore, would not be paying out the cover he expected.
0:16:11 > 0:16:14I was extremely distressed.
0:16:14 > 0:16:15It's true to say that my wife
0:16:15 > 0:16:18and I were both in despair for a length of time.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21I can't even begin to describe how we felt.
0:16:21 > 0:16:27A mixture of sadness, despair, anger, helplessness.
0:16:27 > 0:16:31This has made things extremely difficult for our family.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34So, what was the reason for not paying out?
0:16:34 > 0:16:36The company said it was because
0:16:36 > 0:16:39Ian had failed to tell them about some brief episodes
0:16:39 > 0:16:42of blurred vision he'd experienced back in 2004
0:16:42 > 0:16:46as part of the medical questions routinely asked
0:16:46 > 0:16:48by most insurers for this type of policy.
0:16:48 > 0:16:51Friends Life had asked Ian about his eyesight,
0:16:51 > 0:16:54which included a reference to blurred vision.
0:16:54 > 0:16:58Now, blurred vision can be one of the many early symptoms of MS,
0:16:58 > 0:17:00but as these episodes had been fleeting
0:17:00 > 0:17:04and long before any other problems became apparent,
0:17:04 > 0:17:07Ian hadn't considered them to be significant.
0:17:07 > 0:17:11The main reason why I wasn't concerned was that these episodes,
0:17:11 > 0:17:15each of them, spontaneously resolved after about five seconds.
0:17:15 > 0:17:20Given that they never impaired my actual forwards vision
0:17:20 > 0:17:25or my ability to function in any way, they didn't worry me.
0:17:28 > 0:17:29And when, six years later,
0:17:29 > 0:17:33he'd been taking out his policy with Friends Life and telling the company
0:17:33 > 0:17:35his medical history over the phone,
0:17:35 > 0:17:39Ian hadn't given these brief episodes a second's thought,
0:17:39 > 0:17:41so he hadn't mentioned them.
0:17:41 > 0:17:47It was only 13 months later, when the diagnosis of MS was being made,
0:17:47 > 0:17:50that these episodes were brought to mind.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56It didn't help Ian's case that his consultant's report
0:17:56 > 0:17:59when diagnosing his MS mistakenly said he'd previously
0:17:59 > 0:18:02experienced blurred vision for several months,
0:18:02 > 0:18:05rather than the few seconds that Ian claimed.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08But in any case, Friends Life now told him
0:18:08 > 0:18:12that had it known about any episodes of blurred vision, however brief,
0:18:12 > 0:18:16he wouldn't have been eligible for the policy in the first place.
0:18:17 > 0:18:24The key question is whether or not the symptom experienced in 2004
0:18:24 > 0:18:28for which reason this policy has been discredited
0:18:28 > 0:18:32was material or in any way relevant to MS
0:18:32 > 0:18:35and the answer is unequivocally no, it's not.
0:18:35 > 0:18:40It has no predictive value at all when it resolves after five seconds.
0:18:40 > 0:18:45I feel incredibly angry, but helpless at the same time.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48Friends Life reneging on this policy
0:18:48 > 0:18:51means that we do not have financial stability for our children.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55The company did say it would refund
0:18:55 > 0:18:58the premiums he'd paid over the years.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01But, in despair and worried about his family's future,
0:19:01 > 0:19:04it was at this point that Ian contacted us.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07Now, when we got in touch with Friends Life about their decision
0:19:07 > 0:19:11not to pay out, it was a dramatic change in the company's position.
0:19:13 > 0:19:17The company told us it would now start to pay Ian's claim after all
0:19:17 > 0:19:20and would like to apologise to Ian
0:19:20 > 0:19:23for any distress caused to him and his family.
0:19:23 > 0:19:27It said that, following a second review of his claim, the insurer
0:19:27 > 0:19:29"felt that, on balance, it was reasonable"
0:19:29 > 0:19:33for Ian to have answered the questions the way he did
0:19:33 > 0:19:35when he took out the policy.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38Although it reiterated that, had they had all the information
0:19:38 > 0:19:42from the outset, the cover available to him might have been limited.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45Friends Life stressed that it always follows a
0:19:45 > 0:19:48"robust claims assessment procedure",
0:19:48 > 0:19:52and is, "committed to paying as many claims as possible".
0:19:52 > 0:19:56In 2014, paying out more than £265 million
0:19:56 > 0:20:00in protection claims to over 7,000 people.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04For Ian and his family, given the circumstances,
0:20:04 > 0:20:07it's the best news they could hope for.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10And while his experience is a reminder of just how careful
0:20:10 > 0:20:13you need to be when buying any sort of health cover,
0:20:13 > 0:20:16particularly one you may depend on in the future,
0:20:16 > 0:20:19when we spoke to Ian again over the internet,
0:20:19 > 0:20:24his utter relief about the company's change of heart was obvious.
0:20:24 > 0:20:29The relief was indescribable whenever it dawned on me
0:20:29 > 0:20:31that Friends Life were going to pay out in full.
0:20:31 > 0:20:35It was only possible to...
0:20:35 > 0:20:40to continue fighting because of your involvement
0:20:40 > 0:20:43and the Financial Ombudsman Service,
0:20:43 > 0:20:46and the encouragement of the wider family.
0:20:46 > 0:20:51It's really just made a colossal, indescribable amount of difference,
0:20:51 > 0:20:52so thank you.
0:21:01 > 0:21:03Still to come on Rip-Off Britain -
0:21:03 > 0:21:04after a talk with one of my sons,
0:21:04 > 0:21:07when is the right time to discuss a future
0:21:07 > 0:21:09that no-one really wants to think about?
0:21:11 > 0:21:13I guess this is a really odd conversation.
0:21:13 > 0:21:17It's a tricky one because it's almost - who mentions it first?
0:21:22 > 0:21:25For two days only, we came to the heart of the East Midlands.
0:21:25 > 0:21:27Welcome to Nottingham.
0:21:29 > 0:21:33It's because you write to us and email us with your consumer problems
0:21:33 > 0:21:37in your hundreds that we open up our popup shop.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40And, you know, it's not just a great opportunity for us to be able
0:21:40 > 0:21:42to meet all of you face to face,
0:21:42 > 0:21:45but it means we can also give you on-the-spot advice.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50Sadly, for Chloe White, it was a little too late.
0:21:50 > 0:21:54She came to see Trading Standards expert Sylvia Rook for advice
0:21:54 > 0:21:58after bagging what, at first, seemed to be a bargain pair of trainers.
0:21:58 > 0:22:05I went online to purchase some and they seemed to be not right.
0:22:05 > 0:22:10- So, how much do these trainers normally sell for?- £120.- Oh, right.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12- And how much were these?- £60.
0:22:12 > 0:22:16Did it make you a little bit suspicious that they were cheap?
0:22:16 > 0:22:18It did, but I thought there was a sale.
0:22:18 > 0:22:20I'm not an expert in counterfeits,
0:22:20 > 0:22:23but there are issues with the way in which it's finished and things.
0:22:23 > 0:22:25I think your concerns are absolutely right.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28I think these are not genuine trainers.
0:22:28 > 0:22:31If they were over £100 and you paid by credit card,
0:22:31 > 0:22:32you'd have extra rights,
0:22:32 > 0:22:36but because we are £60, it's a matter of contacting the bank,
0:22:36 > 0:22:39but also contact the retailer and try and get your money back.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42So the first thing you need to do is send an email and say you've
0:22:42 > 0:22:46received the trainers, you're not happy, you want your money back.
0:22:46 > 0:22:50If they'd been sold from a seller in the UK, or in the EU,
0:22:50 > 0:22:54you always have 14 days from when you received the goods
0:22:54 > 0:22:57that you can cancel your contract and send them back.
0:22:57 > 0:22:59Your problem is, if they're outside the EU,
0:22:59 > 0:23:02you don't necessarily have the same laws.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05And Sylvia shared some of her top tips to help prevent Chloe
0:23:05 > 0:23:09and the rest of us from being ripped off when we're shopping online.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12Do a lot of research, particularly if it's a company you've not heard of.
0:23:12 > 0:23:16Put the name into a search engine, see if there's any adverse reviews.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19If it's got a .co.uk address, don't just assume it's in the UK
0:23:19 > 0:23:21because anybody can buy that sort of address.
0:23:21 > 0:23:23There's a website called WHOIS
0:23:23 > 0:23:26and you can actually put the name of the website in,
0:23:26 > 0:23:29and it will tell you where the trader is based.
0:23:29 > 0:23:31- So good luck.- Thank you.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34I do hope that you'll manage to get your money back on it.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40While some of our experts were helping you in our shop,
0:23:40 > 0:23:42others were out and about in the rest of the shopping centre
0:23:42 > 0:23:46and its market, where James Daley was dishing out pointers
0:23:46 > 0:23:50on how to keep down the cost of your home insurance.
0:23:50 > 0:23:52One of the things people are asked when they're buying a home
0:23:52 > 0:23:55insurance policy is, are you at home in the day?
0:23:55 > 0:23:59They end up saying, "Well, I think I'll say I am at home
0:23:59 > 0:24:01"because surely that'll make my home insurance cheaper."
0:24:01 > 0:24:04Actually, it doesn't. It can be the opposite
0:24:04 > 0:24:07because the chance of you being burgled is actually less than
0:24:07 > 0:24:10the chance of you causing a lot of damage by being at home.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15And technology specialist Jeremy Boone was explaining
0:24:15 > 0:24:18how responding to the messages you're sent on social media
0:24:18 > 0:24:22can help you make the most from big name brands.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25- If it's a brand you like, I'd recommend messaging them.- Why?
0:24:25 > 0:24:27You can get quite a lot of good opportunities through it.
0:24:27 > 0:24:31- Like what?- We've had free merchandise, offers for discounts,
0:24:31 > 0:24:33especially clothing retailers.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36There are millions of different retailers you could shop from.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38They chose to speak to you, so they want you to message them back.
0:24:38 > 0:24:42If you tell your friends, they'll message you even more. Trust me.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45Meanwhile, at what we call our Gripe Area,
0:24:45 > 0:24:48there was a constant flow of people coming to tell us
0:24:48 > 0:24:50about the things that get them hot under the collar.
0:24:50 > 0:24:52- ALL:- Oooo!
0:24:55 > 0:24:58I was hiring a car, booking it for a special event.
0:24:58 > 0:25:02I booked online, but at the last minute, I decided to cancel it.
0:25:02 > 0:25:03And what I didn't know was that,
0:25:03 > 0:25:06when I cancelled it, they kept the fee.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08And so I have basically lost my money
0:25:08 > 0:25:11without actually booking the car, and I think that's terrible.
0:25:11 > 0:25:15I'm annoyed with the constant phone calls about PPI claims.
0:25:15 > 0:25:17They have all our information,
0:25:17 > 0:25:21even claiming that we've had a loan with the bank, which we never have.
0:25:21 > 0:25:23Energy bills are so high.
0:25:23 > 0:25:27It is a rip-off. It's just unfair.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32Now, here is an extraordinary situation
0:25:32 > 0:25:35and, to be honest, it's one we have never come across before.
0:25:35 > 0:25:40Just imagine how you'd feel if, in spite of being fit and healthy,
0:25:40 > 0:25:43you discover that according to your bank,
0:25:43 > 0:25:47they decided that for the past year, you've been dead.
0:25:47 > 0:25:49A bit far-fetched?
0:25:49 > 0:25:53Well, I can promise you that the man who found himself in that position
0:25:53 > 0:25:57finds that it continues to have an extraordinarily
0:25:57 > 0:26:00terrible effect on his life,
0:26:00 > 0:26:03so we set out to discover how it is possible that someone who is
0:26:03 > 0:26:05very clearly very much alive
0:26:05 > 0:26:09can suddenly be considered to be deceased.
0:26:09 > 0:26:13And why such an obvious error cannot simply be put right.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21It was after a night out with his girlfriend Georgina
0:26:21 > 0:26:25that 25-year-old legal assistant Ashley Flynn had the first clue
0:26:25 > 0:26:28that something wasn't quite right with his bank account.
0:26:34 > 0:26:39I went up to Lloyds Bank and put my card in, and the card came back out.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42And it said, "You're unable to draw any money out."
0:26:42 > 0:26:46I came back to you and said, "Can I borrow £40-£50 for my night out?"
0:26:46 > 0:26:49- And you was, like, "Really?" - How embarrassing.
0:26:49 > 0:26:51With all my friends, as well.
0:26:52 > 0:26:56So the first thing Ashley did on Monday was to contact his bank
0:26:56 > 0:26:58and ask why his card had been rejected,
0:26:58 > 0:27:02but he couldn't believe the explanation he was given.
0:27:02 > 0:27:04When I rang the bank, the lady on the phone said,
0:27:04 > 0:27:07"Oh, you've been deceased". And I was, like, "Deceased?"
0:27:07 > 0:27:10She said, "Yes. I've declared you deceased".
0:27:10 > 0:27:12I said, like, "I'm on the phone to you now, how can I be deceased?"
0:27:12 > 0:27:14I can't believe you found it funny.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17I did find it funny at first and I was telling my friends at work,
0:27:17 > 0:27:19and my manager said to me, "I think you need to go up to the bank".
0:27:19 > 0:27:22It needed sorting, there and then.
0:27:22 > 0:27:24You don't just get declared deceased for no reason.
0:27:24 > 0:27:30But, for some reason, Lloyds Bank considered Ashley was dead.
0:27:34 > 0:27:36But, despite the obvious evidence to the contrary,
0:27:36 > 0:27:39it seemed this wasn't easily put right.
0:27:39 > 0:27:42When Ashley contacted the bank's fraud team,
0:27:42 > 0:27:45they told him to go back to his local branch with ID
0:27:45 > 0:27:47to prove that he was actually alive.
0:27:47 > 0:27:52But when he did that, he was again told to contact the fraud team.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56It seemed clear to Ashley that his bank had no idea what to do
0:27:56 > 0:28:00if a man that they thought was dead suddenly showed up
0:28:00 > 0:28:01wanting access to his account.
0:28:06 > 0:28:07Nobody could believe it.
0:28:07 > 0:28:10It was at the end of January and I'd just been paid, as well,
0:28:10 > 0:28:14so my whole wage was in there and it froze all my phone bills
0:28:14 > 0:28:15and all my direct debits.
0:28:16 > 0:28:20Unable to touch his cash, Ashley was in limbo.
0:28:24 > 0:28:28And his bank seemed at a total loss as to how to resolve the situation.
0:28:30 > 0:28:33One of the supervisors at the Lloyds in Scotland said
0:28:33 > 0:28:36I need to prove that I'm actually declared deceased.
0:28:36 > 0:28:40And I was, like, "Well, it's on your statements. It's on your documents".
0:28:40 > 0:28:42And he's, like, "It's not.
0:28:42 > 0:28:45"I'm looking at my system now and your account's fully up and active."
0:28:45 > 0:28:48It's been two weeks now and I'm still classed as deceased.
0:28:48 > 0:28:51My money from my company is still just floating around
0:28:51 > 0:28:53and I don't actually have access to it,
0:28:53 > 0:28:54so I'm borrowing money off everyone.
0:28:54 > 0:28:56I think that's when we thought it wasn't a joke
0:28:56 > 0:28:59- and we started to panic. - That was scary.
0:28:59 > 0:29:00We're just two normal people
0:29:00 > 0:29:03and how are we supposed to go up and prove ourselves
0:29:03 > 0:29:05and fight against the bank?
0:29:05 > 0:29:09With no way of accessing his own money,
0:29:09 > 0:29:13Ashley asked his boss to pay his salary into Georgina's account.
0:29:13 > 0:29:16My friends used to say, "You're getting pocket money off your girlfriend!"
0:29:16 > 0:29:19I was, like, "Well, no. I'm declared dead".
0:29:19 > 0:29:22And they're all laughing, saying, "Of course you are!"
0:29:22 > 0:29:25I couldn't even treat you without asking you for the bank card.
0:29:25 > 0:29:28Oh, no. You'd have to ask your mum.
0:29:28 > 0:29:29On the advice of a friend,
0:29:29 > 0:29:33Ashley took his case to the Financial Ombudsman.
0:29:33 > 0:29:36But because the case was still active with Lloyds Bank,
0:29:36 > 0:29:40who were requesting further proof, that proved a dead-end.
0:29:44 > 0:29:48So to try and sort things out a different way, Ashley and Georgina
0:29:48 > 0:29:51went to a different bank to open a joint bank account.
0:29:52 > 0:29:55It said, "Oh, no, look, you're dead on the system."
0:29:55 > 0:29:57The bank manager was shocked and she said,
0:29:57 > 0:29:59"You need to ring the bereavement team".
0:29:59 > 0:30:02And the bereavement team said, "Well, is he not dead?"
0:30:02 > 0:30:04They were, like, "No. He's got his driving licence,
0:30:04 > 0:30:07"his passport and some documents in front of us
0:30:07 > 0:30:09"with his address on and he's not dead."
0:30:09 > 0:30:13Ashley was horrified to find that he was considered deceased
0:30:13 > 0:30:16at more than just his own bank.
0:30:16 > 0:30:19One possible way of checking his personal status was to sign up
0:30:19 > 0:30:22to a credit-checking service so that he could see
0:30:22 > 0:30:25if all his creditors considered him to be dead.
0:30:25 > 0:30:27That way, he'd get the evidence
0:30:27 > 0:30:31needed for the Financial Ombudsman to consider his case.
0:30:32 > 0:30:34That's when we got the first breakthrough.
0:30:34 > 0:30:36The document came through and it said I was deceased.
0:30:36 > 0:30:39And I was, like, "Finally, we've got a leg to stand on."
0:30:39 > 0:30:41A little bit of evidence to go with us.
0:30:41 > 0:30:45Ashley went back to the Financial Ombudsman
0:30:45 > 0:30:49and, at that point, Lloyds accepted full responsibility.
0:30:49 > 0:30:51The bank was told to remove the information blocking
0:30:51 > 0:30:53Ashley's credit rating,
0:30:53 > 0:30:56refund the interest and the charges to his account
0:30:56 > 0:31:00and convert the overdraft into an interest-free loan.
0:31:00 > 0:31:03The compensation in total would be £750,
0:31:03 > 0:31:06but Ashley felt that it didn't go anywhere near making up
0:31:06 > 0:31:09for all the problems the situation had caused.
0:31:09 > 0:31:11Because whilst all this had been going on,
0:31:11 > 0:31:15Ashley and Georgina had been trying to get a mortgage.
0:31:15 > 0:31:17But, with Ashley deemed deceased,
0:31:17 > 0:31:20Georgina's father had to come out of retirement
0:31:20 > 0:31:23and put his name down on the deeds.
0:31:23 > 0:31:24But, because of his age,
0:31:24 > 0:31:28they'd had no choice but to commit to an 18-year mortgage,
0:31:28 > 0:31:31meaning they'd have to pay £300 a month more
0:31:31 > 0:31:34than if it had been Ashley named on the mortgage.
0:31:35 > 0:31:38Why wouldn't they just admit they made a mistake and rectify it?
0:31:38 > 0:31:41Why have they had to spiral it out into such a big thing?
0:31:41 > 0:31:43How has it managed to take so long?
0:31:43 > 0:31:45If a manager just logged onto the system
0:31:45 > 0:31:48when we went into the bank and looked at the two forms
0:31:48 > 0:31:51of identification and just said, "Sorry, this is an error,"
0:31:51 > 0:31:53I wouldn't have even looked at it going any further.
0:31:53 > 0:31:56I would've just been, like, "That's fine."
0:31:56 > 0:31:57And the nightmare didn't even end
0:31:57 > 0:32:01when the bank accepted that Ashley was very much alive.
0:32:02 > 0:32:04That felt like a massive relief, but then,
0:32:04 > 0:32:07when they sent the first documents through saying
0:32:07 > 0:32:10that you've got 12 months of overdraft charges
0:32:10 > 0:32:13because you've not paid your overdraft,
0:32:13 > 0:32:16- and then there was, like, £900 worth of...- Charges.
0:32:16 > 0:32:19..charges come through.
0:32:19 > 0:32:20Ashley was not happy.
0:32:20 > 0:32:24He can't see why he should be left with any of the problems
0:32:24 > 0:32:27that came about during the time that the bank thought he was dead.
0:32:29 > 0:32:31Over the past two years, one in three borrowers
0:32:31 > 0:32:35who've checked their credit reports say they have discovered a mistake.
0:32:36 > 0:32:39So we've asked the British Banking Association
0:32:39 > 0:32:41for some advice if you find an error.
0:32:41 > 0:32:45What's really important is that when a mistake is made, it's cleared up.
0:32:45 > 0:32:48If you've got to eight weeks and the issue still hasn't been resolved,
0:32:48 > 0:32:50the bank is seeing things differently from you,
0:32:50 > 0:32:53ask for a deadlock letter. Once you've got that letter,
0:32:53 > 0:32:55you can go to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
0:32:55 > 0:32:58That is a really useful, free, impartial service
0:32:58 > 0:33:01that will take up your complaint and look at it afresh.
0:33:01 > 0:33:03When we contacted Lloyds Bank,
0:33:03 > 0:33:05it told us that it was "very sorry"
0:33:05 > 0:33:10for the difficulties Ashley has experienced because of its mistake.
0:33:10 > 0:33:12The bank said it's worked with Ashley
0:33:12 > 0:33:16and the Financial Ombudsman Service to "put things right"
0:33:16 > 0:33:20and will follow the instructions of the Ombudsman's findings.
0:33:20 > 0:33:23It added that it does feel the level of compensation offered
0:33:23 > 0:33:25is appropriate.
0:33:27 > 0:33:31But, as Ashley doesn't feel that he can trust his life with his bank,
0:33:31 > 0:33:34he isn't so sure he wants to trust his money with it either,
0:33:34 > 0:33:38so he's going to stick to getting pocket money from Georgina.
0:33:38 > 0:33:40We'd just like Lloyds to rectify their error
0:33:40 > 0:33:43and put us in the position we were in before.
0:33:43 > 0:33:45Not one person has contacted me from Lloyds
0:33:45 > 0:33:48to give me a reasonable explanation
0:33:48 > 0:33:51for why they actually declared me as being deceased on the account.
0:33:51 > 0:33:54I can't wait for this to be dead and buried.
0:34:00 > 0:34:03Something many of us do our best NOT to think about is
0:34:03 > 0:34:05what might happen as we get older
0:34:05 > 0:34:08and we lose the ability to make the right decisions at the right time,
0:34:08 > 0:34:11and maybe no longer have the capacity
0:34:11 > 0:34:14to manage our money or affairs ourselves.
0:34:14 > 0:34:17So a lot of us - and I have to admit, myself included -
0:34:17 > 0:34:20avoid having the crucial conversations with family or friends
0:34:20 > 0:34:22that actually would help us plan ahead
0:34:22 > 0:34:24for exactly those types of situation.
0:34:24 > 0:34:27But with so many of you writing to us at Rip Off Britain
0:34:27 > 0:34:30about the problems that can arise as a result,
0:34:30 > 0:34:33it actually got me thinking a little bit more about my own family and future,
0:34:33 > 0:34:37and led to my son Michael and I discussing those difficult
0:34:37 > 0:34:40but absolutely crucial questions that, quite frankly,
0:34:40 > 0:34:42I shouldn't have put off.
0:34:44 > 0:34:45Family time,
0:34:45 > 0:34:48moments to be treasured and never to be taken for granted.
0:34:48 > 0:34:50But, you know, as we get older,
0:34:50 > 0:34:53how many of us have the foresight to plan ahead
0:34:53 > 0:34:56for who will be in control of the important decisions
0:34:56 > 0:34:59should we become unable to think or care for ourselves?
0:35:00 > 0:35:02If you don't plan for the future,
0:35:02 > 0:35:05apparently things can get very complicated and very expensive.
0:35:05 > 0:35:08So I'm meeting up with one of my sons, Michael,
0:35:08 > 0:35:10to discuss a plan for our family future
0:35:10 > 0:35:13that, quite frankly, neither of us truly want to talk about.
0:35:16 > 0:35:18I guess this is a really odd conversation to have
0:35:18 > 0:35:21and, if I'm being truthful, if I wasn't doing Rip Off Britain,
0:35:21 > 0:35:23I probably wouldn't be having the conversation.
0:35:23 > 0:35:27And, equally, it wouldn't be something that I would raise with you.
0:35:27 > 0:35:32It's a... It's a tricky one because it's almost who mentions it first.
0:35:32 > 0:35:35It's funny, really, because as I have never really thought of this before,
0:35:35 > 0:35:38although I'm very practical in all my other financial things,
0:35:38 > 0:35:40very practical, and I think very much in charge of it.
0:35:42 > 0:35:45The sort of conversation I'm about to have with Michael
0:35:45 > 0:35:46isn't going to be that easy.
0:35:46 > 0:35:48But if you don't have it,
0:35:48 > 0:35:51and leave things to your family to sort out much later, it could end up
0:35:51 > 0:35:55being a costly and drawn-out process for everybody concerned.
0:35:55 > 0:35:58As it was, indeed, for Jill Hutchison from Bath
0:35:58 > 0:36:03after her dad James was diagnosed with Alzheimer's back in 2013.
0:36:04 > 0:36:06My dad has three children
0:36:06 > 0:36:10and during his working life was very successful.
0:36:10 > 0:36:12He loved playing golf.
0:36:12 > 0:36:15He just had a lovely life, really.
0:36:15 > 0:36:18We first started to notice that he was becoming forgetful
0:36:18 > 0:36:25and he very quickly seemed to not be able to do day-to-day tasks,
0:36:25 > 0:36:28so he would be forgetful about where he was
0:36:28 > 0:36:30and how to get back from where he was.
0:36:30 > 0:36:32And he was also quite forgetful
0:36:32 > 0:36:34about where he'd left his money,
0:36:34 > 0:36:36what he was doing with his money...
0:36:36 > 0:36:39And given that he'd always been very careful with that,
0:36:39 > 0:36:41that became a bit concerning.
0:36:43 > 0:36:45But by the time of his diagnosis,
0:36:45 > 0:36:48it was too late for Jill to take charge of her dad's finances
0:36:48 > 0:36:50and, indeed, his care needs.
0:36:50 > 0:36:54James was no longer deemed legally able to give his consent,
0:36:54 > 0:36:57which forced the family into months of toing and froing,
0:36:57 > 0:37:00gathering evidence from his medical team
0:37:00 > 0:37:03and visiting James's lawyer in Edinburgh,
0:37:03 > 0:37:05in order to convince them that the family
0:37:05 > 0:37:08should have the right to act in James's interests.
0:37:08 > 0:37:11After my dad was diagnosed,
0:37:11 > 0:37:14we confronted quite a lot of legal difficulties
0:37:14 > 0:37:17because he was no longer seen to be of sound mind.
0:37:17 > 0:37:19We didn't really know where to go from there
0:37:19 > 0:37:23and felt that we'd hit a brick wall.
0:37:23 > 0:37:25Of course, all of that could have been avoided
0:37:25 > 0:37:29had James signed a legal document that in England and Wales
0:37:29 > 0:37:32is called a Lasting Power of Attorney or LPA.
0:37:32 > 0:37:36It means that you're able to nominate someone you trust
0:37:36 > 0:37:39to handle your affairs IF you become unable to do it yourself.
0:37:39 > 0:37:41Well, it seems pretty clear to me
0:37:41 > 0:37:44that registering a Lasting Power of Attorney
0:37:44 > 0:37:45is a truly sensible thing to do
0:37:45 > 0:37:48in terms of planning for your family's future.
0:37:48 > 0:37:51But then you hit the big question - when are you supposed to do it?
0:37:51 > 0:37:53When is the right time?
0:37:53 > 0:37:54And how do you go about it?
0:37:54 > 0:37:56There's a common misconception that
0:37:56 > 0:37:58Lasting Power of Attorney should be made
0:37:58 > 0:38:02when someone starts to lose mental capacity or, indeed, has lost it
0:38:02 > 0:38:03and that's completely wrong.
0:38:03 > 0:38:05Because, of course, if you've lost mental capacity,
0:38:05 > 0:38:08you can't make a Lasting Power of Attorney.
0:38:08 > 0:38:12'I've brought Michael along to sit down with solicitor Gary
0:38:12 > 0:38:16'and find out what all of this really means for our futures.'
0:38:16 > 0:38:19The correct time to be making Lasting Power of Attorney
0:38:19 > 0:38:20is when you've got capacity,
0:38:20 > 0:38:24when you feel comfortable about making a choice about your future.
0:38:24 > 0:38:27But who then decides when you don't have capacity?
0:38:27 > 0:38:32The law says everyone has capacity until it can be proved otherwise.
0:38:32 > 0:38:34Now, I can see the logic of all of that,
0:38:34 > 0:38:36but I must admit, as yet, deep down,
0:38:36 > 0:38:40I don't like the idea of handing over this level of power
0:38:40 > 0:38:43if there's a chance that anybody could act against my wishes.
0:38:43 > 0:38:45Making a Lasting Power of Attorney
0:38:45 > 0:38:48is not signing everything over at that point in time.
0:38:48 > 0:38:52It's being sensible and just planning for that day in the future.
0:38:53 > 0:38:54As Jill found out,
0:38:54 > 0:38:58failing to nominate a Lasting Power of Attorney early on
0:38:58 > 0:39:01can prove time-consuming and frustrating
0:39:01 > 0:39:03when decisions need to be made.
0:39:03 > 0:39:05In the end, her situation was resolved
0:39:05 > 0:39:08thanks to the intervention of her dad's consultant,
0:39:08 > 0:39:11who helped the family get the Lasting Power of Attorney
0:39:11 > 0:39:13that they needed.
0:39:13 > 0:39:17The consultant wrote a letter to the lawyer to say
0:39:17 > 0:39:20that, as far as he was concerned, my dad was capable of giving
0:39:20 > 0:39:22that Power of Attorney to us
0:39:22 > 0:39:23and that was what my dad wanted.
0:39:23 > 0:39:26And, in the end, the lawyer agreed.
0:39:26 > 0:39:30You can set up a Lasting Power of Attorney yourself
0:39:30 > 0:39:32for the £110 that it costs to obtain the document
0:39:32 > 0:39:35or, if you prefer, leaving it to the experts,
0:39:35 > 0:39:38you can pay a solicitor to set one up for you.
0:39:38 > 0:39:42It's probably around £500, £600 to go and see a solicitor,
0:39:42 > 0:39:45to sit down, have a conversation like this
0:39:45 > 0:39:47and talk about all the options.
0:39:47 > 0:39:49The other option is to do it yourself.
0:39:49 > 0:39:50Lasting Powers of Attorney
0:39:50 > 0:39:54are supervised by the Office of the Public Guardian.
0:39:54 > 0:39:58You can go on to the OPG website - it's on the gov.uk website -
0:39:58 > 0:40:02and you can bring up the Lasting Power of Attorney forms
0:40:02 > 0:40:04and you can literally fill them in online.
0:40:04 > 0:40:08If you don't like doing things online, you can ring up the OPG
0:40:08 > 0:40:11and they will send you a pack in the post.
0:40:11 > 0:40:13Now, if you do decide to do it yourself,
0:40:13 > 0:40:16you must, must remember to register your forms with
0:40:16 > 0:40:19the Office of the Public Guardian to make it all legal
0:40:19 > 0:40:22and I'm quite sure my Michael has taken all of this on board.
0:40:22 > 0:40:25Well, I didn't really know what Power of Attorney meant.
0:40:25 > 0:40:28I thought I did and I thought it was just about people
0:40:28 > 0:40:31who were older and potentially with a medical condition like dementia,
0:40:31 > 0:40:34so it's something that I'm definitely going to consider.
0:40:34 > 0:40:36I have to be really honest and say that I have learned a lot
0:40:36 > 0:40:39through that chat between Gary and Michael, of course.
0:40:39 > 0:40:41But what was really interesting...
0:40:41 > 0:40:44I was only really thinking of somebody in my age bracket and beyond,
0:40:44 > 0:40:47but what I learned is the fact that it is just as important
0:40:47 > 0:40:49for somebody like Michael, who's young,
0:40:49 > 0:40:51to think about that Power of Attorney.
0:40:51 > 0:40:53And it's certainly given me food for thought.
0:40:53 > 0:40:55I've done my will, I'm looking at inheritance tax,
0:40:55 > 0:40:58and Power of Attorney is next on the list.
0:41:05 > 0:41:08Here at Rip Off Britain, we're always ready to investigate
0:41:08 > 0:41:10more of your stories.
0:41:10 > 0:41:11Confused over your bills
0:41:11 > 0:41:13or feel you're paying well over the odds?
0:41:13 > 0:41:15It's far too small
0:41:15 > 0:41:18and it's done on purpose, so that you can't actually read it.
0:41:18 > 0:41:21People will look at it and say, "I can't be bothered reading that."
0:41:21 > 0:41:24Unsure what to do when you discover you've lost out
0:41:24 > 0:41:28and that great deal has ended up costing you money?
0:41:28 > 0:41:30People are buying into this - I did -
0:41:30 > 0:41:34and are they going to be as awkward with them as they were with me?
0:41:34 > 0:41:36You might have a cautionary tale of your own
0:41:36 > 0:41:38and want to share the mistakes you made with us
0:41:38 > 0:41:40so that other people don't do the same thing.
0:41:40 > 0:41:44Just fobbed off completely...and very disappointed.
0:41:44 > 0:41:46You can write to us at...
0:41:53 > 0:41:56Or you can send us an e-mail to...
0:41:59 > 0:42:05The Rip Off team is ready and waiting to investigate your stories.
0:42:06 > 0:42:08Well, as we've just seen,
0:42:08 > 0:42:11battling on even when it looks as if you're getting nowhere
0:42:11 > 0:42:15really can reap rewards, sometimes in a way that's truly life-changing.
0:42:15 > 0:42:18It just goes to show how important it is to explore
0:42:18 > 0:42:22every avenue available when it comes to fighting for your rights.
0:42:22 > 0:42:25But of course, as our stories have shown, it can be a very long
0:42:25 > 0:42:29and drawn-out process with a lot of soul-searching along the way.
0:42:29 > 0:42:31And indeed, there are some situations where, sadly,
0:42:31 > 0:42:33it may turn out that, for whatever reason,
0:42:33 > 0:42:35you didn't make the right decisions.
0:42:35 > 0:42:37But, when that is the case, telling us can
0:42:37 > 0:42:40at least mean that we make sure that others don't end up
0:42:40 > 0:42:42getting caught out in the same way.
0:42:42 > 0:42:45So, as ever, if you've got something that you think that we
0:42:45 > 0:42:48and indeed the entire Rip-Off Britain team should be investigating,
0:42:48 > 0:42:50then please, do get in touch with us,
0:42:50 > 0:42:52because we do really love to hear from you.
0:42:52 > 0:42:55And, whenever possible, we do want to help.
0:42:55 > 0:42:58But I'm afraid that it's on that note that we have to leave you for today,
0:42:58 > 0:43:01because, once again, we've run out of time.
0:43:01 > 0:43:04But, we will be back with lots more of your stories very soon.
0:43:04 > 0:43:07So, until that happens, thanks for joining us today.
0:43:07 > 0:43:11- And from everyone on the Rip-Off team, bye-bye.- Bye-bye.- Goodbye.