0:00:02 > 0:00:04We asked you to tell us what has left you feeling totally
0:00:04 > 0:00:07ripped off and you've 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 > 0:00:17If you're paying for good service, you expect a good service and a good product, whatever it may be.
0:00:17 > 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 that don't seem fair.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29The wool's been pulled over our eyes.
0:00:29 > 0:00:31I don't think we get a fair price.
0:00:31 > 0:00:33I think they should always put the customer first.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36And when you've lost out, but no-one else is to blame,
0:00:36 > 0:00:40you've shared your stories with us so others don't do the same.
0:00:40 > 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 > 0:00:52we're here to find out why you're out of pocket and what you can do about it.
0:00:54 > 0:00:58Your stories, your money. This is Rip-Off Britain.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03Hello, and welcome to Rip-Off Britain, where today,
0:01:03 > 0:01:07we're all about helping you make the most from your cash.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10And to do it, we're going to be unpicking whether or not some of
0:01:10 > 0:01:12the everyday items that we all buy, all the time,
0:01:12 > 0:01:16really are value for money, or as some of you have suggested,
0:01:16 > 0:01:18you just might be being taken for a ride.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21Now, obviously, we all love a bargain.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24And these days, it seems whenever we turn we're inundated
0:01:24 > 0:01:26with offers promising that we're going to get one.
0:01:26 > 0:01:31But, whoa there! How do we know whether that so-called "great deal"
0:01:31 > 0:01:35dangling in front of us is all it's cracked up to be? And can we really
0:01:35 > 0:01:37expect the same quality in items, if we're buying them
0:01:37 > 0:01:40at just a snip of the usual price?
0:01:40 > 0:01:42Which is a very, very good question.
0:01:42 > 0:01:44Well, we've done some tests on a product that probably
0:01:44 > 0:01:47every single one of us regularly buys,
0:01:47 > 0:01:50to see whether paying more actually gets you any more.
0:01:50 > 0:01:54So if you're after tips on working out how best to spend your money,
0:01:54 > 0:01:57then you're definitely in the right place.
0:01:57 > 0:02:01Coming up, the family day out that some say was just a slippery
0:02:01 > 0:02:03slope to disappointment.
0:02:03 > 0:02:05What was supposed to be a wonderful treat
0:02:05 > 0:02:09for my daughter's birthday turned into an absolute disaster.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12And an exclusive peek at the tough tests designed to determine
0:02:12 > 0:02:16which products on the market are the very best value for money.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19This is essentially a "Chuck Test" where we throw the suitcase,
0:02:19 > 0:02:23we release it, and it falls to the ground and we see how damaged it is.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29Now, let's face it. With the wealth of remote controls
0:02:29 > 0:02:32and all those gadgets to be found in most homes these days,
0:02:32 > 0:02:34it's no wonder that here in Britain we get through
0:02:34 > 0:02:38so many hundreds of millions of batteries every single year.
0:02:38 > 0:02:41But knowing which ones are the best value to buy is no easy task,
0:02:41 > 0:02:44because, as you know, the price for the same-sized batteries
0:02:44 > 0:02:45can vary enormously.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48So is that because the more expensive ones are actually
0:02:48 > 0:02:50better quality and they last longer?
0:02:50 > 0:02:54Or could it be that the cheaper ones will keep on going just as long?
0:02:56 > 0:02:59Batteries, little powerhouses of energy.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02And they come in all shapes and sizes, disposable,
0:03:02 > 0:03:04rechargeable, lithium and alkaline.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07And we rely on them to get us through the day,
0:03:07 > 0:03:09keeping going appliances such as remote controls,
0:03:09 > 0:03:11alarm clocks and shavers.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16But the cost of replacing them all can very easily mount up,
0:03:16 > 0:03:20especially as there can be a bewildering difference in the price
0:03:20 > 0:03:24and indeed, performance of batteries that are the same size, but different brands,
0:03:24 > 0:03:28which drives Graham from Billericay in Essex absolutely mad.
0:03:28 > 0:03:30Within a particular brand,
0:03:30 > 0:03:34I found one that was 40% more, whatever that means,
0:03:34 > 0:03:38that was only £5.50, and yet there was a heavy-duty one with the same
0:03:38 > 0:03:40number of batteries and that was £8.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44But there was no real indication of why there should be a price differential.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47Graham wrote to us complaining that the batteries most of us buy,
0:03:47 > 0:03:51what the industry call disposable dry cell batteries, don't
0:03:51 > 0:03:55always have the capacity displayed either on the battery itself
0:03:55 > 0:03:57or on the packaging that they are sold in.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00You find these AA dry cells all around the house,
0:04:00 > 0:04:02typically you find them in remote controls
0:04:02 > 0:04:04like this for the television...
0:04:04 > 0:04:06There's one here.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09Or alternatively, you've got one here for the video,
0:04:09 > 0:04:11all these similar things.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15And again, none of these actually show me how much electricity is stored in them.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17That means that Graham, and indeed the rest of us,
0:04:17 > 0:04:20have no idea how long each battery's going to last
0:04:20 > 0:04:24and therefore which ones are the best value for money.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27I went to the local supermarket to see what they had to offer.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30When I got there, I was surprised at the range of brands
0:04:30 > 0:04:33and types of batteries that they had.
0:04:33 > 0:04:35But within the labelling, there was nothing to identify
0:04:35 > 0:04:38what really differentiated the different types
0:04:38 > 0:04:40of batteries, so as a consumer, I didn't know what
0:04:40 > 0:04:44I was paying for to make sure I got good value for money.
0:04:44 > 0:04:46So is Graham right to worry that different
0:04:46 > 0:04:49batteries may pack less of a punch than others?
0:04:49 > 0:04:51Well, to find out, we are putting
0:04:51 > 0:04:54five different brands of disposable batteries to the test.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57We deliberately picked them at random as a typical shopper,
0:04:57 > 0:04:59as indeed you might do.
0:04:59 > 0:05:03In fact, as we'll see, that's not the best way to choose your batteries.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06But what sort of difference will that make when it comes to keeping
0:05:06 > 0:05:09this little toy train set moving round and round?
0:05:09 > 0:05:11We'll see in a moment which batteries
0:05:11 > 0:05:14keep our engine on track the longest.
0:05:15 > 0:05:19But in general, how long the same-sized battery will last
0:05:19 > 0:05:23depends on whether you're using it in a device that uses a small
0:05:23 > 0:05:28amount of power over a period of time, such as remote controls and smoke alarms.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31Or something that demands more intensity, like our toy train.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33Or indeed, the transmitter that Graham
0:05:33 > 0:05:36relies on to pursue his passion for flying gliders.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39Because of the amount of energy it consumed it's what's
0:05:39 > 0:05:42known as a "high-drain device", in common with other
0:05:42 > 0:05:46devices such as digital cameras and video game controllers.
0:05:46 > 0:05:48When I buy batteries for my transmitter,
0:05:48 > 0:05:51it's important that the batteries are lasting quite a long time
0:05:51 > 0:05:54and that I can actually trust they will last,
0:05:54 > 0:05:56otherwise there's a risk to the glider.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59Although manufacturers have standardised the size of batteries,
0:05:59 > 0:06:02with the triple A and double A varieties, the ones most commonly
0:06:02 > 0:06:05used in our homes, different manufacturing techniques
0:06:05 > 0:06:08mean that even when they do state how much power
0:06:08 > 0:06:12is packed in, that won't necessarily reflect how long they'll last.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16Which means that two different brands of AA batteries,
0:06:16 > 0:06:18when used in exactly the same device,
0:06:18 > 0:06:22could each last significantly more or less time than the other.
0:06:22 > 0:06:23The story though is very different
0:06:23 > 0:06:27when it comes to the more expensive-to-buy rechargeable batteries.
0:06:27 > 0:06:31By law, these have to state their capacity, measured in something
0:06:31 > 0:06:36called milliamps, either on the battery itself or on the packaging,
0:06:36 > 0:06:39making it much easier to compare one brand against another.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43Rechargeable batteries identify how much electricity
0:06:43 > 0:06:47they store in terms of milliamp powers, and that's really a question
0:06:47 > 0:06:51of the amount of current and the time they can actually provide that current for.
0:06:51 > 0:06:52And I think as a bare minimum,
0:06:52 > 0:06:56the same information should be available for dry cell batteries.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59Unfortunately, the National Measurement And Regulation Office
0:06:59 > 0:07:03told us that it's not that simple and that the totally different
0:07:03 > 0:07:06chemistry and functions of rechargeable and dry cell batteries
0:07:06 > 0:07:10mean there are just too many technical complexities to make it possible
0:07:10 > 0:07:12to label them in the same way.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15But in any case, for Graham, it's the disposable dry cell batteries
0:07:15 > 0:07:18that should be the best option for powering his transmitter,
0:07:18 > 0:07:21so that he has a ready supply of power.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23If only he knew which ones to buy.
0:07:25 > 0:07:29Meanwhile, with our battery-powered train now grinding to a halt,
0:07:29 > 0:07:32it's time to see which brands kept it going the longest.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35Powercell, the pound shop brand costing, you've guessed it,
0:07:35 > 0:07:39just £1 for 16 batteries, ran down the fastest.
0:07:39 > 0:07:43These batteries only lasted 26 minutes and 52 seconds.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46Next to run out of juice, were the batteries we used
0:07:46 > 0:07:52from Panasonic, which lasted 52 minutes and 39 seconds.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55The most expensive brand we tested, Duracell,
0:07:55 > 0:07:58lasted two hours, four minutes and 49 seconds.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04While second best was another leading brand, Energizer,
0:08:04 > 0:08:08at two hours, 17 minutes and 25 seconds.
0:08:08 > 0:08:10But in our test, the batteries
0:08:10 > 0:08:13with the most staying power were our supermarket brand,
0:08:13 > 0:08:16Aerocell, from Lidl, which kept the train running
0:08:16 > 0:08:19for a whopping three hours, two minutes and 33 seconds.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23Of course, that's not the full story.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26Especially when it comes to value for money.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29The batteries we tested came in packets of anything
0:08:29 > 0:08:31between four and 16.
0:08:31 > 0:08:33But most of those packets were roughly the same price,
0:08:33 > 0:08:35so using our test results,
0:08:35 > 0:08:40we also calculated the cost per minute to take that into account.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43When we did, it was still the Aerocell battery that topped
0:08:43 > 0:08:45the list for overall value.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48But it was the two batteries that ran out fastest,
0:08:48 > 0:08:52the Panasonic and Powercell ones, that then came out second and third.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58Now, obviously, our little test wasn't an exhaustive or
0:08:58 > 0:09:00remotely scientific study,
0:09:00 > 0:09:03as most of the manufacturers were very quick to point out.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10Apart from the winners, Lidl, who were pleased with the results,
0:09:10 > 0:09:12and Panasonic, who chose not to comment,
0:09:12 > 0:09:16they all stressed that our test didn't meet industry testing standards,
0:09:16 > 0:09:20didn't reflect the way consumers used batteries in everyday life
0:09:20 > 0:09:23and should have been carried out using a range of different
0:09:23 > 0:09:26devices for intermittent periods of time.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29So, as far as they're concerned, the results are not reliable.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31And that's for a very good reason.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34Because while it might seem hard enough to remember if what you need
0:09:34 > 0:09:37is a double A or triple A, size isn't everything
0:09:37 > 0:09:38when it comes to batteries.
0:09:38 > 0:09:41You also need to think about the type you are getting.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43In our train test,
0:09:43 > 0:09:47the two lowest performing batteries were both zinc carbon, whereas the
0:09:47 > 0:09:51rest were alkaline, a type of battery that will always perform better.
0:09:51 > 0:09:53But of course, most brands will sell both types.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56So it's very easy to choose the wrong one,
0:09:56 > 0:10:00simply because it's the right size, as I'm sure many of us do.
0:10:00 > 0:10:04So rather than being swayed by marketing terms like heavy-duty
0:10:04 > 0:10:08or long life, most experts would say it's knowing which kind of battery to buy
0:10:08 > 0:10:11that's the key to squeezing as much life out of them
0:10:11 > 0:10:12as you possibly can.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16To get the most out of your batteries, the most important
0:10:16 > 0:10:18thing to do is buy the right ones in the first place.
0:10:18 > 0:10:21Alkaline batteries deliver their power more slowly
0:10:21 > 0:10:25and they last longer, so they're better for things like TV remotes where you're
0:10:25 > 0:10:30just going to need a small amount of power, lots of times, over a few months.
0:10:31 > 0:10:35Alkaline batteries do a great job in lots of devices,
0:10:35 > 0:10:38but for those really high-drain items you'll need something else.
0:10:39 > 0:10:43Er, higher power batteries, such as nickel or lithium batteries,
0:10:43 > 0:10:45you want to put those in something like a digital camera.
0:10:45 > 0:10:49If you put an alkaline battery into a digital camera it will run out quite quickly.
0:10:49 > 0:10:52Another thing, to look for is the expiry date.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55That is important, especially with higher power batteries
0:10:55 > 0:10:58which can lose quite a bit of power over time.
0:10:58 > 0:11:02So, the best thing to do is not to hoard batteries.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04That's really good advice.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06A battery kept in a drawer for a couple of years could
0:11:06 > 0:11:09lose as much as a quarter of its power.
0:11:09 > 0:11:13But, clearly choosing the best batteries isn't as simple as it might seem,
0:11:13 > 0:11:16and Graham feels that manufacturers could do more to help him
0:11:16 > 0:11:21know just how much power per hour he's getting for his pounds.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24It won't stop me with my hobby, but it will certainly help me
0:11:24 > 0:11:28if I know what batteries I'm buying and what capability they've got.
0:11:33 > 0:11:37Now how about a fun day out that keeps all the family happy?
0:11:37 > 0:11:38Not so easy, sometimes,
0:11:38 > 0:11:41especially if you're looking for something a little bit different.
0:11:41 > 0:11:45A new attraction called Slide The City which seems to offer something
0:11:45 > 0:11:50new and exciting has appealed to many people at locations across the world.
0:11:50 > 0:11:54But, we've been contacted by a number of disillusioned customers who
0:11:54 > 0:11:56tried it out in the UK.
0:11:56 > 0:12:00They say that instead of the thrilling, huge water slides
0:12:00 > 0:12:04they were promised, what they actually got was a pretty damp squib.
0:12:06 > 0:12:08It's billed as the slide of your life.
0:12:10 > 0:12:14And after watching this advert for Slide The City you might well
0:12:14 > 0:12:16be tempted to see if it's true.
0:12:17 > 0:12:21Slide The City is an American company that set up inflatable water
0:12:21 > 0:12:26slides up to 300 metres long in towns and cities across the world.
0:12:26 > 0:12:28And when it came to Britain for the very first
0:12:28 > 0:12:33time in summer 2015 the interest was huge.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35The first UK stop was Hertfordshire
0:12:35 > 0:12:39and hundreds of people lined up to make sure they got a go.
0:12:39 > 0:12:43But when they did, not everyone found the experience quite the thrill
0:12:43 > 0:12:44they were expecting.
0:12:44 > 0:12:48What was supposed to be a wonderful treat for my daughter's birthday turned into an absolute disaster.
0:12:48 > 0:12:50It wasn't very much like a slide,
0:12:50 > 0:12:53it was more like a sheet of plastic on the floor.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56It wasn't a slippery, it didn't have enough water on it.
0:12:56 > 0:12:58The whole day was just a disaster.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01Instead of the excitement seen in the American video,
0:13:01 > 0:13:04this was the rather more British version of events.
0:13:08 > 0:13:13Yes, some of these people aren't exactly sliding, in fact,
0:13:13 > 0:13:15a few of them are hardly even moving.
0:13:15 > 0:13:19Charlotte Woodhouse expected a whole lot more for her
0:13:19 > 0:13:22family from the Slide The City UK experience.
0:13:22 > 0:13:24When I saw Slide The City's promotional video, I thought
0:13:24 > 0:13:27it looked absolutely fantastic for my daughter's upcoming
0:13:27 > 0:13:28seventh birthday.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31Myself, my daughter and my son were all extremely excited.
0:13:31 > 0:13:33We watched the videos over and over again
0:13:33 > 0:13:36and couldn't wait to get there and get sliding.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39Tickets were priced at either £10 for one single slide,
0:13:39 > 0:13:44£20 for three slides, or £35 for an unlimited VIP pass.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47So, given the occasion,
0:13:47 > 0:13:52Charlotte paid £210 in advance for six VIP tickets.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55This was supposed to guarantee the birthday party entry,
0:13:55 > 0:13:58a full hour early, as well as unlimited slides.
0:13:58 > 0:14:03As we drove up on the day, we were all very excited to see the slide and see how long it was.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05We were a little bit concerned as it looked a bit flat,
0:14:05 > 0:14:09but we headed off to the registration queue, we'd paid extra
0:14:09 > 0:14:12so that we could start sliding an hour before it opened to the public.
0:14:12 > 0:14:16But, despite paying an extra £25 for that bonus hour,
0:14:16 > 0:14:19Charlotte says her party spent most of the additional time waiting
0:14:19 > 0:14:21to get through the registration.
0:14:21 > 0:14:22We were there for a good 45 minutes,
0:14:22 > 0:14:24waiting to pick up our ring.
0:14:24 > 0:14:26Unfortunately, they only had two little pumps
0:14:26 > 0:14:29and hundreds of people waiting for their rings to be blown up.
0:14:29 > 0:14:33And as the queue got bigger and bigger, we realised we weren't going to get on for 11 o'clock.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36In the end we weren't on till probably about 11:45,
0:14:36 > 0:14:39so therefore we missed nearly the whole hour that we paid extra for.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44And once they did get to the main event, Charlotte thinks it was
0:14:44 > 0:14:48the day itself, rather than the slide that went rapidly downhill.
0:14:50 > 0:14:55It was ridiculous. There were three lanes and the third lane didn't even have any water in that lane.
0:14:55 > 0:14:57There was a man standing there with a hose, trying to put a bit
0:14:57 > 0:15:00extra down, but you could see from the gradient, or lack of gradient,
0:15:00 > 0:15:05that there was no way anybody was going to be sliding without running and throwing themselves down.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08The slide unfortunately was absolutely nothing like we'd seen in the video.
0:15:08 > 0:15:12The fact it wasn't really a slide at all, it was more Walk The City(!)
0:15:15 > 0:15:18It was almost comical as people were kind of beached on their rings not
0:15:18 > 0:15:22going anywhere, they were slipping over and banging themselves.
0:15:22 > 0:15:26Jemima and her brother Felix were also feeling, shall we say,
0:15:26 > 0:15:27a little deflated.
0:15:27 > 0:15:31I felt a bit miserable because my birthdays are normally really good.
0:15:31 > 0:15:36The slides were like, well, very flat and they weren't very slidy.
0:15:36 > 0:15:41It basically wasn't downhill enough so you couldn't go fast at all.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43Most of the time it was just pushing yourself along.
0:15:43 > 0:15:47I felt extremely sorry for my sister and quite angry as well.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53Also attending the UK's first-ever Slide The City event were
0:15:53 > 0:15:56Andrea Carter and her children Finn and Zachary.
0:15:56 > 0:16:00They too say they didn't get any benefit from the extra hour they'd paid for,
0:16:00 > 0:16:05and were left feeling distinctly underwhelmed by the whole experience.
0:16:05 > 0:16:09I was literally having to wade myself down the slide,
0:16:09 > 0:16:12there was an area where it kind of went down a bit of a hill,
0:16:12 > 0:16:15but it was for a matter of seconds, and then before you hit
0:16:15 > 0:16:17the bottom of the slide you were having to get up
0:16:17 > 0:16:20and walk the rest of the way down the slide to get off again.
0:16:20 > 0:16:24Andrea and the children tried to make the best of the situation,
0:16:24 > 0:16:27but after just four slides decided to leave.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30She did, however, pop back later in the day with her eldest son,
0:16:30 > 0:16:32hoping things might have picked up.
0:16:32 > 0:16:36The children, in the end, were just getting rid of their inflatables
0:16:36 > 0:16:40and just putting the shampoo on their socks and actually just running down.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43Nadia Hall was another disappointed customer,
0:16:43 > 0:16:47she'd bought tickets as a surprise for her family.
0:16:47 > 0:16:49The staff didn't seem to know what was going on,
0:16:49 > 0:16:54they advertised that there would be food and drinks but, when we approached, they didn't have any.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57Charlotte too feels it wasn't easy to get things
0:16:57 > 0:16:59resolved by staff on the day.
0:16:59 > 0:17:03The staff on the day, was pretty much non-existent. Nobody seemed to know what they were doing.
0:17:03 > 0:17:07They said they'd just been sent there and weren't sure what they were supposed to be doing.
0:17:07 > 0:17:12Everybody I spoke to were just volunteers, they weren't actually, working for the company as such.
0:17:12 > 0:17:16They all said, we're just volunteers, we don't know anything more than you do.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19Charlotte was determined not to let the matter rest, so she took
0:17:19 > 0:17:23to social media to complain in the hope of getting a refund.
0:17:23 > 0:17:28I think I would have been happy if they'd just apologised and admitted that things hadn't
0:17:28 > 0:17:31gone as planned, but as they repeatedly blamed
0:17:31 > 0:17:34the customers, and blamed us for not trying hard enough, I felt that it
0:17:34 > 0:17:38wasn't fair, it wasn't handled properly and I wanted a full refund.
0:17:38 > 0:17:42Although Slide The City refused to accept Charlotte's claim
0:17:42 > 0:17:45that the event wasn't as advertised, it did offer her
0:17:45 > 0:17:50six free VIP tickets to the next Slide The City event in Manchester.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53It really did feel like an insult to then be offered a voucher.
0:17:53 > 0:17:57Also, going to another event across the country, for example, the Manchester one,
0:17:57 > 0:18:00would mean that we'd have to pay for transport, and accommodation once we got there,
0:18:00 > 0:18:02and it just wasn't a viable option.
0:18:04 > 0:18:07So with no sign of any refund, Charlotte, Andrea and Nadia
0:18:07 > 0:18:11have signed a petition to the company along with more
0:18:11 > 0:18:13than 90 other disappointed customers.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18But, when we contacted Slide The City, the company told us that
0:18:18 > 0:18:21although its goal is that everyone has a fun time,
0:18:21 > 0:18:25the slider experience may vary and that satisfaction cannot be
0:18:25 > 0:18:29guaranteed because of the subjective element of the event.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32Even so, it's confident that the Hertfordshire event
0:18:32 > 0:18:37was as advertised, pointing out that our complainants are not slide experts,
0:18:37 > 0:18:41and have misunderstood how the slide is supposed to operate.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44It goes on to say that fewer than 3% of participants lodged
0:18:44 > 0:18:47an official complaint, and that the company had received some
0:18:47 > 0:18:50really positive feedback from other visitors.
0:18:50 > 0:18:54Slide The City also reiterated its offer of free entry to
0:18:54 > 0:18:58a future event elsewhere in the UK as a gesture of goodwill.
0:19:00 > 0:19:03At the Manchester event that Charlotte was offered
0:19:03 > 0:19:07tickets to, the slide was both higher and faster.
0:19:07 > 0:19:09But Charlotte, Andrea and Nadia remain
0:19:09 > 0:19:14unmoved in their opinion that the event they attended was something
0:19:14 > 0:19:18of a wash-out, and they would have been better off making their own fun.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21It was very disorganised, but I could have forgiven that
0:19:21 > 0:19:23if the slide itself would have been better.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26It was supposed to be a fun family day out for all of us,
0:19:26 > 0:19:28and there was no fun.
0:19:33 > 0:19:35Still to come on Rip-Off Britain:
0:19:35 > 0:19:36Frock horror!
0:19:36 > 0:19:40The online dress shop that you say doesn't deliver the goods.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43I was close to tears, I just couldn't believe my eyes.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46Devastating. You know, it's your wedding dress.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53Our Rip-Off Britain pop-up shop is back in business,
0:19:53 > 0:19:57and this year we're in Nottingham.
0:20:00 > 0:20:03We really do have a terrific team of experts with us this year
0:20:03 > 0:20:05here in our pop-up shop.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07We've got legal experts, financial experts,
0:20:07 > 0:20:12people from Trading Standards, the holiday industry.
0:20:12 > 0:20:16All of them very keen to be able to give on-the-spot help and advice
0:20:16 > 0:20:18to ensure that the people who come in to see us
0:20:18 > 0:20:20perhaps get their problems sorted.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23But, more importantly, you get the kind of advice that will
0:20:23 > 0:20:26ensure that you won't get ripped off in the future either.
0:20:27 > 0:20:31Graham Hall has a boiler maintenance contract with his energy supplier
0:20:31 > 0:20:34but he's come to see our legal expert Gary Rycroft
0:20:34 > 0:20:38after having no joy getting the company to fix a problem.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41I reported a fault to them in December.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44I've had ten visits so far.
0:20:44 > 0:20:47On eight occasions they've failed to turn up on the appointed day.
0:20:47 > 0:20:51- Just didn't come at all?- Didn't come at all and I had to rebook.
0:20:51 > 0:20:54The eleventh occasion was booked for last Wednesday.
0:20:54 > 0:20:57They didn't turn up on Wednesday, they were going to fit
0:20:57 > 0:21:00it on Sunday but they still don't have the final part.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03I've asked for compensation for keeping me
0:21:03 > 0:21:06- waiting around for 60 hours. - 60 hours?
0:21:06 > 0:21:0860 hours I've been sitting there waiting for them
0:21:08 > 0:21:10and then they don't show up.
0:21:10 > 0:21:14- Which is so frustrating.- They've said it's administrative errors.
0:21:14 > 0:21:17We've changed our computer systems, we've lost all the history.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19They ordered the wrong part.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22How much are you paying for this terrible service?
0:21:22 > 0:21:24Off the top of my head I can only say it's somewhere
0:21:24 > 0:21:26between £200-300 a year.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29You clearly want to get this particular job sorted
0:21:29 > 0:21:34and done but after that I think you need to cancel the contract
0:21:34 > 0:21:36and look at different options.
0:21:36 > 0:21:40Stop the direct debit. You may want to write to them and tell them
0:21:40 > 0:21:43what you intend to do and say,
0:21:43 > 0:21:47"Unless you are prepared to offer me a free contract for a year,
0:21:47 > 0:21:50"I will be taking my custom elsewhere."
0:21:50 > 0:21:52When writing letters like that,
0:21:52 > 0:21:55it's always good to copy in the CEO, so that the guy or woman
0:21:55 > 0:21:58right at the top of the company knows what's happening.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00In terms of compensation, you've got to actually show
0:22:00 > 0:22:04financial loss because you've had to take time off work or you're
0:22:04 > 0:22:07- self-employed and haven't been paid. - Has there been...?
0:22:07 > 0:22:09Unfortunately, I'm retired so I can't claim that
0:22:09 > 0:22:13- but it's the inconvenience factor. - I completely agree.
0:22:13 > 0:22:15The alternative is to carry on paying them
0:22:15 > 0:22:18every month for a service that you know isn't very good.
0:22:18 > 0:22:20So I think it's a case of stopping the rot.
0:22:20 > 0:22:22What do you think about Gary's suggestion
0:22:22 > 0:22:24of terminating that awful contract?
0:22:24 > 0:22:27I shall do that and I will give them notice that I intend doing so
0:22:27 > 0:22:31- as soon as it's been fixed with the final part.- Absolutely.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34And also tell them that you've been here and spoken to me and Gloria.
0:22:34 > 0:22:36- Definitely.- Thank you very much. - Thank you very much.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39- Thank you, Gary.- Thanks, Graham.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42After filming, Graham immediately acted on Gary's advice
0:22:42 > 0:22:45and, as a result, we are happy to report that his energy company
0:22:45 > 0:22:47has now repaired the boiler.
0:22:50 > 0:22:54Outside the shop in the covered market, financial expert James Daley
0:22:54 > 0:22:57was seeing how much people understood about the financial jargon
0:22:57 > 0:22:59we often come across.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02I can guarantee you will have had lots of letters through
0:23:02 > 0:23:05the door with these three letter acronyms.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08- Hopefully you recognise that, APR. - No.- No.
0:23:08 > 0:23:10- You've never seen that before? - No.- No.
0:23:11 > 0:23:15So whenever you get a credit card statement through or
0:23:15 > 0:23:18a loan statement through, it'll say the interest rate
0:23:18 > 0:23:20and then afterwards it will say APR.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23What that means is annualised percentage rate.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26It includes all of the fees and charges that are associated
0:23:26 > 0:23:27with the loan.
0:23:27 > 0:23:29It may be that a loan only charges
0:23:29 > 0:23:33an interest rate of 10% but then actually it's got all these fees
0:23:33 > 0:23:35and charges and if you add them in,
0:23:35 > 0:23:38what it amounts to is an annualised rate of, say, 12%.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41Here's two saving rates I'm going to show you.
0:23:41 > 0:23:45This one, 4% gross and this one 3.5% net.
0:23:45 > 0:23:47Which one of those is better?
0:23:47 > 0:23:49I think 3.5 is better.
0:23:49 > 0:23:51Why do you think that?
0:23:51 > 0:23:54- That's the net.- And what's net?
0:23:54 > 0:23:56- Net is after paying your... - After tax.
0:23:56 > 0:23:58But a lot of people don't understand what gross and net mean.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01But I knew as a businessman you knew that one.
0:24:01 > 0:24:03Like the other experts from our pop-up shop,
0:24:03 > 0:24:07James has put together a fact sheet full of tips and useful information.
0:24:07 > 0:24:12You can find it on our website:
0:24:17 > 0:24:20Over the years we've been absolutely delighted at the way
0:24:20 > 0:24:22Rip-Off Britain has been able to help and provide advice
0:24:22 > 0:24:24to so many of you.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27But there's one long-standing consumer organisation that even
0:24:27 > 0:24:30we turn to for advice, one that's become a real
0:24:30 > 0:24:34benchmark of quality and standard right across the marketplace.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37So we've gone behind the scenes at Which? for an exclusive
0:24:37 > 0:24:40look at how they test out the products and how they decide
0:24:40 > 0:24:44on the ones they recommended as the best ones to buy.
0:24:44 > 0:24:48At a secret location these suitcases are being thrown, stuffed
0:24:48 > 0:24:51and sprayed, all in the line of research.
0:24:51 > 0:24:55They're being tested almost to destruction to see
0:24:55 > 0:24:58which are the most robust and, therefore, the best value for money.
0:24:58 > 0:25:00Such rigorous testing has become a key part
0:25:00 > 0:25:04of the work of Which?, the campaigning organisation
0:25:04 > 0:25:05that for over half a century
0:25:05 > 0:25:08has been at the forefront of consumer rights.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11Its product reviews have long identified and celebrated
0:25:11 > 0:25:14the best and the worst examples of everything and anything
0:25:14 > 0:25:17we spend our hard-earned cash on.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20With those that come out on top being recommended as the
0:25:20 > 0:25:22Which? Best Buys, Which? tests over
0:25:22 > 0:25:262,500 products every year, so the Best Buy accolade
0:25:26 > 0:25:30has become the gold standard seal of approval by which many of us
0:25:30 > 0:25:33decide which particular car, which TV or toaster
0:25:33 > 0:25:35that we might choose over all the others.
0:25:35 > 0:25:39But, like many of you, I've always been curious to find out exactly
0:25:39 > 0:25:42how they test the products and work out what's worth buying
0:25:42 > 0:25:44and what's best avoided.
0:25:44 > 0:25:46Nikki Stopford is the head of research who oversees
0:25:46 > 0:25:49all of the testing. Nikki, Which? has built up this reputation
0:25:49 > 0:25:52of being the voice of consumerism.
0:25:52 > 0:25:57So how did it, as an organisation, build up the credibility?
0:25:57 > 0:25:59Well, we've obviously got a really long history
0:25:59 > 0:26:02campaigning for consumers, campaigning for their rights.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05Making sure their lives are safer, simpler and fairer
0:26:05 > 0:26:08and really making sure that consumers are as powerful
0:26:08 > 0:26:10as the organisations that they're representing.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13So we've got over 55 years of history.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16We've been testing and we've been campaigning for that whole time.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19We have over 8,000 reviews of products telling you
0:26:19 > 0:26:21which are the best, which are the worst.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24And we decide what we want to test simply by talking to consumers,
0:26:24 > 0:26:26finding out what they want advice about.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33We've been given rare access to one of the laboratories that Which?
0:26:33 > 0:26:35uses for its testing.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38Given how commercially sensitive their findings can prove,
0:26:38 > 0:26:40we've agreed not to reveal its location or indeed
0:26:40 > 0:26:43to indentify the testers.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46But today, it's these pieces of luggage that are being
0:26:46 > 0:26:48put through their paces.
0:26:48 > 0:26:50Now, I'm quite sure like me you need your suitcases
0:26:50 > 0:26:53to be able to take quite a battering
0:26:53 > 0:26:55but also be easy to carry and move around as well.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58So these bags will be tested not just for the way they pull
0:26:58 > 0:27:02and move, but for water resistance, handle strength,
0:27:02 > 0:27:05impact resistance and, of course, baggage handling.
0:27:05 > 0:27:09We're completely independent and impartial
0:27:09 > 0:27:12with all of our testing and that's what makes Which? a trusted brand.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15So independent in the sense that people don't give you things
0:27:15 > 0:27:16to test, you buy them.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19Absolutely, we buy everything and we buy them from the places where
0:27:19 > 0:27:21consumers shop as well.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24Now, of course, high street prices really vary, not just for luggage
0:27:24 > 0:27:27but indeed everything that Which? tests.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30So I want to find out how they decide what represents good value.
0:27:30 > 0:27:33We've got lots of best buys that we recommend that are the cheaper
0:27:33 > 0:27:35end of the market as well.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38So, you know, it certainly doesn't mean that the more money you spend,
0:27:38 > 0:27:40will mean the better product.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43That, of course, must be a great bonus for the consumer
0:27:43 > 0:27:45because in your mind you tend to think that the expensive one is
0:27:45 > 0:27:49the best. So it must be a relief if you find a car seat or a pram
0:27:49 > 0:27:52or something, you know, where you don't have to spend a fortune.
0:27:52 > 0:27:57Absolutely. And, you know, it's easy to think more money means quality.
0:27:57 > 0:28:01It's certainly not the thing we've found when we're testing products.
0:28:02 > 0:28:06The first challenge for those cases is the handling and impact tests.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09All the tests consider existing British and European
0:28:09 > 0:28:12standards but focus on testing the extra elements
0:28:12 > 0:28:17that reflect the way people use products and how they value them.
0:28:17 > 0:28:19We test on lots of different terrains,
0:28:19 > 0:28:22on smooth surfaces like you will have in an airport
0:28:22 > 0:28:23and on rougher terrains.
0:28:23 > 0:28:26We also test to see how long a suitcase will last
0:28:26 > 0:28:29and we put it onto a rolling road rig, as you can see here.
0:28:29 > 0:28:32So we weight a suitcase, we then tilt it, as if you're pulling it
0:28:32 > 0:28:35and we set up a rolling rig that has studded obstacles
0:28:35 > 0:28:38on it and we run that through 2,000 cycles.
0:28:38 > 0:28:40Then we'll check to see whether there's
0:28:40 > 0:28:43been any damage before running it through another 3,000 cycles.
0:28:43 > 0:28:45I got a brand-new case recently and, honestly, the marks on it
0:28:45 > 0:28:48were just horrendous, so everybody has problems
0:28:48 > 0:28:52with how their cases are handled on a carousel, being put on a plane,
0:28:52 > 0:28:55so how robustly do you test that?
0:28:55 > 0:28:58Yeah, we've designed tests to test exactly that.
0:28:58 > 0:29:00So we have our baggage handlers test.
0:29:00 > 0:29:02This is essentially a chuck test.
0:29:02 > 0:29:07So we set up a rig and we lift the cases up and we angle them
0:29:07 > 0:29:09so they are about 1.5m from the ground
0:29:09 > 0:29:12and then we'll essentially just simulate a chuck
0:29:12 > 0:29:13where we throw the suitcase,
0:29:13 > 0:29:17we release it and it falls to the ground and we see how damaged it is.
0:29:17 > 0:29:20Which? does much more than product testing.
0:29:20 > 0:29:23Away from the lab, the organisation has an annual award ceremony
0:29:23 > 0:29:28recognising companies' achievements, their products and customer service.
0:29:28 > 0:29:31It's a chance for Nikki to celebrate the successes of the businesses
0:29:31 > 0:29:33we deal with every day.
0:29:33 > 0:29:35Unlike many other industry awards,
0:29:35 > 0:29:38you can't nominate yourself for an award.
0:29:38 > 0:29:42All of the shortlisted companies have received that accolade because of
0:29:42 > 0:29:44our research and testing.
0:29:44 > 0:29:47So this is a great day to be able to actually recognise the
0:29:47 > 0:29:51very best companies out there and, you know, the companies themselves
0:29:51 > 0:29:54really see this as a really fantastic accolade to get.
0:29:54 > 0:29:56For the companies that turn out on the night,
0:29:56 > 0:30:00getting the Which? seal of approval is particularly prized.
0:30:00 > 0:30:02It's probably the biggest award
0:30:02 > 0:30:03we could win in the year.
0:30:03 > 0:30:05It's the one that really matters.
0:30:05 > 0:30:08We certainly are always happy to receive their feedback
0:30:08 > 0:30:11and we actively engage with them and they have given us
0:30:11 > 0:30:14valuable insight over the years that we've acted upon
0:30:14 > 0:30:17to really improve what is already a successful business.
0:30:17 > 0:30:19Getting the Which? seal of approval
0:30:19 > 0:30:21is really valuable for our business.
0:30:21 > 0:30:23I mean, it's not always great.
0:30:23 > 0:30:26To be brutally honest with you we get negative feedback
0:30:26 > 0:30:29and actually sometimes the negative feedback is more important,
0:30:29 > 0:30:31you can act on it much faster.
0:30:31 > 0:30:34Back at the lab, it's time for the suitcases to face the water
0:30:34 > 0:30:35resistance test.
0:30:35 > 0:30:38Let's face it, nobody wants their luggage to let the rain in.
0:30:38 > 0:30:41It is a key test for us, the water resistance test.
0:30:41 > 0:30:44So in this test we load the suitcases
0:30:44 > 0:30:48with pre-weighed towels and pre-weighed paper.
0:30:48 > 0:30:51We stuff the main body of the suitcase and all the pockets
0:30:51 > 0:30:55and then we'll leave it under, essentially, a shower of water,
0:30:55 > 0:30:57tilted as if it's being pulled along as well
0:30:57 > 0:31:00to see whether any of the water enters the suitcase.
0:31:00 > 0:31:02And what about testing for overfilling?
0:31:02 > 0:31:06I am guilty as charged, I do tend to try and stuff too much in.
0:31:06 > 0:31:10We know from our own research with consumers that often people
0:31:10 > 0:31:14will overfill suitcases, so we do the same thing.
0:31:14 > 0:31:17We overfill our suitcases, we'll put a 25kg weight
0:31:17 > 0:31:20dropping down, as it is here, onto the suitcase to see
0:31:20 > 0:31:23whether any of the zips are damaged or burst as a result of that.
0:31:23 > 0:31:26While every company desperately wants to come out of such tests
0:31:26 > 0:31:28described as a Best Buy,
0:31:28 > 0:31:30there's another label that nobody wants,
0:31:30 > 0:31:33the one that goes to the products that,
0:31:33 > 0:31:35according to the tests, fall spectacularly short.
0:31:35 > 0:31:39They can end up with the dreaded words "Don't Buy" next to them.
0:31:39 > 0:31:42I can't imagine that their manufacturers are happy with that.
0:31:42 > 0:31:46Now, if I ever read about a really bad review about a product, I think
0:31:46 > 0:31:49to myself, "What is the manufacturer going to say about that?"
0:31:49 > 0:31:51"So how do they react to you?
0:31:51 > 0:31:54We do, from time to time, get challenged by manufacturers,
0:31:54 > 0:31:57equally we have great examples when manufacturers really listen to what
0:31:57 > 0:32:00we've said and they've made changes as a result of that,
0:32:00 > 0:32:02by designing their products in better ways,
0:32:02 > 0:32:04or by even removing them from the market.
0:32:04 > 0:32:07We had that recently with a "Don't Buy" light bulb that we found to be unsafe.
0:32:07 > 0:32:11When we get challenged, we're confident that we are really robust with
0:32:11 > 0:32:13the way we carry out our testing. We're very happy to stand up
0:32:13 > 0:32:16and stand up to the robustness of our authoritativeness
0:32:16 > 0:32:19and reliability of our results.
0:32:19 > 0:32:22The bottom line is they want that Which? endorsement, don't they?
0:32:22 > 0:32:26Yeah, the Best Buy icon is a real badge of honour.
0:32:26 > 0:32:29It's an important accolade, it recognises only the very best
0:32:29 > 0:32:31products on the market.
0:32:31 > 0:32:34As for the results of those luggage tests, well, as ever
0:32:34 > 0:32:38some proved tough and resilient but others didn't make the grade.
0:32:38 > 0:32:42Which? tested over 40 large and cabin suitcases with only nine
0:32:42 > 0:32:45ending up the coveted label Best Buy.
0:32:49 > 0:32:51Something that a lot of you point out to us is that
0:32:51 > 0:32:53when you feel you've had a raw deal,
0:32:53 > 0:32:57it's not always just about the money, it's the sense of injustice
0:32:57 > 0:33:01and unfairness that can leave a nasty taste in the mouth.
0:33:01 > 0:33:05That's very much the case with this next story and, indeed,
0:33:05 > 0:33:08that's exactly why we felt we had to investigate further.
0:33:10 > 0:33:14Rebecca Malone has been planning her wedding for three years.
0:33:14 > 0:33:17All that was missing was the perfect dress.
0:33:17 > 0:33:20It is a difficult thing to choose your wedding dress. It's the biggest
0:33:20 > 0:33:23day of your life, you want to look the best you can.
0:33:23 > 0:33:27I've looked everywhere for this unique specific dress that
0:33:27 > 0:33:30I've been, you know, dreaming of since a little girl.
0:33:30 > 0:33:34With her dream Caribbean wedding set for February 2016,
0:33:34 > 0:33:39Becky gave herself plenty of time to find the dress.
0:33:39 > 0:33:42I wanted a couture wedding dress and they were coming in
0:33:42 > 0:33:44at a few grand and I just thought
0:33:44 > 0:33:47I'm sure I could get something cheaper than that.
0:33:48 > 0:33:52Searching online, mum of three Rebecca came across the website
0:33:52 > 0:33:54of a company called Dylan Queen,
0:33:54 > 0:33:58which specialises in affordable wedding gowns and evening wear.
0:33:58 > 0:34:01The dresses on there just looked amazing.
0:34:01 > 0:34:06It seemed to be they had a lot of bargains on there that were
0:34:06 > 0:34:08on a, sort of, timer, you know,
0:34:08 > 0:34:10"Three days to go, don't miss out," type thing.
0:34:10 > 0:34:14The one I found specifically had a few days on it
0:34:14 > 0:34:16and I just thought, you know, I've got to get this dress.
0:34:18 > 0:34:22Dylan Queen claimed the recommended retail price of the dress
0:34:22 > 0:34:25Rebecca had her eye on was just under £600.
0:34:25 > 0:34:29But from them all it would cost was £122.
0:34:29 > 0:34:34In other words, an absolute knockout bargain, or so she thought.
0:34:34 > 0:34:39Seven nail-biting days later and the dress finally arrived.
0:34:39 > 0:34:42I was close to tears when I opened the package.
0:34:42 > 0:34:45I didn't even want to get it out really.
0:34:45 > 0:34:49I just couldn't believe my eyes, the fabric quality of it was appalling.
0:34:49 > 0:34:50I was so angry.
0:34:50 > 0:34:54I just couldn't believe that these people had taken my money.
0:34:54 > 0:34:57Devastating, you know, it's your wedding dress.
0:34:58 > 0:35:02It seemed obvious to Rebecca that the quality of the dress
0:35:02 > 0:35:07she got did not match up to the pictures on the Dylan Queen website.
0:35:07 > 0:35:08The seams are, sort of, coming away
0:35:08 > 0:35:10and then we've got...
0:35:10 > 0:35:14The panelling on the front is just a murky, dirty colour.
0:35:16 > 0:35:19And then we've got pieces of elasticy thread, or something,
0:35:19 > 0:35:22just hanging out everywhere.
0:35:23 > 0:35:28This isn't a mermaid style dress, that's A-line.
0:35:28 > 0:35:31The fabric's horrendous.
0:35:31 > 0:35:35This dress is utter tat to me.
0:35:37 > 0:35:39Furious at the state of the dress,
0:35:39 > 0:35:43Rebecca contacted Dylan Queen for a full refund.
0:35:43 > 0:35:47They weren't happy that I'd got in touch wanting to send it back.
0:35:47 > 0:35:49They refused to give me a refund.
0:35:49 > 0:35:51They were telling me, "It's custom-made.
0:35:51 > 0:35:53"It's been made-to-measure."
0:35:53 > 0:35:56By this point I was just getting so angry. I think there was just e-mail
0:35:56 > 0:36:00back and forth for weeks on end and just wasn't getting anywhere.
0:36:02 > 0:36:07Several e-mails later, the company did offer Rebecca
0:36:07 > 0:36:10half of the money back. But Rebecca flatly refused.
0:36:10 > 0:36:12I didn't end up sending the dress back.
0:36:12 > 0:36:16I wasn't happy to be refunded half the price of the dress.
0:36:17 > 0:36:20I've actually just left it now.
0:36:20 > 0:36:23I couldn't be bothered getting into more rows with them over e-mail.
0:36:26 > 0:36:28But Rebecca's experience is far from a one off.
0:36:28 > 0:36:32In fact, here at Rip-Off Britain, we've heard from nearly 50 people
0:36:32 > 0:36:35who say they've had similar problems with Dylan Queen dresses.
0:36:35 > 0:36:38What's more, 90% of them thought they were dealing with a British
0:36:38 > 0:36:44company because Dylan Queen's e-mail address and website end in .co.uk.
0:36:44 > 0:36:46And it has a billing address in London.
0:36:46 > 0:36:51But actually the company is based in China, which Rebecca only
0:36:51 > 0:36:54discovered when she was sent a bill for shipping and custom fees.
0:36:54 > 0:36:58Not only was the dress horrific and I'm rowing with these people
0:36:58 > 0:37:01via e-mail, I've now been invoiced
0:37:01 > 0:37:05for the delivery of the dress.
0:37:05 > 0:37:09We wanted to take a closer look at more of the Dylan Queen dresses.
0:37:09 > 0:37:12So we invited some of the disgruntled customers who'd
0:37:12 > 0:37:16been in touch to come and show their addresses to Maria Malone
0:37:16 > 0:37:20a fashion lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University.
0:37:20 > 0:37:24First on the catwalk, 16-year-old Olia from Birmingham.
0:37:24 > 0:37:27She bought one of the company's apparently made-to-measure dresses
0:37:27 > 0:37:32for her school prom at a cost of £98.47 plus £25 delivery
0:37:32 > 0:37:38and £25 taxes, a total of £148.47.
0:37:39 > 0:37:44On the picture looked really nice and I loved it on the picture.
0:37:44 > 0:37:47It was, like, my dream dress but when it arrived
0:37:47 > 0:37:49it was completely different.
0:37:49 > 0:37:52So when you cut a pattern for a dress like this, you would always
0:37:52 > 0:37:54cut the pattern slightly bigger than the body.
0:37:54 > 0:37:58So that would allow for movement and the ability for you to sit down
0:37:58 > 0:38:00and stand up and dance and everything else
0:38:00 > 0:38:02you'd want to do in the dress.
0:38:02 > 0:38:05Unfortunately, you've got no movement through the thigh here.
0:38:05 > 0:38:08The patterns been cut wrong for you. So not very good at all.
0:38:10 > 0:38:13Next up, Beverly Richardson from Bradford.
0:38:13 > 0:38:16After her mother died, she decided to treat herself to
0:38:16 > 0:38:19a cruise holiday and thought the dress she saw for £101
0:38:19 > 0:38:22on the Dylan Queen site would be perfect
0:38:22 > 0:38:25for formal evening events on the ship.
0:38:25 > 0:38:29I suppose what I really wanted was the Princess look.
0:38:29 > 0:38:32I wanted something big and flouncy
0:38:32 > 0:38:36and this was the one, definitely.
0:38:36 > 0:38:38And pink.
0:38:38 > 0:38:42- So you ordered a UK size 16 and this is what you got?- Yes.
0:38:42 > 0:38:47So we can see from this, this really just goes nowhere on you.
0:38:47 > 0:38:51For you, a size 16 should easily just zip up very, very quickly
0:38:51 > 0:38:55and it's not getting anywhere near. It's a disgrace actually.
0:38:55 > 0:38:58But it's a really an abysmal fit, that.
0:38:58 > 0:39:03Abi Boyce bought a dress for £107 plus over £50 postage
0:39:03 > 0:39:05for a double special occasion -
0:39:05 > 0:39:08her high school prom and birthday
0:39:08 > 0:39:12fell on the same day, so, of course, she wanted to be looking her best.
0:39:12 > 0:39:15The dress looked amazing on the website.
0:39:15 > 0:39:19It was all quite tight fit to emphasise...
0:39:19 > 0:39:23Because I've got quite an hourglass figure,
0:39:23 > 0:39:26so I thought I may as well show it off.
0:39:26 > 0:39:30The most obvious problem to me is this sleeve.
0:39:30 > 0:39:33What you've got here is a double-lined sleeve
0:39:33 > 0:39:35with a huge seam here.
0:39:35 > 0:39:37But it's not actually hugging the body.
0:39:37 > 0:39:41That's supposed to be close to the body and have some stretch in it
0:39:41 > 0:39:43for comfort, so that you can move around.
0:39:43 > 0:39:46All of these pieces have been appliqued on
0:39:46 > 0:39:49but they're all fraying, they've not been stitched on properly.
0:39:49 > 0:39:51Very badly fitting.
0:39:57 > 0:40:01Four dresses and four very angry women.
0:40:01 > 0:40:05Once the dress has gone out and once they've been paid,
0:40:05 > 0:40:07they don't want to know.
0:40:07 > 0:40:10They don't want to know the problems, they don't want to help
0:40:10 > 0:40:13and it's just horrendous.
0:40:13 > 0:40:16I definitely won't be wearing this dress.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19I'd rather not go to prom then wear this.
0:40:19 > 0:40:22It's massive, it doesn't show my figure,
0:40:22 > 0:40:25it makes me look like a rectangle.
0:40:25 > 0:40:29I'm really angry about them and just upset as well because not only
0:40:29 > 0:40:33have I spent the money, but also I'm not really looking forward to prom
0:40:33 > 0:40:35because prom is a really big event
0:40:35 > 0:40:39and I don't really want to go now.
0:40:39 > 0:40:43In Maria's opinion, neither the attention to detail, nor
0:40:43 > 0:40:46the service of Dylan Queen come up to scratch.
0:40:46 > 0:40:48If you're going to invest money in a dress,
0:40:48 > 0:40:51you want it to be made properly but you also
0:40:51 > 0:40:52want it to fit properly.
0:40:52 > 0:40:55I think they should have offered them a full refund and a return.
0:40:55 > 0:40:58If something's wrong, it's wrong.
0:40:58 > 0:41:02We've received so many complaints about this one company that we
0:41:02 > 0:41:04were really interested to hear their response.
0:41:04 > 0:41:07Sadly, when we contacted Dylan Queen,
0:41:07 > 0:41:10they didn't comment on the story.
0:41:10 > 0:41:15But shopping online isn't always the best approach for a special dress.
0:41:15 > 0:41:19They can buy really good quality at not much different
0:41:19 > 0:41:22prices on the UK High Street,
0:41:22 > 0:41:25where they can try it on, they can consider their purchase,
0:41:25 > 0:41:29they can ensure the fit and they can be happy customers.
0:41:31 > 0:41:34As for Rebecca, she's once again on the hunt
0:41:34 > 0:41:36for her dream wedding dress.
0:41:36 > 0:41:39But she has found someone who likes the Dylan Queen number.
0:41:39 > 0:41:41- Princess!- Yeah!
0:41:45 > 0:41:48Here at Rip-Off Britain we're always ready to investigate
0:41:48 > 0:41:49more of your stories.
0:41:49 > 0:41:51Well, you can write to us at:
0:41:59 > 0:42:02Or you can send us an e-mail to:
0:42:04 > 0:42:08The Rip-Off team is ready and waiting to investigate your stories.
0:42:11 > 0:42:14I don't know about you but I was absolutely
0:42:14 > 0:42:17fascinated by the results of that battery test we did earlier.
0:42:17 > 0:42:20There can't be many of us who haven't wondered why it is
0:42:20 > 0:42:24that some batteries seem to run out so much quicker than expected.
0:42:24 > 0:42:27And it's great to know that it isn't always the most expensive
0:42:27 > 0:42:30that prove to be the best value for money.
0:42:30 > 0:42:32True but, equally, the cheapest option is often not
0:42:32 > 0:42:34the best choice either.
0:42:34 > 0:42:37So how can you know for sure if you're going to get
0:42:37 > 0:42:38what you paid for?
0:42:38 > 0:42:40Well, whether we're talking about made-to-measure clothes or
0:42:40 > 0:42:44a family day out, the best advice is to be extremely
0:42:44 > 0:42:47wary of claims in ads or on websites.
0:42:47 > 0:42:49They may make you think you're on to a winner
0:42:49 > 0:42:52when, in fact the opposite could be true.
0:42:52 > 0:42:54It's with that really good piece of advice that I'm afraid
0:42:54 > 0:42:57we have to leave you for today. But please do keep sending us
0:42:57 > 0:43:00your stories for any of the Rip-Off Britain programmes
0:43:00 > 0:43:02that are going to be coming up over the next few months
0:43:02 > 0:43:05because it could well be one of yours that we're going to be
0:43:05 > 0:43:06looking into next time round.
0:43:06 > 0:43:09Our team is, as always, chomping at the bit
0:43:09 > 0:43:14to crack on and investigate as many of your stories as we possibly can.
0:43:14 > 0:43:17We'll be seeing you very soon, hopefully with some of those
0:43:17 > 0:43:19stories. But, for today, thanks very much indeed for joining us
0:43:19 > 0:43:21and from all of the team, bye-bye.
0:43:21 > 0:43:23- Bye-bye.- Goodbye.