Episode 10

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0:00:03 > 0:00:05We asked you to tell us what's left you feeling ripped off

0:00:05 > 0:00:08and you contacted us in your thousands.

0:00:08 > 0:00:09You've told us about the companies

0:00:09 > 0:00:11you think get it wrong and the customer

0:00:11 > 0:00:13service that's simply not up to scratch.

0:00:13 > 0:00:15When you have to call them,

0:00:15 > 0:00:17it takes ages and somebody else answers the phone who pretty much

0:00:17 > 0:00:19doesn't know what you're saying.

0:00:19 > 0:00:23The customer is not benefitting and, no, I'm not getting value for money.

0:00:23 > 0:00:26You've asked us to track down the scammers who stole your money

0:00:26 > 0:00:30and investigate the extra charges you say are unfair.

0:00:30 > 0:00:34They don't deserve to be in any form of business whatsoever and they just

0:00:34 > 0:00:35want shutting down.

0:00:35 > 0:00:38And when you've lost out, but nobody else is to blame,

0:00:38 > 0:00:41you've come to us to stop others falling into the same trap.

0:00:41 > 0:00:44They took the money out of my account and I don't even know who it

0:00:44 > 0:00:46was that was scamming me.

0:00:46 > 0:00:49So, whether it's a blatant rip-off or a genuine mistake,

0:00:49 > 0:00:52we're here to find out why you're out-of-pocket

0:00:52 > 0:00:53and what you can do about it.

0:00:53 > 0:00:55Your stories, your money.

0:00:55 > 0:00:57This is Rip-off Britain.

0:01:00 > 0:01:02Hello and welcome to Rip-off Britain where, as ever,

0:01:02 > 0:01:05we're here to fight your corner when you don't think that you've been

0:01:05 > 0:01:06treated fairly.

0:01:06 > 0:01:09And, you know, that really is at the heart of this entire series.

0:01:09 > 0:01:13Unpicking those times when you've handed over your money with great

0:01:13 > 0:01:17hopes, only to be left feeling let down or even taken for a ride.

0:01:17 > 0:01:20Yes, it's horrible when you realise you haven't got the best deal and,

0:01:20 > 0:01:22in fact, you may even be paying much

0:01:22 > 0:01:25more than other people for the very same thing.

0:01:25 > 0:01:28Or, try as you might, you still can't get something that everyone

0:01:28 > 0:01:31else seems to access perfectly easy.

0:01:31 > 0:01:34Well, hopefully, we're going to put a stop to all of that right away

0:01:34 > 0:01:38because today we're going to be exposing some really shocking

0:01:38 > 0:01:41examples of situations that, quite frankly, really do seem unfair.

0:01:41 > 0:01:45Just wait till you hear one of them. That really will shock you.

0:01:45 > 0:01:47So by the end of the programme what we hope is that you're going to have

0:01:47 > 0:01:51a really good idea of how to make sure that it isn't you that's left

0:01:51 > 0:01:52paying over the odds.

0:01:54 > 0:01:58Coming up, as you tell us more of your broadband woes,

0:01:58 > 0:02:01why this woman was told that if she wanted the fastest speeds,

0:02:01 > 0:02:05she'd have to pay thousands to get the line put in herself.

0:02:05 > 0:02:07For that amount of money,

0:02:07 > 0:02:11I'd want it gold-plated and a big plaque to say that I own it.

0:02:11 > 0:02:13And why the cost of booking a venue

0:02:13 > 0:02:16may rocket as soon as you mention the word 'wedding'.

0:02:16 > 0:02:19Wait till you hear how much extra we were quoted to hire

0:02:19 > 0:02:21exactly the same place.

0:02:21 > 0:02:24?1,750.

0:02:24 > 0:02:30Don't think you'll be going down that route. Definitely not!

0:02:30 > 0:02:34Over the last few years we've been following very keenly the commitment

0:02:34 > 0:02:38from the government and BT to get most of Britain hooked up to

0:02:38 > 0:02:41superfast broadband by 2017.

0:02:41 > 0:02:44And, indeed, on one of our live programmes I spoke to a senior

0:02:44 > 0:02:48spokesman from BT who gave us some pretty solid assurances about the

0:02:48 > 0:02:53number of homes that would be plugged into those fast connections.

0:02:53 > 0:02:57And, yet, we still hear from viewers for whom the experience has been

0:02:57 > 0:02:59anything but positive,

0:02:59 > 0:03:02with tales of missed appointments, failed installations,

0:03:02 > 0:03:06painfully slow connection speeds and much more.

0:03:06 > 0:03:11But things were even worse for the viewers that we're about to meet who

0:03:11 > 0:03:15after years of confusion were told that their superfast connection

0:03:15 > 0:03:19would only be possible if they paid for the equipment that would cost

0:03:19 > 0:03:23tens of thousands of pounds.

0:03:27 > 0:03:32It's not impossible to live without a fast internet connection at home,

0:03:32 > 0:03:33but it certainly isn't easy,

0:03:33 > 0:03:37and earlier this year the government confirmed its plans to enshrine

0:03:37 > 0:03:41in law everyone's right to fast broadband.

0:03:41 > 0:03:44One of the key measures in this Queen's Speech is for the first time

0:03:44 > 0:03:49a universal service obligation to deliver broadband to every home and

0:03:49 > 0:03:52every business in our country.

0:03:52 > 0:03:55Of course, the government first announced its commitment to get us

0:03:55 > 0:04:00all up to the right online speed some time ago, and key to hooking

0:04:00 > 0:04:04the nation up with, not just broadband, but superfast broadband,

0:04:04 > 0:04:08has been the part of BT that installs and maintains

0:04:08 > 0:04:10the phone network - BT Openreach.

0:04:10 > 0:04:16Investing ?3 billion to bring you superfast fibre broadband.

0:04:16 > 0:04:20But while BT has declared that the roll-out is ahead of schedule,

0:04:20 > 0:04:24the company has come in for heavy criticism for how it's handled the

0:04:24 > 0:04:27whole business, not simply from consumers or even rivals,

0:04:27 > 0:04:31but most recently from MPs and the regulator Ofcom.

0:04:31 > 0:04:35BT should be forced to sell the country's leading broadband provider

0:04:35 > 0:04:38Openreach because of poor performance.

0:04:38 > 0:04:43That's the conclusion of a new report backed by 121 MPs.

0:04:43 > 0:04:45There have been warnings that Openreach could be broken up if it

0:04:45 > 0:04:49doesn't improve, after complaints that it's too slow to make repairs

0:04:49 > 0:04:50and new connections.

0:04:50 > 0:04:54BT Openreach is not investing enough in the infrastructure

0:04:54 > 0:04:56and there's problems as a result of that.

0:04:56 > 0:05:00Well, you've been telling us your own experiences of all of this

0:05:00 > 0:05:02for quite some time now and the government's

0:05:02 > 0:05:06Select Committee for Culture, Media and Sport has now

0:05:06 > 0:05:12also slammed what it called BT Openreach's poor service and patchy broadband coverage

0:05:12 > 0:05:14not just in remote rural areas,

0:05:14 > 0:05:18but in parts of the country where you might assume that the network

0:05:18 > 0:05:21could be more easily made superfast, like the capital,

0:05:21 > 0:05:25and that's something that Lynn-Ann Sinclair knows all-too well.

0:05:25 > 0:05:28When she and her family moved into their new home two years ago

0:05:28 > 0:05:33in West Molesey in Surrey, less than an hour from the centre of London,

0:05:33 > 0:05:36getting online was top of her to-do list.

0:05:36 > 0:05:40We needed the superfast broadband to have the television package that we wanted.

0:05:40 > 0:05:44We've all got devices that need to be used and, so that they can

0:05:44 > 0:05:48get their homework and coursework done efficiently,

0:05:48 > 0:05:51it needed to be able to support everything in the house.

0:05:53 > 0:05:55Being so close to London,

0:05:55 > 0:05:58Lynn-Ann thought getting the speedy connection would be simple

0:05:58 > 0:06:02and when she saw ads for BT's superfast Infinity service,

0:06:02 > 0:06:05it seemed ideal, but there was a hitch.

0:06:05 > 0:06:09I was told that Infinity wasn't available at the moment,

0:06:09 > 0:06:10but it would be very soon.

0:06:10 > 0:06:14So they said if we sign up, then as soon as it's into the area,

0:06:14 > 0:06:18we will contact you and transfer you over.

0:06:18 > 0:06:23Lynn-Ann signed up for BT's standard broadband while she waited for

0:06:23 > 0:06:25the area to be hooked up to the superfast service

0:06:25 > 0:06:29and with BT Openreach working in her area already

0:06:29 > 0:06:31she didn't think it would take that long.

0:06:31 > 0:06:34I thought with all the work that was going on around and you constantly

0:06:34 > 0:06:39saw BT engineers out and about around the area that, actually, yes,

0:06:39 > 0:06:42there was going to be something happening soon.

0:06:42 > 0:06:45Lynn-Ann waited and waited,

0:06:45 > 0:06:48but as homes nearby got their superfast connection,

0:06:48 > 0:06:52BT kept telling Lynn-Ann that her house still couldn't get it.

0:06:52 > 0:06:56On the news regularly you hear about they're struggling to get the

0:06:56 > 0:06:59super broadband, but that's normally in the rural areas,

0:06:59 > 0:07:02but then, I'm here on the outerskirts of London

0:07:02 > 0:07:06and I'm still having the same problems as what they are.

0:07:07 > 0:07:10After more than two-and-a-half years of waiting,

0:07:10 > 0:07:15Lynn-Ann logged a formal complaint with BT and while she'd initially

0:07:15 > 0:07:18been told it would just be a matter of time before she got

0:07:18 > 0:07:22the speedier service, now the company told her that because of the

0:07:22 > 0:07:26way her home is connected to the local exchange, she wouldn't be able

0:07:26 > 0:07:28to get BT Infinity after all.

0:07:28 > 0:07:31What's more, it seemed from the company's letter that the only way

0:07:31 > 0:07:36she could get a superfast connection with BT would be very expensive.

0:07:36 > 0:07:40They said, "Well, your other option is you could always club together

0:07:40 > 0:07:44"with your neighbours and pay for the line to be installed yourselves."

0:07:45 > 0:07:49Stunned by the company's suggestion that she and her neighbours should

0:07:49 > 0:07:54sort the problem out for themselves, Lynn-Ann got in touch with us.

0:07:54 > 0:07:58And to help her understand why she can't get the connection she wants,

0:07:58 > 0:08:01we asked broadband expert Andrew Ferguson to pay her a visit.

0:08:01 > 0:08:03It's more frustrating, I think,

0:08:03 > 0:08:07for some people now in the urban environment because the assumption

0:08:07 > 0:08:10is you do have it, so you maybe don't do quite as many checks

0:08:10 > 0:08:13as if you're moving to sort of a nice countryside house.

0:08:15 > 0:08:18Andrew's research has uncovered Lynn-Ann's problem.

0:08:18 > 0:08:19Hi. Hi.

0:08:19 > 0:08:22Her home and the homes of more than 30 of her neighbours are

0:08:22 > 0:08:26amongst just 2% or 3% of the properties in the UK that are served

0:08:26 > 0:08:29by what's called an exchange-only line,

0:08:29 > 0:08:33meaning they can make calls and get a slower broadband connection,

0:08:33 > 0:08:37but the line simply won't meet the demands of superfast broadband and

0:08:37 > 0:08:41installing one that can is neither easy nor cheap.

0:08:41 > 0:08:45So the letter said that I needed to look at other options and it said

0:08:45 > 0:08:50one was to consider paying for it to be installed myself.

0:08:50 > 0:08:53My initial thought was, how much would that cost?

0:08:53 > 0:08:59To put in a cabinet, it varies between ?20,000 and ?40,000.

0:08:59 > 0:09:00So that's quite horrendous.

0:09:00 > 0:09:02For that amount of money,

0:09:02 > 0:09:06I'd want it gold-plated and a big plaque to say that I own it because,

0:09:06 > 0:09:07actually...

0:09:09 > 0:09:11..if I've paid that sort of money, that's mine.

0:09:13 > 0:09:15Well, rather than do that,

0:09:15 > 0:09:19Lynn-Ann has signed up to a company that doesn't use BT cables.

0:09:19 > 0:09:22Something she would've done right back at the start of all of this

0:09:22 > 0:09:25if she hadn't been told that she could get

0:09:25 > 0:09:27her superfast broadband from BT.

0:09:27 > 0:09:31But, of course, Lynn-Ann is far from the only person to contact us after

0:09:31 > 0:09:34having problems getting BT's superfast connections.

0:09:34 > 0:09:39Last year, on our live series we put some of the concerns that we heard

0:09:39 > 0:09:42to one of BT Openreach's directors.

0:09:42 > 0:09:43Well, we are trying to get to the

0:09:43 > 0:09:45high speeds for as many people

0:09:45 > 0:09:46as possible.

0:09:46 > 0:09:48You're not doing it quickly enough,

0:09:48 > 0:09:49particularly in rural communities.

0:09:49 > 0:09:52Why aren't you working harder and quicker to bring high-speed broadband to them?

0:09:52 > 0:09:55I think we're on journey. We've not announced the end of this.

0:09:57 > 0:09:58Well, after that interview,

0:09:58 > 0:10:01our inbox was inundated with yet more e-mails

0:10:01 > 0:10:04from people telling us that for whatever reason,

0:10:04 > 0:10:09BT has been super slow in getting them superfast broadband.

0:10:09 > 0:10:12And as well as the tales of sluggish speeds,

0:10:12 > 0:10:15failed connections and missed appointments,

0:10:15 > 0:10:18we also heard from other viewers like Lynn-Ann who'd signed up

0:10:18 > 0:10:21for BT's Infinity service, only to be told later on

0:10:21 > 0:10:24that they couldn't actually get it after all.

0:10:24 > 0:10:27Angela Butcher from Birmingham is one of them.

0:10:27 > 0:10:29She's a pastor this community church

0:10:29 > 0:10:32and was keen to keep the congregation better informed

0:10:32 > 0:10:34about everything going on there.

0:10:34 > 0:10:36We have our normal Sunday services

0:10:36 > 0:10:39and then we have children's ministry, youth ministry.

0:10:41 > 0:10:43With the church needing a better web connection,

0:10:43 > 0:10:46Angela started looking for a new provider,

0:10:46 > 0:10:50but it was crucial that the church could move its phone number, as well.

0:10:50 > 0:10:53So when BT told her that it could do that and get the church

0:10:53 > 0:10:57onto BT Infinity, she enthusiastically signed up.

0:10:57 > 0:11:00An appointment was booked for an Openreach engineer to call round,

0:11:00 > 0:11:03but Angela's faith in BT soon proved misplaced.

0:11:04 > 0:11:08Unfortunately, when that day came, nothing happened.

0:11:08 > 0:11:12There was no phone call to say that they couldn't come.

0:11:12 > 0:11:16I was then chasing BT to find out why they hadn't come.

0:11:17 > 0:11:22It took two months from that initial date until BT finally sent

0:11:22 > 0:11:25one of its Openreach engineers to the church.

0:11:25 > 0:11:29He came in to say that he was putting in a new line.

0:11:29 > 0:11:32I immediately said, we don't want a new line,

0:11:32 > 0:11:36we just want our old line transferred over to BT

0:11:36 > 0:11:38and a better broadband.

0:11:38 > 0:11:46So we rang BT and they assured me that the process of getting the

0:11:46 > 0:11:52broadband that we so desperately needed was to give us a new line.

0:11:52 > 0:11:54Angela didn't want a new line,

0:11:54 > 0:11:57but the engineer told her that there was no other way and that the

0:11:57 > 0:12:01church's old number could easily be transferred across.

0:12:01 > 0:12:04That, however, still meant a few days with a completely different number,

0:12:04 > 0:12:07during which time no-one could get hold of her.

0:12:07 > 0:12:09We've got a funeral coming up,

0:12:09 > 0:12:12we've got funeral directors trying to contact us.

0:12:12 > 0:12:16I had the organist who was going to play at the funeral

0:12:16 > 0:12:21trying to contact the church and not able to get in contact with me.

0:12:21 > 0:12:25Six days later, when there was still no sign of the old number being

0:12:25 > 0:12:28transferred over, Angela called BT to complain again

0:12:28 > 0:12:32and its response really wasn't what she was expecting.

0:12:32 > 0:12:37BT then said we couldn't get the Infinity package where we were situated.

0:12:39 > 0:12:45This was a devastating blow because this was the whole point of moving.

0:12:45 > 0:12:48Had they said that to us two months previously,

0:12:48 > 0:12:53we would have said, "Thank you very much, we'll try somewhere else."

0:12:53 > 0:12:56Angela asked BT to cancel the order and return everything back

0:12:56 > 0:12:59to the way it had been two weeks previously,

0:12:59 > 0:13:01with the church's old phone number.

0:13:01 > 0:13:04But it took another nine days of phone calls and stress

0:13:04 > 0:13:07on Angela's part before that finally happened.

0:13:07 > 0:13:10By that point, the church had been without the phone number

0:13:10 > 0:13:13that everyone knew for two weeks.

0:13:13 > 0:13:17We're still hopeful we can get superfast broadband

0:13:17 > 0:13:21and we're going to be looking at that again, but with someone else.

0:13:23 > 0:13:27Well, BT told us that it appreciates the frustration of people who can't

0:13:27 > 0:13:29access superfast broadband,

0:13:29 > 0:13:32especially when, like Lynn-Ann and Angela,

0:13:32 > 0:13:36their properties are so close to others that can.

0:13:36 > 0:13:38It agreed mistakes were made in these two cases,

0:13:38 > 0:13:42explaining that Lynn-Ann was given inaccurate information

0:13:42 > 0:13:45about the fibre broadband plans in her area due to a mistake

0:13:45 > 0:13:49by its advisers and that a system error led to Angela being

0:13:49 > 0:13:52given the wrong information, too.

0:13:52 > 0:13:54And it's apologised for the frustrations that Angela

0:13:54 > 0:13:56experienced getting things resolved.

0:13:57 > 0:14:01But, again, BT insisted its efforts to meet the government's target of

0:14:01 > 0:14:07delivering superfast broadband to 95% of the country are on track,

0:14:07 > 0:14:09and that it's doing all it can,

0:14:09 > 0:14:12investing more than any other company

0:14:12 > 0:14:14to take coverage even further.

0:14:14 > 0:14:17As such, the company was disappointed by the recent criticism

0:14:17 > 0:14:20from the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee,

0:14:20 > 0:14:23which it doesn't feel reflects current levels of investment.

0:14:23 > 0:14:28Adding that it will pump in a further ?6 billion over the next three years.

0:14:28 > 0:14:33And while BT did agree that service levels have to improve,

0:14:33 > 0:14:36something with which the company says it's making significant

0:14:36 > 0:14:39progress, it said separating Openreach from BT would lead

0:14:39 > 0:14:41to less investment and not more,

0:14:41 > 0:14:45claiming it would fatally undermine plans to deliver high speeds for

0:14:45 > 0:14:47the final few percent of the country.

0:14:49 > 0:14:53It's clear, however, that over the next few months, the role of BT and

0:14:53 > 0:14:56particularly BT Openreach in rolling out superfast broadband

0:14:56 > 0:14:59will be under plenty of scrutiny.

0:14:59 > 0:15:02Indeed, not long before we finished this programme, the company

0:15:02 > 0:15:04came in for further very vocal criticism

0:15:04 > 0:15:07from a former government minister.

0:15:07 > 0:15:10But whatever happens for now, at least,

0:15:10 > 0:15:14Angela and Lynn-Ann's relationship with BT has come to an end.

0:15:14 > 0:15:17They're meant to be a communication company.

0:15:17 > 0:15:19They're one of the biggest in the world,

0:15:19 > 0:15:22but it seems to me their systems need a complete overhaul

0:15:22 > 0:15:26and a change of system because when you talk to them,

0:15:26 > 0:15:29it seems within the company the right hand

0:15:29 > 0:15:31doesn't know what the left hand is doing.

0:15:38 > 0:15:42Now, whoever said you can't put a price on happiness has clearly never

0:15:42 > 0:15:44been involved in planning a wedding.

0:15:44 > 0:15:48'Mind-bogglingly expensive' are the words that spring to mind.

0:15:48 > 0:15:51Indeed, the average price of a wedding these days runs

0:15:51 > 0:15:54into the tens of thousands of pounds.

0:15:54 > 0:15:57Now, it's easy to get swept up in the excitement of it all, of course,

0:15:57 > 0:16:01but is that hefty price tag really worth it?

0:16:01 > 0:16:04Well, we've conducted a little experiment of our own.

0:16:04 > 0:16:07We wanted to see what difference it would make to the cost of arranging

0:16:07 > 0:16:11the event if we didn't mention the W-word at all.

0:16:11 > 0:16:15ROMANTIC WEDDING MUSIC PLAYS

0:16:15 > 0:16:18So you've taken the plunge and decided to get married.

0:16:18 > 0:16:20RECORD SCRATCHES, MUSIC STOPS

0:16:20 > 0:16:24But as the excitement mounts, so, too, can the costs,

0:16:24 > 0:16:27which is something the couple I'm about to meet is starting to realise

0:16:27 > 0:16:29as the big day gets closer.

0:16:31 > 0:16:35Kate Meadows and her fiance Jay been together for three years.

0:16:35 > 0:16:37When did you pop the question?

0:16:37 > 0:16:40It was August last year. We were on a boat in Turkey.

0:16:40 > 0:16:45It was our family's boat and everyone knew apart from Kate.

0:16:45 > 0:16:47I could see him messing about with the music

0:16:47 > 0:16:49and then I seen him crouch down next to me.

0:16:49 > 0:16:52I was about to turn around and go, "Just sit on the chair.

0:16:52 > 0:16:53"Why are you sitting on the floor?"

0:16:53 > 0:16:56And as I turned round, I've seen him on the floor.

0:16:56 > 0:16:59He was standing there with the ring and I just went, "Oh!"

0:16:59 > 0:17:01I didn't even actually hear him say, "Will you marry me?"

0:17:03 > 0:17:06Kate says she's been dreaming of her wedding day since she was a toddler,

0:17:06 > 0:17:10so she wasted no time turning her fantasy into reality.

0:17:10 > 0:17:13When did you start planning the arrangements and everything?

0:17:13 > 0:17:14On the boat!

0:17:16 > 0:17:18Blimey, you were quick off the mark.

0:17:18 > 0:17:21Very quick! Do you think you'd got it in your head?

0:17:21 > 0:17:24It was already planned, I think. I just needed the ring.

0:17:26 > 0:17:29But half of all brides say they expect to spend more on their

0:17:29 > 0:17:31wedding than they'd budgeted for,

0:17:31 > 0:17:33and it already looks as if that'll be the case

0:17:33 > 0:17:35with Kate's celebrations, too.

0:17:35 > 0:17:38So what was the budget that you settled for your wedding?

0:17:38 > 0:17:43Originally, we decided about ?7,000 to try and keep it as cheap as

0:17:43 > 0:17:46possible, but as we've been putting deposits down

0:17:46 > 0:17:48on more things and we've renewed our budget

0:17:48 > 0:17:50and had a little look again,

0:17:50 > 0:17:52it's actually coming out more at ?10,000.

0:17:52 > 0:17:55And that's really playing on Kate's mind.

0:17:55 > 0:17:58I suppose the thing that's worrying the most

0:17:58 > 0:17:59is that we can afford everything.

0:17:59 > 0:18:02We don't want to go into married life in debt.

0:18:02 > 0:18:05One thing she's found frustrating as she's done her research is that in

0:18:05 > 0:18:09some cases, planning a wedding seems to command a premium

0:18:09 > 0:18:11just because it's a wedding.

0:18:11 > 0:18:13When I was looking at bridesmaids dresses,

0:18:13 > 0:18:16if you put 'bridesmaid dress' into the search engine,

0:18:16 > 0:18:18it was coming up really expensive.

0:18:18 > 0:18:22But if you were to put 'prom dress' in, the same dress would come up

0:18:22 > 0:18:24sometimes and it'd be half the price.

0:18:24 > 0:18:27You're joking. The price is insane.

0:18:27 > 0:18:30The wedding premium Kate thinks she's being quoted

0:18:30 > 0:18:32is something that lots of us may have wondered about.

0:18:32 > 0:18:34Whether we're guests at someone else's wedding,

0:18:34 > 0:18:37paying what seems like over the odds for a hotel room

0:18:37 > 0:18:41or planning our own big day and watching the bills mount up.

0:18:41 > 0:18:45So what would happen if you don't mention the W-word at all?

0:18:45 > 0:18:47Would the quote be less if it wasn't for a wedding,

0:18:47 > 0:18:51but, say, a birthday party instead?

0:18:51 > 0:18:53Well, to find out, we did a test,

0:18:53 > 0:18:56concentrating on one of the single biggest costs of all -

0:18:56 > 0:18:57the venue.

0:18:59 > 0:19:01First, we check some prices in Liverpool

0:19:01 > 0:19:03where Kate's getting married.

0:19:03 > 0:19:05Then to get a slightly bigger picture,

0:19:05 > 0:19:08we rang several venues in Leeds and Manchester, too.

0:19:08 > 0:19:13In total, we called 15 venues and we rang each of them twice -

0:19:13 > 0:19:16the first time enquiring about costs for a wedding and the second time

0:19:16 > 0:19:19asking about a 60th birthday party

0:19:19 > 0:19:22on the same date with the same number of guests.

0:19:22 > 0:19:24And we told them we were sorting out our own catering and

0:19:24 > 0:19:30entertainment, so all we needed a price for was the room hire itself.

0:19:30 > 0:19:32You might assume that would be a pretty standard cost,

0:19:32 > 0:19:33but you'd be wrong.

0:19:33 > 0:19:34Of the 15 venues,

0:19:34 > 0:19:38no fewer than ten quoted us more when we asked them about room hire

0:19:38 > 0:19:40for the wedding than when we said we were planning

0:19:40 > 0:19:42the 60th birthday party.

0:19:44 > 0:19:47And, as you'll see, sometimes it wasn't simply a bit more,

0:19:47 > 0:19:49it was a whopping great amount.

0:19:49 > 0:19:53I've brought along both sets of quotes to show Kate.

0:19:53 > 0:19:57Let's see what she makes of how big the price difference can be.

0:19:57 > 0:20:01Now, my pile, we said we were booking for a 60th birthday party.

0:20:01 > 0:20:05Your pile consists of the ones where they knew it was a wedding, OK?

0:20:05 > 0:20:08So I'll fire away and open mine and tell you what's inside,

0:20:08 > 0:20:09and you see what's inside yours.

0:20:09 > 0:20:14First, here's what one hotel quoted for the 60th birthday party.

0:20:14 > 0:20:15300.

0:20:15 > 0:20:18And here's what the same venue said it would cost for a wedding.

0:20:18 > 0:20:211,500. My goodness.

0:20:21 > 0:20:23It's a bit like the Oscars, this, isn't it?

0:20:23 > 0:20:25I feel like it's my birthday.

0:20:25 > 0:20:27It was a similar story with the next one

0:20:27 > 0:20:30where, again, the birthday party quote was much less

0:20:30 > 0:20:33than the one for the wedding.

0:20:33 > 0:20:36200. 1750.

0:20:36 > 0:20:40I don't think you'll be going down that route. Definitely not!

0:20:40 > 0:20:44And the price variations at the other venues we checked were pretty dramatic, too.

0:20:44 > 0:20:47One Manchester hotel increased its room hire price for a

0:20:47 > 0:20:53wedding by ?300 and another by ?800.

0:20:53 > 0:20:57While in Liverpool, one hotel told us room higher for a birthday party

0:20:57 > 0:21:01would be free, but it would cost ?300 for a wedding.

0:21:01 > 0:21:05All of which is a bit worrying for our bride-to-be, Kate.

0:21:05 > 0:21:07She hasn't booked her venue yet,

0:21:07 > 0:21:10but now fears she's about to be royally ripped off.

0:21:10 > 0:21:14I'm surprised because if it's just for the venue,

0:21:14 > 0:21:18do you get anything else extra for that amount of money?

0:21:18 > 0:21:19I would like to know where my money is going?

0:21:19 > 0:21:22What is it for, exactly,

0:21:22 > 0:21:26if you can do this for a totally different price?

0:21:26 > 0:21:28A very good question, Kate,

0:21:28 > 0:21:32which we put to the venues where the price difference was the biggest.

0:21:32 > 0:21:33Some of them didn't want to comment,

0:21:33 > 0:21:37but the hotel that quoted a ?1,550 difference

0:21:37 > 0:21:41between the two prices did tell us that it's wedding quote

0:21:41 > 0:21:43automatically includes eight bedrooms

0:21:43 > 0:21:47and assumes a larger space for a longer period of time

0:21:47 > 0:21:48than a birthday party.

0:21:48 > 0:21:52All things that can be changed to reduce the price.

0:21:52 > 0:21:55But when we asked the British Hospitality Association

0:21:55 > 0:21:58its views on why some venues charge more for a wedding

0:21:58 > 0:22:00than a birthday party,

0:22:00 > 0:22:02it told us that a wedding is a big occasion

0:22:02 > 0:22:05that often requires access to other parts of the venue

0:22:05 > 0:22:07than simply the room itself,

0:22:07 > 0:22:11meaning these spaces can't be used for other events.

0:22:11 > 0:22:15It also said many venues will be fully involved in the planning and

0:22:15 > 0:22:17delivery of the wedding,

0:22:17 > 0:22:20so their expertise in ensuring that day goes to plan

0:22:20 > 0:22:23may also be a factor in the price.

0:22:23 > 0:22:25But it wasn't all bad news.

0:22:25 > 0:22:28Some of the venues we contacted did charge exactly the same

0:22:28 > 0:22:31for a wedding as for a birthday party.

0:22:31 > 0:22:34One of those was the EDEN Suites at Liverpool Hope University.

0:22:34 > 0:22:35Nice to meet you, Kate.

0:22:35 > 0:22:38So Kate and I went along to take a look.

0:22:38 > 0:22:41So what do you think? It's absolutely lovely.

0:22:41 > 0:22:44The reason why we charge the same room hire is because, ultimately,

0:22:44 > 0:22:46clients are getting the same service

0:22:46 > 0:22:49regardless of whether it's a wedding or a private function.

0:22:49 > 0:22:54So there are no kind of extra things that are involved in providing for a

0:22:54 > 0:22:56wedding than there are for a 60th birthday?

0:22:56 > 0:23:00Well, for the staff, the staffing costs are exactly the same.

0:23:00 > 0:23:03We offer a bespoke service to our clients.

0:23:03 > 0:23:07Guests are allowed to bring in their own flowers, their own chair covers,

0:23:07 > 0:23:11their own centrepieces, DJs, etc..

0:23:11 > 0:23:14So the more you do at the venue yourself, the less you'll charged.

0:23:14 > 0:23:18And while, as at most venues, once you factor in the food here,

0:23:18 > 0:23:20it will have a big effect on the cost, again,

0:23:20 > 0:23:22you don't have to pay a wedding premium.

0:23:22 > 0:23:25If you keep things simple and stick to finger food,

0:23:25 > 0:23:28you'll pay the same price, whatever the occasion.

0:23:28 > 0:23:31Obviously, our menus are priced accordingly,

0:23:31 > 0:23:33so a wedding breakfast would be more expensive

0:23:33 > 0:23:37because it would include the set-up of our chairs and tables,

0:23:37 > 0:23:40and the tables as laid out in the room currently.

0:23:40 > 0:23:44Whereas with a private function, a 60th birthday party,

0:23:44 > 0:23:46you wouldn't need that set up necessarily.

0:23:46 > 0:23:48That would be a buffet station set-up.

0:23:48 > 0:23:51So if you had a buffet for a wedding

0:23:51 > 0:23:53and a buffet for a 60th birthday party,

0:23:53 > 0:23:56they'd be the same price, would they? They would, yeah.

0:23:56 > 0:23:59Our buffets that we offer, everything on there is individually priced.

0:23:59 > 0:24:01So, I mean, a cheese sandwich for the 60th

0:24:01 > 0:24:04and a cheese sandwich for the wedding would cost exactly the same?

0:24:04 > 0:24:06Correct, yes.

0:24:07 > 0:24:11But while food and venue costs can rocket as soon as you utter the word

0:24:11 > 0:24:14'wedding', you won't necessarily pay more for other essential parts

0:24:14 > 0:24:16of the big day.

0:24:16 > 0:24:19A quick ring round by our researchers found, for example,

0:24:19 > 0:24:23that as photographers and florists typically provide a bespoke service

0:24:23 > 0:24:26anyway, there wasn't much of a price difference between them tailoring

0:24:26 > 0:24:29that service for a wedding or a birthday.

0:24:29 > 0:24:34The same goes for cakes, cards, stationery and entertainment,

0:24:34 > 0:24:37where changing your choices is probably the only way

0:24:37 > 0:24:38to make big savings.

0:24:38 > 0:24:40But if you are prepared to be flexible,

0:24:40 > 0:24:43holding back on using the word 'wedding' needn't be

0:24:43 > 0:24:46the only weapon in your money-saving arsenal

0:24:46 > 0:24:49because events expert George Watts,

0:24:49 > 0:24:51who styles himself The Wedding Fairy,

0:24:51 > 0:24:55says there are plenty of ways the costs can come right down.

0:24:55 > 0:24:57If somebody comes to you and says, "I want to get married,

0:24:57 > 0:24:58"I want this, "I want that,"

0:24:58 > 0:25:01what's the area that you would encourage them to look at

0:25:01 > 0:25:03to save the money, apart from the venue?

0:25:03 > 0:25:06I have secured and worked on a wedding once under a grand,

0:25:06 > 0:25:07which is unheard of!

0:25:07 > 0:25:09How did you do that?

0:25:09 > 0:25:13And we had a gorgeous room in a pub, small buffet,

0:25:13 > 0:25:16friends and family got heavily involved in the planning.

0:25:16 > 0:25:17That's the interesting point.

0:25:17 > 0:25:21If you want to keep the costs down, tap into everybody,

0:25:21 > 0:25:23tell everybody you know that you're getting married,

0:25:23 > 0:25:26because a friend or a family member knows somebody who's got a great set

0:25:26 > 0:25:30of wheels, who loves to bake cakes, who's a great photographer,

0:25:30 > 0:25:32and that will help bring the costs down.

0:25:32 > 0:25:35I always say a fairy tale does not have to cost a fortune.

0:25:35 > 0:25:38It's all about having a party at the end of the day,

0:25:38 > 0:25:41that's what's to focus on if there isn't a massive budget.

0:25:41 > 0:25:46And George's wise advice might help Kate plan for the big day.

0:25:46 > 0:25:49I can see, even with other things apart from venue,

0:25:49 > 0:25:54I mention the word 'wedding' and I can see, with research, as well,

0:25:54 > 0:25:55the price soars.

0:25:55 > 0:26:00This is highlighting an issue in the wedding industry that some venues

0:26:00 > 0:26:02really are bumping up the price and it's unacceptable.

0:26:02 > 0:26:05And do you know what I would do? I would ask them why. Yeah.

0:26:05 > 0:26:07I would actually put them on the spot and say, well,

0:26:07 > 0:26:12I understand that you can hire this space, with this, for this price,

0:26:12 > 0:26:15so why, when I'm doing a wedding here,

0:26:15 > 0:26:18is it doubling, tripling in price?

0:26:18 > 0:26:20If they haven't got a justification,

0:26:20 > 0:26:24then you're in a very good position to be able to barter a better deal,

0:26:24 > 0:26:27if you still want to get married at that venue,

0:26:27 > 0:26:28or move on to another one.

0:26:29 > 0:26:33Armed with that information, with the wedding day fast approaching,

0:26:33 > 0:26:37Kate's determined she will pay no more for any of it than she has to.

0:26:38 > 0:26:41I think I'll take on The Wedding Fairy's advice

0:26:41 > 0:26:44of just asking them, why is it so much more expensive?

0:26:44 > 0:26:49And maybe being a little bit more forceful in the quotes to find out

0:26:49 > 0:26:53if it was this price if it was a party, why is it so much more?

0:26:53 > 0:26:58So, yeah, I think I'd probably not use the W-word unless I had to.

0:27:04 > 0:27:06Still to come on Rip Off Britain,

0:27:06 > 0:27:09is there any truth in the long held belief

0:27:09 > 0:27:11that mechanics charge women over the odds?

0:27:11 > 0:27:14Well, we've put it to the test.

0:27:14 > 0:27:18What's really scary is that the sexism existed ten years ago

0:27:18 > 0:27:20when I opened this place,

0:27:20 > 0:27:22unfortunately, is still there.

0:27:25 > 0:27:28We took Rip Off Britain out on the road this year to Manchester,

0:27:28 > 0:27:32where we set up our annual pop-up shop at one of the UK's biggest

0:27:32 > 0:27:33shopping centres.

0:27:35 > 0:27:39It's a chance for shoppers to get top consumer advice on the spot

0:27:39 > 0:27:43and we do try to help as many of you as we possibly can.

0:27:43 > 0:27:45I was going round in circles

0:27:45 > 0:27:47and the last resort was I just e-mailed Rip Off Britain.

0:27:47 > 0:27:50It's information we wouldn't have known without this programme.

0:27:50 > 0:27:53Without Rip Off Britain's help and advice,

0:27:53 > 0:27:56I don't think we would ever resolve this.

0:27:56 > 0:27:59And where we can't instantly solve your problems,

0:27:59 > 0:28:01we can at least provide a listening ear.

0:28:01 > 0:28:03Do you feel any better, having got it off your chest now?

0:28:03 > 0:28:06Oh, yeah, very much so, I feel a lot better.

0:28:08 > 0:28:12I love looking down at our pop-up shop and seeing just how busy it is,

0:28:12 > 0:28:14and of course this year, for the first time,

0:28:14 > 0:28:16we've actually placed it in the shopping mall itself,

0:28:16 > 0:28:19which means that people have greater access, they can just

0:28:19 > 0:28:22stop their shopping for a second and come in and see our experts,

0:28:22 > 0:28:25and hopefully get some of their consumer problems solved.

0:28:25 > 0:28:27It's a great idea. I love being in it,

0:28:27 > 0:28:29and I also like watching it, as well.

0:28:29 > 0:28:32And solicitor Gary Rycroft had two cases

0:28:32 > 0:28:34booked into his next appointment.

0:28:34 > 0:28:37Nouhou and Ramatou from Sheffield

0:28:37 > 0:28:40and Thomas from Keighley have run into trouble over exactly the

0:28:40 > 0:28:44same thing, and it's an issue that you contact us about it a lot.

0:28:45 > 0:28:47Now, as Gary knows,

0:28:47 > 0:28:54we get scores of e-mails and letters about parking problems.

0:28:54 > 0:28:58One of the most common complaints is exactly what happened here -

0:28:58 > 0:29:00a disputed parking charge while out shopping.

0:29:00 > 0:29:02Nouhou and Ramatou,

0:29:02 > 0:29:05and indeed Thomas, feel they have been treated very unfairly,

0:29:05 > 0:29:07and shouldn't have to pay up.

0:29:07 > 0:29:13In our case, we went to a store, made some purchases, left the store,

0:29:13 > 0:29:15went somewhere else.

0:29:15 > 0:29:18The couple were in the car park in question for less than half an hour

0:29:18 > 0:29:20before driving elsewhere.

0:29:20 > 0:29:24But several hours later, in order to make some more purchases,

0:29:24 > 0:29:27they came back, and that is the root of their troubles.

0:29:27 > 0:29:30A couple of weeks later, we had a letter through the post,

0:29:30 > 0:29:34saying that we have overstayed in this car park.

0:29:34 > 0:29:37The parking firm had timed Nouhou and Ramatou's stay

0:29:37 > 0:29:39from the first time they arrived in the morning

0:29:39 > 0:29:42to their exit after their second visit later that afternoon,

0:29:42 > 0:29:47and as a result, they were demanding a ?60 fee for staying six hours

0:29:47 > 0:29:48longer than allowed.

0:29:50 > 0:29:53We went straight back into the shop to explain to them the accusation

0:29:53 > 0:29:55that we have overstayed for six hours.

0:29:55 > 0:29:58The shop immediately wrote to the parking company,

0:29:58 > 0:30:01backing up the couple's story, and Nouhou and Ramatou

0:30:01 > 0:30:03also got in touch themselves,

0:30:03 > 0:30:06providing receipts of their visits to other stores,

0:30:06 > 0:30:09along with proof of parking in a different car park.

0:30:09 > 0:30:13We have CCTV in between that time in a car park,

0:30:13 > 0:30:15going in and coming out.

0:30:15 > 0:30:19Now, the same car cannot be in the same place twice.

0:30:19 > 0:30:21But despite the couple's best efforts,

0:30:21 > 0:30:24the parking firm has insisted that they pay up.

0:30:24 > 0:30:27And what's more, it's upped the cost as well.

0:30:27 > 0:30:32Now the fine is no longer 60, it is actually ?100, but also,

0:30:32 > 0:30:34each time the solicitors write to us,

0:30:34 > 0:30:37it will cost us ?54 in addition.

0:30:37 > 0:30:41Otherwise, we are going to get a County Court judgment.

0:30:41 > 0:30:43Gary is already shaking his head,

0:30:43 > 0:30:46but before we ask him for a judgment on this, Thomas,

0:30:46 > 0:30:48tell me what happened in your case.

0:30:48 > 0:30:50Mine is a little bit different.

0:30:50 > 0:30:54I went up to the machine, I put a pound in, got the ticket,

0:30:54 > 0:30:55put it in my windscreen.

0:30:55 > 0:30:57A month later, I got a letter through the post,

0:30:57 > 0:31:01saying I hadn't paid for a ticket, I'd parked illegally,

0:31:01 > 0:31:03I'd breached the terms and conditions

0:31:03 > 0:31:06and they wanted a ?60 fine off me.

0:31:06 > 0:31:09Now, we've seen the ticket that proves that Thomas did pay to park

0:31:09 > 0:31:11at the time he says he did.

0:31:11 > 0:31:13Even so, when he appealed the charge,

0:31:13 > 0:31:15the company just wouldn't budge.

0:31:15 > 0:31:20So however unjustified, he felt pressured into giving them the cash.

0:31:20 > 0:31:23I was worried about it going up to 100, court action,

0:31:23 > 0:31:26having bailiffs come round my house, so I was worried

0:31:26 > 0:31:30about the repercussions of not paying it within 14 days.

0:31:30 > 0:31:33Well, Gary's advice in disputes like this when you know for certain

0:31:33 > 0:31:37that you have followed the rules is simply, "Do not pay up."

0:31:38 > 0:31:42What these companies are doing is they are piling on the pressure,

0:31:42 > 0:31:45they are saying, "Pay now, if you don't pay now, it will be more."

0:31:45 > 0:31:48They're saying, "Well, we're going to impose a legal charge."

0:31:48 > 0:31:52They can't say, "You are paying for our solicitor's letter,"

0:31:52 > 0:31:53they just can't do that.

0:31:53 > 0:31:56So don't be intimidated by them.

0:31:56 > 0:31:58Absolutely stand your ground.

0:31:58 > 0:32:01And just as Nouhou and Ramatou did, Gary recommends

0:32:01 > 0:32:05gathering as much proof as possible to back up your case.

0:32:05 > 0:32:08Evidence is absolutely key in all these cases.

0:32:08 > 0:32:10So get your evidence there and then.

0:32:10 > 0:32:13Take photographs of where your car is parked,

0:32:13 > 0:32:16take photographs of any signage that there may or may not be.

0:32:16 > 0:32:20Gary, what's the advice, then, for someone in Thomas' position?

0:32:20 > 0:32:22Should he have just dug his heels in?

0:32:22 > 0:32:26The advice is to do what Ramatou did and from the word go

0:32:26 > 0:32:28to challenge it.

0:32:28 > 0:32:31Should have said, "Take me to court, I'll show the judge the ticket...

0:32:31 > 0:32:34Yes. "..cos I paid it and I can prove it."

0:32:34 > 0:32:37And whilst Gary thinks Thomas could challenge the charge via the appeals

0:32:37 > 0:32:39service, as he's already paid up,

0:32:39 > 0:32:42it may make it less likely that he gets a refund.

0:32:42 > 0:32:46The argument they would make is that the payment was an admission

0:32:46 > 0:32:47that Thomas was at fault.

0:32:47 > 0:32:50Even though he's got the proof that he wasn't at fault?

0:32:50 > 0:32:54Well, they would say, "Well, if you had that proof, why did you pay it?"

0:32:54 > 0:32:56You have been a victim of their bullying, I'm afraid.

0:32:56 > 0:32:59Well, that's going to be a lesson to everybody, then, isn't it? Yeah.

0:32:59 > 0:33:01To not pay it and fight it.

0:33:01 > 0:33:03Yes. Thank you all very much indeed.

0:33:03 > 0:33:07I think for our viewers at home, lots of very valuable information,

0:33:07 > 0:33:09so thank you for sharing your stories with us.

0:33:09 > 0:33:12You're welcome. Thank you. Thank you for having us today. Thanks.

0:33:12 > 0:33:14And thanks for the wonderful advice. Thank you.

0:33:14 > 0:33:15It's a pleasure.

0:33:20 > 0:33:24Now, if you've ever had that sinking feeling that you might have paid

0:33:24 > 0:33:26more for something than somebody else, or indeed you've been sold

0:33:26 > 0:33:29something that is quite expensive and you didn't really need it

0:33:29 > 0:33:32at all, you'll understand the concerns that some people have

0:33:32 > 0:33:35raised about an entire industry accused of doing both those things

0:33:35 > 0:33:37to a large proportion of customers.

0:33:37 > 0:33:40You might think that it it's just an old, old chestnut

0:33:40 > 0:33:44that you'll be charged a higher price and treated very differently,

0:33:44 > 0:33:46taking a car to be fixed if you're a woman.

0:33:46 > 0:33:50So we set out to discover once and for all if it really is true

0:33:50 > 0:33:52that mechanics give men a better deal.

0:33:57 > 0:34:00Believe the reports, and you'd be forgiven for thinking that

0:34:00 > 0:34:03it's a place where women are routinely given the cold shoulder,

0:34:03 > 0:34:08deliberately bamboozled, and charged more for the same jobs as men.

0:34:08 > 0:34:11And it's not just the papers that think women get a raw deal

0:34:11 > 0:34:15at the garage. One survey of 182 independent garages

0:34:15 > 0:34:20found that just 6% of them gave the same quote for the same job to men

0:34:20 > 0:34:23as they did to women. It said on average,

0:34:23 > 0:34:27women paid ?45 more for car repairs than men and that in Birmingham and

0:34:27 > 0:34:30Manchester, they might be quoted up to 30% more.

0:34:30 > 0:34:33Although in Sheffield and Edinburgh, the tables were turned,

0:34:33 > 0:34:35with men apparently quoted more,

0:34:35 > 0:34:39and that's precisely the reason why Caroline Lake set up her own

0:34:39 > 0:34:42female-friendly garage, simply because she was fed up hearing that

0:34:42 > 0:34:44women might be getting a raw deal.

0:34:44 > 0:34:48Back in the day, I think women were very unfairly treated,

0:34:48 > 0:34:51in that they used to, very, often hate bringing their car into the

0:34:51 > 0:34:54garage because they were frightened of being ripped off,

0:34:54 > 0:34:57frightened of being intimidated, blinded by jargon,

0:34:57 > 0:34:58which sadly still goes on...

0:35:00 > 0:35:04..and, yeah, worried about having to pay more than their male counterpart

0:35:04 > 0:35:07would. That was what actually initially gave me the idea to set up

0:35:07 > 0:35:12the garage, was that women were coming and wanting and loving

0:35:12 > 0:35:15the fact that I would treat them in a totally different way.

0:35:17 > 0:35:21The budding entrepreneur started her own garage, Caroline's Cars,

0:35:21 > 0:35:25near Norwich in 2006 and recruited a largely female staff.

0:35:25 > 0:35:28Miranda Ames is the current head mechanic.

0:35:28 > 0:35:33I think, being a female customer and coming into a garage

0:35:33 > 0:35:35where there's a female boss and mechanic,

0:35:35 > 0:35:39they would tend to feel a little bit more comfortable,

0:35:39 > 0:35:41cos I would, personally, myself.

0:35:43 > 0:35:46And certainly, some of Caroline's clients have come here to avoid

0:35:46 > 0:35:48problems they've had in the past.

0:35:48 > 0:35:53I think I was taken advantage of at this tyre and exhaust centre.

0:35:53 > 0:35:57I think I ended up with five new tyres and a new exhaust.

0:35:57 > 0:36:00I had quite a few problems when I was younger,

0:36:00 > 0:36:02turning up at garages and having things done

0:36:02 > 0:36:06which later turned out to be not the right thing, or

0:36:06 > 0:36:10more expensive, perhaps, than could have been done.

0:36:10 > 0:36:13And you've been telling us similar stories as well.

0:36:13 > 0:36:16Tracy Scollin from Hemel Hempstead wrote to us about a garage she'd

0:36:16 > 0:36:19asked to examine her car after she'd hit a pothole.

0:36:19 > 0:36:23They phoned me back and said it would need a new alloy wheel

0:36:23 > 0:36:27and that'll be ?500, and I was quite shocked.

0:36:27 > 0:36:31So Tracy took the car to another garage for a second opinion.

0:36:31 > 0:36:33The other place I took it to said

0:36:33 > 0:36:35there's no way it needed a new wheel,

0:36:35 > 0:36:38the alloy was repairable.

0:36:38 > 0:36:41And so they did it for ?45.

0:36:41 > 0:36:46So I would have been overcharged by ?450 if I hadn't questioned it.

0:36:48 > 0:36:51Of course, there's no way of knowing if Tracy had initially been quoted

0:36:51 > 0:36:54more just because she's a woman, but that's definitely what

0:36:54 > 0:36:57the second garage suspected.

0:36:57 > 0:37:01The person I spoke to there said, well, unfortunately, with ladies,

0:37:01 > 0:37:06they do tend to exaggerate the costs and the repairs done.

0:37:06 > 0:37:07And it's quite a male environment,

0:37:07 > 0:37:11so it can be quite intimidating, sometimes, to go there as a woman

0:37:11 > 0:37:15and feel that maybe they perceive you as someone who won't know what

0:37:15 > 0:37:18they're talking about, and you won't know what your rights are.

0:37:20 > 0:37:21To help combat that,

0:37:21 > 0:37:24Caroline runs classes at her garage to make all her customers,

0:37:24 > 0:37:29female or male, by the way, feel a bit more confident about their cars.

0:37:29 > 0:37:32All right, ladies. So, we're working on Jan's car today.

0:37:33 > 0:37:36Part of the advantage of the classes that I run, as well, is just

0:37:36 > 0:37:38giving women that little bit of knowledge,

0:37:38 > 0:37:40so they're not only feeling empowered,

0:37:40 > 0:37:42that actually they can undo their bonnet,

0:37:42 > 0:37:45they can actually walk into a garage and say, well,

0:37:45 > 0:37:47I think my discs and pads are a bit worn.

0:37:47 > 0:37:51As soon as there is even an assumption that this woman

0:37:51 > 0:37:53actually knows a little bit about her car,

0:37:53 > 0:37:55she's much less likely to get ripped off.

0:37:56 > 0:38:00But the world of cars can seem just as alien to men

0:38:00 > 0:38:01as it sometimes can do to women.

0:38:01 > 0:38:03Initially, when I opened the garage,

0:38:03 > 0:38:06I did market it very much towards females,

0:38:06 > 0:38:10but I actually had men that came for the same reason as women did.

0:38:10 > 0:38:12They knew that I would explain things to them,

0:38:12 > 0:38:14that I'd show them underneath their car,

0:38:14 > 0:38:16and actually I've had some men that have come up to me and said,

0:38:16 > 0:38:18"Look, Caroline, I wouldn't actually admit this to a man,

0:38:18 > 0:38:21"but I don't know how to undo my bonnet either.

0:38:21 > 0:38:22"Can you show me?"

0:38:22 > 0:38:25Even so, ten years after opening her garage,

0:38:25 > 0:38:29Caroline isn't convinced that the industry as a whole

0:38:29 > 0:38:30has changed for the better.

0:38:30 > 0:38:34What's really scary is that the sexism I encountered

0:38:34 > 0:38:38all those years ago, and that still existed ten years ago

0:38:38 > 0:38:41when I opened this place, unfortunately, is still there.

0:38:41 > 0:38:43So, is she right?

0:38:43 > 0:38:46Discrimination by gender is, of course, against the law,

0:38:46 > 0:38:49but with so many people claiming that it still goes on,

0:38:49 > 0:38:53we thought we'd put it to the test and see if we could find any garages

0:38:53 > 0:38:55that would charge women more than men for the same job.

0:38:58 > 0:39:00Five male and five female members of our production team

0:39:00 > 0:39:02took to the phones. Good afternoon.

0:39:02 > 0:39:05I'm just after a quote. I've had my car serviced...

0:39:05 > 0:39:07My local garage...

0:39:07 > 0:39:10They called a total of 20 garages around Cardiff, Edinburgh,

0:39:10 > 0:39:14Bristol and Sheffield, asking for a quote to have new brake pads fitted.

0:39:14 > 0:39:18They told me that I need to get... My front brake pads doing...

0:39:18 > 0:39:20To make sure we got identical quotes,

0:39:20 > 0:39:22we even got identical cars...

0:39:22 > 0:39:24It's a 2013... Ford Focus...

0:39:24 > 0:39:28..and gave the garages our numberplates so that they could be

0:39:28 > 0:39:31sure to give us the exact cost for that make and model.

0:39:31 > 0:39:32Just wondering how much you charge?

0:39:32 > 0:39:34?61.44.

0:39:34 > 0:39:3775 plus VAT.

0:39:37 > 0:39:38Anything between 80 and 90.

0:39:38 > 0:39:40And is that with VAT or without VAT?

0:39:40 > 0:39:43And at the end of it all, we crunched the numbers.

0:39:43 > 0:39:44Thanks so much for your help.

0:39:44 > 0:39:45Thank you, goodbye.

0:39:45 > 0:39:49The quotes themselves varied from just ?60

0:39:49 > 0:39:51to about ?120,

0:39:51 > 0:39:54but on this occasion, that difference had nothing to do with

0:39:54 > 0:39:57the gender of the person who had called. In fact, overall,

0:39:57 > 0:40:01the women on our team were quoted slightly less than the men,

0:40:01 > 0:40:02an average of ?78,

0:40:02 > 0:40:04compared to about ?80.

0:40:07 > 0:40:09Of the 15 garages that gave us quotes,

0:40:09 > 0:40:1112 were exactly the same.

0:40:11 > 0:40:13Perhaps surprisingly,

0:40:13 > 0:40:16two quoted men more than they did the women.

0:40:16 > 0:40:20Only one garage quoted a woman more, by just ?3.

0:40:20 > 0:40:22And while this was just a tiny snapshot,

0:40:22 > 0:40:25rather, of course, than a scientific test,

0:40:25 > 0:40:26when it comes to price,

0:40:26 > 0:40:29sexism hardly seems rife in the garages we spoke to.

0:40:33 > 0:40:35Perhaps the truth is, as Caroline fears,

0:40:35 > 0:40:38there are simply some garages that may charge too much,

0:40:38 > 0:40:39whatever your gender.

0:40:40 > 0:40:4330 years ago, men

0:40:43 > 0:40:46would perhaps be on the drive on a Sunday afternoon,

0:40:46 > 0:40:48and if they weren't cleaning their carburettor,

0:40:48 > 0:40:50they might be changing their gearbox.

0:40:50 > 0:40:52Things have changed, society has moved on,

0:40:52 > 0:40:54so men don't do that so much.

0:40:54 > 0:40:59So men, more and more, yes, potentially, can be ripped off.

0:41:01 > 0:41:04So, to prevent anyone paying over the odds,

0:41:04 > 0:41:06Caroline has three handy hints

0:41:06 > 0:41:08to keep down the costs of repairing a car.

0:41:10 > 0:41:14Number one is to try and get recommendations from friends,

0:41:14 > 0:41:17family, neighbours, and ask them why they think it's a good garage.

0:41:19 > 0:41:22Number two, do not let yourself be intimidated.

0:41:22 > 0:41:26If they tell you you need ?700 worth of work, or you're unsure at all,

0:41:26 > 0:41:28take the car away and get a second opinion.

0:41:30 > 0:41:33Number three is, even if you don't feel you are at all,

0:41:33 > 0:41:35try and come across as knowledgeable.

0:41:35 > 0:41:37Try and come across as if you know a little bit about your car,

0:41:37 > 0:41:39because you're less likely to be ripped off.

0:41:48 > 0:41:51If you've got a story you'd like us to investigate then you can get in

0:41:51 > 0:41:53touch with us via our Facebook page...

0:41:56 > 0:41:57..our website...

0:42:01 > 0:42:04..or if you'd like to send us an e-mail, our address is...

0:42:07 > 0:42:10And of course, you can send a letter to our postal address...

0:42:22 > 0:42:25Now, even if you're not quite brave enough to book a wedding pretending

0:42:25 > 0:42:27that it's a 60th birthday party,

0:42:27 > 0:42:30that story we heard earlier just goes to show that sometimes

0:42:30 > 0:42:32the reason a wedding costs so much,

0:42:32 > 0:42:35nothing whatsoever to do with the value of what you're getting,

0:42:35 > 0:42:38but simply what the venue thinks it can get away with charging

0:42:38 > 0:42:39for your big day.

0:42:39 > 0:42:43Well, we'd be very interested to hear about any charges that you've

0:42:43 > 0:42:45encountered that you think were unfair and indeed,

0:42:45 > 0:42:48any tips you might have on how to get round them.

0:42:48 > 0:42:50And indeed of course, you can e-mail us at...

0:42:52 > 0:42:55..or contact us through our Facebook page.

0:42:55 > 0:42:59And perhaps then, we'll be able to share your story AND your advice

0:42:59 > 0:43:02with as many people as possible on a future programme.

0:43:02 > 0:43:04Sadly, though, I'm afraid that's all we've got for you today.

0:43:04 > 0:43:07Thanks, as always, for joining us and until the next time, bye-bye.

0:43:07 > 0:43:08Bye. Goodbye.