0:00:02 > 0:00:04We asked you to tell us what's left you feeling ripped off,
0:00:04 > 0:00:06and you contacted us in your thousands.
0:00:06 > 0:00:09You've told us about the companies you think get it wrong and the
0:00:09 > 0:00:12customer service that simply is not up to scratch.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15It would seem that, once they've got your money, they're not
0:00:15 > 0:00:18particularly interested in coming back to you or to give you
0:00:18 > 0:00:19satisfactory customer service.
0:00:19 > 0:00:23You've asked us to track down the scammers who stole your money and
0:00:23 > 0:00:26investigate the extra charges you say are unfair.
0:00:26 > 0:00:29I think prices are going up and no-one's actually doing anything to
0:00:29 > 0:00:30improve that.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33And when you've lost out but no-one else is to blame,
0:00:33 > 0:00:37you've come to us to stop others falling into the same trap.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40You just get to the point it's - "No, leave me alone!"
0:00:40 > 0:00:43So, whether it's a blatant rip-off or a genuine mistake...
0:00:43 > 0:00:46We're here to find out why you're out of pocket and what you can do
0:00:46 > 0:00:47about it.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51Your stories, your money.
0:00:51 > 0:00:53This is Rip-Off Britain.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58Hello, and thank you so much for joining us once again
0:00:58 > 0:01:02on Rip-Off Britain where, one way or another, all the stories we're
0:01:02 > 0:01:05investigating today are about value for money and,
0:01:05 > 0:01:09in particular, that old chestnut of whether it's true that you get what
0:01:09 > 0:01:13you pay for, either by spending more or indeed by paying out less.
0:01:13 > 0:01:16Because when we're comparing prices, very often,
0:01:16 > 0:01:20we still like to think that a higher one may be an indication of quality,
0:01:20 > 0:01:23particularly, of course, if it comes with the reassurance of a
0:01:23 > 0:01:26better-known brand name. But is that always the case?
0:01:26 > 0:01:30Well, to find out, we've done some tests on an item that's used by
0:01:30 > 0:01:33every single one of us, and I think that what we've discovered could
0:01:33 > 0:01:36well change the way that you decide to shop in the future.
0:01:36 > 0:01:40Meanwhile, at the other end of the scale, I bet we've all sometimes
0:01:40 > 0:01:41wondered if paying a lower price
0:01:41 > 0:01:43might turn out to be a false economy.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46Well, that's most definitely the case with the situation that
0:01:46 > 0:01:49quite a few of you have contacted us about.
0:01:49 > 0:01:53Here, the goods in question may not just simply be poor value,
0:01:53 > 0:01:55they could turn out to be downright dangerous.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59Coming up, the door-to-door mattress
0:01:59 > 0:02:03scams conning households right across the country.
0:02:03 > 0:02:08As soon as we realised exactly how defective the item was and
0:02:08 > 0:02:13realised that we had been scammed, we were just bitterly disappointed.
0:02:13 > 0:02:16We felt stupid that we'd been taken in.
0:02:16 > 0:02:20And is it worth squeezing out more pennies for your toothpaste?
0:02:20 > 0:02:24We test an own brand against a big brand to see if paying extra
0:02:24 > 0:02:26is really worth it.
0:02:26 > 0:02:28It'll be interesting, I think,
0:02:28 > 0:02:32to see if the cheap toothpaste did as well as the expensive one,
0:02:32 > 0:02:37and would just prove that it isn't always price that counts.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43I think it's fair to say that there's rarely a good time
0:02:43 > 0:02:45for a door-to-door salesman to come calling.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48It's likely you're either in the middle of something or you're
0:02:48 > 0:02:51simply not interested in whatever it is they're trying to offer anyway.
0:02:51 > 0:02:53But, sometimes,
0:02:53 > 0:02:57their patter really does make a deal appear just too good to miss,
0:02:57 > 0:03:01and what they're selling appears so cheap, it seems silly to refuse.
0:03:01 > 0:03:06Well, one man contacted us after being talked into just that sort of
0:03:06 > 0:03:10opportunity, but it didn't take long for him to start worrying if the
0:03:10 > 0:03:14particular item that he'd ended up with wasn't simply poor quality but
0:03:14 > 0:03:16quite possibly dangerous, too.
0:03:16 > 0:03:18And, as we looked into his story,
0:03:18 > 0:03:22it quickly became apparent that dozens more of you have fallen into
0:03:22 > 0:03:24exactly the same trap,
0:03:24 > 0:03:27finding yourselves lumbered with a purchase that's supposed to help
0:03:27 > 0:03:29with counting sheep but that,
0:03:29 > 0:03:32instead, has left you counting the pounds that you've lost.
0:03:36 > 0:03:40Most of us will spend a third of our lives asleep.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44It's time that's vital for our minds and bodies to rest,
0:03:44 > 0:03:48but whether you'll have a good night's sleep is, at least in part,
0:03:48 > 0:03:50down to the quality of your mattress.
0:03:50 > 0:03:54It's often recommended that you have a new one every eight years,
0:03:54 > 0:03:58so 81-year-old Margaret Bruff was perhaps due an upgrade when,
0:03:58 > 0:04:02in the spring of 2015, a salesman came knocking at her door,
0:04:02 > 0:04:04offering to sell her a mattress that
0:04:04 > 0:04:07could hardly have come better recommended.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09He came in and he said,
0:04:09 > 0:04:12talking about mattresses, "How long have you had it?"
0:04:12 > 0:04:14I said, "17 years".
0:04:14 > 0:04:18He says, "Oh, you want this nice one, the Queen has it."
0:04:18 > 0:04:22But even with that supposed royal seal of approval,
0:04:22 > 0:04:26Margaret wasn't yet convinced that she wanted to buy a mattress, until,
0:04:26 > 0:04:30that is, the salesman from the company calling itself Active Living
0:04:30 > 0:04:33told her that he'd been sent by social services,
0:04:33 > 0:04:35which was sure that she did need a new one
0:04:35 > 0:04:38and that it would cost £795.
0:04:39 > 0:04:40Well, he said it was that price.
0:04:40 > 0:04:45I thought, "Oh, it will be good," you know, with the Queen having one.
0:04:45 > 0:04:49So, Margaret ordered the mattress and handed over a cheque,
0:04:49 > 0:04:51but son-in-law Dave wasn't happy
0:04:51 > 0:04:54when he found out how much she'd spent.
0:04:54 > 0:05:00I thought £795 for a mattress was a bit dear, because you can go into
0:05:00 > 0:05:02the shops and probably get the
0:05:02 > 0:05:06same mattress for probably half of the price.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08Reassured, however,
0:05:08 > 0:05:10by the fact that the company hadn't tried to pressure Margaret into
0:05:10 > 0:05:14paying by cash, and by the way that the paperwork looked entirely
0:05:14 > 0:05:19legitimate, there seemed no other obvious cause for concern.
0:05:19 > 0:05:21I would fall for it myself.
0:05:21 > 0:05:25It has got the terms and conditions
0:05:25 > 0:05:28on the back of the document.
0:05:28 > 0:05:32It's all signed by a proper adviser who had come out.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37The proper price is on, the proper address is on.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39Everything seems so genuine.
0:05:39 > 0:05:43But all that changed when, two weeks later,
0:05:43 > 0:05:46the delivery date passed without a mattress,
0:05:46 > 0:05:49and repeated attempts to contact the company came to nothing.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52- RECORDED MESSAGE:- The number you have called is not recognised.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55Please check the number and dial again.
0:05:55 > 0:05:59The contact number was bogus, the website address was fake,
0:05:59 > 0:06:03there was no genuine UK-based company called Active Living that
0:06:03 > 0:06:06sold mattresses, and a call to social services confirmed that
0:06:06 > 0:06:09they'd certainly not sent anyone round.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11The whole thing had been a scam.
0:06:11 > 0:06:13It does seem as though the company has just disappeared off
0:06:13 > 0:06:15the face of the earth.
0:06:15 > 0:06:19Margaret was left nearly £800 out of pocket and very upset.
0:06:19 > 0:06:23They're rogues, aren't they? Really nasty rogues.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26I'd knock his block off, if I could.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31The whole family was equally furious.
0:06:31 > 0:06:37Margaret's daughters felt disgusted because these people can go into an
0:06:37 > 0:06:39old age pensioner's house,
0:06:39 > 0:06:44tell them this story and take a lot of money off them,
0:06:44 > 0:06:48and they felt upset and hurt for Margaret.
0:06:48 > 0:06:52It makes you feel angry, to think they've robbed you of your money.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55I mean, you need it these days, the price of everything.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59When Margaret informed the local police in Derbyshire,
0:06:59 > 0:07:01she discovered that, far from being a one-off,
0:07:01 > 0:07:05scams related to door-to-door mattress sellers are actually a
0:07:05 > 0:07:08recognised problem right across the country.
0:07:08 > 0:07:10And it's clear, from all the e-mails that we've had on this,
0:07:10 > 0:07:14that there can be a number of different ways that they can work.
0:07:14 > 0:07:18While Margaret was simply tricked out of her cash, many others,
0:07:18 > 0:07:21including Charles from near Lytham in Lancashire,
0:07:21 > 0:07:23have at least ended up with something for their money,
0:07:23 > 0:07:26even if it's not quite what they'd bargained for.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28In Charles's case,
0:07:28 > 0:07:30the salesman who pulled up on his drive said he was from a company
0:07:30 > 0:07:34called Luxury Dreams, based in Dewsbury, west Yorkshire,
0:07:34 > 0:07:38and not to be confused with any other companies of a similar name.
0:07:38 > 0:07:44The van was branded with the company logo and, almost immediately,
0:07:44 > 0:07:49the guy presented us with a card, and it gave the business address.
0:07:49 > 0:07:55It said that the company supplied not only to
0:07:55 > 0:08:01private individuals, but also to hotels and bed-and-breakfasts.
0:08:01 > 0:08:05Charles and his wife were about to move house, so it seemed a perfect
0:08:05 > 0:08:08time to change the mattress that they'd had for quite some time.
0:08:08 > 0:08:12When you looked in the back door of the van, you saw that these looked
0:08:12 > 0:08:19to be brand-new mattresses in pristine condition, and they also
0:08:19 > 0:08:22had labelling,
0:08:22 > 0:08:27which purported to show that these really were
0:08:27 > 0:08:31top-quality, all-singing, all-dancing mattresses.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36Better still, they were apparently being sold at less than half price,
0:08:36 > 0:08:40so Charles plumped for one costing £250,
0:08:40 > 0:08:43and was so excited, he tried it out, there and then.
0:08:43 > 0:08:47The mattress was so comfortable that we could almost have fallen asleep
0:08:47 > 0:08:50outside the house and, for the money,
0:08:50 > 0:08:52seemed a really, really good deal.
0:08:52 > 0:08:54We were very excited, actually,
0:08:54 > 0:08:59that we'd managed to get what felt to be such a luxurious mattress for
0:08:59 > 0:09:02half of what we should be paying. It felt really good.
0:09:02 > 0:09:06After a quick dash to the cash machine to pay the salesman,
0:09:06 > 0:09:09Charles looked forward to testing out the mattress properly and,
0:09:09 > 0:09:13while at first he was delighted, I'm afraid that didn't last.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15We had a perfect night's sleep.
0:09:15 > 0:09:19It just felt really good and we were really happy.
0:09:19 > 0:09:21Same, second.
0:09:21 > 0:09:25Within the week, probably on the third day,
0:09:25 > 0:09:30we realised that something had gone sadly wrong.
0:09:30 > 0:09:35The mattress began to collapse on one side.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40And it wasn't long before the whole mattress started to collapse.
0:09:42 > 0:09:49Within the week, the same thing had happened on the other side.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53That had begun collapsing in on itself.
0:09:53 > 0:09:57The height was reduced to about two-thirds
0:09:57 > 0:10:00of what it had been at the time of purchase.
0:10:00 > 0:10:04It clearly wasn't the top-quality mattress that the salesman
0:10:04 > 0:10:05had promised.
0:10:05 > 0:10:10As soon as we realised exactly how defective the item was and
0:10:10 > 0:10:16realised that we had been scammed, we were just bitterly disappointed.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20We felt stupid, that we'd been taken in.
0:10:20 > 0:10:25But many, many others right across the UK have also been taken in,
0:10:25 > 0:10:29so much so that councils as far apart as Devon, Derby, Enfield,
0:10:29 > 0:10:32Norfolk and Wiltshire have issued warnings about
0:10:32 > 0:10:35dodgy mattress sellers operating in their areas.
0:10:35 > 0:10:37And in Devon and Somerset,
0:10:37 > 0:10:42the number of reported cases has increased tenfold since 2014.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45The Local Government Association has issued warnings about buying
0:10:45 > 0:10:47mattresses from these kind of salesmen,
0:10:47 > 0:10:51and not just because some of them might collapse, as Charles's did.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54There are others that may be too lumpy or, more worrying,
0:10:54 > 0:10:55have no fire resistance.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00As for the mattress that Charles bought, well,
0:11:00 > 0:11:03it was sold as a top-of-the-range orthopaedic one,
0:11:03 > 0:11:06but its rapid collapse suggests it's nothing of the kind.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10So we took it to be tested at the
0:11:10 > 0:11:13Furniture Industry Research Association in Stevenage,
0:11:13 > 0:11:16where I met managing director Phil Reynolds.
0:11:17 > 0:11:18Phil, we're surrounded by some
0:11:18 > 0:11:22- really impressive and noisy robots here!- Yeah.
0:11:22 > 0:11:24What exactly do you do in this building?
0:11:24 > 0:11:27Well, in the building, we're testing all types of furniture for
0:11:27 > 0:11:31manufacturers and retailers to check that they meet current British
0:11:31 > 0:11:34standards and legislation so that they're suitably strong and durable
0:11:34 > 0:11:36enough to use.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40All the furniture we buy should have been rigorously tested,
0:11:40 > 0:11:44and that means mattresses can be pounded up to 30,000 times
0:11:44 > 0:11:46to check their durability.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49Let's see if that could have been the case with the one that
0:11:49 > 0:11:50Charles bought.
0:11:50 > 0:11:54Well, even from here, Phil, I can see that, and even a layman
0:11:54 > 0:11:58can see that there's not a lot of support just here.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00- I mean, it's virtually hollow, isn't it?- Yes.
0:12:00 > 0:12:02You do that, it just completely collapses.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05And when we look just here, look, we've got a very fancy-looking
0:12:05 > 0:12:09label on here, it says an orthopaedic memory foam.
0:12:09 > 0:12:13You would expect that to mean that there is something special about the
0:12:13 > 0:12:17way that the mattress responds to your body and supports your body,
0:12:17 > 0:12:19- wouldn't you?- You would.
0:12:19 > 0:12:23Unfortunately, the word orthopaedic has no real definition in the
0:12:23 > 0:12:27mattress industry, so it's a term that's widely used for a whole
0:12:27 > 0:12:31variety of different mattresses that perform very differently.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34There's no real regulation on that particular word.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37Really? I think a lot of people will be surprised to hear that.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40'Time to find out exactly what this mattress is made of.'
0:12:40 > 0:12:43So, shall we cut it open and see what's going on?
0:12:43 > 0:12:45- OK, let's have a look.- OK.
0:12:45 > 0:12:47Barry's cutting through the mattress quite easily,
0:12:47 > 0:12:50which probably suggests the layers are quite thin.
0:12:51 > 0:12:55Very quickly, we can see that there are just very thin layers of foam
0:12:55 > 0:12:57before the springs.
0:12:57 > 0:13:01Well, I'm no expert, but it doesn't look like a top-end mattress to me.
0:13:01 > 0:13:03So, is this what you expected to see inside this,
0:13:03 > 0:13:07considering that the whole mattress appears to have collapsed after just
0:13:07 > 0:13:11- three days?- The description on the label is maybe slightly
0:13:11 > 0:13:13misrepresentative of what's there, yeah.
0:13:13 > 0:13:18Yes. Why do you think that, after three days, this collapsed?
0:13:18 > 0:13:22I think that's primarily because there's no sidewall to the mattress.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25There's nothing to support the edges of the mattress.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28So the natural movement to get in and out
0:13:28 > 0:13:33of a bed is to swivel on to the edge of the mattress and here,
0:13:33 > 0:13:37with no sidewall to add stiffness, it's just collapsing.
0:13:38 > 0:13:42Charles had hoped that his £250 had bagged him a bargain.
0:13:42 > 0:13:47Clearly, though, he was ripped off, and this is a really cheap mattress,
0:13:47 > 0:13:50but at least there's one consolation.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53Applying a gas flame to check its flammability proves that,
0:13:53 > 0:13:57while it may be poor quality, it isn't a fire risk.
0:13:57 > 0:14:01So, I suppose, from that point of view, we can say that there was
0:14:01 > 0:14:03at least one of those labels which
0:14:03 > 0:14:06- was accurate in that it said on the side...- Yes.
0:14:06 > 0:14:08In fact, it's on that piece of the mattress that we're trying to burn
0:14:08 > 0:14:12- there...- Yes.- ..that it is fire retardant.- Yeah.
0:14:12 > 0:14:16Sadly, the same can't be said for all mattresses being sold
0:14:16 > 0:14:20door-to-door, some of which in fact the authorities have described as
0:14:20 > 0:14:21"potential fireballs".
0:14:21 > 0:14:26Well, we tried to contact Luxury Dreams at its Dewsbury address.
0:14:26 > 0:14:28As yet, we've had no response.
0:14:28 > 0:14:32But the advice, when shopping for a new mattress, is really very simple.
0:14:32 > 0:14:36Phil, presumably, the most important piece of information is never buy
0:14:36 > 0:14:39from some bloke who turns up offering you mattresses off the back
0:14:39 > 0:14:41of a lorry or out of the back of a van?
0:14:41 > 0:14:45I personally would not buy a mattress off the back of a lorry
0:14:45 > 0:14:49for that sort of price. I'd always recommend that somebody goes to a
0:14:49 > 0:14:53reputable retailer, so that, if you do have a problem, you can make a
0:14:53 > 0:14:58complaint, have it exchanged or refunded or even inspected by a
0:14:58 > 0:15:00qualified inspector to check to see
0:15:00 > 0:15:03whether there's a problem or manufacturing defect.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05And, back at home near Lytham,
0:15:05 > 0:15:09Charles would be sleeping more soundly if he'd bought his mattress
0:15:09 > 0:15:13from a proper store rather than off the back of a van.
0:15:13 > 0:15:19With the benefit of hindsight, it's a very embarrassing thing
0:15:19 > 0:15:22to admit that you have
0:15:22 > 0:15:26been ripped off in this particular way,
0:15:26 > 0:15:28but I would be very,
0:15:28 > 0:15:30very reluctant to buy a mattress
0:15:30 > 0:15:33from out the back of a van at any time in the future.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43Now, whether you're after a winning smile,
0:15:43 > 0:15:46fresher breath, or you just want to protect your teeth from decay,
0:15:46 > 0:15:50you'll have seen dozens of toothpastes out there that promise
0:15:50 > 0:15:52that they can do all these things and indeed more.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55In fact, there's such a dazzling array of products on the shelves,
0:15:55 > 0:15:59each making claims as to why theirs is the one to go for but, actually,
0:15:59 > 0:16:01it's quite hard to know which one to choose.
0:16:01 > 0:16:05So we've done some toothpaste tests and, if you've ever wondered whether
0:16:05 > 0:16:09it's worth splashing out a bit more for a big brand making bold promises
0:16:09 > 0:16:11or if you might as well just plump
0:16:11 > 0:16:14for the cheapest variety, well, we have got the answers.
0:16:16 > 0:16:20Brushing your teeth twice a day is one of the very first life lessons
0:16:20 > 0:16:24we're taught and, whilst that advice may not have changed very much since
0:16:24 > 0:16:28these films were made, the range and type of toothpaste on sale
0:16:28 > 0:16:29certainly has.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32You'll find dozens of different brands and varieties,
0:16:32 > 0:16:35promising all sorts of benefits.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38And with the price of similar-looking tubes anything from
0:16:38 > 0:16:4250p to £5, it's easy to wonder if choosing the pricier options might
0:16:42 > 0:16:45mean you're pouring your money right down the drain.
0:16:45 > 0:16:49And that's definitely something Rip-Off Britain viewer Robert Bagley
0:16:49 > 0:16:53from Tamworth had pondered on after paying £5 for a tube of paste,
0:16:53 > 0:16:56and it left him feeling rather down in the mouth.
0:16:56 > 0:17:00I was suffering with some sensitivity in my teeth, and I saw a
0:17:00 > 0:17:04brand-new toothpaste advertised on television, where they were
0:17:04 > 0:17:07demonstrating people actually using
0:17:07 > 0:17:12the toothpaste then being able to put an ice cube in their mouth.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17Hoping that this toothpaste would provide some sort of relief to his
0:17:17 > 0:17:21sensitive teeth, the very next day Robert bought some.
0:17:21 > 0:17:24So I used the toothpaste until I'd used it all up,
0:17:24 > 0:17:27and I had no beneficial effects from the toothpaste,
0:17:27 > 0:17:30in relation to my sensitivity.
0:17:30 > 0:17:34I thought I'd wasted money and that I didn't feel any benefit from it,
0:17:34 > 0:17:36my teeth were just as sensitive.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39I couldn't rinse my mouth out with cold water,
0:17:39 > 0:17:43I couldn't drink a hot drink, I had to wait for it to cool down.
0:17:43 > 0:17:47So, Robert went back to the shops and bought another brand of
0:17:47 > 0:17:50toothpaste that also claimed it could treat his problematic pegs,
0:17:50 > 0:17:53but at a fraction of the price.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56I used that and I did get benefits from it.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59I could actually rinse my mouth out with cold water
0:17:59 > 0:18:02after a while of using it.
0:18:02 > 0:18:05Now, there could be all sorts of reasons why, on this occasion,
0:18:05 > 0:18:09Robert found the cheaper paste had a better result, but it got him
0:18:09 > 0:18:13wondering whether paying more for toothpaste is ever really worth it.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16So he contacted us to help him find out, and, of course,
0:18:16 > 0:18:19it was a question we were only too happy to get our teeth into.
0:18:20 > 0:18:24I'd like to get to the bottom of actually what these toothpastes do
0:18:24 > 0:18:27and why they should be more expensive,
0:18:27 > 0:18:31and if they are necessary to have the more expensive brands to get
0:18:31 > 0:18:33clean teeth and to preserve your teeth.
0:18:34 > 0:18:39Good point. So we took Robert to meet microbiologist Angela Davies,
0:18:39 > 0:18:42to see if she can explain what makes one brand of toothpaste different
0:18:42 > 0:18:45from the next, and ultimately whether the difference in
0:18:45 > 0:18:48ingredients is worth shelling out more for.
0:18:48 > 0:18:51She's going to do some tests, to see how a cheap toothpaste
0:18:51 > 0:18:54performs in comparison to a more expensive one.
0:18:54 > 0:18:56And by the way,
0:18:56 > 0:18:59we're not measuring if our samples do anything elaborate or,
0:18:59 > 0:19:02as in Robert's case, if they ease the pain from sensitive teeth.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05Angela's going to be checking something much simpler -
0:19:05 > 0:19:08how effective these toothpastes are
0:19:08 > 0:19:11at killing the bacteria in Robert's mouth - the key to preventing
0:19:11 > 0:19:15tooth decay. In other words, how well they clean his teeth.
0:19:16 > 0:19:18And I'll just take a swab from there.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22At Angela's request, Robert hasn't yet brushed his teeth this morning,
0:19:22 > 0:19:25so his mouth is full of the germs that have built up overnight,
0:19:25 > 0:19:28and taking a sample of that will
0:19:28 > 0:19:31give an idea of just how much bacteria the toothpaste remove.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34So what that will show us is how
0:19:34 > 0:19:38many bacteria you've got in your mouth before we do the clean.
0:19:38 > 0:19:40- Yeah.- OK, so if we take...
0:19:40 > 0:19:44if you pick up the toothbrush for me, Robert.
0:19:45 > 0:19:49Angela asked Robert to clean one side of his mouth with a supermarket
0:19:49 > 0:19:55brand toothpaste, costing 50p for a 100ml tube, and a new toothbrush.
0:19:55 > 0:19:57Then with another new toothbrush,
0:19:57 > 0:19:59he then cleans the left side of his teeth
0:19:59 > 0:20:02with a branded paste at £1.24.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05That's two and a half times as much for the same size tube.
0:20:05 > 0:20:09But price is the only real difference between the two.
0:20:09 > 0:20:13That aside, both toothpastes appear to contain the same key ingredients.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16So, to see what this means for their performance,
0:20:16 > 0:20:19Angela then carefully swabs each side of Robert's mouth,
0:20:19 > 0:20:23to see what bacteria has been left over on each side,
0:20:23 > 0:20:26and whether one toothpaste has killed any more than the other.
0:20:26 > 0:20:28It will be interesting, I think,
0:20:28 > 0:20:32to see if the cheap toothpaste did as well as the expensive one,
0:20:32 > 0:20:37and will just prove that it isn't always price that counts.
0:20:37 > 0:20:41The samples will be grown overnight, but whilst Robert is here,
0:20:41 > 0:20:44he's very keen to find out more about what goes into his toothpaste
0:20:44 > 0:20:46and how exactly those ingredients work.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50Are all toothpastes the same?
0:20:50 > 0:20:52They all seem to have different claims.
0:20:52 > 0:20:56All toothpastes have a few key ingredients.
0:20:56 > 0:21:01They all contain things like silica or some form of abrasive chemical,
0:21:01 > 0:21:05which removes the debris and the bacteria from your mouth.
0:21:05 > 0:21:11They contain a detergent or a soapy chemical, which cleans your teeth.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13What's the most important one?
0:21:13 > 0:21:18I'd say the most important ingredient is the active fluoride,
0:21:18 > 0:21:21and that's there really to help prevent
0:21:21 > 0:21:26tooth decay, by way of improving the enamel on your teeth.
0:21:26 > 0:21:28So it actually has a benefit.
0:21:29 > 0:21:3424 hours later, and the samples from Robert's teeth cleaning test are in.
0:21:34 > 0:21:36These first samples show how much
0:21:36 > 0:21:40bacteria was on Robert's teeth before he brushed that morning.
0:21:40 > 0:21:44The petri dish shows plenty of bacteria, not all harmful,
0:21:44 > 0:21:48but which, if left, would build up and cause decay.
0:21:48 > 0:21:50But once he brushed with the cheaper brand,
0:21:50 > 0:21:54it's clear to see that some bacteria has been removed by brushing.
0:21:54 > 0:21:58On the supermarket own brand, you get a little bit of a reduction.
0:21:58 > 0:22:02As for the sample taken from the side of Robert's mouth that was
0:22:02 > 0:22:04cleaned with the more expensive branded toothpaste,
0:22:04 > 0:22:07well, it certainly hasn't had the double effect.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10The results aren't particularly different.
0:22:10 > 0:22:15If we compare both, they're very, very similar.
0:22:15 > 0:22:17So even though it's only a slight
0:22:17 > 0:22:19reduction, they're very similar.
0:22:19 > 0:22:21Angela's positive that,
0:22:21 > 0:22:22with the amount of bacteria,
0:22:22 > 0:22:24the toothpastes have killed about the same.
0:22:24 > 0:22:26It will also be true of their
0:22:26 > 0:22:28effectiveness in protecting
0:22:28 > 0:22:29teeth against decay.
0:22:29 > 0:22:31From that, it's inconclusive as to whether it's worth paying
0:22:31 > 0:22:33the extra money for it.
0:22:33 > 0:22:38Absolutely. There's no real advantage from the small test sample
0:22:38 > 0:22:42that we've done to say that one is better than the other.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45Now, from other tests Angela's done on colleagues,
0:22:45 > 0:22:49it does seem that you may well get a cleaning blitz from using toothpaste
0:22:49 > 0:22:51containing bicarbonate of soda,
0:22:51 > 0:22:54which showed a significant reduction of bacteria in the mouth.
0:22:54 > 0:22:58But she remains unconvinced that that justifies paying what could be
0:22:58 > 0:23:01a significant extra cost.
0:23:01 > 0:23:02As far as she's concerned,
0:23:02 > 0:23:06whilst bicarbonate of soda will help remove the bacteria,
0:23:06 > 0:23:10it's only fluoride that has a long-term benefit on dental health.
0:23:10 > 0:23:14And so, there's little benefit really in choosing an expensive
0:23:14 > 0:23:16paste, when even a bargain basement
0:23:16 > 0:23:1950p tube will do the key job just as well.
0:23:19 > 0:23:22And when Robert goes to see Angela's colleague,
0:23:22 > 0:23:25chemist Dr Daniel Bernie, it's clear that he agrees.
0:23:27 > 0:23:32It seems that cheaper toothpastes have all the same ingredients as
0:23:32 > 0:23:36the dearer ones, and probably do just as good a job,
0:23:36 > 0:23:39as long as you really brush your teeth really well.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42Supermarket toothpastes have got all the ingredients in there that you
0:23:42 > 0:23:45need to get clean teeth.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48Some of the expensive ones may have different versions of those
0:23:48 > 0:23:52chemicals, but they're still doing a similar job.
0:23:52 > 0:23:56So price is not a guide, really, to the effectiveness of the toothpaste?
0:23:56 > 0:23:58All the toothpastes will clean your teeth,
0:23:58 > 0:24:01they've all got ingredients in there that clean your teeth adequately.
0:24:01 > 0:24:03They'll all remove bacteria,
0:24:03 > 0:24:05as long as you're brushing for your two minutes,
0:24:05 > 0:24:09and your lifestyle is as such that you're not drinking a lot of sugary
0:24:09 > 0:24:14drinks, you're not eating lots of food that will stain your teeth,
0:24:14 > 0:24:17all the toothpastes will be good at cleaning your teeth.
0:24:18 > 0:24:22So, it seems that Robert was right to wonder if there's any benefit in
0:24:22 > 0:24:25spending extra on a more expensive toothpaste.
0:24:25 > 0:24:29The key to good, healthy gnashers is more to do with diet and how you
0:24:29 > 0:24:31brush your teeth, and not so much
0:24:31 > 0:24:34about the cost of the product that helps you do it.
0:24:34 > 0:24:38I think I've learned that most toothpastes will do the job,
0:24:38 > 0:24:42irrespective of their price, and price is no guide, really,
0:24:42 > 0:24:45to what the toothpaste will do for you,
0:24:45 > 0:24:50as a basic toothpaste will work as well as the more expensive ones.
0:24:57 > 0:24:59Still to come on Rip-Off Britain...
0:24:59 > 0:25:03The bride unhappy at how quickly the designer shoes she'd splashed out on
0:25:03 > 0:25:05lost their sparkle.
0:25:05 > 0:25:10I noticed that my shoes were damaged and the glitter's all come off,
0:25:10 > 0:25:13and I just suddenly felt really heartbroken.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21'Once again we've opened up our pop-up shop in one of the biggest
0:25:21 > 0:25:23'shopping centres in the UK.'
0:25:23 > 0:25:25Yay!
0:25:25 > 0:25:28And while the three of us spent a fair amount of time
0:25:28 > 0:25:31- having our pictures taken... - May we have one picture, please?
0:25:31 > 0:25:33Yes, you can. I tell you what, you can have a picture.
0:25:33 > 0:25:37..mostly, it was very much down to business with our team of consumer
0:25:37 > 0:25:40experts, tackling more of your issues than ever before.
0:25:41 > 0:25:42Amongst those popping in to see us
0:25:42 > 0:25:45were Rosemary Wilkinson and her husband Gary.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48They were looking for advice about a piece of technology that they'd
0:25:48 > 0:25:50bought back in 2012.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55Now, I know that both of you have travelled from Leeds to be with us
0:25:55 > 0:25:58- today at the centre.- Yes.- Obviously David is your expert today,
0:25:58 > 0:26:02- but what's the problem?- I've a problem with my e-reader.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05When I tried to download some new books that I bought online,
0:26:05 > 0:26:07they just wouldn't download.
0:26:07 > 0:26:10So eventually I contacted customer services,
0:26:10 > 0:26:14and they went through a process of "Try this, try that," and it didn't
0:26:14 > 0:26:18work, so they said they'd put me in touch with their technical team.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21'And that is when the problems really started.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24'After following instructions to reset her device,
0:26:24 > 0:26:27'Rosemary thinks she's lost all her downloaded books.'
0:26:27 > 0:26:30- So everything's wiped?- It was wiped, all the content was wiped.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33- So you were in a worse position after they'd helped you...- Yes.
0:26:33 > 0:26:35..than you were before you engaged with them?
0:26:35 > 0:26:38Yes, which was the problem, which I kept trying to re-explain to people.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41- When did this all start happening? - It was last August.
0:26:41 > 0:26:43Last summer...
0:26:43 > 0:26:48- Yes.- ..the company rolled out a new software update to all of its older
0:26:48 > 0:26:51devices, which looking at the age of yours, yours would be included in.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53And it was a mandatory update,
0:26:53 > 0:26:56and if you didn't install that update on to the e-reader,
0:26:56 > 0:27:00then it would stop working. So what I want to check, if you've got it
0:27:00 > 0:27:02with you, is the version of the software that's on there...
0:27:02 > 0:27:05- Yes.- ..and whether that has or hasn't been updated.
0:27:05 > 0:27:07Hey, watch this space!
0:27:09 > 0:27:11Well, after doing a series of tests,
0:27:11 > 0:27:15David had to conclude Rosemary's e-reader was beyond repair.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18But don't worry, there was also good news.
0:27:18 > 0:27:20The books that you've purchased,
0:27:20 > 0:27:22quite a lot of books that you've purchased over the years,
0:27:22 > 0:27:24- you haven't lost those.- Right.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27So they are still in your online lending library,
0:27:27 > 0:27:30and were you to buy another one of this brand of e-reader, then you'd
0:27:30 > 0:27:33be able to re-download those books to your new e-reader again.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36Oh, right, now I didn't realise that.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39And the other good thing is that, if you were to use a tablet, for
0:27:39 > 0:27:42example, or even want to read books on your desktop,
0:27:42 > 0:27:45on your laptop or whatever, you can also read those books from there.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48- Oh, right, OK. - So all is not lost.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51Well, thank you, David. Thank you, Gloria.
0:27:51 > 0:27:52Thanks very much indeed.
0:27:52 > 0:27:55Now, a new face in our team of experts this year
0:27:55 > 0:27:59was cybercrime and fraud solicitor Arun Chauhan.
0:27:59 > 0:28:02Angela's found a quiet moment just to pick his brains.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05Arun, we do get an awful lot of correspondence from people who say
0:28:05 > 0:28:08that they've been the victims of cybercrime.
0:28:08 > 0:28:10How prevalent is it?
0:28:10 > 0:28:13Well, at the moment, the Office of National Statistics has said the
0:28:13 > 0:28:15most prevalent crime in this country is fraud and cybercrime.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18About 85% of people are worried about cybercrime.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21Less than 15% feel safe online,
0:28:21 > 0:28:23so it's a real big issue now for every walk of life,
0:28:23 > 0:28:25every day-to-day business.
0:28:25 > 0:28:28The most common way to get caught remains by e-mail,
0:28:28 > 0:28:31so Arun has some very sound first steps to safety,
0:28:31 > 0:28:33if you receive anything that you're unsure about.
0:28:33 > 0:28:36At the moment there's a really useful campaign out called
0:28:36 > 0:28:38Take Five - Stop Fraud, and it's available online.
0:28:38 > 0:28:40It gives some really helpful tips.
0:28:40 > 0:28:42Essentially, at the heart of it is just take five minutes to have a
0:28:42 > 0:28:45little think about what you're being asked to do.
0:28:45 > 0:28:47Stand back and have a careful consideration about,
0:28:47 > 0:28:50do you know the person who's writing to you?
0:28:50 > 0:28:52Is there a reason why they'd be writing to you?
0:28:52 > 0:28:54And who are they?
0:28:54 > 0:28:58Of course, many scam e-mails appear to be from trusted institutions,
0:28:58 > 0:29:00asking for personal details.
0:29:00 > 0:29:02On that, Arun's message is very simple.
0:29:02 > 0:29:06You won't be asked by your bank to give sensitive information online,
0:29:06 > 0:29:08they won't ask you to give your passwords,
0:29:08 > 0:29:10they won't ask you to tell them your date of birth.
0:29:10 > 0:29:13That won't be asked of you, and if someone's asking you for that,
0:29:13 > 0:29:15steer well clear.
0:29:16 > 0:29:19In another part of the shopping centre, we set up our Gripe Corner,
0:29:19 > 0:29:21where anyone could come along and
0:29:21 > 0:29:23get all their consumer issues off their chest.
0:29:23 > 0:29:25First up, it's train fares.
0:29:25 > 0:29:28It's very unfair on the people who have to use season tickets and then
0:29:28 > 0:29:30have to sit on the floor.
0:29:30 > 0:29:33What really annoys me is bad customer service.
0:29:33 > 0:29:35Companies are quick enough to take your money,
0:29:35 > 0:29:38but as soon as something goes wrong, they'll run a mile.
0:29:38 > 0:29:42Cold calling. Having worked all day, you're sat at home, relaxing,
0:29:42 > 0:29:45and it's constant. Where do they get the numbers from?
0:29:49 > 0:29:51Now, how often on this programme
0:29:51 > 0:29:54have you heard us talk about reading the small print?
0:29:54 > 0:29:56We're always banging on about it because we know how those
0:29:56 > 0:30:00pesky little terms and conditions can come back to bite you in almost
0:30:00 > 0:30:02every element of everyday life.
0:30:02 > 0:30:06But who'd have thought that could happen over glamorous and expensive
0:30:06 > 0:30:10shoes? Well, that's exactly what happened to one bride
0:30:10 > 0:30:14on her wedding day, who found that her specially chosen pair from one
0:30:14 > 0:30:17of the best-known names in the luxury business were looking rather
0:30:17 > 0:30:20worse for wear just hours after she'd first put them on.
0:30:20 > 0:30:24But when she complained, she was told that she simply hadn't followed
0:30:24 > 0:30:26the instructions on how to wear them.
0:30:26 > 0:30:30Well, that led her to wonder if her fancy footwear really was made for
0:30:30 > 0:30:34walking, and so she got in touch with us to help her find out.
0:30:36 > 0:30:40Whether it's sky-high stilettos or trendy trainers,
0:30:40 > 0:30:43you can tell a lot about a person from the style of shoes they wear.
0:30:45 > 0:30:49And judging by the people we spoke to, many of you could give
0:30:49 > 0:30:51Imelda Marcos a run for her money.
0:30:55 > 0:30:59- How many pairs of shoes and boots do you own?- Probably...75.
0:31:02 > 0:31:05Can I ask you how many pairs of shoes you think you own?
0:31:07 > 0:31:10- Probably about 50.- Would you ever be prepared to pay as much as £300 for
0:31:10 > 0:31:11- a pair of shoes?- Yeah.
0:31:11 > 0:31:15Yeah. What would they have to be if you were prepared to pay that much?
0:31:15 > 0:31:17They'd have to be designer, obviously.
0:31:17 > 0:31:19- Yeah?- I've just bought a pair for that much.
0:31:19 > 0:31:22- Have you?!- Yeah.- Having spent all that much money on your shoes,
0:31:22 > 0:31:24- how long do you expect them to last you?- Forever.
0:31:24 > 0:31:27THEY LAUGH
0:31:27 > 0:31:30Well, forever may be slightly pushing it,
0:31:30 > 0:31:34but when bride-to-be Fiona White from Blackpool picked out the shoes
0:31:34 > 0:31:37for her wedding, she was aiming for quality.
0:31:37 > 0:31:38Oh, look. Shoes!
0:31:38 > 0:31:41And she thought she'd found just the pair she wanted.
0:31:41 > 0:31:45- Jimmy Choo, again. There.- Wow.
0:31:45 > 0:31:49I'd been looking online for quite a lot of different brands,
0:31:49 > 0:31:53and looking for the right one for me.
0:31:53 > 0:31:56And Jimmy Choo was love at first sight.
0:31:56 > 0:32:00Jimmy Choo is one of the best-known luxury shoe brands,
0:32:00 > 0:32:03and as you can see from this promotional video,
0:32:03 > 0:32:06the company positions itself very much at the top end of the market,
0:32:06 > 0:32:09both in terms of price and aspiration.
0:32:11 > 0:32:16Now, the shoes Fiona fell for from the brand's 24/7 range are described
0:32:16 > 0:32:19on the website as "everyday luxury".
0:32:19 > 0:32:22So Fiona felt sure that they'd see her through her wedding day
0:32:22 > 0:32:25and beyond.
0:32:25 > 0:32:26I fell in love with it, and I just...
0:32:26 > 0:32:31"Oh, wow, this gorgeous design." And even the heel and the colour,
0:32:31 > 0:32:33the glitters, everything looked amazing.
0:32:33 > 0:32:36It makes you feel like you're Cinderella!
0:32:36 > 0:32:39But whilst Fiona may have felt like Cinderella,
0:32:39 > 0:32:42the £450 price tag left her
0:32:42 > 0:32:45mother-in-law Carolyn feeling rather more shellshocked.
0:32:45 > 0:32:48There was a little bit of a sharp intake of breath when I
0:32:48 > 0:32:51found out how much those shoes cost.
0:32:51 > 0:32:52But at the end of the day,
0:32:52 > 0:32:56I saw first-hand just how much they meant to her.
0:32:58 > 0:33:00And when the wedding day dawned,
0:33:00 > 0:33:02having planned her outfit so meticulously,
0:33:02 > 0:33:05Fiona felt just as special as she'd hoped.
0:33:07 > 0:33:09Oh, look at those, the shoes.
0:33:09 > 0:33:12You hadn't even had them on your feet when that was taken.
0:33:12 > 0:33:15Everything looks perfect. I feel like a princess.
0:33:15 > 0:33:19And with my prince, wearing the bestest shoes in the world.
0:33:21 > 0:33:24But it wasn't long into the reception when Fiona realised that
0:33:24 > 0:33:27her fairy-tale shoes were starting to lose their sparkle.
0:33:27 > 0:33:33I noticed that my shoes was damaged, and the glitter's all come off.
0:33:33 > 0:33:36And just suddenly felt really heartbroken.
0:33:37 > 0:33:40After what Fiona and her mother-in-law say was only about six
0:33:40 > 0:33:43hours of wear, the designer footwear
0:33:43 > 0:33:45didn't seem to be going the distance.
0:33:45 > 0:33:52Both of my Jimmy Choo, the glitters on the edge is coming off.
0:33:52 > 0:33:56So I lost a big amount of glitters here.
0:33:56 > 0:34:02And it's damaged on the edge, and also the seam was open, here.
0:34:02 > 0:34:05So I really believe that the quality is just not good enough.
0:34:05 > 0:34:07And then the other one, same.
0:34:07 > 0:34:13Having spent so much money on the shoes, Fiona felt thoroughly upset.
0:34:13 > 0:34:17It's quite ruin of my day in the end, to be honest, because,
0:34:17 > 0:34:21you know, that's expensive shoes I've ever had.
0:34:21 > 0:34:26This is not just £20 shoes from the high street, this is a Jimmy Choo.
0:34:26 > 0:34:29And mother-in-law Carolyn was equally dismayed.
0:34:29 > 0:34:32Irrespective of how much the shoes were,
0:34:32 > 0:34:37the fact that they were so badly damaged after six hours of careful
0:34:37 > 0:34:42wear tells me that not only are they not of merchantable quality,
0:34:42 > 0:34:45but they're definitely not fit for purpose.
0:34:45 > 0:34:47So as soon as they could after the wedding,
0:34:47 > 0:34:50the pair took the shoes back to where they'd bought them,
0:34:50 > 0:34:52a branch of Selfridges in Manchester.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55The store itself refused a refund,
0:34:55 > 0:34:58and instead sent the shoes off to the manufacturer, Jimmy Choo,
0:34:58 > 0:35:00to get its opinion.
0:35:00 > 0:35:02But when that arrived two months later,
0:35:02 > 0:35:05Fiona wasn't at all happy with the company's response.
0:35:07 > 0:35:10'The shoes are not defective from production,
0:35:10 > 0:35:13'and the issue to the shoes is classed as wear and tear
0:35:13 > 0:35:15'or accidental damage.'
0:35:15 > 0:35:19Now, I would've thought that
0:35:19 > 0:35:24a pair of shoes, especially at that price, should've been
0:35:24 > 0:35:29almost perfect after six hours of wear.
0:35:29 > 0:35:31The company pointed out that the
0:35:31 > 0:35:34shoe is sold with a care guide, stating that,
0:35:34 > 0:35:37"a small amount of glitter may be lost with initial use,"
0:35:37 > 0:35:41and wearers should "avoid contact with rain and ground water,
0:35:41 > 0:35:44"which may damage the glitter."
0:35:44 > 0:35:46But as Fiona insists she'd only walked outside briefly on her
0:35:46 > 0:35:48wedding day, she feels very strongly
0:35:48 > 0:35:52that she had looked after the shoes according to the instructions.
0:35:52 > 0:35:55What's more, after paying £450,
0:35:55 > 0:35:58she was expecting them to withstand more than six hours of wear.
0:36:00 > 0:36:03And feeling Jimmy Choo and Selfridges were just
0:36:03 > 0:36:06digging their heels in, Fiona brought her complaint to us.
0:36:09 > 0:36:13So we arranged for Carolyn and Fiona to take the shoes to some of the
0:36:13 > 0:36:16finest shoemakers in the land to see what they thought.
0:36:17 > 0:36:20Brothers Andrew and David James
0:36:20 > 0:36:24and Caroline Collins are from the Society of Master Shoe Repairers.
0:36:24 > 0:36:27Between them, they've notched up nearly a century of experience in
0:36:27 > 0:36:29preparing and caring for shoes.
0:36:29 > 0:36:33So will they agree with the manufacturer that the damage is
0:36:33 > 0:36:35simply a case of wear and tear?
0:36:35 > 0:36:37Caroline is the first to make up her mind.
0:36:38 > 0:36:41Nobody could say these have had excessive wear,
0:36:41 > 0:36:44because there's literally no wear on that heel at all.
0:36:44 > 0:36:48And for it to split, I would say, is the manufacturer's fault.
0:36:48 > 0:36:52And David's also picked up on the split seams.
0:36:52 > 0:36:54These seams are a construction fault.
0:36:54 > 0:36:57It's the material that's come apart.
0:36:57 > 0:37:01In this type of construction of shoe, it would fail at some point.
0:37:01 > 0:37:06- But within six hours, it's probably not acceptable.- Unacceptable.
0:37:06 > 0:37:09And though Fiona was told she wouldn't get a refund,
0:37:09 > 0:37:11Andrew thinks it's worth trying again.
0:37:11 > 0:37:16Would you say that we then have a valid case to be able to go back to
0:37:16 > 0:37:18- the manufacturer?- I would say so.
0:37:18 > 0:37:22However, Andrew also stressed that, in situations like this,
0:37:22 > 0:37:25it's the retailer that has responsibility for resolving a
0:37:25 > 0:37:27complaint, and not the manufacturer.
0:37:27 > 0:37:31And that's a point reiterated by our resident trading standards expert
0:37:31 > 0:37:33Sylvia Rook.
0:37:33 > 0:37:35Whenever you buy any goods, your rights are always against the shop
0:37:35 > 0:37:37from whom you bought them,
0:37:37 > 0:37:39because that's the only person you have a contract with.
0:37:39 > 0:37:42The Consumer Rights Act says that when you buy any goods,
0:37:42 > 0:37:43they must be of satisfactory quality.
0:37:43 > 0:37:46And that includes durability.
0:37:46 > 0:37:48If the goods are not of satisfactory quality,
0:37:48 > 0:37:51you can return them within 30 days and get all your money back.
0:37:51 > 0:37:54Alternatively, you can ask for a repair or replacement.
0:37:54 > 0:37:58After the 30 days, you lose your option to reject the goods,
0:37:58 > 0:38:00but you can still get a repair or replacement,
0:38:00 > 0:38:03and your rights will last for up to six years.
0:38:03 > 0:38:06That doesn't mean to say that all goods must last for up to six years,
0:38:06 > 0:38:09but it means you can make a claim for up to six years.
0:38:11 > 0:38:14Well, so adamant in their opinion were these members of the
0:38:14 > 0:38:16Association of Master Shoe Repairers
0:38:16 > 0:38:19that they went on to send Fiona a report stating
0:38:19 > 0:38:23that, though the glitter loss on the shoes could be put down to wear and
0:38:23 > 0:38:26tear, they considered the split seams were undoubtedly
0:38:26 > 0:38:28a manufacturing fault.
0:38:28 > 0:38:31And while that gave Fiona all she needed to have another go at
0:38:31 > 0:38:35getting a refund, she remains disappointed that shoes from a range
0:38:35 > 0:38:39called 24/7 didn't survive a single day intact.
0:38:40 > 0:38:43I was surprised, because people were expecting, you know,
0:38:43 > 0:38:46you pay a couple of hundred pounds on shoes,
0:38:46 > 0:38:48you are thinking they will be the best quality in the world,
0:38:48 > 0:38:51and you can wear them maybe ten years, 20 years, 30 years.
0:38:51 > 0:38:54But actually, the reality, maybe not.
0:38:54 > 0:38:56That's quite shocking me today.
0:38:56 > 0:38:59It doesn't, however, surprise cobbler Ryan Tracy,
0:38:59 > 0:39:02who works in Manchester city centre.
0:39:02 > 0:39:06He's regularly asked to fix luxury shoes from a variety of designer
0:39:06 > 0:39:10names, and says splashing out on a pricier pair doesn't necessarily
0:39:10 > 0:39:14mean they're built to withstand everyday wear and tear.
0:39:14 > 0:39:17Roughly, we get in, on a weekly average,
0:39:17 > 0:39:20about sort of 20 pairs, maybe. 20-30 pairs.
0:39:20 > 0:39:23They come in, get their toes done, heels done, soles done.
0:39:23 > 0:39:26I think when people buy these kind of shoes,
0:39:26 > 0:39:28they expect them to wear straight the way through the street going
0:39:28 > 0:39:31anywhere in them, really, whereas they're made for sort of, like,
0:39:31 > 0:39:33a ball gown or something like that,
0:39:33 > 0:39:36when you're just going down some stairs, showing people off your
0:39:36 > 0:39:38shoes, then get them off for the dancing shoes to come on.
0:39:38 > 0:39:41They're designed for, sort of, just walking down the red carpet and
0:39:41 > 0:39:44just showing people what you've got, really, more than anything.
0:39:46 > 0:39:49Well, when we put all this to Jimmy Choo,
0:39:49 > 0:39:52the company told us it "takes great pride in the quality of its
0:39:52 > 0:39:55"products, with all materials carefully sourced and tested to
0:39:55 > 0:39:58"result in the fine detail synonymous with
0:39:58 > 0:39:59"high quality luxury".
0:40:01 > 0:40:04Pointing out that this is the first complaint received about this
0:40:04 > 0:40:08particular shoe, Jimmy Choo also said that the Selfridges store
0:40:08 > 0:40:12manager who served Fiona had highlighted the shoe's "lack of
0:40:12 > 0:40:16"suitability for the wedding location in the notoriously wet
0:40:16 > 0:40:21"Lake District", adding that photos Fiona sent show that she "wore the
0:40:21 > 0:40:23"shoes on wet and muddy grass,
0:40:23 > 0:40:26"seemingly for not an insignificant length of time."
0:40:26 > 0:40:30The company went on to say that neither its specialist after-sales
0:40:30 > 0:40:32team, nor the staff at Selfridges
0:40:32 > 0:40:34who checked them, noticed a ripped seam.
0:40:35 > 0:40:39Even so, when Fiona returned to Selfridges with her complaint,
0:40:39 > 0:40:41armed with a report from those experts,
0:40:41 > 0:40:44the store offered to exchange the shoes for another pair
0:40:44 > 0:40:47of Jimmy Choos to the same value.
0:40:47 > 0:40:49And it told us it's "delighted to have been able to bring
0:40:49 > 0:40:52"the issue to a satisfactory end".
0:40:53 > 0:40:57And while that does indeed bring a happy ending to Fiona's big day,
0:40:57 > 0:41:01it seems that her brief romance with designer shoes has come to an end.
0:41:03 > 0:41:06I'll just never spend that money on shoes again like this.
0:41:17 > 0:41:20Well, if you have a story you'd like us to investigate,
0:41:20 > 0:41:23then we now have even more ways to get in touch.
0:41:23 > 0:41:26You can join in the conversation on our Facebook page.
0:41:26 > 0:41:28Just look for BBC Rip Off Britain.
0:41:28 > 0:41:32As well as the most up-to-date news, you'll also find exclusive
0:41:32 > 0:41:36behind-the-scenes clips and pictures from the show.
0:41:36 > 0:41:41Or you can log on to our website, bbc.co.uk/ripoffbritain,
0:41:41 > 0:41:45where there's plenty of advice and fact sheets full of tips on how you
0:41:45 > 0:41:47can avoid getting ripped off.
0:41:47 > 0:41:49Or if you'd like to send us an e-mail,
0:41:49 > 0:41:52then our address is...
0:41:54 > 0:41:57And, of course, you can send a letter to our address:
0:42:10 > 0:42:14Well, I must say we all felt so sorry for that bride and her
0:42:14 > 0:42:17gorgeous shoes. Now, whether or not, as the company says,
0:42:17 > 0:42:20she wasn't wearing them in the most appropriate location,
0:42:20 > 0:42:23I can completely understand why she might have expected them to last a
0:42:23 > 0:42:25little longer than they did.
0:42:25 > 0:42:28But you know, that's really the point about value for money.
0:42:28 > 0:42:32It can be entirely subjective, and nothing to do with, in fact,
0:42:32 > 0:42:34- the price you paid. - I think you're right, Gloria,
0:42:34 > 0:42:37that's something we'd all agree with, but you know, at the same
0:42:37 > 0:42:40time, if you are paying a higher price but not really getting much
0:42:40 > 0:42:42more for your money,
0:42:42 > 0:42:45as seemed to be the case with the toothpaste that we tested, well,
0:42:45 > 0:42:47that's an entirely different matter altogether.
0:42:47 > 0:42:51And it does just go to show that sometimes paying a higher price
0:42:51 > 0:42:53might not actually get you the added benefits
0:42:53 > 0:42:55that you would have expected.
0:42:55 > 0:42:59And with that thought, that's all we've got time for for today.
0:42:59 > 0:43:01Thanks to everyone who's shared their stories with us,
0:43:01 > 0:43:04and we'll be looking into more of the cases you've written to us about
0:43:04 > 0:43:07very soon. For now, though, whatever you do,
0:43:07 > 0:43:11watch out for those door-to-door salesmen selling those mattresses.
0:43:11 > 0:43:15That's one situation where you really can be sure you won't be
0:43:15 > 0:43:17- getting good value, eh?- Absolutely! LAUGHTER
0:43:17 > 0:43:20Anyway, until next time, from all of us, goodbye.
0:43:20 > 0:43:22- Goodbye.- Bye-bye.