:00:31. > :00:36.Hello and welcome to Watchdog Daily. We're with you live for the next 45
:00:36. > :00:42.minutes. This morning, its Cyber Monday, tipped to be the busiest
:00:42. > :00:45.day of the year for online shopping, but could you get caught out?
:00:45. > :00:51.Comeuppance for the cold callers, the crackdown on the businesses
:00:51. > :00:59.that won leave you alone. And And found in your food, how do the bugs
:00:59. > :01:01.and foreign bodies get there there? Is your taxi safe? The Consumer
:01:01. > :01:06.Cops flag down the cabs and their drivers.
:01:06. > :01:10.You need to calm down, sir. We are just issuing with a suspension
:01:10. > :01:14.notice. Welcome to so-called Cyber Monday.
:01:14. > :01:19.Tipped to be the UK's busiest day of the year for online shopping as
:01:19. > :01:22.millions of us search for the perfect Christmas presents. Experts
:01:22. > :01:28.predict �5 billion will change hands online in the next three
:01:28. > :01:33.weeks. In October, the Office of Fair Trading revealed over 60
:01:33. > :01:43.retailers were potentially breaking consumer rules, but what protection
:01:43. > :01:51.
:01:51. > :01:55.The crowds, the queues, the time and the stress. No wonder so many
:01:55. > :02:00.are giving the shops a miss and surfing the web instead. Troubling
:02:01. > :02:04.is, while buying goods is easy, returning them can be a nightmare.
:02:04. > :02:10.Julia Griffiths persuaded her parents to buy two-folding beds
:02:10. > :02:12.online. At �490, they looked like a good deal and then came the
:02:13. > :02:20.delivery. We opened just one of them. Removed
:02:20. > :02:24.the bed from the box. Unfolded it. Sat on it and realised the mattress
:02:24. > :02:28.was not what we were expecting at all so we decided to put it back in
:02:28. > :02:33.its box and we phone the company to request a refund.
:02:33. > :02:37.But that request was refused. The company said the standard beds had
:02:37. > :02:41.been brought in specially. When Julia disputed this, it said the
:02:41. > :02:45.bed was unsellable because it had been removed from its box.
:02:45. > :02:49.It has made me angry that this company has taken our money. Now we
:02:49. > :02:53.have been left with products that we don't want and we are out of
:02:53. > :02:58.pocket a lot of money. Julia is right to be disappointed
:02:58. > :03:00.because she should have got the money back. As this was an online
:03:00. > :03:05.purchase, she was protected by the distance selling regulations which
:03:05. > :03:10.give customers the right to a full refund if they cancel an order
:03:10. > :03:14.within seven days of receiving it. According to the guidance drawn up
:03:14. > :03:19.by the office on fair trading, that right remains even if they open the
:03:19. > :03:22.box and remove the packaging. When you are in a shopks you can
:03:22. > :03:28.inspect the productks you can test the product, you know what you are
:03:28. > :03:33.looking for, but you can't do that online. And so, the distance
:03:33. > :03:39.selling regulations allow you a bit more flexibility.
:03:39. > :03:43.The regulations make other demands on online retailers so who is
:03:43. > :03:46.meeting them and who isn't? Our team looked at websites of the top
:03:46. > :03:52.20 online retailers, checking to see which contact details they
:03:52. > :03:53.supply. Under the distance selling regulations, they should give a
:03:53. > :04:02.full geographical address like this one.
:04:02. > :04:06.Right, so I'm on Tesco Direct's website, on their contact page. It
:04:07. > :04:13.has a telephone number and address in Dundee.
:04:13. > :04:21.19 of the 20 companies checked provided one and the one that
:04:21. > :04:26.didn't... This is play.com. There is an address, but it is a PO box.
:04:26. > :04:33.Not a geographical address. That consists of that I
:04:33. > :04:36.geographical address and e-mail address and if things go pear
:04:36. > :04:40.shaped consumers know where to complain to. People need to be
:04:40. > :04:44.reassured about who they are dealing with.
:04:44. > :04:48.Online retailers operate under the E commerce regulations. These
:04:48. > :04:54.insist they must provide you with an e-mail address address by you
:04:54. > :05:03.can contact them. Whenever you go into play.com's
:05:03. > :05:08.page, you have to click on a a page and form opens up.
:05:08. > :05:12.We found eleven of the companies surveyed are po potentially break
:05:12. > :05:18.the rule. A web form address is not adequate.
:05:18. > :05:23.If people want to communicate with the trader trader, it could get
:05:23. > :05:27.lost. There is no record of them having done that. Even though the
:05:27. > :05:30.trader may have received it, it opens the avenue for a dispute to
:05:30. > :05:33.arise. Back to the refunds. Remember, the
:05:33. > :05:36.rules state that you should be able to cancel an order within seven
:05:36. > :05:41.days of receiving it and get your money back even there is nothing
:05:41. > :05:50.wrong with the goods. I'm looking at Sports Direct and it
:05:50. > :05:53.says you may cancel your order within seven days and we refund the
:05:53. > :05:58.goods and reimburse the delivery goods.
:05:58. > :06:05.Sounds good. But you have to return the goods in
:06:05. > :06:11.their original packaging. The distance selling regulations
:06:11. > :06:15.allow consumers to examine the goods as they would in the shop.
:06:15. > :06:20.Despite this something set out clearly, some of the biggest online
:06:20. > :06:25.retailers prefer to view things differently. If you want to return
:06:25. > :06:35.an item to Apple, the item needs to be in its original condition and
:06:35. > :06:37.
:06:37. > :06:42.the security seals need to be intact
:06:42. > :06:47.curry's say as long as the goods are in the original packaging.
:06:47. > :06:51.Even though the guidance and the relg lations -- regular regulations
:06:51. > :06:56.say otherwise. You would think the retailers would
:06:56. > :06:59.have this in place. It It seems there is a lot of work to be done
:06:59. > :07:05.and they need to smarten up their ac. There is no reason why they
:07:05. > :07:09.should not be compliant. Well, all the companies say they
:07:09. > :07:12.take both the regulations and customer service very seriously and
:07:13. > :07:17.provide various ways for people to contact them, but since we filmed
:07:17. > :07:23.that report, several have added or promised to add e-mail addresses to
:07:23. > :07:28.their websites as the regulations demand. They include debben hams,
:07:28. > :07:36.Asda Direct and New Look and Sports Direct and Argos who say the e-mail
:07:36. > :07:40.address was omitted because of website upgrades. Play.com has
:07:40. > :07:46.supplied an e-mail and geographical address.
:07:46. > :07:51.John Lewis say they believe the web form is more efficient for their
:07:51. > :07:56.customers and they think in other areas where an e-mail address is
:07:56. > :08:01.necessary, they provide one. Topshop and Amazon say their
:08:01. > :08:05.websites comply with the regulations and Sainsbury's say
:08:05. > :08:09.although their web form provides customers with an automated
:08:09. > :08:13.response, it will give customers an e-mail address if they prefer.
:08:13. > :08:18.But what about the returns policies that appear to go against OFT
:08:18. > :08:24.guidance. All retailers say it is reasonable to expect customers to
:08:24. > :08:34.return unwanted goods in perfect can perfect condition. Sports
:08:34. > :08:35.
:08:35. > :08:40.Direct no longer says goods must be returned in its original packaging.
:08:40. > :08:46.Although River Island don't consider their words to be a breach.
:08:46. > :08:53.They ask their goods to be returned in their original packaging.
:08:53. > :09:02.Apple say the goods need to be returned with its security tag
:09:02. > :09:07.intact, only applies to software. Play.com says customers can return
:09:07. > :09:11.unused products. Curries believe they comply with
:09:11. > :09:15.the regulations and guidance allowing customers to open and
:09:15. > :09:19.inspect products before returning them. The full responses are on our
:09:20. > :09:22.website. The online retailer that supplied
:09:22. > :09:26.Julia Griffiths' family with their beds disputes they were contacted
:09:26. > :09:31.within the seven day deadline. If you would like to comment on that
:09:31. > :09:38.or any of today's stories, here is a reminder. For e-mails the address
:09:38. > :09:44.For texts it is: Start your message with the letters
:09:44. > :09:48.If you want to join the discussion on Twitter our address and hashtag
:09:48. > :09:53.are on the screens now. Planning to catch a cab home the next time you
:09:53. > :09:58.are on a night out, it may seem the safe and responsible thing to do.
:09:58. > :10:02.How can you ensure the vehicle that you are stepping into is road
:10:02. > :10:05.worthy? Louise Hulland has been finding out.
:10:05. > :10:10.Outside of London and the South East, this area has more taxis than
:10:10. > :10:13.any other region in England and Wales. Because they are public
:10:13. > :10:17.vehicles they must meet higher standards than an ordinary car
:10:17. > :10:20.going in for its moth. They are subject to random checks carried
:10:20. > :10:26.out by the licensing authorities and if they fail, the owners can
:10:26. > :10:35.get their licences suspended. We followed two enforcement teams as
:10:35. > :10:41.they carried out random checks on cabs in Merseyside and Cheshire.
:10:41. > :10:45.8 8am and a busy day lies ahead for the licensing and enforcing team in
:10:45. > :10:48.Ellesmere Port. We are going to check for
:10:48. > :10:53.compliance. The vehicles are doing high mileage. They earn their
:10:53. > :10:57.living by carrying the public about and we have the experts here to do
:10:57. > :11:00.a quick, and thorough check to make sure they are of a standard that
:11:00. > :11:05.the public can feel they are getting a quality, safe,
:11:05. > :11:10.comfortable vehiclement BP. plan is to check up to 30 taxis. It
:11:10. > :11:14.is a multi-agency team including Trading Standards officers, HMRC,
:11:14. > :11:21.the Government's vehicle safety body, and the police.
:11:21. > :11:25.There is nothing to worry about, mate. We are working with the local
:11:26. > :11:31.council to do licensing checks. What I'm going to do, I'm going to
:11:31. > :11:36.take you across to Whitby Park where we are running the checks.
:11:36. > :11:41.I will follow you then. Follow me through.
:11:41. > :11:46.Is that OK? No problem. The different agencies have
:11:46. > :11:50.different priorities. HMRC are here to make sure non of the cabs are
:11:50. > :11:58.known red diesel, a cheaper fuel, but only legal for use in argue
:11:58. > :12:05.cultural vehicles. -- agricultural vehicles. The police perform me
:12:05. > :12:11.perform me cheanical safety tests. This cab doesn't measure up.
:12:11. > :12:18.taxi that we pulled over earlier has got a defective rear off side
:12:18. > :12:24.tyre of the it is 1.3 mil and the legal limit is 1.4 mil. We are
:12:24. > :12:28.going to put a prohibition on the vehicle. We are going to suspend
:12:28. > :12:32.the taxi plates. He is going to get a new tyre and it will be rechecked.
:12:32. > :12:37.There is a few faults with me cab and I will get them checked. There
:12:37. > :12:40.is a leak on the steering, but it is nothing major, but they need to
:12:40. > :12:46.be put right. Once I am satisfied that the points
:12:46. > :12:51.that we found out were wrong with the vehicle, he can have his plates
:12:51. > :12:55.back. We may take other action against the driver.
:12:56. > :12:58.I will get it done today. I will be back on the road tomorrow if I can
:12:58. > :13:05.get into the garage to get it put right.
:13:05. > :13:10.Fingers crossed. Liverpool, 20 miles away, is home
:13:10. > :13:14.to 2,923 licensed cabs and today a number of them are being subject to
:13:14. > :13:21.to spot checks. Just move up a bit.
:13:21. > :13:29.The enforcement team have positioned their checkpoint by a
:13:29. > :13:36.main road. On this cab, Will Gibbs spots an obvious problem. Both
:13:36. > :13:46.brake lights out. OK, driver, I am going to give awe defect -- you a
:13:46. > :13:51.
:13:51. > :13:57.defect. Have you ever been issued before? It just gives you seven
:13:57. > :14:01.working days to get your brake lights and your reverse light. The
:14:01. > :14:06.driver there, his reverse lights are out. I issued him a defect
:14:06. > :14:11.notice. It is not a fine, it is to give him seven days to go and get
:14:11. > :14:15.it fixed. He could turn around and say he is going to get it fixed and
:14:15. > :14:18.say a week later, I will him and he hasn't got it fixed. This ensures
:14:18. > :14:25.that he has has to go and get it fixed.
:14:25. > :14:30.. Today's operation involves the city's black cabs as well as hire
:14:30. > :14:34.vehicles. One of the issues where the driver smokes. Although he
:14:34. > :14:38.wasn't smoking at the time, it is an offence to smoke in a licenceed
:14:38. > :14:43.vehicle and he has been advised of that. If he is caught, he will
:14:43. > :14:47.receive a fixed pen penalty. We expect our vehicles to be in a
:14:47. > :14:51.better condition than the normal moth and we have higher standards.
:14:51. > :14:54.The vehicles are doing thousands of miles a year, above and beyond what
:14:54. > :14:59.a normal vehicle will do and we expect the standards to be better.
:14:59. > :15:02.We expect that all cars should have legal tyres, the condition of the
:15:02. > :15:05.vehicle, there is no rust. The condition of that vehicle is
:15:05. > :15:09.acceptable to a member of the public because our priority is
:15:09. > :15:17.safety and by doing what we do, we are ensuring that the vehicles out
:15:17. > :15:22.there on the roads are safe. Back in Ellesmere Port, the
:15:22. > :15:26.enforcement team have flagged down dozens of vehicles.
:15:26. > :15:29.Most drivers are happy to co- operate.
:15:29. > :15:32.Not a problem. You have got to be legal on the road, you are carrying
:15:32. > :15:36.people on it. It is a public vehicle and it has to be looked
:15:36. > :15:41.after. Soon patience begins to wear thin..
:15:41. > :15:46.You will need to calm down, sir. Well, he doesn't look too happy. We
:15:46. > :15:52.will find out what happens later on. You might be happy either if you
:15:52. > :16:01.bought some of the stuff we are about to show you. Feeling
:16:01. > :16:04.These are just some of the photos we have been receiving from viewers
:16:04. > :16:10.who found unexplained objects, foreign bodies and worse in their
:16:10. > :16:13.food. Viewers like Ijey Okey who bought this bag of Birds Eye frozen
:16:13. > :16:20.peas. This big fat thing came out, stuck
:16:20. > :16:25.to the peas and I thought what is that? I chucked it into the sink
:16:25. > :16:30.and had a good look. Look at what I found, oh my god, this big worm.
:16:30. > :16:34.Can you imagine eating that with your stew? Not really! Birds Eye
:16:34. > :16:44.Said it was a caterpillar and they couldn't always guarantee bug-free
:16:44. > :16:49.
:16:49. > :16:59.food as they don't use pesticides. They gave Ijey �10 to spend on
:16:59. > :17:01.
:17:01. > :17:06.other Birds Eye products. Fahmid Chowdury bought this. There
:17:06. > :17:10.was A horrible object in my mouth. I bit down and it oozed out in my
:17:10. > :17:15.mouth and it tasted bitter. It was dis gusting.
:17:15. > :17:24.Yes, it would have because it was a snail. When I spat it out, it
:17:24. > :17:28.looked like a hard shell and the inside was all brown and gooey.
:17:28. > :17:35.Iceland apologised for the distress and promised to send him a �5
:17:35. > :17:45.voucher. Foreign bodies seem to come in all shapes and sizes and
:17:45. > :17:46.
:17:46. > :17:49.species. When Mark bought a packet of pom bear, he found this.
:17:49. > :17:54.Although the fly hasn't been through the frying procedures, it
:17:54. > :17:58.has salt residue on it. That's good to know of the Nestle
:17:58. > :18:03.launched an investigation after being contacted by a customer,
:18:03. > :18:11.Stuart Gass. He bought one of their Breakaway biscuits and found this
:18:11. > :18:18.piece of plastic baked inside. What do the companies have to say?
:18:18. > :18:21.Sophie, they say they they take health and quality seriously.
:18:21. > :18:25.Nestle apologised to Stuart Gass and will be sending him and his
:18:25. > :18:29.family a gift. They say investigations have concluded that
:18:29. > :18:34.the plastic was part of the mould used to make the biscuits and they
:18:35. > :18:41.are putting actions in place to prevent any reoccurrence.
:18:41. > :18:45.Pom Bear apologised to Mark kirk for the fly in the pack and their
:18:45. > :18:49.response. They are reviewing the way they handle complaints and say
:18:49. > :18:53.they want to make sure no such cause for complaint can arise again.
:18:53. > :18:58.If you find something nasty, lurking in your pre-packed meal or
:18:58. > :19:08.snack, what should you do? Here is our expert Professor Margaret
:19:08. > :19:14.
:19:14. > :19:19.There can't be anything more disgusting than finding a foreign
:19:19. > :19:22.body, hair, fingernails and I think sects, but what -- insects, but
:19:22. > :19:27.what should you do if you find something horrid? Preserve the
:19:27. > :19:31.evidence. With a transparent container like a plastic bag or a
:19:31. > :19:35.glass jar, it maybe that you can see the foreign object in the food
:19:35. > :19:40.without opening the container. In that situation, do not open it.
:19:40. > :19:45.Removing the foreign body may destroy the evidence.
:19:45. > :19:49.But what if you are already eating when you find something? Well,
:19:49. > :19:58.obviously stop eating and be careful not to swallow it and then
:19:58. > :20:03.take a photo. Keep the food and the object if it is no longer embedded
:20:03. > :20:07.in the food, safe. If it is perishable put it in a food or
:20:07. > :20:10.freezer. Dig out the receipt and keep any pack alging as that will
:20:10. > :20:14.show the place where it was manufactured and the date and time
:20:14. > :20:17.it was manufactured. If you don't want to kick up too much of a fuss
:20:17. > :20:21.and you want your money back, take it back to the shop from which you
:20:21. > :20:26.bought it because even with with branded goods, it is the shop from
:20:26. > :20:31.whom you bought it which you have the contract. It is worth asking
:20:31. > :20:36.them for compensation for any costs such as the cost of travel for for
:20:36. > :20:40.taking the product back, this is known as consequentialal loss. If
:20:40. > :20:44.you are injured by a foreign body, go back to the shop from which you
:20:44. > :20:48.bought it. If you have any medical problems or treatment, keep notes
:20:49. > :20:52.of those so that you can then write to the store together with
:20:52. > :20:55.photographs as proof. If you have been injured, you could contact the
:20:55. > :21:00.manufacturer as well because they are liable under product liability
:21:00. > :21:05.for any injuries caused by faulty products. Phone first and then send
:21:05. > :21:09.a letter afterwards. It maybe that they will want you to return the
:21:09. > :21:16.product so that they can analyse how the foreign body came to be
:21:16. > :21:20.there. They are very wary of the risk of sabotage. When sending it,
:21:20. > :21:22.take photos and video footage before you send it and send it by
:21:22. > :21:26.recorded delivery. If you are going to take the item
:21:26. > :21:30.back to the shop for them to inspect, then make sure that you
:21:30. > :21:34.you get a receipt for T if you have been made ill or injured by the
:21:34. > :21:40.item, you have a right to claim compensation for physical injury
:21:40. > :21:44.and it maybe that you can also claim compensation for any distress
:21:44. > :21:48.that you may have suffered, but this is harder to prove, but you
:21:48. > :21:51.might get a goodwill payment. If you haveen ill or injured, it is
:21:51. > :21:54.worth getting legal advice. But if you are getting nowhere with the
:21:54. > :22:00.shop or the manufacturer, then it might be worth going to the press.
:22:00. > :22:04.If you do, be careful to stick to the truth and don't be liablous.
:22:04. > :22:10.One last thing - if you are worried about somebody else being injured
:22:10. > :22:17.in a similar incident, you could contact either Trading Standards or
:22:17. > :22:21.environmental health and they can Professor Margaret Griffiths there.
:22:21. > :22:28.For tips on writing an effective letter of complaint if you have had
:22:28. > :22:32.a problem with a company, go to our website:
:22:32. > :22:36.Back to Cheshire now where enforcement teams are carrying out
:22:36. > :22:40.spot checks on taxis as cabs are considered places as work they have
:22:40. > :22:49.to meet higher standards of safety than ordinary vehicles. But as
:22:49. > :22:53.Louise Hulland reports, not all come up to the required standard.
:22:53. > :22:58.I'm going to take you across. I have a check site working across
:22:58. > :23:05.there. We are running a check site for taxis, all right? Follow me
:23:05. > :23:07.down there. I want to go through the check site. OK?
:23:07. > :23:12.In Ellesmere Port the day long operation is continuing as well as
:23:12. > :23:17.making sure the cabs are safe mechanically, the officers check
:23:18. > :23:22.they are clean and smoke-free and have proper disabled access.
:23:22. > :23:27.Just to give you an indication of what we are doing today, it is a
:23:27. > :23:31.compliance and safety check. They ensure that drivers paperwork
:23:31. > :23:35.is in order. You are who you are and you are eligible to drive this
:23:35. > :23:39.vehicle and it is in date, is it? Expires 2015 and the photograph
:23:39. > :23:45.looks like you. I am quite new to this job. I am
:23:45. > :23:48.only on it six vehicles. This is new to me, all this.
:23:48. > :23:51.Although nothing seems wrong with this driver's paperwork... I will
:23:51. > :23:58.try and not delay you any longer than I need.
:23:58. > :24:02.His vehicle is on hire and further enquiries reveal there maybe
:24:02. > :24:07.problems with his insurance. rents the car. They sort the car
:24:07. > :24:12.out, they insure the car etcetera, the policy, the conditions on the
:24:12. > :24:17.policy is that he must be over 25, he must have held a driving licence
:24:17. > :24:22.for two years and he must have held his taxi licence for 12 months, he
:24:22. > :24:26.has only held this for two months. We can see that the driver through
:24:26. > :24:31.no fault of his own, has enneerd a contract with a -- entered into a
:24:31. > :24:35.contract with a professional firm that hired the vehicle to him. We
:24:35. > :24:39.will conduct an investigation into the insurance and into the
:24:39. > :24:42.conditions of the insurance, it is a complex matter and is not
:24:42. > :24:48.something that is going to be decided today, but we are pleased
:24:48. > :24:52.to see that the driver is not at at fault, and he will be on his way,
:24:52. > :24:55.but the company who are making a a living doing this are the ones who
:24:55. > :24:57.are going to have to answer. After further investigation, it is
:24:57. > :25:01.established that the driver is adequately insured by the company
:25:01. > :25:08.that he rents the vehicle from, the driver has done nothing wrong and
:25:08. > :25:14.he is allowed to leave. As the day progresses, it becomes
:25:14. > :25:17.clear that most of the cabs have no serious I shall issues and the
:25:17. > :25:22.majority of the drivers appreciate what the officers are doing.
:25:22. > :25:26.We get these checks often just to make sure the vehicles are safe,
:25:26. > :25:32.isn't it? It is fine. Some see the check site as an
:25:32. > :25:38.opportunity for a MOT. This one has voluntarily driven
:25:38. > :25:42.himself in off the street. How good is that? I volunteered!
:25:42. > :25:48.This one is looked after, mate. However, some drivers feel this
:25:48. > :25:53.check is one too many. Especially those whose cabs are
:25:53. > :25:58.found to have faults, resulting in suspension. You need to calm down,
:25:58. > :26:03.sir. We are just issuing with a suspension notice. I have just come
:26:03. > :26:08.back from a heart attack, sunshine. We are just doing inspections.
:26:08. > :26:13.All I do is a day's work. I can't see under the car, can I?
:26:13. > :26:18.It has just gone through its MOT. Just calm down.
:26:18. > :26:21., no, I won't calm down. You should be grateful that they
:26:22. > :26:29.have spotted something... To keep you safe.
:26:29. > :26:33.It has been in the garage for the four tyres. They have given you
:26:33. > :26:38.seven days, and we are saying until you get that done, you can't work
:26:38. > :26:41.and that's all or if it gets done today, come back here.
:26:41. > :26:46.It is good to be back. It is the little things that you keep picking
:26:46. > :26:50.This driver is unhappy, claiming that cabbies are targeted unfairly.
:26:50. > :26:57.All I'm trying to do is earn a living, you know. Every five
:26:57. > :27:03.minutes we are getting a pull for this or we are in for an MOT, our
:27:03. > :27:08.compliance test is harder than an MOT. We have two MOTs a year. That
:27:08. > :27:16.should be enough. Every six months. We have got to realise this is our
:27:16. > :27:20.livelihood. We are not going to be driving around in death traps.
:27:20. > :27:24.Operations like today's could turn out to be life-saving.
:27:24. > :27:33.Is your brake fully down. You can see more on that later.
:27:33. > :27:37.Now, a couple of weeks ago, we reported on reported Virgin Media.
:27:37. > :27:40.People like mike Salter who built up to collection over the last few
:27:40. > :27:50.months. But since then, we have heard from viewers with even more
:27:50. > :27:55.reason to be angry with Virgin Super fast, free installation, half
:27:55. > :28:01.price offers, yes, Virgin Media may have nearly ten million customers,
:28:01. > :28:05.but it is working hard to recruit more. People like Eddie Gorman.
:28:05. > :28:12.Listen to the deals they are tempting him with. Some of the of
:28:12. > :28:15.the offers is the free box. They keep offering fast broadband.
:28:15. > :28:21.Faster than we are getting from our current provider.
:28:21. > :28:25.Although virgin have been sending the the offers for two years, Eddie
:28:25. > :28:30.hasn't bitten. We don't live in a cabled area. The
:28:30. > :28:34.cable cable don't run outside our house and they can't provide our
:28:34. > :28:38.house with tsm -- with it?
:28:38. > :28:45.Virgin know because he told them. Seeing as they haven't got the
:28:45. > :28:49.message, let's be clear. No matter how many you send me, I can't sign
:28:49. > :28:54.up because I am not in a cabled area.
:28:54. > :28:58.Some people are customers already. Sharon has been with them for 14
:28:58. > :29:04.years. This Is one of the pieces I
:29:04. > :29:09.collected I got that aggravated. I decided to keep this one because
:29:09. > :29:14.this is a lovely one, it is half price deal for six months.
:29:14. > :29:18.At last, a piece of junk mail that could be of some use! Sharon is
:29:18. > :29:23.preparing to take Virgin up on their deal until she took a closer
:29:23. > :29:28.look at leaflet. When you read down the small print,
:29:28. > :29:38.once you have got your glasses on, it does say for new customers only.
:29:38. > :29:40.
:29:40. > :29:43.In very, very very small print. I was getting angry because it was
:29:43. > :29:50.another piece of junk mail mail because I don't think it is
:29:50. > :29:55.relevant to me as a customer now. It is looking for new customers.
:29:55. > :29:59.So sending out ads for services and deals you can't have, not only
:29:59. > :30:09.frustrating, but a waste of time, effort and paper. Yes, paper, the
:30:09. > :30:12.
:30:12. > :30:17.thing that Virgin claims to be against.
:30:17. > :30:22.Of course, the company will send you a paper bill if you ask for one,
:30:22. > :30:27.but it will charge you �1.75 for the privilege! The problem is some
:30:27. > :30:34.customers have no option. My dad is 78. He doesn't have
:30:34. > :30:39.access to the internet. He has a basic TV package, bundle from
:30:39. > :30:43.Virgin which he took because where he lives is a very poor reception
:30:43. > :30:48.area. Approximately two years ago, he was sent a letter to say he was
:30:48. > :30:51.going to have to pay for his paper bill. In the meantime, he is
:30:51. > :30:56.getting this junk mail through the post. Sometimes he can get three
:30:56. > :30:59.our four items a week. How many people are sitting out there
:30:59. > :31:04.thinking, "All this mail is coming through the better letterbox and
:31:04. > :31:09.I'm being charged to receive my bill because I'm not on the
:31:09. > :31:12.internet?" So, Virgin, a few marketing tips we
:31:12. > :31:17.would like to deliver to you. Don't write to people offering them
:31:17. > :31:21.services they can't receive. Don't ajoy your existing customers
:31:21. > :31:26.by telling them about the better deals you give to new ones.
:31:26. > :31:36.If you are going to discourage your customers for asking for paper,
:31:36. > :31:39.don't churn out mountains of the Virgin Media told us they always
:31:39. > :31:44.take feedback on board. They say they write to potential customers
:31:44. > :31:52.with special offers, but also ensure their existing customers
:31:52. > :31:59.know they are valued by giving them other deals. They add because Avril
:31:59. > :32:02.Burns dad doesn't have internet, they won't charge charge him for
:32:02. > :32:06.receiving paper bills. Well, that's unwanted marketing, but when it
:32:06. > :32:11.comes to illegal marketing the Information Commissioner's Office
:32:11. > :32:17.has powers to penalise any company bombarding us. Last week, it served
:32:17. > :32:23.fines of of over �400,000 on the the owners of Tetrus Telecoms. It
:32:23. > :32:27.has been sending out millions of unlawful spam spam texts about PPI
:32:27. > :32:33.claims. The investigation revealed that the company was using
:32:33. > :32:36.unregistered pay-as-you-go similar cards to -- sim cards to text up to
:32:36. > :32:39.480,000 illegal messages every day. The commissioner says
:32:39. > :32:47.investigations into other companies are continuing and he is
:32:47. > :32:53.considering irk issuing penalties against three other companies.
:32:53. > :32:58.With me now is Mike Lawdon, I imagine there was a sigh of relief
:32:59. > :33:05.when they realised that action is being taken against such companies
:33:05. > :33:08.zm. Yes, there was a sigh of relief. We are leezed the commission has --
:33:08. > :33:13.pleased the commissioner has started to use those powers and we
:33:13. > :33:21.would encourage him to clamp down further on these companies.
:33:21. > :33:24.It is making a the lot of money for a company like Tetrus Telecoms?
:33:24. > :33:29.they were making something like �7,000 or �8,000 a day from doing
:33:29. > :33:34.this. It does cause a lot of people a lot
:33:34. > :33:38.of misery. People get fed-up with it? Yes, it is a a nuisance and it
:33:38. > :33:42.is illegal as we have said and as you said in your your opening
:33:42. > :33:46.statement. We would like to see the Information Commisioner doing more.
:33:46. > :33:53.What about legal texts? A lot of people get those and they have
:33:53. > :33:57.signed up to and may not have realised they signed up to them?
:33:57. > :34:00.is legitimate if people have signed up to these companies. It can be
:34:00. > :34:06.beneficial especially at this time of year. Christmas is approaching
:34:06. > :34:11.and if you signed up to a Heath company, -- High Street company and
:34:11. > :34:17.they may wish to send you offers and may may save you money. The
:34:17. > :34:26.legitimate side of the industry can be ben fishal to consumers.
:34:26. > :34:33.-- beneficial to consumers. How do you stop them? If it is a
:34:33. > :34:43.company you know, send them, "Stop." If it is not a company you
:34:43. > :34:45.
:34:45. > :34:49.don't know, don't send, "Stop." If you text 7726, that spells spam and
:34:49. > :34:54.that goes to your mobile operator and they will look into it.
:34:54. > :35:00.Thank you very much. Back to the north-west where
:35:00. > :35:05.traffic enforcement teams are carrying out a series of spot
:35:05. > :35:08.checks on taxis. Drivers must keep the cabs in good
:35:08. > :35:11.order, but as Louise Hulland reports that doesn't always happen
:35:11. > :35:15.and the passengers can be put at risk.
:35:15. > :35:18.In Liverpool, the two man team are continuing their roadside operation.
:35:18. > :35:21.As well as ensuring that members of the public are safe inside the
:35:21. > :35:28.city's cabs, they check they are being given correct information
:35:28. > :35:35.about fares. This is a tariff sheet. It should
:35:35. > :35:40.say �2.20. This one, it says �2. It will be given a defect notice to
:35:40. > :35:49.get it done within seven days. There is another problem with this
:35:49. > :35:54.cab. It shows up as 0.47 and the legal limit is 1.46.
:35:54. > :36:00.My colleague is going to disqualify him. His taxi won't be allowed to
:36:00. > :36:06.carry passengers because it is a hazard for people.
:36:06. > :36:11.By the end of this operation, Karl and Will inspected 39 cabs.
:36:11. > :36:16.It might be a case that you have got the cover at home. You have
:36:16. > :36:21.probably been towed. Is that OK? Have a nice day.
:36:21. > :36:25.They have issued four defect notices and two licence suspensions,
:36:25. > :36:30.proof that checks are essential. Everything we do is in the public
:36:30. > :36:36.interest. You know, my job is to keep the public safe and you know,
:36:36. > :36:41.making sure that the taxi drivers are adhering to the rules given to
:36:41. > :36:50.them. It annoys me to see some taxi drivers are willing to put members
:36:50. > :36:54.of the public at risk. Is your brake fully down?
:36:54. > :36:59.Ellesmere Port, licensing officers are dealing with a cab with a
:36:59. > :37:05.serious fault. Safety officers have just finished their inspection.
:37:05. > :37:10.We have carried out the checks on this vehicle and we found a serious
:37:10. > :37:13.fluid leak, brake fluid leak. So as far as those are concerned, that's
:37:14. > :37:22.a prohibition so that vehicle cannot go back on the road until
:37:22. > :37:31.such a time as the repairs are carried out. You do know, it has
:37:31. > :37:37.been suspended. Rpd enforcement action does seem to
:37:37. > :37:43.work. This driver arnings for driver arnings for the necessary
:37:43. > :37:44.retars -- arranges for the necessary repairs to be carried out
:37:44. > :37:49.immediately. Mr Bennett.
:37:49. > :37:58.I have just had a new tyre fitted on the back.
:37:58. > :38:03.Other drivers with defects have made sure to get the defects fixed.
:38:03. > :38:07.It is brand-new. It has the label on. We gave you seven days to do
:38:07. > :38:12.the rest of the stuff. You got it done quickly.
:38:12. > :38:15.? With the deeffect tyre I was off the road so I couldn't work. Time
:38:15. > :38:20.is money. The longer I am off the road, the more money I'm losing. I
:38:20. > :38:24.got it done straightaway. You know, you could have got points
:38:24. > :38:30.on your licence. We are going to issue with a formal written warning
:38:30. > :38:35.on this occasion. That will lie on file and could be considered in the
:38:35. > :38:38.future if you come to our attention again, are you acceptable of the
:38:38. > :38:46.written warning? Yes, I am acceptable.
:38:46. > :38:53.You have got seven day to say rectify the -- days to rectify the
:38:53. > :39:00.other problems? All cabbies who get sorted are allowed to drive away.
:39:00. > :39:05.Happy days. Back on the road. Sorry for kicking off.
:39:05. > :39:13.I understand. I understand. By the end of the team, the team
:39:13. > :39:18.have checked 27 cabs. They found 16 had defects and issued 10 defect
:39:18. > :39:23.notices and six suspension notices, but all were lifted as soon as the
:39:23. > :39:28.repairs were carried out. Very successful. We have found a
:39:28. > :39:31.few defects. We have had issues with insurance. It has been a good
:39:31. > :39:35.day. Yeah, we haven't kept anybody off
:39:35. > :39:40.the road at length. They have managed to go to a local garage and
:39:40. > :39:45.get the works done and come back and had the suspension lifted or
:39:45. > :39:51.the prohibition lifted, so all in all, a good day. It shows the ben
:39:51. > :39:57.fis of -- fen fits of what - benefits of what we are doing. A
:39:57. > :40:01.lot of drivers are shaking their hands happy that we have found
:40:01. > :40:04.defects that they hadn't realise. At the end of the day, it is driver
:40:04. > :40:08.safety. Joining me now is Peter and Paul.
:40:08. > :40:14.Peter, that was a big operation in Ellesmere Port. Are you happy with
:40:14. > :40:17.how the day went? Very happy. It was a smooth operation. The timings
:40:17. > :40:21.of everything went well. There was a minimum of inconvenience cause
:40:21. > :40:28.$to both -- caused to the drivers, the vehicles and the public.
:40:28. > :40:32.Paul, I understand the suspensions were resolved on one day?
:40:32. > :40:42.drivers were able to take the vehicle to a local garnage and get
:40:42. > :40:42.
:40:42. > :40:46.the defects fixed and le and represent the vehicle to get the
:40:46. > :40:50.suspension lifted. When you gave them a seven day grace period, did
:40:50. > :40:59.they come back and get the work done after seven days? They did,
:41:00. > :41:09.indeed. We issue a ke he defect -- defect notice and give them seven
:41:09. > :41:15.days. They present the vehicle at a local testing station.
:41:15. > :41:22.From a consumer's point of view, what advice can you give us when we
:41:22. > :41:26.get in a taxi to make sure it is safe? Private hire vehicles and
:41:26. > :41:29.Hackney Carriage vehicles can be hailed in the street, all those
:41:29. > :41:35.vehicles have plates on the front and on the back of the vehicle.
:41:35. > :41:40.That plate is only issued after that vehicle has under gone
:41:40. > :41:46.rigorous mechanical tests. Not only are those checks of a higher
:41:46. > :41:50.standard than a normal road going vehicle, but of a higher frequency.
:41:50. > :41:58.As well as that, to drive those vehicles, the drivers have to be
:41:58. > :42:02.badged and licence. Licensed. If the public are using one of these
:42:02. > :42:04.vehicles, check there is a plate on the vehicle and that the driver is
:42:04. > :42:08.wearing his badge. Thank you.
:42:08. > :42:12.Thank you to Louise. Lots Going on today and the team
:42:12. > :42:18.have been busy. They have, Sophie. Lots of you are
:42:19. > :42:23.reacting to our story to online. Terry Terry tweets "how are you
:42:23. > :42:33.expected to know there is something wrong with the item if you can't
:42:33. > :42:38.open it before you return it? "some examples of foreign bodies. Craig
:42:38. > :42:44.bought these cakes only to find the bits of plastic inside. That is not
:42:44. > :42:48.yum yummy. Which We heard of plastic being found in a pie and
:42:48. > :42:54.biscuit. Keep your examples coming in and we might show more tomorrow.
:42:54. > :43:04.That's all we have time for. Tomorrow, Orange and T-Mobile have
:43:04. > :43:06.
:43:06. > :43:10.become EE and launched a super fast 4 G mobile service, big big claims,
:43:11. > :43:16.but many complaints. And going to see him, him or them?