Episode 5 Watchdog

Boots Loyalty Cards. Don't believe the promises. Admiral Insurance.

Don't accept your quote. Sainsbury's petrol. Can you trust

the pumps? Plus,Swiftcover, KGB Deals and Everest. It's Watchdog.

The programme you cannot afford to Hello, good evening and welcome to

watchdog. We're live, as urinal, from Television Centre. Tonight, --

as usual, from Television Centre. Been with your insurance company

for years, watch out The price I saw on the website was �250 with my

own enshuerpbs was �250 less. Sainsbury's petrol, �20, �30, �40

worth, try putting that in your car. What don't they like about round

figures. Boots changing their reward points, better deals for the

over 60s? Dot maths. And Everest, sponsors of the Ideal Home Show

this year. These homes - far from perfect.

Tonight's rogue lives in a very impressive home. Brendan Kylie's

company cheat tenants out of cash. They take reservation fees on the

same house from different people. Here's how we caught them at it.

My understanding was that you said to me no-one else is going to be

putting �200... If they want to put their Thame on the property I have

to do that. You've paid �200. just paid. It's an embarrassing

situation. Matt, BBC Rogue Traders good. To see you.

Yeah, Marshall you've been caught telling lies, making false

guarantees. More of Scott tonight. And we're at home with his boss.

Before that, car insurance, premiums up by 17% on last year.

Not our fault, vai the insurers. Blame the claims management

companies, uninsured drivers and bogus whiplash victims. But

insurance companies can offer existing customers much better

deals. They just prefer to keep it quiet. Omar Latif reports.

-- RizLateef reports. When I got my notice through they

wanted to increase my premium by over �100. Last year my insurance

was over �1,000. This year, when Admiral sent through the renewal

they wanted �2,000. What due do after recovering from the shock?

Curse the insurer but resigned to paying up? That's what most of us

do. But we'd be wrong. In fact before agreing to renew, we should

check online. There may be cheaper deals to be had. Believe it or not,

some of those deals are available from your own provider. The same

company whose renewal quote has gone through the roof. Andrew

received his are you kneel letter from More That in February. They

wanted over �750. I went onto a comparison website, got alternative

quotes. It turned out he could get it cheaper. One company quoted just

�512 for a whole year's cover. The name of that company? More Than.

The price I saw on the website, with my own company was �250 less

than they were asking me to pay on the renewal notice, which was

amazing. I thought I'd phone to find out what's going on. They

weren't able to offer me the insurance at lower price. More That

guarantee they'll beat rival companies renewal deals. More Than

promise to beat your renewal premium. Now they're undercutting

themselves, hiking costs for existing customers but happy to

slash them if policy holders spot a better deal for new customers

online. I thought I'd phone the company to find out what's going on.

They could offer no explanation. It's just shocking. Like other

drivers who've contacted watchdog, Andrew almost paid a penalty for

being loyal to his insurer. It never contacted him about the deal

on offer to new customers. He only discover today by accident.

According to one recent report around eight million people simply

let their car insurance autorenew rather than look for a better deal.

How many of them are also being penalised? Daniel Turner had been a

loyal customer of Admiral, using them since 2010 to insure his two

cars for just over �1,000. premium, one renewal, one policy.

But when he received his renewal letter earlier this year, the

premium had rocketed to �2,000. was so shocked when I got the

letter through, I knew I could get it cheaper, so I went on a price

comparison website. Where to Daniel's amazement he found Admiral

offering the same insurance for just �961. Over �1,000 less than

his renewal quote. I wanted to know why they would charge me so much as

a loyal customer, when if I was a new customer, I could get it so

much cheaper. Admiral offered to price match the deal. But again,

offered no explanation for their price ramp. Other drivers who've

contacted watchdog aren't only shocked that they can get cheaper

deets from -- deals from their provider, they're baffled by some

of the excuses given. Take this company. Get a life, get Swiftcover.

Mark has been with Swiftcover for four years and his renewal quote

has just increased by �100. But if he goes to the company website and

signs up as a new customer, he can get a much better deal. So how do

they explain it? I don't understand Why do you give new customers a

better deal?S In not that we give them a better deal. What it is we

changed all the questions we asked f. We do a like for like quote

based on the new criteria, compared to this one and it comes out

cheaper, as long as the details are the same, we can look at writing

off the difference. It's not fair on customers that have been loyal

to us in the last year. Why didn't you send me a quote to begin with

rather than �510. We can't. We generate the renewal quote based on

the details we've got. We don't know if the details might have

chaifrpbgdz. You've contracted an automatic renewal with us.

customers get a better deal. spoke to the supervisor. She said

you could set up a new quote. none the wiser. My quote has gone

down by �20 as a new customer. As a loyal customer, my quote is still

�510. So there's a discrepancy which I don't understand. Joining

me now, from the Association of British Insurers, Nick Starling.

That is jaw dropping, isn't it? If I'm a loyal customer to my

insurance company, one of your members, my insurance is say �2,000.

But if I sign up as a new customer it's half that. Insurers want to

look after existing customers. They want to attract new customers as

well. It's not unusual, as in many businesses, to offer a discount to

a new customer. Those discounts can't go on forever. Oh, I see. So

you get a new customer by hooking them with a cheap price and then

you hike the price? No, that's not how it works at all. You attract

new business. Insurers don't want to lose good customers. They want

to retain customers and give them good service. OK, but we've just

seen examples, astonishing examples of how your loyal customers of your

insurance companies are paying sometimes double, it obviously pays

to be a new customer, not a loyal, old customers? Absolutely not. It

often pays to stay with your insurer. There may be other

benefits. The issue is not just the price, it's about the benefits you

get. The ones... Look, excuse me, we haven't got much time. The three

examples, the Benazir Bhutto fits - - benefits are exactly the same. --

eight million loyal customers are just renewing. It's a highly

competitive market. We know 75% of customers do shop around. Do what

the people on the film did, go back to their insurer. Circumstances

might change. With eknow there's pressure on motor premiums, thanks

to fraud and personal injury. you were a loyal customer, how

would you feel if you ring up and find that, as a loyal customer,

you're being charged double what a new customer's being charged. How

would you feel about that? You can discuss it - How would you feel

about it? Whether their circumstances change, there may be

issues where you've made claims and so forth. It's that engagement to

check you're getting the same sort of deal. You'd be happy would you?

I'm happy with the fact that our members offer competitive service.

Everyone should check, shouldn't they? You could shop around. Shop

around. Our members are used to working in a competitive

environment. That's what I'd encourage people to do. Thank you.

As for the company's features, More Than say they price according to

risk. While some customers see an increase others see none at all.

Like all companies they offer competitive premiums to attract new

customers. Admiral assess new and existing customers independently.

They are working on a solution. They say Daniel Turner's case was

extreme and unusual. And Swiftcover say they've changed the way they

asest new customers and are rolling that out to new ones. They're happy

to deal with customers on a case by case basis to. Comment on that, e-

mail us or text. If I want to get involved in the discussion on

Twitter: Next, soaring petrol prices, the average pump price for

unlead sd currently 142p a litre, for diesel higher, 148. That means

the cost of filling a typical family car, like a Ford Mondeo, can

reach �100. �100, that's a big, round number, which can be a

problem if you want to fill up at Sainsbury's. Watchdog fewer Jay

Marsh has been in touch. He attempts to buy �20 for this

station every week. Every time I fill up, I notice that a penny was

adding every time I replaced the noddel. It didn't matter how much I

was putting it in. When I mentioned this to the staff behind the

counter, they kind of chuckled and said, oh, everybody says that.

wasn't satisfied with that response. He took his complaint to head

office. They confirmed he wasn't seeing things. They said at the

time diesel cost 140.9p a litre. As they can't charge customers .9 of a

penny. They round it up. In this e- mail they suggested if he wished to

fill with �20, he could possibly aim for �19.99. What did he think

of that? Was he happy? Not really. Sainsbury's say this issue is

recognised across all retailers. Independent experts check their

pumps regularly to ensure they comply with the law. No customers

are overcharged. UK pumps are very sensitive, when the noesel is

returned this movement can cause more fuel to pump into the hose.

It's an inconvenience for which they apologise. Is it better if

women do it? Probably. Boots - our new loyalty scheme means a better

deal for the over 60s, they say. We say work it out. Plus Everest

claims to be the best. We'd hate to seat worst.

Did you know there's a property boom in the UK right now? Not

property to buy. But houses and flats to let. As getting a mortgage

has never been tougher, landlords and ladies have been able to raise

their rents. Lucky them. Tonight we meet a landlord who's having a

particularly good time of it. Then again, rent isn't the only thing he

A landlord/tenant relationship can be bumpy. That's not always down to

the property owner. Pity the poor landlord who had us as tenants

inure student days. The toaster's not working again.

Hey, that thing is rubbish. Look, doesn't even get your pants dry,

look. Didn't your mother teach you

anything. Come this way. The oven is for pants. See? The toaster is

for socks. Oh! Nearly there. Yes, happy if fictional days. We

never really dried our smalls in kich an pliepbss and nor should you

!. We have to say that. Here's something else to watch out, a

lettings company taking payments from potential tenants,

guaranteeing them properties only then to rent the same properties to

others. It's run by this man property tycoon Brendan Kylie. He

owns a number of companies. This is just one of them. Ladies, raise

your hands if you've given money to Bentley residential lettings with

the guarantee that you would be living in a property? And could you

keep your hands raised if you then didn't end up living in that

property. The house roxesy saw had a sign in the window, to let �200

and move in. She arranged a viewing with a man named Chris. He showed

us around the property. He said you need the �200 to take it off the

market. We got the money to the. I didn't think anything of it, until

I was on a school run, and I went walking past, I saw a friend what

looked like viewing the property. You saw a friend of yours viewing

the property? Yeah. They had already signed the papers and took

the money and when I looked round he had the brown envelope, exactly

the same way as he dealt with me. How on earth, did he explain

himself? He told me, I'd rung up the company and actually said to

somebody on the phone that I didn't want the property any more. I was

in shock, personally, because I thought, I was having this property.

I've paid �200. Did you per sue the company after that? I rang. They

put you on hold or cut of off. They would answer the phone and say

they'd ring you back. It was going round in a big circle. She never

got her money back. Neither did Helen. She paid �200 to guarantee

this property from Bentley residential lettings limited. It

was damp and needed repairs. But the work still hadn't been done

months later. Then while she was waiting she discovered the same

property being advertised again. This time by a different company,

but still owned by Brendan Kylie. Everything was identical apart from

the name which was now Best Lettings for You. I made an

appointment under a different name. I hid in the car. The place was the

same. He gave the same speech, oh, if you can see past the damp, then

I walked through the door. There was panic on his face. He started

sweating and seething. Then he rang back to the head office. The girl

there said that I'd not been in contact at all with them, so

therefore they thought I wasn't interested in the house, which was

a complete lie. Now meet Donna, the property she viewed was also in a

bad state, yet again in return for a 2300 payment, Bentley residential

lettings promised to take it off the market and dot necessary

repairs within four weeks. A couple of days before I were due to move

in, still no work had been done, promise today would be fine to move

in. Came to my moving date, still no work had been done. Walls wet

through, damp in kitchen cup boards, mould growing everywhere, plants

growing out of the floor boards. I wouldn't put a dog in a house like

this. I wanted my money back basically. Donna tried to contact

the wp, but Chris, the man who'd taken her money, wouldn't take her

calls. In the end I sent a text saying "Be a man. I'm stood here.

I'm now practically homeless. Be a man and answer your phone. Talk to

me. What am I supposed to do?" I stood there with a ten-year-old

boy... You've all got families and it's important to make sure that

they're in the right place and safe and happy. Would you like me to go

and find this company and find out what they're up to? Yes. Yes.

Definitely. That's harsh. And not even clever. No, they're just

taking their money and leaving them out in the coal. Time for a

reckoning maybe. We need a house with tiny little cameras on it.

on this occasion, because... They've got lots of houses. Exactly.

All we need to do is pose as would- be tenants and see what happens.

You and me? No, not you and I. We have leathers and we are obvious.

Give the game away. It would be weird. For once, we're not inviting

the traders to our house. Our undercover stooges are going to

theirs. Strap on the hidden cameras. The viewings are about to begin.

Well, in about ten minutes, you see that's when we're going to send in

those three potential renters, one after other. Will the company take

payments off each of them and promise them all the same property?

If they do, it will be fraud. Then again, it will also be great TV.

Don't miss it. Next, Boots, the hugely popular

advantage card. More than 60 million people have joined the

scheme since the launch. Now they're changing the way it

calculates points for certain customers. A -- better deals it

says, more treats than ever, an upgrade. Really?

Four points or every �1 spend on boots own branded goods plus a

range of other benefits and over the last couple of benefits, Boots

have been writing to members of the over 60s health club telling them

things are about to get better. Ann received one of the letters.

began very well. It said, "We are changing health club because we

think age should have its advantages. Get more treats than

ever. Ten points per pound. That sounded really good. Then she read

on. They may be incooess advantage points to spend in store, but

they're planning to remove the 10% discount on Boots own branded

products which she currently enjoys. According to her that's a bad deal.

I don't know quite why they've done that. Perhaps they think us over

60s can't count? Now the Boots literature makes it clear this is

an upgrade, but do their customers service staff agree? Watchdog put

in three calls and were told twice that the new deal may actually be

worse. Over the weekend my mum got a letter, she's got one of those

advantage card health club things. How many points will she get when

Get that? I'm particularly annoyed that it's been presented to me as

an improvement, when it clearly isn't. You don't have to be a maths

genius to work that one out. That might be true. But this is

watchdog and we have a maths genius. That wouldn't you -- be you, would

it? No. This is where we keep the real one.

Somebody spends �100 on Boots own brand goods under the old scheme

they get 10% cash discount, so they only spend �90, each pound is worth

four points and each point is worth a penny. That's �3.60. And so all

together, the goods cost �86.40. Under the new scheme, instead of

the discount you get ten points for each pound spend, so that's worth

�10 and therefore the deal will cost you �90. Under the new scheme

you spend �90. Under the old �86.40. Not much of an upgrade.

Now for the next bit. Boots says it made the changes

after listening to over 60s customers to better understand the

way they like to shop. The new deal is designed to have broader appeal.

Boots believe it reflects customers' needs better. It's sorry

that some people have concerns and it advises anyone with questions to

contact the customer care team. So they're sticking with it,

despite what we've seen? Yes. Everest, one of the biggest names

in home improvements, windows, doors, kitchens, roofs. And for a

total transformation, look at these bifolding doors. Pretty cool, hey?

Be honest, you didn't expect Everest to be doing that today, did

you? No, we didn't. We weren't expecting this either.

One company, lots of promises. Everest guarantees the best

materials, top quality workmanship along with exacting standards and

exceptional customer service. And apparently it delivers a perfect

fit every time. What, like this? Meet Jean, who lives in a non-

drought area. She ordered her conservatory in December 2008. It

cost nearly �33,000. But almost as soon that's was

installed, the roof started leaking. When it rains you can't use this

room. We have to position buckets everywhere. It's ruined the floor.

It's going to have to be repolished. It's ruined my funnure, the carpet,

everything. According to Jean, Everest has since been out

repeatedly. After all that, the roof still leaks. The work mn did

replace one of the windows three months after it was fitted. Mind

you, they didn't have much choice. I just went to open it and got to

about there and the whole thing just completely fell out. The

weight of it, I had a hold of the angle, I tried to stop it. It

almost took me with it. It has been one long nightmare. Now I'm no

expert, but leaking roofs and windows that fall out doesn't sound

like the exacting standards that Everest promises. So, how about a

property expert? A man who does know about exacting standards,

chartered surveyor Barry Cross has more than 40 years in the game. He

knows a good job when he sees it and gets very annoyed about the bad

ones. Isn't that right Barry? He does speak, by the way, in fact

show him a poor job and he'll go on for hours. There's two principal

things wrong. First, the roof and walls are moving. Because these

bars have not been tightened up properly. Where it's leaking, strip

out all the trim, if necessary, take the glass off. Find where it's

leaking, put that right and then put the glass back and put

everything back to normal. Sadly, Everest has done known of this,

leaving Jean to deal with the mess. We chose Everest because we thought

we were getting the best. We had seen the adverts that they have on

the television. We believed what they were saying, but that

certainly has not been our experience. Everest are on a

mission to transform Britain's homes... Home transformations, now

there's a laudible aim. Then again, change isn't always for the better.

Guaranteed for a lifetime. Ask David, he agreed to pay Everest

for improvements to his house in 2010. I say improvements, but now

he can't even open his front door properly. If only someone could

give him an explanation. Let me take a look. This door doesn't open

fully. The reason for that is that they didn't factor in the dado rail.

That's Everest's total responsibility. According to David,

so is this: After complaining about the doors and windows Everest had

already installed, Everest agreed to carry out remedial work. But

when the problems persisted, he lost confidence in their ability to

complete the final part of the job and he felt he had no choice but to

leave the rest of his house like this. Their workmanship was

absolutely awful, yet it was passed by their surveyor. They came back.

They redid the work, but it was still awful and not as we ordered

at all. So what exactly are the problems? We asked Barry to carry

out a full inspection. The verdict? So far, we've found... Wonky

windows. Cracked tiles. Split rubbers. Wonky bars. Mysterious

powder. Drill holes. Messy fillers. Mismatched handles. The workmanship

is sloppy. There's no attention to the finishes. There are still

significant defects here. Ziet the unhappy customers Everest is busy

looking for new ones as well as running TV ads, it's sponsored this

year's Ideal Home Show. Familiar promises, but to some they sound

Holly. Phil Bailey signed up for �23,500 of new windows and doors.

They finished late, the surrounds were in the wrong colour. Worst of

all, the windows up upstairs were deemed unsafe, not the best news

when you have two small children. The windows in the rear bedroom

needed restrictors on them, when we reported it, it was as if it was

another moan. This window doesn't complien with the most basic safety

requirements. The window opens fully. This is so dangerous for

children particularly who can open the window and fall straight out.

Did you know that Everest can help make your home more energy

efficient. So, poor workmanship, leaky roofs and unsafe fittings.

From the company that prides itself on being the best. Be honest, you

didn't expect Everest to be doing that today, did you? Now Everest

say they're committed to providing the best customer service and offer

to attend and rectify any issues. They've accepted there were some

grounds of complaint in the cases we've featured and have prepared to

resolve them. They've apologised to the customers and offered

significant gestures of goodwill. The company has now fitted

restrictors to Phil Bailey's bedroom window. KGB, their agents

say they're hunting the best deals. They need to look harder.

Back to landlord Brendan Kylie now. His lettings companies have been

guaranteeing houses and flats to would-be tenants in return for a

fee, but then advertising those properties again to take more money

from others. One of Kylie's companies has a house to rent in

Preston. If you want to secure it, all you have to do is put down �200.

What will happen when we send in three customers, one after other?

Let's find out. This is the house, and this is Gemma, the first member

of our undercover team. She's met by two agents from Best Lettings

for you. One does the talking, but the other, Scott is there

throughout so he knows exactly Hmmm... 2300, that sounds familiar..

�200, this sounds familiar. It seems clear enough. But just to

check, Gemma asks what happens next. I know you mentioned that there's a

few other people today. If anyone else, obviously, was keen and they

do this process as well? We don't go into a race. If you want the

property and everything is in order, then you've put your money down.

Actually, she asks twice. But if someone else liked it, can they dot

same thing? No, what we'd have to do now, if somebody comes to view

and does want it, we would advise them that we've got somebody, going

through the process. And if everything goes through for you,

then the property won't be available for them. As far as I'm

concerned, that's definite, but then I'm no lawyer, which is why

we've brought one in to watch the footage. That's the lawyer. That's

quite clear. She's being told unambiguously, if anybody shows

interest, they will be told that this lady has put her money down.

Excellent, thank you Mr Lawyer. That means Gemma can hand over her

�200, secure in the knowledge that the property is hers. All she has

to do is get her paper work to them in time. 30 minutes later, Daniel

our second tenant arrives. Presumably they'll tell him the

property is now off the market. Except Scott, who was there when

they guaranteed the property to Gemma, remember, has other ideas.

There is other vuegz on the property as well. If you want to

put your name down on the property and you want to pay �200, I'm not

putting anybody else's name down on that. That's extraordinary, to be

honest with you, that's what he contradicts to the other person as

well. Chill out Danny, because Scott says no fewer than six times

that he won't put anyone else's name down on the property. A

reassured Daniel reaches into his pocket for �200. To recap, he's

taken money from two people on the understanding that the property is

theirs. I mean, unless he's stitching them both together in a

flat share or organising some kind of couples dating agency... Do you

think he's going for the hat-trick? You mean a menage a tres? Just 30

minutes later, our third tenant Jim arrives. Once again his -- here's

Scott, firm hand shake, look him That is a definite lie there. In

terms of a fraud that is a fraudulent misrepresentation. He's

telling him something that's untrue Rest easy. And we forked out �600

for the privilege. Rest easy... Like a bed of nails. Yeah. Any way,

third time's a charm. Three's company. Doesn't really apply. We

need clarification. Are we dealing with one rogue letting agent here

or is it company policy to guarantee a property to more than

one person so they can pocket multiple payments? A few days later

our third potential eenter -- rent errer Jim goes to the offices with

a question. I was wondering if anyone else was interested in the

property. I heard rumours through a friend of a friend that new people

that had viewed it had also put an application fee, I think you call

it down, down. I was under the impression that the fee security it.

For seven days until you get your documentation into us. We won't

take that �200 off anybody else, especially within the seven days of

you paying your �200. Well otherwise it would be theft. Out of

her mouth. Actually technically it's more fraud. She's basically

say figure they did that, it would be theft or fraud. So no-one else

has put money down at all? No, no more profits. I'm the negotiator.

And Scott works under myself. says Scott works under her. Either

she's not supervising staff properly or she is supervising

properly and she knows what's going on. Jim seeks more reassurance that

the property is his. This time from the manager. I've been and checked

now, there's nobody else put anything on this property. As far

as we can see it's all yours. We're just waiting for your paper work.

What do you make of that Mr Lawyer? Well that's staggering. There's no

shades of grey there. It's black and white. They're caught in an

outright lie not once or twice, but three or four times. Legally,

there's a host of things wrong with that. Take me through them.

emsoolz as if the consumer protection Fairtradeing regulations

from 2008 applies. That's one of my favourite pieces of legislation. I

carry a copy. Here's mine. What they can't do is anything

misleading with an effect that causes a consumer to do something

they wouldn't otherwise have done. Here they're paying out �200, which

they wouldn't have done if they knew the truth. Second thing, more

damning s, properlyly outright fraud. There's a few offences, one

of them is a fraud by representation. Flashy legal terms

which means if you dishonestly say anything that's untrue with an

intent to make a gain, that's illegal. It's just what's been

happening repeatedly. It's helped bring the man in charge of it all a

very imprisive lifestyle. Brendan Kylie, we're looking at you. Yes,

the big boss is in our sights. So is one of his letting agents, Scott

Marshall. We know he fraudulently takes money from would-be tenants.

What happens when one of those tenants comes back and catches him

at it, closely followed by me? Keep watching, it's going to get tasty.

Next, KGB and LivingSocial, both big names in the current daily

deals craze. Register with unof their websites and you'll receive

regular e-mails offering discounts on goods and services in your area.

Sounds great, but is it? The ads are everywhere, more and

more of us are being tempted by them. According to a new survey,

68% of us have tried one of the growing numbers of daily deal sites.

But it isn't all good news for companies like these. After we have

used them, over a third of us don't try to buy from the same product

supplier again. Which seems to suggest that some customers aren't

happy, the same sort of customers would contacted us.

Yeah let's start with one of the best known names in this field.

We're three women on a budget and on a mission. Checking out stuff

you love to do, in search of what we call deal appeal. We are the KGB

deal makers. Are those deals as impressive as the ads? Wayne used

KGB when planning a weekend stay in Edinburgh. With it being my

partner's birthday, I wanted something really nice. The

apartments looked fantastic. The deal they was giving was a massive

discount. I thought great, just what I wanted. I booked it.

Suites confirmed his booking. 16 days later, they e. Mailed him

again saying he couldn't stay on the days he wanted due to a

technical error. Worse, they couldn't get him any money back.

The apartments don't receive my money until I've staid. So they

can't give me a refund. KGB have my money. The good news is that KGB

have a refund policy. The bad news is that anyone wanting to claim

must do so within ten days. So as B Suites took 16 days to tell Wayne

his booking was cancelled, did that mean he had missed the deadline? He

doesn't know. KGB said they'd look into it, three months later he's

still waiting.. It's the first time I've used KGB and it will be the

last. So are they more helpful when a product you've ordered arrives

damaged. This family were delighted when they found a new bed offered

at 2329. I opened the head board first and it was all mould. I took

the plastic off and I could smell it. I went on, opened it and it was

all mould. Now KGB will refund customers if they return faulty or

unwanted goods to the supplier within ten days. But hard as they

tried to return their faulty bed to the supplier, they simply couldn't.

None of the phone numbers were working. One was going on answering

machine. Then I e-mailed them two times and got the automated reply,

nobody has replied me back. I don't know what to do. How do you contact

them? Phone numbers and e-mails don't work. The result? The couple

still have a mouldy bed. They've had precious little help from KGB.

I expected some support from KGB, all I got was that we are

forwarding your details to the supplier and they'll be in touch

with you. That's. It Nothing else. Now when you're using a group

buying website like KGB, you might think the contract for the deal

you're buying is with them, but it's not. It's with whoever is

supplying the product or service. Those group buying websites do have

certain responsibilities. Like insuring that the supplier they use

can actually come up with the goods and services in a time frame

suggested. LivingSocial, the daily deal website specialising in

lifestyle experiences seems to take its responsibilities seriously. In

fact it makes this pledge "If a supplier fails to on Ayr voucher

before the expiration date, LivingSocial with refund customers

with credit for future deals." If only they stuck by it. Dance music

fan Reece George is determined on becoming a DJ. When his mum say

LivingSocial advertising a five- hour DJ class at the Ministry of

Sound nightclub, it seemed the ideal Christmas gift. I was really

excited to go on the DJ course. It's run by such a big name, I

recognised in the industry. It's run by professionals. I phoned

Ministry of Sound to book my course, which was in November. I was told

it was fully booked. He was advised to call back nearer the time of the

next course in February. When he did so, Ministry of Sound took his

details but failed to get back to him with confirmation. Complaints

to LivingSocial didn't do any good either. The February course came

and went and the Christmas gift had become useless. The voucher had

expired and I couldn't redeem it. I'm really disappointed, the fact

that I couldn't atepbld the course. My mum spent a lot of money for it.

The fact they're holding onto the money, it don't seem right.

experience and no refund, despite that promise on LivingSocial's

website. A promise that's let other customers down too. Elizabeth

Ludlow bought a voucher for a thrill seekers speed boat ride last

December as a present for her son, due to emigrate. As the voucher

state today was valid through until June 11th, 2012, she assume today

could be redeemed straight away. gave the voucher to my son, which

was a little surprise for Christmas. Because they're going to New

Zealand the following year, they could have a surprise in January or

February. Instead he got a nasty surprise. When he went to book his

ride, he was told they didn't even start until March, by which time he

would have left the country. Could Elizabeth get her money back?

waited three months for them to resolve this issue. My son has now

emigrated. I still haven't had a refund. Why? The speed boat company

involved say they provided the correct dates. LivingSocial has now

apologised to both Elizabeth and Reece George and given them full

refunds. It says customer service is at the heart of its business and

it's extremely disappointed to hear of cases where it's failed to live

up to its standards. Ministry of Sound has invited Reese it a forth

coming DJ Academy course free of charge. KGB Deals say they've

fulfilled 97% of all customer purchases in the last two years.

They provide customer protection in line with consumer law and stand by

their no-quibble guarantee. The furniture company have now supplies

a new bed and B Suites have offered Wayne Tribe a complimentary stay at

any branch. KGB say all are satisfied with how the problems

have been resolved. Thanks to everyone who's been in

touch about that story. Here's a few more.

It's a Big Weekend for football fans. And an expensive one if you

follow Tottenham. Spurs are due to meet London rivals Chelsea at an FA

Cup semi-final at Wembley. The club has angered some fans because of a

number of extra charges when they order tickets online. Match

admission ranges between 330-�60. - - �30-�60. But there's a ticket

delivery fee and a booking fee per fan. So someone ordering four

tickets will end up paying another �15.50 on top of the headline price.

Spurs say an outside agency sells its tickets and the club blame

increased Royal Mail charges for the higher fee. Chelsea meanwhile

are charging �5.26 for delivery but have waived their usual booking fee

all together for the tie. I thought Roman needed the extra

dosh. Flying short haul this summer? The

way to Passport Control could be longer than the flight. The

Immigration Service Union warns delays for returning passengers

could stretch up to four hours during the height of the holiday

season. It blames fixed staff rosters and Home Office plans to

cut the workforce. This comes as new scanning machine and mandatory

checks are implemented. They say they're ready to deal with extra

passengers and extra staff will be on duty to cope during the Olympics.

Though once the Games are over, that wait could be a marathon.

Tian Tian and Yang Guang those giant Pandas which were a present

from China to Scotland, heart worming, except we now find

Edinburgh Zoo is paying �6 million for the right to keep the Pandas

for the next decade. An ad for saying they were a free gift has

been banned. It's prompted complaints from animal charities

saying visitors might object paying to a ticket if they knew a slice of

it was going to the Chinese Government. Stosh ministers say it

doesn't, it goes to help -- Scottish ministers say it doesn't.

It goes to conservation projects. The zoo says that despite showing

interest in each other, they have failed to mate. Though if they do,

it will be more expensive presumably.

The story so far. Brendan Kylie runs letting companies in the North

West. Companies who guarantee potential tenants this a company --

property is theirs in return for a �200 fee. But then collect similar

payments from others. Fraud in other words.

Now telling lies is bad, being caught telling them is excruciating.

So settle down because you're about to see one of Kylie's men squirm.

Sibt one, a new house to rent in Burnley. Exhibit two, lettings

agent Scott Marshall. Exhibit three, our undercover researcher Lisa, who

claims to be interested in said property. And exhibit four, a van

parked round the corner, with me listening in.

OK we're off. And it's familiar words from Scott. If you want to

put your name down on the property, it's �200 administration fee.

I've given you the 200 quid is that mine then? Your name's down on the

property. Vi no other viewings on this at all. It sounds like what

he's saying, once again, once the �200 is paid, it's ours. Yet it

sounds like it, but there's no harm in checking one more time.

Presumably if anyone else asks you then about this property you just

say that it's... I have to do the viewings but I will tell them that

somebody else has their name on the property and I have to tell them

that any way. If you want to sign at the bottom there. So Lisa signs

up to the property and hands over the money. We've handed over �200

as an administration fee. But with the promise that really if we do

that no-one else will be handing over the �2 00. We sent in someone

else to see if that's the truth or is Scott making it up on the spot?

We'll e -- we'll soon know. 20 minutes later, our second

prospective tenant Steve arrives. And gets almost exactly the same

spiel. How it works is to put your name down on the property it's a

2300 administration fee. Once we pay -- �200 administration fee.

Once we pay, it's our. It goes down as a reservation on our system any

way. So it'll be �200 today, which is the administration fee. We know

Scott's been doing this again and again. But how will he react if

he's caught red handed. We're about to find out because Lisa's back

pretending she's left something behind. I've lost my purse. Hi,

sorry, are you still here. Oh! Sorry. Come out here. Or erm...

this is awkward. Unsurprisingly, Scott seems desperate to keep the

two would-be tenants apart. Sorry I've lost my purse. Is it not here?

Let me have a chat with you a minute. Is he? I'm confused. Are

you taking this property? Well, yeah. Just sorting it out. He's

putting a reservation down on it, though you have as well. At the end

of the day, you have to get documents in within seven days.

understanding was that you said to me that no-one else is going to be

putting �200... Your name's on the property, if they still want to put

their name on the property I have to do that. You've paid �200.

just paid. It's an embarrassing situation Scott. How do you do,

Matt Allwright BBC Rogue Traders. That's a piece of paper you might

want to see. When you have two people paying �200 as an

administration fee... I don't want to speak to you. Who have paid as

an administration fee and they think. Bye now, They think that

guarantees them the property. What happens is you ruin people's lives

Scott by making them think they've got somewhere to think, when they

haven't got somewhere to live at all. You can have �200 a time off

them because you're taking multiple deposits, you call them

administration fees off them on the promise of getting somewhere to

live. Do you want the �200. We'll take that right now. �you took �600

in total from us. Thank you very much.

That's Scott of Best Lettings For You not getting away quite Scot

free I would say. This can't all be laid at the door of a single agent.

Scott's working for the boss, Brendan Kylie, who lives behind

this fancy set of gates. Yeah, it's all his. When we contacted him

about our findings, he invited us round.

Nice to meet you. Matt Allwright from BBC Rogue Traders. OK then, if

it's a chat he wants, what we've seen is your letting agent taking

money from people on a guarantee that property would then be there.

I refute that, the word guarantee. We do not say... A promise.

It's an application fee that these proposed tenants and that's what

they are, when they inquire about our properties, they are filling in

an application fee. We've heard from your would-be tenants, who've

paid that money over and found out that there is no property for them

and the money is gone. Now Brendan, if you don't know that's what's

happening in your own company... we have took three application fees

on one property, yes, that application fee goes through a

system. If fact what happens is the same promise is given to more than

one person. I'm sorry... That's misrepresentation. That could be

classed as fraud. That's what your agents are doing. Take a quick tour

and it's clear Brendan's done very well from his businesses. I don't

get this big house from lettings, I can assure you. OK, but it's

nothing like some of the ones you rent out, is it? We've had one

woman on the night before she was supposed to move into your property

was still faced with damp. Would you move in there? If I had nowhere

else to go. Why would you have nowhere else? Because somebody had

assured me that a property would be ready and I had paid money to that

effect in advance. If someone is that desperate, they move into a

damp property, I'm sorry, their standards are not that great.

to do with their standards. They would love to live somewhere like

this. Well... They would love to sit on this sofyafplts They have to

work a bit harder. I almost thought you said they'll have to work a bit

harder? I've not inherited this. I've got this from hard work.

Rolling my sleeves up and getting stuck in. What we have seen of your

business is that it's based on lies, deceit, misrepresentation, what

could be classed fraud, and it's pulling the wool over the eyes of

people who are desperate for somewhere to live. Anyone who is

due a refund and they feel they've been untoward by Brendan Kylie or

Home Trader group or any company associated with them, feel free to

come to 71 to 73 Long Street Middleton and ask for a refund, if

you feel you require that. If your property is what you could -- you

consider a bad state of repair, write in or telephone and within

seven days that property will be put back in good condition. Thank

you very much Brendan. Thank you. Brendan Kylie since accused us of

being biased and unfair. He denies fraud, but now the good news. He

says the company's learned valuable lessons and whilst some employees

made mistakes due to lack of training, any of those identified

as working outside company policies have been removed, even better, the

�200 fees which he claimed were to cover processing costs have been

scrapped to prevent further cases of abuse. He's promised to refund

us another �400 and says he's paid back monies taken in error from

others. He had interesting pictures hanging on his wall. But I prefer

this one: Brendan Kylie and Scott Marshall, the latest faces on our

rogue's gallery. So many of you getting in touch

about car insurance quotes and how to get a cheaper deal if you pose

as a new customer. Paul says his renewal quote was �1300, so he

cancelled and went back as a new customer and quoted �550 even with

the same details. Who's spending an extra penny, lots of you. Not happy

about the petrol pumps. Names being mentioned not just Sainsbury's. If

you have suffered at the hands of Brendan Kylie's companies we want

to hear from you. Please get in touch. Tell us what's happened.

Keep sending us your stories and tippoffs. Go to the website

bbc.co.uk/watchdog and click where it says "your stories" or write to

us: British Gas -Trying to charge thousands for work that doesn't

need doing. Faulty Breast implants. The women fighting for pay-outs.

Could there be hope for some after all? And when can a judge's ruling