:00:11. > :00:19.British Gas, Npower, prices going British Gas, Npower, prices going
:00:19. > :00:24.up. Barclays, money going missing. Amazon Kindles, going, going, gone.
:00:24. > :00:34.Plus T-Mobile, Santander Christian Dior. It's Watchdog, the
:00:34. > :00:45.
:00:45. > :00:49.Yes, hello and good evening and Yes, hello and good evening and
:00:49. > :00:54.welcome to Watchdog. We are live as usual from Television Centre.
:00:54. > :00:57.Tonight: British Gas, Npower, Scottish Power, all increasing your
:00:57. > :01:01.electricity bills, so how come another provider has just cut them?
:01:01. > :01:05.I do feel for the families the water who are having these
:01:05. > :01:09.increases. I certainly wouldn't to be in their position. Also,
:01:09. > :01:12.Barclays still using cheques, still losing customers' money. Have they
:01:12. > :01:17.never heard of computers? Plus T-Mobile making you pay for calls
:01:17. > :01:23.including those you've never made. And the Kindle, the e-reader
:01:23. > :01:26.freezes and can't be repaired. Our car was easy to fix, it could have
:01:26. > :01:32.been done very easily and cheaply except we gave
:01:32. > :01:37.Mike Sawyer, a man who took 27 minutes just to locate a socket.
:01:37. > :01:43.Can't find the plug. Under the steering column. Beats the hell out
:01:43. > :01:52.of me. Yes, interesting guy, Mike. As well as his approach to work,
:01:52. > :01:55.there's his achingly PC opinions about the opposite sex. God invented
:01:55. > :01:59.females for decoration, procreation and housekeeping. Brains and
:01:59. > :02:04.remembering things don't come into it. Ladies, control yourselves. You
:02:04. > :02:09.will be seeing and hearing a lot more of him later. First though,
:02:09. > :02:15.electricity prices. British Gas, Scottish Power, SSE and Npower have
:02:15. > :02:20.all just announced big rises, taking the average annual household bill to
:02:20. > :02:24.�580. The companies blame a sharp rise in wholesale energy costs, but
:02:24. > :02:31.if that's the case why can providers in one part of the UK afford to
:02:31. > :02:38.This is a tale of two cities, This is a tale of two cities,
:02:39. > :02:43.Belfast and Cardiff. Both struggling to emerge from the UK's worst
:02:43. > :02:47.recession in 50 years. It's also tale of two families. Both
:02:47. > :02:52.struggling to make ends meet, but where only one can see a happy
:02:52. > :02:57.ending. That's because the price those families pay for one of life's
:02:57. > :03:01.essentials is moving in entirely opposite directions. In Cardiff,
:03:01. > :03:06.like the rest of mainland Britain, electricity is more expensive than
:03:06. > :03:12.ever before and it's set to go up again. In Belfast, bills are coming
:03:12. > :03:19.down. Recently, prices have dropped by as much as 14%.
:03:19. > :03:28.Northern Ireland's biggest energy company, Power NI slashed its
:03:28. > :03:34.prices, taking the average household bill from �588 a year to 505. Its
:03:34. > :03:38.two local rivals followed suit. A very welcome surprise for the
:03:38. > :03:42.McWilliams family. Not very do you get such good news. We were
:03:42. > :03:46.delighted. The electricity will make a big difference to our
:03:46. > :03:50.lives. We are quite high electricity users, and we certainly do look at
:03:50. > :03:58.the amount of electricity that we do use on a daily basis and ration it
:03:58. > :04:03.where we can. Carly's monthly bills previously topped �100. After Power
:04:03. > :04:09.NI's cut this will drop to around 86. This will make a big difference
:04:09. > :04:12.to our weekly and monthly budgets. Certainly putting food on the table,
:04:12. > :04:16.my weekly shop at the local retailer is increasing all the time and
:04:16. > :04:20.certainly I do welcome this reduction. Contrast Carly's story
:04:20. > :04:25.with that of Jackie Robinson, a mother of four from Cardiff.
:04:25. > :04:31.time last year, Jackie was playing �25 a week on electricity. Last
:04:31. > :04:37.winter's increase took it to �30. That's more than �120 a month, and
:04:37. > :04:45.thanks to SSE's latest 9% rise it's going up even more. It was a shock.
:04:45. > :04:50.It was a shock. Especially the jump that they announced. It's a
:04:50. > :04:57.worry. Cutting back on food, clothing for the children, so this
:04:57. > :05:03.now is - it's the last straw, to be honest. Jackie is not alone. A
:05:03. > :05:07.recent report by price comparison website uSwitch claimed that 9 out
:05:07. > :05:11.of 10 households in mainland Britain will have to ration energy usage
:05:11. > :05:18.this winter because of the rising costs. I think they are greedy,
:05:18. > :05:22.very greedy, not really thinking about their customers, and how much
:05:22. > :05:28.trouble these people are going to get into. Because everything has
:05:28. > :05:34.gone up and basically all at once . It's actually crippled me and got
:05:34. > :05:39.in trouble with my bank. So why prices falling in
:05:39. > :05:43.and rising in every other the UK? The market in the British
:05:43. > :05:48.mainland is 25 times bigger. That means people have more suppliers to
:05:48. > :05:52.choose from than the three available across the Irish Sea. In theory
:05:52. > :05:56.increased competition should be driving prices down. So what's
:05:56. > :06:02.wrong? There's not as much competition on price as there
:06:02. > :06:06.to be. With each of the companies offering broadly similar tariffs,
:06:06. > :06:09.charges, that's quite a difference from the situation that we saw over
:06:09. > :06:12.a decade ago when there was greater competition on price, largely
:06:12. > :06:17.result of the fact that there more suppliers. What we have seen
:06:17. > :06:21.over the last ten years situation whereby there have been
:06:21. > :06:23.mergers, takeovers and general consolidation in the industry such
:06:23. > :06:28.that we have resulted in situation we have now, which is the
:06:28. > :06:32.big six. And, as a result, the big six suppliers effectively control
:06:32. > :06:35.the market, seemingly raising prices whenever they see fit. But in
:06:35. > :06:39.Northern Ireland this simply wouldn't be allowed to happen
:06:39. > :06:45.because it has its own regulator and the companies who supply electricity
:06:45. > :06:49.are subject to much regulation. We regulate prices at
:06:49. > :06:54.all parts of the cost chain, wholesale, transportation and
:06:54. > :06:58.retail. We have total transparency so we fully understand why our
:06:58. > :07:03.prices are what they are. GB prices, because it's a competitive
:07:03. > :07:07.and there isn't the same extent of regulation , it's more difficult to
:07:07. > :07:10.tell what is causing the price movements. Leaving things to the
:07:10. > :07:15.market alone probably doesn't adequately protect consumers. There
:07:15. > :07:18.is a need for regulation as well as promoting competition. In
:07:18. > :07:25.Ireland the amount of profit electricity companies can make is
:07:25. > :07:32.capped at 1.7%. In the rest of the UK, where no such cap exists, that
:07:32. > :07:37.profit margin can be as high as 10%. One of the ways that the regulator
:07:37. > :07:40.could look to address the issue of tariffs is to regulate directly
:07:40. > :07:43.the same way as happens in Northern Ireland. However, that would be a
:07:43. > :07:47.sizable shift from the way in which the market has operated and the
:07:47. > :07:52.regulator has behaved over few years. Lower wholesale prices
:07:52. > :07:56.of coal and gas earlier this year led to the recent drop in Northern
:07:56. > :08:01.Irish bills but despite using the same raw materials, British mainland
:08:01. > :08:04.companies are pushing prices in the opposite direction at rates far
:08:04. > :08:09.outstripping inflation, and these rises seem to have prodded
:08:09. > :08:12.government into action. I can announce, which I am sure he will
:08:12. > :08:17.welcome, is that we will be legislating so that energy companies
:08:17. > :08:21.have to give the lowest tariff their customers. Two days later the
:08:21. > :08:25.British regulator Ofgem announced they would make the market simpler,
:08:25. > :08:30.clearer and fairer, and would force companies to tell customers what
:08:30. > :08:35.their cheapest tariffs are, but is this enough? Introducing proposals
:08:35. > :08:39.like those put forward by Ofgem is a world away from ordering the energy
:08:40. > :08:43.companies that they must charge a certain amount for energy, so from
:08:43. > :08:47.that standpoint there won't necessarily be a direct impact on
:08:47. > :08:52.customers' bills. For the moment, giving the British regulator the
:08:52. > :08:56.power to set the prices energy companies can charge remains firmly
:08:56. > :09:02.off the government's agenda, leaving customers in Northern Ireland with
:09:02. > :09:10.lower bills; and those in the of the UK with nothing but worry. I
:09:10. > :09:13.do feel for the families across the families with young children, you
:09:13. > :09:21.know, just like myself. I certainly wouldn't want to be in their
:09:21. > :09:27.position. I increase it somewhere else.
:09:27. > :09:31.it's cruel. Sian Williams reporting there. SSE told us that they've
:09:31. > :09:35.reviewed the account of Jackie Robinson who you saw in our film and
:09:35. > :09:39.can confirm she doesn't need to increase her payments and may
:09:39. > :09:42.be able to reduce them. They've written to her with details of their
:09:42. > :09:49.cheapest tariff and suggested she apply for this
:09:49. > :09:55.Discount Scheme which may lead to an annual saving of �130.
:09:55. > :10:01.annual saving of � �130. Thank you, and with me now a representative
:10:01. > :10:05.from Ofgem. People will be astonish bid that film because where Ofgem is
:10:05. > :10:08.in charge prices go up, and of the UK where you are not in
:10:08. > :10:10.charge, prices go down. We need to acknowledge, we recognise that
:10:10. > :10:13.people are struggling with bills and there are things that
:10:13. > :10:17.people can do and we urge them to do, for example shopping around
:10:17. > :10:20.the best deal, but we know that that's more difficult than it
:10:20. > :10:26.otherwise be, hence our plans to reform the market, to make it
:10:26. > :10:31.simpler, clearer and fairer consumers. Yes, but what is obvious
:10:31. > :10:38.from the film is that the utility regulator in Northern Ireland can
:10:38. > :10:42.actually have a say in capping profits to 1.7%. You don't have that
:10:42. > :10:46.power on prices, do you? Well, should say that in the last four
:10:46. > :10:51.years actually Northern Ireland consumers have been paying on
:10:51. > :10:54.average 10% more for their electricity than those on mainland
:10:54. > :10:58.Britain. The price changes we see have brought them more into
:10:58. > :11:02.alignment but you are right, we don't regulate profits and prices.
:11:02. > :11:06.So are you a bit of a chocolate teapot then really? Absolutely
:11:06. > :11:09.I mean, we don't regulate prices; are there to make sure the market is
:11:09. > :11:14.working for consumers, so that can find the best deals, and
:11:14. > :11:19.actually we already know that there are better deals out there than
:11:19. > :11:23.Northern Ireland consumers pay. it's not working for consumers, is
:11:23. > :11:28.it? You were here a year ago, remind you what you said a year ago?
:11:28. > :11:33.By all means. OK, you said: we about to undertake the most radical
:11:33. > :11:37.reform of the retail market in ten years. And nothing has happened. You
:11:37. > :11:42.keep making loud noises but actually the prices aren't affected. The
:11:42. > :11:45.energy companies go on making huge profits. Well, actually lots has
:11:45. > :11:48.happened but you are right, we are still pushing forward with those
:11:48. > :11:51.reforms. They are the most radical reforms in a decade and that's
:11:51. > :11:54.we've got to get it right. been listening to consumers
:11:54. > :11:57.consumer groups and in particular addressing some of their concerns
:11:58. > :12:01.because we were looking at limiting a certain type of tariff. They are
:12:01. > :12:04.saying: no, we should limit number of tariffs across the market
:12:04. > :12:07.and therefore we've strengthened our reforms and we are pushing forward
:12:07. > :12:11.with them. But actually what consumers want is lower prices,
:12:11. > :12:15.never mind the tariffs, confusing tariffs, they just don't want to pay
:12:15. > :12:18.as much. Yes, and that's difficult because we were actually the ones
:12:18. > :12:22.that said a few years ago is increasing pressure on prices. We
:12:23. > :12:27.know that we have to pay for replacing ageing infrastructure, we
:12:27. > :12:30.know we have to pay to connect generation and we know that
:12:30. > :12:35.wholesale prices are pushing up. What consumers need to know
:12:36. > :12:38.they are going to pay no more than they need to for those changes and
:12:38. > :12:42.that's why we are reforming the market. But the obvious question
:12:42. > :12:45.is: why don't you have the powers that utility regulator has
:12:45. > :12:49.Northern Ireland? Then you could something about it. Well, as I
:12:49. > :12:52.said, actually Northern Ireland consumers have been paying 10% more
:12:52. > :12:57.on average than mainland Britain consumers, and also we need
:12:57. > :13:00.recognise that a third of that 14% decrease is actually because it's
:13:00. > :13:04.something called a correction and what it means is that
:13:04. > :13:08.paid more than they needed to in year before, so they are now going
:13:08. > :13:13.to effectively be recompensed. But Northern Ireland say the
:13:13. > :13:17.coming down because wholesale prices have come down, and here in
:13:17. > :13:20.Britain we are being told that wholesale prices have gone up so our
:13:20. > :13:24.bills have gone up. Actually, the other thing the Northern Ireland
:13:24. > :13:28.regulator says is that, if you can get effective competition, that
:13:28. > :13:32.give you better outcomes for consumers than regulation on things
:13:32. > :13:35.like innovation, price and service. So that's what our reforms are all
:13:35. > :13:40.about, making the market simpler for consumers, making it clearer
:13:40. > :13:45.making it fairer, so that consumers are in the driving seat and can find
:13:45. > :13:49.the best deals. Thank you. Thank you. Chris?
:13:49. > :13:51.Thanks. Energy UK which represents all the main suppliers in Great
:13:52. > :13:57.Britain say the fall in Northern Ireland is due to the market there
:13:57. > :14:01.only recently being open upped to competition. Because customers can
:14:01. > :14:06.now shop around their average bill is �5 less than for the rest of us.
:14:06. > :14:10.However, they say the mainland bills are subject to government plans to
:14:10. > :14:12.promote efficiency and to protect vulnerable customers, like
:14:12. > :14:17.Home Discount Scheme we just mentioned. They say the profit
:14:17. > :14:21.margin is �50 a year out of an average bill of �1,300 and that
:14:21. > :14:25.profit margin of around 5% is similar to other sectors like
:14:25. > :14:28.supermarkets and telecommunications. They add that �150 billion worth
:14:28. > :14:32.investment is needed to keep the country's lights on and tackle
:14:32. > :14:35.climate change and while price climate change and while price rises
:14:35. > :14:38.are never welcome they urge anyone worried about their bills to
:14:38. > :14:48.their supplier for advice and to find out if they are eligible for
:14:48. > :14:52.
:14:52. > :14:54.help. If you would like to on tonight's stories here is how.
:14:54. > :14:59.Coming up, if you have an account Coming up, if you have an account
:14:59. > :15:04.with T-Mobile, be careful who you.
:15:05. > :15:12.A fuse, about 15p. A set of spark A fuse, about 15p. A set of spark
:15:12. > :15:22.plugs, about �25. A pair of brake pads, about 35 quid. Tonight's
:15:22. > :15:32.
:15:32. > :15:37.Cars, they've always needed love and Cars, they've always needed love and
:15:37. > :15:41.attention and fixing them has always been a job for an expert. It takes
:15:41. > :15:48.skill, you see, dedication and good old-fashioned know-how. Just
:15:48. > :15:53.you would expect from this guy, Mr Mike Sawyer, a mobile mechanic from
:15:53. > :15:56.the Wirral on Merseyside. His glossy ad boasts of 40 years' experience of
:15:56. > :16:00.diagnosing and rectifying faults with your motor. Reassuring and
:16:00. > :16:04.what Jackie needed when her car failed to start one day last year.
:16:04. > :16:09.So what did Mike, with all that experience, actually do? He got a
:16:09. > :16:12.battery booster and he put it on my battery, I tried to turn the key and
:16:13. > :16:17.nothing happened. So he said the battery is flat and it's going to be
:16:17. > :16:22.�140 for a new battery. But then points to a part on the engine and
:16:22. > :16:27.said: there's some oil here. He said that is from your starter motor,
:16:27. > :16:30.could be a starter motor well. Mike said fixing the starter
:16:30. > :16:37.motor would cost another �400 and Jackie paid half upfront so he
:16:37. > :16:43.get the parts. But a few days later, he returned - without them. He turns
:16:43. > :16:48.up, no battery, no starter motor, not exactly sure what he has come
:16:48. > :16:52.round to do because he has got no parts or anything. Were your alarm
:16:52. > :16:56.bells ringing at this point? Yes. I phoned a garage which I've used
:16:56. > :17:00.the past. They send a couple of guys round and they have the same battery
:17:00. > :17:04.booster that he had and they connected it up, turned the key, car
:17:04. > :17:08.starts first time. In other there was nothing wrong with
:17:08. > :17:13.there was nothing wrong with the starter motor, as Mike had claimed.
:17:13. > :17:16.200 quid out of pocket, Jackie asked Trading Standards to help her get it
:17:16. > :17:20.back. They gave him a call and apparently he said "Yes, I hold my
:17:20. > :17:24.hands up, I've got the money, I never ordered anything but I can't
:17:24. > :17:28.pay her back because a mortgage payment has come out and all the
:17:28. > :17:32.money has gone on a mortgage payment". That's got to be filed
:17:32. > :17:37.under not your problem? Yes, so the money should never have gone into
:17:37. > :17:43.his account at all. It was for a part. Mmm, I will say. I will also
:17:43. > :17:47.say it is time we met Mike Sawyer ourselves because Jackie isn't his
:17:47. > :17:52.only dissatisfied customer so need a car like this Nissan Micra,
:17:52. > :18:02.Japanese technology, and you know what they say, if it isn't broke
:18:02. > :18:04.
:18:04. > :18:10.you've got to break it, in nice easy to fix way. Cue all round hero
:18:10. > :18:15.Beck. There is nothing that cannot do, except fly.
:18:15. > :18:21.setting two faults is simple. First fault: disconnect the number 4 fuel
:18:21. > :18:26.injector to stop it firing. Obvious symptom: it's a light on the dash.
:18:26. > :18:29.Second problem: change the horn fuse for a blown one. Equally obvious
:18:30. > :18:34.symptom, no beep-beep. Can John us how much it should cost
:18:34. > :18:37.long it should take? The two faults together should comfortably be
:18:37. > :18:40.diagnosed and repaired within the hour and I
:18:40. > :18:46.hour and I wouldn't expect to have to pay more than �85. You
:18:46. > :18:49.see, I told you. There's nothing he can't do, except fly. Now, it's time
:18:49. > :18:55.for our usual hidden cameras rather unusual house. It's a
:18:55. > :18:58.big house in the country. Look, here is our actress Elaine playing lady
:18:59. > :19:03.of the manor. There is John, watch from the servants' quarters
:19:03. > :19:08.which is just as well because here comes Mike. Hello. Can you open
:19:08. > :19:15.your car and spring please? Remember John's words, he
:19:15. > :19:22.should be able to diagnose and fix the faults within an hour. That's 40
:19:22. > :19:29.years' experience. Can he open the bonnet? I am sure I've done it
:19:29. > :19:34.right. Having problems persuading it to release. It's normally a
:19:34. > :19:39.little lever. I don't believe this. Good start. OK, bonnet open, it's
:19:39. > :19:44.time to get technical. then? Diagnostic machine, my love,
:19:44. > :19:47.basically a computer. A very clever computer indeed. A diagnostic
:19:47. > :19:53.machine is programmed to read the information on a car's control unit
:19:53. > :19:56.which then identifies the fault which a proper mechanic will use as
:19:56. > :20:00.a starting point to investigate further. The key phrase there is
:20:00. > :20:04."starting point". The machine identifies possible faults
:20:04. > :20:08.previous ones, so the mechanic has to narrow down the potential
:20:08. > :20:16.problems even further. Put another way, he needs to know how to
:20:16. > :20:18.use it properly. You've got about half a dozen faults. Oh my
:20:19. > :20:22.goodness. So he isn't using it properly. If he was, he would
:20:22. > :20:29.the car doesn't have half a dozen faults. It has two. He also wouldn't
:20:29. > :20:39.be coming out with stuff like this. It's like pushing a bike with the
:20:39. > :20:40.
:20:40. > :20:44.No, you see it is juddering because No, you see it is juddering because
:20:44. > :20:51.John has disconnected one of the fuel injectors and it would stop
:20:51. > :21:01.juddering if he plugged it back in. Check the wiring first. We need to
:21:01. > :21:02.
:21:02. > :21:05.spend a few bob on this. Here we go. According to Mike we need:
:21:05. > :21:09.It doesn't need these parts at all. It doesn't need these parts at all.
:21:09. > :21:13.This guy places so much reliance on whatever the diagnostic equipment
:21:13. > :21:19.tells him that he just accepts that's it. And he goes on to say
:21:19. > :21:28.will take time to get these parts. I was hoping you could do it today.
:21:28. > :21:33.I'm sorry, I can't. My name is not God.
:21:33. > :21:34.Make some calls, find out what these Make some calls, find out what these
:21:34. > :21:35.Make some calls, find out what these entirely different calls are going
:21:35. > :21:45.entirely different calls are going entirely different calls are going
:21:45. > :21:54.
:21:55. > :21:57.Make some calls, to cost. Each? Really?
:21:57. > :22:03.And a shock to us because with And a shock to us because with
:22:03. > :22:07.labour the bill for fixing our two small faults would be �1,085. I
:22:07. > :22:12.would be because we get John to fix them instead. He is much cheaper and
:22:12. > :22:16.there's nothing he can't do, except fly. As for Mike, on your bike.
:22:17. > :22:20.Yes, but don't go too far because might want to call you out, see if
:22:20. > :22:25.you misdiagnose and again. We've seen what he said
:22:25. > :22:31.our old lady. Just what will he say to a young one? Keep watching and
:22:31. > :22:34.Thanks, Matt. Now, if you are going Thanks, Matt. Now, if you are going
:22:34. > :22:37.away this half term you might to warn your friends not to call
:22:37. > :22:41.you. I wasn't aware of this but you are outside the EU and
:22:41. > :22:45.leaves a message on your phone, can be charged, even if you don't
:22:45. > :22:49.pick up the message. How much? much as the operators want because,
:22:49. > :22:54.believe it or not, the regulators who put no restriction on it,
:22:54. > :22:58.the law that stopped them from charging you for answer phone
:22:58. > :23:03.messages within the EU place limits on what you could charge
:23:03. > :23:08.outside Europe. You know what that is, an outrage. It is, and it gets
:23:08. > :23:12.worse. Even if whoever is calling you doesn't leave a message, you can
:23:12. > :23:22.still be charged. All that needs happen is for the call to connect.
:23:22. > :23:23.
:23:23. > :23:28.That seems to be T-Mobile's policy. Before we went on holiday I did
:23:28. > :23:34.check and make some calls. I deliberately left my phone in the
:23:34. > :23:37.safe so calls wouldn't be answered. I noticed that my bill was
:23:38. > :23:44.significantly higher than it have been. To come home to these
:23:44. > :23:47.fees was hard to take in. What do T-Mobile say? They currently say
:23:47. > :23:52.they charge for calls received when customers are outside the EU
:23:52. > :23:57.they are changing this policy. Meanwhile, they've refunded Tara as
:23:57. > :24:04.a goodwill gesture. We have been in touch with other networks. Orange,
:24:04. > :24:08.Vodafone and 3 told us they do not charge; O2, Virgin and Tesco do
:24:08. > :24:13.they haven't told us what they charge. Their customers will let us
:24:13. > :24:19.know. Next, ISAs, hugely popular because you don't have to pay tax
:24:19. > :24:23.the money you save. All banks offer ISAs and you can transfer yours from
:24:23. > :24:27.one to another which you might be tempted to do because a rival bank
:24:27. > :24:32.offers a better interest rate, beware, it can be the last you see
:24:32. > :24:36.of your money for some time. Welcome to the world of modern
:24:36. > :24:39.banking, our finances fused with technology to allow for instant
:24:39. > :24:47.access to our cash with trillions transferred through the ether
:24:47. > :24:56.day. That is unless you have ISA. You see, when it comes to
:24:56. > :25:06.transferring these savings it's bit like living in the olden days.
:25:06. > :25:07.
:25:07. > :25:10.Remember these? Cheques. They might Remember these? Cheques. They might
:25:10. > :25:13.have looked a bit different a hundred years ago but essentially
:25:13. > :25:17.they did the same thing, moving money from one place to another. You
:25:17. > :25:22.don't see many these days, largely because those paper transfers take
:25:22. > :25:26.time, and by using modern electronic techniques instead, money can now be
:25:27. > :25:33.moved within seconds. So why many banks and building societies
:25:33. > :25:39.still using them to transfer your ISAs? Pam Wright wants an answer to
:25:39. > :25:45.that question from Barclays. They used a cheque to transfer her �7,700
:25:45. > :25:50.ice is a to Santander back in April. It was supposed to take 15 days
:25:50. > :25:54.maximum; instead, it took six months. Santander couldn't find the
:25:54. > :26:00.cheque and content looking for it. kept phoning them. In July they
:26:00. > :26:05.decided that the best thing to do was to re-present the original form
:26:05. > :26:10.to Barclays and ask Barclays to re-issue the cheque. Barclays
:26:10. > :26:14.refused to do so because the ISA had been closed, there was no money in
:26:14. > :26:18.it. Put simply, Pam's money had disappeared. I couldn't get any
:26:18. > :26:23.access to my money. I was getting concerned because I had some big
:26:23. > :26:28.purchases coming up. Eventually the cheque came to my account on
:26:28. > :26:32.October. Watchdog has heard from other viewers with similar
:26:32. > :26:42.experiences, and in some cases the figures involved have been
:26:42. > :26:46.
:26:46. > :26:53.higher. John Mecklenvuarg's took weeks to transfer; while Sharon
:26:53. > :26:57.took 3 months waiting for her ISA transfer from Barclays to Santander.
:26:57. > :27:00.Why aren't the banks fixing this? What is stopping them from ditching
:27:00. > :27:03.cheques and using electronic transfers instead? There
:27:03. > :27:06.primary reasons why the want to do that. It costs a lot of
:27:06. > :27:09.money to put in a new infrastructure. The
:27:09. > :27:14.infrastructure developed in the 1970s can't handle everything that
:27:14. > :27:17.it needs to handle. Banks aren't bothered about the fact that cheques
:27:17. > :27:20.don't get processed but they are not bothered enough because there are
:27:20. > :27:24.simply not enough transactions. Let's be clear, the technology does
:27:24. > :27:27.exist today that we can put into place to make this happen
:27:27. > :27:32.minutes. However, the costs of doing that could be hundreds of millions
:27:33. > :27:36.of pounds. As for the second reason, why banks aren't investing in faster
:27:36. > :27:40.transfer technology? Well, about it. The longer they can keep
:27:40. > :27:45.your money in the system, the more interest it will earn for them. No
:27:45. > :27:49.wonder it doesn't feature high on their priority list. In their
:27:50. > :27:55.this is a tiny problem that isn't worthy of any investment or
:27:55. > :27:59.attention. Is it a tiny problem? many people are finding their money
:27:59. > :28:06.going missing, apparently caught up in the archaic system of paper
:28:06. > :28:10.transfers? Dozens? Scores? Hundreds? Well, how about 91,000? That's the
:28:10. > :28:15.estimated number of cash ISAs last year that weren't transferred within
:28:15. > :28:20.the recommended 15 days according to the Office of Fair Trading. And with
:28:20. > :28:26.the average ISA holding around �8,000 the total figure we are
:28:26. > :28:30.talking about is �728 million. And the problem isn't going away. The
:28:30. > :28:34.financial ombudsman who is tasked with sorting out disputes between
:28:34. > :28:39.customers and financial institutions is receiving 100 complaints about
:28:39. > :28:45.cash ISAs every month. And whilst Office of Fair Trading study
:28:45. > :28:50.that matters had improved, with 93% of cash ISAs going through on time,
:28:50. > :28:54.there's obviously still work to done. It's a significant
:28:54. > :28:59.improvement, but we would see more. We would like to see
:28:59. > :29:02.providers consistently meeting the deadlines. So how might they do
:29:02. > :29:10.that? According to the OFT the greatest number of delays last year
:29:10. > :29:14.came during the summer months. Why? Well, one thing we thought it might
:29:15. > :29:18.be was dealing with staff going holiday so we really want providers
:29:18. > :29:22.to plan ahead for those periods. We think that the appropriate
:29:22. > :29:26.guidelines are if place now and it's down to providers to make sure they
:29:26. > :29:29.are following best practice and implementing it consistently. So
:29:29. > :29:34.hundreds of customers complaining and millions of pounds of their
:29:35. > :29:38.savings disappearing for months at a time. Where ISAs are concerned,
:29:39. > :29:46.isn't it time for banks to step of the past and into the
:29:46. > :29:50.world? The banks should be interested in making the
:29:50. > :29:53.investment, in modernising the system so we can do away with
:29:53. > :29:55.cheques and process information electronically. Why? Because
:29:55. > :30:01.customers are going to be better served and, as a result, the
:30:01. > :30:03.should be happier because their customers are happier.
:30:03. > :30:08.Barclays have since apologised to Barclays have since apologised to
:30:08. > :30:10.Pam saying the six-month delay in transferring her ISA fell short of
:30:11. > :30:17.their usual high standards. They have now transferred it and
:30:17. > :30:21.backdated all the interest that accrued. Same is true for Sharon,
:30:21. > :30:24.whose �10,765 ISA was lost in the system for three months.
:30:24. > :30:27.Meanwhile, Santander say they an average of two days to transfer
:30:27. > :30:32.to another bank or building society, well below the industry standard
:30:32. > :30:35.target. They say they did send a cheque to Nationwide for John's new
:30:35. > :30:40.ice is a back in April but they were told it never arrived. The
:30:40. > :30:45.has now happened, they've apologised for the delay and offered a
:30:45. > :30:49.payment of �100. Both Barclays and Santander say they will be joining
:30:49. > :30:52.new scheme to enable ISAs to be transferred electronically
:30:52. > :30:57.the need for cheques. All major banks should be part
:30:57. > :31:02.by the end of January 2013. Still to come, want lashes
:31:02. > :31:07.Natalie Portman? You will need more than Christian Dior mascara.
:31:07. > :31:10.And planning to put your kindle through the airport scanner? Keep
:31:10. > :31:16.watching. watching. Back to Mike Sawyer now
:31:16. > :31:22.who has already tried to charge us massively for unnecessary work.
:31:22. > :31:28.Perhaps he had an off day, perhaps he just got greedy when he saw
:31:28. > :31:30.lovely big house we called him out to. This time it's a lovely little
:31:30. > :31:35.house with a lovely little car and what he might call a
:31:35. > :31:43.lady. Harriet is her name. Undercover research is her game. She
:31:43. > :31:48.has a 2,002 Mini Cooper, 60,000 miles on the clock, it is a smooth
:31:48. > :31:53.runner, or it is until he gets his hands on it. Yes, John is on duty
:31:53. > :32:00.again, this time setting two faults. He disconnects the control of the
:32:00. > :32:04.exhaust emissions, replaces the ABS fuse with a blown one. Both
:32:04. > :32:10.lights on the dashboard and raise two big questions, John?
:32:10. > :32:19.and how long? About 10p for a fuse, about 15/20 minutes to fix, tops.
:32:19. > :32:24.End of story. What can I say? It's my show, John. Let's not forget it.
:32:24. > :32:34.Yes, I think I've made my point. We've set the faults, we've called
:32:34. > :32:37.
:32:37. > :32:42.out Mike and he has a few questions too. Just lynch.
:32:42. > :32:45.Don't worry, Hattie, Mike will find Don't worry, Hattie, Mike will find
:32:45. > :32:50.out. He whips out his diagnostic kit, the one he used incorrectly
:32:50. > :32:55.last time. He is very proud of it. It's only worth 5 grand. It's not so
:32:55. > :32:58.much the machine, it's the programmes loaded inside it. They
:32:58. > :33:02.are worth the money. Perhaps Mike and his very expensive equipment
:33:02. > :33:08.will now identify our very cheap faults. Or is it a case of "All the
:33:08. > :33:14.gear, no idea"? Step one, plug it in. It shouldn't be too difficult,
:33:14. > :33:18.should it? But for Mike it's a toughie. Is there something
:33:18. > :33:22.missing? Can't find the plug. On the steering column. It's
:33:22. > :33:27.to be right here and it is not. Don't think he has done
:33:27. > :33:33.research. Beats the hell out of me. He should have plugged it in by
:33:33. > :33:43.now. Must be hidden somewhere. It's not, but after 17 minutes of
:33:43. > :33:43.
:33:43. > :33:46.searching he decides to use a lifeline and phone a friend.
:33:46. > :33:53.You know, he is charging money for You know, he is charging money for
:33:53. > :33:59.this expertise, real money. This crazy. He is being told where to
:33:59. > :34:03.look now. 27 minutes after he started he finally gets the machine
:34:03. > :34:08.plugged in and working and once again this machine means money.
:34:08. > :34:12.it a big problem when the come on? Yes, my love. It
:34:12. > :34:17.expense. It seems the trusty machine has identified some
:34:17. > :34:21.problems. Explain them to us Mike. There's a fault with that little
:34:21. > :34:31.engine sign standing up is you going: God, I've got a pain in the
:34:31. > :34:33.
:34:33. > :34:37.chest, time to visit the doctor. good start. Anything stranger?
:34:37. > :34:47.I think we will leave the metaphors I think we will leave the metaphors
:34:47. > :34:48.
:34:48. > :34:54.now. What is required? Right. It's not a lamba sensor, it's lambda.
:34:54. > :35:00.didn't know before today but I don't fix cars for a living, unlike Mike.
:35:00. > :35:03.He says it's essential we change ours soon. If you drive that with
:35:03. > :35:09.sensors as they are you do damage to the top of your engine.
:35:09. > :35:15.It's nonsense, of course. All he needs to do is reconnect the wires.
:35:15. > :35:19.How about that ABS light? More than likely down to a set of front or
:35:19. > :35:24.rear pads that needs replacing. Even more nonsense. The
:35:25. > :35:29.that needs replacing is a fuse. A guy who fails to consider the ABS
:35:29. > :35:32.properly, quite honestly, is bordering on dangerous. He suggested
:35:32. > :35:40.that was related to the brake pads wearing out which is
:35:40. > :35:46.ludicrous. And the cost. John the faults could be fixed for just
:35:46. > :35:53.�75 call-out fee. But Mike? bits are going to cost you 246, call
:35:53. > :36:02.it 250, plus VAT which is �300 and labour for both jobs is 180. Whoa,
:36:02. > :36:08.�480, is he charging for parts, labour and flattery? No big
:36:08. > :36:12.boyfriend to sort your problems out? No. Really? You are pretty. You
:36:12. > :36:16.want to go out to nice places in the evening, where there are millions of
:36:16. > :36:19.nice wine bars, I would take a baseball bat as well with you. Why?
:36:19. > :36:25.baseball bat as well with you. Why? Because you go around there, all
:36:25. > :36:35.the eligible fellas, you will be beating them off with a stick.
:36:35. > :36:36.
:36:36. > :36:41.Lessons in love over, it's time to pay. He is charging �75 for today's
:36:41. > :36:45.labour and wants �300 upfront for the new parts. Harriet, the "little
:36:45. > :36:50.love" goes to find her purse just in case her pretty little head
:36:50. > :36:54.can't count - take the tenners out, count all the 20s together
:36:54. > :36:58.individual units and then times them by 2 and you will know how
:36:58. > :37:02.money you've got. OK. All of this and a maths lesson too. A few
:37:02. > :37:05.later he is back and the mission is to fit the front sensor, do the
:37:05. > :37:08.service, investigate the light is flashing because it needs a new
:37:08. > :37:15.fuse and hold even more uncomfortable conversations with our
:37:15. > :37:20.researcher. Want to come and have a look, baby? Have a look down there,
:37:20. > :37:26.the brake pad is virtually worn, it's beyond a safe operating
:37:26. > :37:30.parameters of the ABS system so the warning light comes on. Yours
:37:31. > :37:36.down to less than a quarter inch so you've worn away 90% of it.
:37:36. > :37:40.Rubbish. He is talking utter rubbish. How does John know it's
:37:40. > :37:45.rubbish? Because he checked the brake pads. He found they were
:37:45. > :37:55.perfectly serviceable and were worn down by about 40%, not 90%. You see,
:37:55. > :37:57.
:37:57. > :38:02.Meanwhile, Mike is talking more Meanwhile, Mike is talking more
:38:02. > :38:06.figures, and giving us more pearls of wisdom on what women know about
:38:06. > :38:11.cars. This is a girl, she puts the key in, starts it, drives it. Do you
:38:11. > :38:17.even put petrol in or do you get someone else to put that for you?
:38:17. > :38:21.Of course I put my own petrol in. Well done, 50% improvement!
:38:21. > :38:25.she can take the fuel cap off and everything, take a bow. OK, he
:38:25. > :38:30.presented his bill but he says he can't replace the sensor
:38:30. > :38:40.because it has seized up. He has covered it in oil to loosen
:38:40. > :38:40.
:38:40. > :40:17.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 97 seconds
:40:17. > :40:24.I'm losing all sense of self. Every I'm losing all sense of self. Every
:40:24. > :40:29.atom is concentrating hard on that small, potent powerhouse at the apex
:40:29. > :40:34.of my - what? Oh come on, what's wrong with this thing?
:40:34. > :40:37.Has your kindle frozen at the worst possible moment? You are not alone.
:40:37. > :40:44.We are constantly hearing from owners, all complaining that these
:40:44. > :40:52.handheld reading devices just keep losing the plot. Consider the sad
:40:52. > :40:55.tale of romance fan, Saskia. Her husband gave her a Kindle for her
:40:55. > :40:59.birthday in October 2010 but the love affair began to turn
:40:59. > :41:03.less than a year. When I received my Kindle after about ten
:41:04. > :41:09.had used it, there were no issues, and all of a sudden it just stopped
:41:09. > :41:12.working. As her Kindle was still within the 12-month guarantee Amazon
:41:12. > :41:17.replaced it for free but this relationship was also destined
:41:17. > :41:22.fail. So after 11 months I had again issues, so the screen froze, it
:41:23. > :41:29.wasn't working anymore. So I rang up Amazon and they said "We are really
:41:29. > :41:33.sorry but you only have a 90-day warranty". Amazon offered another
:41:33. > :41:40.replacement for �50 but for it was time to move on. She
:41:40. > :41:44.her back on the older keyboard and opted for a slimmer model, the
:41:44. > :41:47.Kindle Touch which cost her another �10. She is in a good place now and
:41:47. > :41:51.hopes that this time it will go the distance.
:41:51. > :41:56.Her story is one that we are time and time again. The screen on
:41:56. > :42:00.the Kindle freezes, leaving unable to turn the pages of the book
:42:00. > :42:05.you are already reading or access to the books you have already
:42:05. > :42:10.downloaded on the device. Amazon will give you a new one free within
:42:10. > :42:14.your first 12 months but the warranty outside that first year is
:42:14. > :42:24.just three months so if after that, you will have to pay.
:42:24. > :42:26.
:42:26. > :42:34.I use my kinds within lessons, as a I use my kinds within lessons, as a
:42:34. > :42:40.dictionary and thesaurus for students. I have a sensitivity to
:42:40. > :42:47.light and I have eye strain if I look at a computer screen for a long
:42:48. > :42:53.time. That's why I chose a and I'm so reliant on it. Katie's
:42:53. > :43:02.Kind froze as did the replacement, but as it was after ten
:43:02. > :43:05.had to pay for a new one. think the warranty is sufficient. I
:43:05. > :43:09.definitely think should be covered for up to three
:43:09. > :43:14.years because it is a fault of their own, I haven't done anything but I'm
:43:14. > :43:18.the one that ultimately has the price. E-books might be
:43:18. > :43:22.outselling hardbacks these days but this most popular of them
:43:22. > :43:27.obviously has a problem. This is a copy of last year's annual report
:43:27. > :43:31.and quite clearly, on page 45, it states it expects its devices to
:43:31. > :43:39.last on average three years. A limited expectation. The reality is
:43:39. > :43:44.often even worse. When we rang Amazon posing as new Kindle owners
:43:44. > :43:49.we asked staff how long they thought devices would last. 7 couldn't tell
:43:49. > :43:53.us. The 8th told us this: honestly, the way they make these devices
:43:53. > :43:59.these days they have a these days they have a shelf-life of
:43:59. > :44:04.about a year. We only have a warranty for a year. So Amazon do
:44:04. > :44:08.seem to know their Kindles have short shelf-life but don't seem
:44:08. > :44:16.be doing anything about it. All this from a customer who say they
:44:17. > :44:24.to be the most customer-centric Earth. What I need is an expert in
:44:24. > :44:28.photonics and experimental condensed matter physics. Professor Chu
:44:28. > :44:35.speaking. Fancy that. The Professor works for the University of
:44:35. > :44:43.Cambridge and just loves experiment. Now, electrical charges
:44:44. > :44:48.inside the Kindle cause letters to show on the screen but static could
:44:48. > :44:52.affect the process, forcing the screen to freeze. What I'm going to
:44:52. > :45:02.do now is use electrostatic discharger to discharge into the
:45:02. > :45:08.display. Stand back. Wow t went completely black now. Yes. You
:45:08. > :45:11.arguing that could happen to a normal working Kindle, suddenly an
:45:11. > :45:16.electrostatic field gets in there and affects the mechanism?
:45:16. > :45:20.that's what we tried today, that's starting from a perfect Kindle and
:45:20. > :45:23.that's the end result you've got. Testing out the theory in a lab is
:45:23. > :45:28.all well and good but what about in the real world? A number of users
:45:28. > :45:32.have told us their devices froze shortly after passing through
:45:32. > :45:40.airport scanners. Could there be an explanation here? If you take off
:45:40. > :45:45.your jumper in a very environment and put your Kindle in
:45:46. > :45:49.an insulated tray, put your jumper on top of it, it could discharge
:45:49. > :45:55.into the Kindle. So you are saying the process of the x-ray, taking
:45:55. > :45:59.my jumper, creating static, creating a field that could affect it?
:45:59. > :46:04.There's a possibility of that. Whatever the cause of the problems,
:46:04. > :46:07.Kindle owners want Amazon to get to grips with it. More than 150 have
:46:07. > :46:11.contacted Watchdog and complaints they have, well,
:46:11. > :46:14.could write a book. Amazon told us they have ten of
:46:14. > :46:19.millions of customers around the world including many using earlier
:46:19. > :46:22.generations of the device daily. The particular model we
:46:22. > :46:24.third generation one they began shipping more than two years ago.
:46:25. > :46:29.small number of customers have contacted them about this
:46:29. > :46:33.but for those who do encounter it they provide a replacement. Yes,
:46:33. > :46:36.about if that replacement goes wrong it seems it is only covered
:46:36. > :46:41.three months? Yes, we did put that to them but they didn't respond
:46:41. > :46:49.further. Thank you Amazon and you everyone who has been in touch
:46:49. > :46:53.about that story. Here's a few more. Three basic rules for life: you
:46:54. > :46:58.don't spit into the wind, don't eat the yellow snow and you don't upset
:46:58. > :47:03.Trekkies. Sadly that's what the organisers of Star Trek Destination
:47:03. > :47:09.London have boldly gone and done. The weekend event brought together
:47:09. > :47:14.all five Star Trek captains and Bakula - for the first time, but
:47:14. > :47:19.instead of being impressed some Trekkies complained of overcrowding,
:47:19. > :47:24.poor signage and tatty exhibitions. Admission was �29 but there
:47:24. > :47:29.complaints about the cost of merchandise with one
:47:29. > :47:34.the organisers like the Ferengis, a race of greedy merchants
:47:34. > :47:38.planet Ferenginar. Organisers deny overpricing, saying this was
:47:38. > :47:42.convention aimed at hardcore fans and despite attracting
:47:42. > :47:52.visitors there were only a handful of complaints. As for the
:47:52. > :47:53.
:47:53. > :47:55.disgruntled Trekkies, well, they just canno take it anymore.
:47:55. > :48:02.A new superfast mobile service is on A new superfast mobile service is on
:48:02. > :48:06.the way but you need to study the deals. EE says its new 4G service,
:48:06. > :48:10.up to five times faster than 3G, will be available from next week
:48:10. > :48:15.customers will have to pay up to a month for the privilege of
:48:15. > :48:22.able to watch TV on the go and download a movie in ten minutes. The
:48:22. > :48:26.cheapest contract starts at month but if you download data at
:48:26. > :48:31.new peak speeds you will get through your monthly allowance in just three
:48:31. > :48:36.minutes and 25 seconds. EE says the �36 plan is for people who browse
:48:37. > :48:41.and do emails without having to wait. It's not for heavy users.
:48:41. > :48:45.Downloading your film won't come out of your data allowance and those who
:48:45. > :48:50.use more data than planned will simply be prompted to buy an
:48:50. > :48:54.additional bundle from �3. Still, your entire allowance in 3 minutes
:48:54. > :48:59.and 20 seconds, that's superfast.
:48:59. > :49:02.Christian Dior promising women fabulous lashes just like Natalie
:49:02. > :49:08.Portman. According to this ad, you had to do was apply their
:49:08. > :49:14.mascara to get a spectacular multiplying effect. Alas
:49:14. > :49:23.to say the photo had been retouched and the Thor actress' lashes had as
:49:24. > :49:26.much to do with Photoshop technology as the mascara. Dior say it was used
:49:26. > :49:29.minimally to increase thickness and volume, but
:49:29. > :49:39.Standards Authority wasn't impressed. It said Dior had
:49:39. > :49:41.
:49:41. > :49:44.exaggerated the effectiveness of the product. The ad has been banned.
:49:44. > :49:48.Beaming back to the Wirral now, Beaming back to the Wirral now,
:49:49. > :49:53.mobile mechanic Mike Sawyer tried to charge us more than �1,000 to fix
:49:53. > :49:57.non-existent faults on a Nissan Micra. Then he hit us with a �475
:49:57. > :50:01.bill to repair simple problems a Mini Cooper. Work we are
:50:01. > :50:05.waiting for him to actually out. Now our researcher Harriet has
:50:05. > :50:12.already had one or two uncomfortable chats with Mike so this time she has
:50:12. > :50:20.asked her brother to do the chasing. And this is him, hippy dippy Dan,
:50:20. > :50:25.aka chilled out Charlie. 1.00 on Friday? Yes, that would be sweet.
:50:25. > :50:29.He needs to be laid back because he keeps agreeing for dates and then
:50:29. > :50:35.Mike keeps cancelling. There absolutely nothing I could do today.
:50:35. > :50:45.Finally, he does turn up to do the work but before starting he wants a
:50:45. > :50:45.
:50:45. > :52:04.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 97 seconds
:52:04. > :52:11.Nothing personal, I always count it. Nothing personal, I always count it.
:52:11. > :52:16.Has he done what he said and earnt his money? No, he lied about
:52:16. > :52:21.replacing sensors, he failed on basic parts of the service like
:52:21. > :52:23.checking steering, wipes, the lights, he didn't change the oil
:52:23. > :52:31.filter but did change the air filter, even though
:52:31. > :52:35.And that extra 20 quid he tried to And that extra 20 quid he tried to
:52:35. > :52:41.charge at the end was for wiring he caused through poor workmanship.
:52:41. > :52:47.Nice touch, Mike. Here we go again, final call-out for our man and
:52:47. > :52:54.time I'm with John in the hide. We've got a new car along
:52:54. > :52:58.stooge on the drive and now got Mike. Ooh. Good afternoon.
:52:58. > :53:05.Hello, how are you? Fine, thank you. This time John has been set
:53:05. > :53:08.the most straightforward of faults. All Mike has to do is check them
:53:08. > :53:12.that would be too simple, wouldn't it? So what are you
:53:12. > :53:17.moment then? What I'm at this moment is to test your
:53:17. > :53:20.battery. Okey doke. He did this the other day. Then we will plug
:53:20. > :53:28.the diagnostic to see what it says. Out with that favourite
:53:28. > :53:32.again. Need a coil unit. Erm, no, we don't. Nor do we need an
:53:32. > :53:37.which he says we might have replace. We do need to stop
:53:37. > :53:41.going any further though, right now. Not quite what I expected to
:53:41. > :53:45.out the front door. You have been Michael but then
:53:45. > :53:51.honest the way that you deal your customers and what we've seen
:53:51. > :53:56.from the way you conduct yourself, it's something you may have been
:53:56. > :54:04.expecting, Matt from BBC Rogue Traders. How are you doing? Fine,
:54:04. > :54:04.thank you. We've seen you once again misdiagnose a problem with
:54:04. > :54:06.car in a way that was going to generate for you hundreds
:54:06. > :54:11.worth of work, and we've seen that happen on two separate occasions
:54:11. > :54:17.now. OK. Where you've - and I can tell you which ones they are. Just
:54:17. > :54:26.a sec, come round. OK. Went to the car, right? Yes. The battery
:54:26. > :54:30.is remaining on. Yes. Three reasons: battery terminal is loose?
:54:30. > :54:35.No. Loose alternator belt? No. Checked the connections in the back.
:54:35. > :54:42.No loose connections. Asked the quite clearly: was the light staying
:54:42. > :54:46.on or was it flickering? If flickering it's a voltage
:54:46. > :54:53.in the back, checked it and staying on. How much is a new
:54:53. > :54:58.alternator? I have just been quoted �230. How much is a new fuse? I
:54:58. > :55:04.haven't checked the fuses. A mini fuse, about 25p. 25p. You haven't
:55:04. > :55:08.checked them. No. Why not? Because I was offhand about the
:55:08. > :55:12.alternator. Why did you go for option that's going to cost hundreds
:55:12. > :55:17.of pounds rather than 25p? I have yet, in the last three years,
:55:17. > :55:20.found the reason an alternator isn't charging is a fuse. Mike, we've got
:55:20. > :55:25.two other cases, two other you have come out to see with us.
:55:25. > :55:30.Again we've ended up with jobs hundreds of pounds instead of your
:55:30. > :55:34.call-out fee and a minimal repair fee. But until you take it apart -
:55:34. > :55:38.you didn't have to take it The answer was there under the
:55:38. > :55:40.cover, in the fuse box. You ignored it, which would have cost us
:55:40. > :55:43.hundreds, which obviously we are not going to pay. Obviously. We have
:55:43. > :55:48.complaints from other which follow exactly this pattern.
:55:48. > :55:51.Work that didn't need doing, faults that have been missed and the
:55:51. > :55:55.expensive option being chosen. That's what happens with you, Mike,
:55:55. > :55:58.and we've seen it now on separate occasions. I think I've
:55:58. > :56:03.explained my actions on particular car. I've no comment on
:56:03. > :56:09.anything else. You won't comment on the other two? Not without checking
:56:09. > :56:13.into my records, no. OK. Go and check them then. One more question:
:56:13. > :56:17.why did you say you changed four brake pads for us? I didn't claim
:56:17. > :56:21.to change them. You said we change all four. We are going round
:56:21. > :56:24.in circles. I clearly explained - We are not, we are making
:56:24. > :56:28.allegations that you are failing answer. I don't agree. As I say, I
:56:28. > :56:32.fully answered what you have asked about this vehicle. You no longer
:56:32. > :56:35.want my services, I don't want to spend all day arguing with camera
:56:35. > :56:38.with you so I will go away, read what you've got and I will be back
:56:38. > :56:48.in touch with you. Is that fair? OK, thank you very much. Of
:56:48. > :56:52.
:56:52. > :56:57.it is. Have a nice day.
:56:57. > :57:04.That's Mike the mobile mechanic, and That's Mike the mobile mechanic, and
:57:04. > :57:07.that there is 25p. Well, he has had lots of time to
:57:07. > :57:12.read all the allegations in letter and still hasn't sent a
:57:12. > :57:17.response, so tonight Mike Sawyer, bit less chatty than you saw him
:57:17. > :57:22.earlier, becomes the latest face in our rogues' gallery.
:57:22. > :57:26.Thanks, loads of unhappy owners have been in touch, all
:57:26. > :57:31.complaining about freezing and in some cases the replacements too.
:57:31. > :57:36.Energy bills: we don't want simplified tariffs but lower prices.
:57:36. > :57:38.As for the banks: how come it takes months to transfer an ISA when my
:57:38. > :57:42.whole account can be transferred in less than a yolk?
:57:42. > :57:50.less than a week? less than a week?
:57:51. > :57:52.Thanks, guys, coming up next week, Thanks, guys, coming up next week,
:57:52. > :57:59.You can, of BUPA and Axa cutting their payouts
:57:59. > :58:04.no matter what you've paid in. PPI, the banks set aside billions in
:58:04. > :58:09.compensation but some customers legitimate claims are being turned