:00:10. > :00:15.Receiving a parking fine? Why you should appeal. Vodafone and orange,
:00:15. > :00:25.no signal. Bosch, Listerine and is is this the biggest mobile bill
:00:25. > :00:41.
:00:41. > :00:47.ever. It is Watchdog. The programme Hello and welcome to Watchdog, we
:00:47. > :00:52.are live as usual, for the next 60 minutes. Tonight. Parking fine, a
:00:52. > :00:56.legal sign and the council that refuses to refund drivers. They are
:00:56. > :01:00.basically high way robber, they are bandit, they have taken money they
:01:00. > :01:05.are not entitled to and they are not going to refund it. That is wrong.
:01:05. > :01:11.Also tonight, Vodafone, Orange charging for calls even though you
:01:11. > :01:17.can't make them. EasyJet, cutting the size of hand luggage, and nearly
:01:17. > :01:22.�200 for a tea maker from Heston. But is it just a fancy kettle?
:01:22. > :01:26.the kettle on? We can have a cup of tea and watch rogues, a husband and
:01:26. > :01:33.wife causes misery for other couples but delivering wedding dresses like
:01:33. > :01:39.this. And this. It is not fitted here. And it is gaping here. It is
:01:39. > :01:43.not the right size. I am standing close, you can see right down there.
:01:43. > :01:50.I was too polite the look. When we called to complain I did have a
:01:50. > :01:53.sneaky listen. I will let you eavesdrop too, but shhhh. Don't tell
:01:53. > :01:59.the bride! First mobile phone contract, easy to understand, OK,
:01:59. > :02:02.you pay a monthly fee, in return, you your provider lets you make
:02:02. > :02:08.call, send text, access the internet. But what happens when you
:02:08. > :02:17.can do known of those? Do Vodafone and Orange release you from your
:02:17. > :02:27.contract? What do you think? The city of London. Billion pound
:02:27. > :02:30.deals. Fat cats and apprentice wannabe bes. Shame that some of
:02:30. > :02:35.those who work here find themselves cut off from the rest of us.
:02:35. > :02:39.Vodafone customers have told us about repeated problems, receiving
:02:39. > :02:46.call, gets text, connecting to the internet. All of this, despite their
:02:46. > :02:50.phones telling them they have a good signal.
:02:51. > :02:55.Charlie Ballard began working in an office near St Paul's last August.
:02:55. > :03:05.His problem started from the off. I could not send or receive a text.
:03:05. > :03:12.I could not access the internet. I could send no email. I had to let
:03:12. > :03:15.all my contacts know, unless I am at a land line or check email through a
:03:15. > :03:20.direct connection I can't communicate. He changed his similar
:03:20. > :03:25.card and hand set but his provider, Vodafone, stayed the same. As did
:03:25. > :03:29.his communication troubles. Never had a problem with any other
:03:29. > :03:35.carrier, I have lived in central Spain, different parts of France and
:03:35. > :03:38.you would think that London would be So, let us do a little ex per. I
:03:38. > :03:48.have myself a Vodafone mobile. Have the appropriate transport, let us
:03:48. > :03:52.see how long it takes before I can find a place to make a phone call.
:03:52. > :03:57.We have passed Charlie's off first, round about here is where it is
:03:57. > :04:01.starting to get slow. So I have just put the BBC into the search engine.
:04:01. > :04:05.But almost two minutes into it and we are still waiting.
:04:05. > :04:09.So we are in the heart of London, now and someone is trying to call me
:04:09. > :04:16.and he is not getting through. It is going straight to voice mail,
:04:16. > :04:20.despite the fact I have three bar, it says I have 3G. So we have been
:04:20. > :04:24.driving round for about 15 minutes. And the service has been pretty
:04:24. > :04:30.awful. The internet is painfully slow when the page loads up. I have
:04:30. > :04:34.been able to make calls and I can't receive calls, so what is going on?
:04:34. > :04:38.According to Vodafone the network can't cope with the number of people
:04:38. > :04:43.making calls and downloading data in and round the city. So as they admit
:04:43. > :04:49.there is a problem they would release customers who work here from
:04:50. > :04:53.their contract? Right? ? Wrong. They said we have looked at your data,
:04:53. > :04:59.you have received it once in the past week. There maybe occasional
:04:59. > :05:02.lapse in coverage, you can cancel your contract but it will be �550.
:05:02. > :05:07.Vodafone argue because he can get coverage at home they are fulfilling
:05:07. > :05:11.their contract. Their advice? Sit tight until they launch their 4G
:05:11. > :05:14.service when the coverage should improve. Call that fair? I think we
:05:14. > :05:19.better call in a consumer law expert.
:05:19. > :05:23.If you buy a toaster, you expect to be able to toast bread. The same
:05:23. > :05:26.thing with a mobile phone. You don't buy a mobile phone for it to sit on
:05:27. > :05:30.the desk being useless. You expect to use it for the normal services
:05:30. > :05:33.for which you buy a mobile phone. you think there need to be tougher
:05:33. > :05:36.rules in place, to make sure that people can get out of their
:05:36. > :05:40.contract? I think there needs to be stronger guidelines in place,
:05:40. > :05:44.because there is a real issue at the moment with people with mobile
:05:44. > :05:49.phones having difficulty. certainly having difficulty 100
:05:49. > :05:53.miles north of the city. This is the Leicestershire village of Newtown
:05:53. > :05:56.Linford or the hill behind it. It is one of the few places local
:05:56. > :06:02.Orange customers can get a signal. Poor representative hundred is not
:06:02. > :06:07.uncommon in rural areas, but here it was great, until last year. In June,
:06:07. > :06:12.we were away on holiday, we came back from holiday, used the mobile
:06:12. > :06:16.as normal, no signal. Which is how it has remained. Orange
:06:16. > :06:21.customers can rarely make or receive calls or texts in their homes or in
:06:21. > :06:24.the village. We expect our second grandchild any way now and the
:06:24. > :06:27.thought of missing that call is distressing.
:06:27. > :06:32.When Martin and his neighbours complained, Orange said they
:06:32. > :06:37.switched off the local mast as part of a rationalisation programme. So,
:06:37. > :06:41.after depriving them of of their signal surely they would let them
:06:41. > :06:47.leave their contracts? They replied, no, we are not going to allow do you
:06:47. > :06:53.that. In the end I contacted yourselves, local newspaper, sent a
:06:53. > :06:58.letter to the local MP, trying to think of every way we can to flag
:06:58. > :07:02.this up and get something done months of protest, Orange now EE
:07:02. > :07:07.have finally released Martin and his wife from their company contract.
:07:07. > :07:10.But they refusing to release his employees, who were only signed up
:07:10. > :07:15.so they could keep in contact with him What they haven't done is
:07:16. > :07:22.realised the impact they have had on customer, and handled it dreadfully
:07:22. > :07:26.afterwards. Orange have decommissioned their
:07:26. > :07:31.mast, they are not providing the service they contracted to provide
:07:31. > :07:35.and they are entitled to compensation. So Martin and his wife
:07:36. > :07:39.have been let out of the contract but his employees have not been.
:07:39. > :07:43.the contract is all in one, and the company acknowledge they are
:07:43. > :07:47.breaching part of the contract, it would be reasonable to say, they are
:07:47. > :07:53.in breach, the whole contract should come to an end.
:07:53. > :07:56.So, with mobile problems you are on stronger ground if you can prove the
:07:56. > :08:00.network promised you something they are not delivering, if your provider
:08:00. > :08:04.gives you coverage at home, getting out of the contract will be much
:08:04. > :08:08.more difficult. Hardly seems fair given they are meant to be mobile
:08:09. > :08:13.phones. In my business if we treated the
:08:14. > :08:18.customers the same way as Orange do it would have disappeared a long
:08:18. > :08:22.time ago. They need to be able to let people go if you are not going
:08:22. > :08:26.to get service. For customer like these it is only fair that get the
:08:26. > :08:30.full service they are paying for. For reporters like me it is only
:08:30. > :08:37.fair we get to go home in style. Sadly, it looks like I have been
:08:37. > :08:41.fired! Now Vodafone say they handle more
:08:41. > :08:48.than 800,000 calls and six million data connections in the square mile
:08:48. > :08:51.every day and do so perfightly 96% of the time. The nature of the
:08:51. > :08:55.technology means they can't guarantee service all the times and
:08:55. > :08:58.that is clearly stated. They have apologised for Charlie Ballard's
:08:58. > :09:02.customer service, they say his complaint has gone to the
:09:02. > :09:06.independent ombudsman, and they are waiting for his decision. As for
:09:06. > :09:11.Orange they say it is not the case that customers who lose their signal
:09:11. > :09:16.are held to their contracts, if anyone's signal is affected by the
:09:16. > :09:22.decommissioner of a mast they say they measures that I can put in
:09:22. > :09:27.place, if it can't be put back in place they will allow them to leave
:09:27. > :09:30.their contract. They are happy to discuss other problems on a case by
:09:30. > :09:40.case basis. If if you would like to comment Onna or any of the stories
:09:40. > :09:48.
:09:48. > :09:55.Coming up. One law for drivers, another for council, why you can get
:09:55. > :09:59.fined for parking here, even though the markings break the rules.
:09:59. > :10:04.Spring has sprung. The sap is rising. Love is in the air. And I
:10:04. > :10:08.can't think of any more cliches, it just as well because we are poving
:10:08. > :10:12.into original and fresh territory, looking at a industry we have never
:10:12. > :10:22.covered before. First impressions are everything, so it is important I
:10:22. > :10:44.
:10:44. > :10:49.look my best, and even more Don't you hate it when this happens?
:10:49. > :10:57.It is the big day and you will be late. They will be waiting, bride,
:10:57. > :11:00.the groom, the guests. Even the brides -- bride's mum. The speeches
:11:00. > :11:04.haven't started yet, because everyone is too busy admiring the
:11:04. > :11:09.outfits. I will be honest with you, I have never quite got the
:11:09. > :11:13.fascination with bridle wear, I am more of a dressing down guy. I
:11:13. > :11:17.understand this, people like big weddings and the dress is the focus
:11:17. > :11:22.of a big wedding so people deserve to get what they are paying for. Not
:11:23. > :11:27.her. She is a research. That dress cost �50.
:11:27. > :11:33.But real brides with a bigger budget deserve more. They have been going
:11:33. > :11:37.to these two shops for their dress, Amazing Brides in Wakefield and wed
:11:37. > :11:42.Wedding Dress Studio in Dewsbury, they are not to be confused with
:11:42. > :11:49.other shops of similar names. They are run by Bev and Dean Hanson-Shaw.
:11:49. > :11:53.It would be sweet if they hadn't ruined so many weddings. We have had
:11:53. > :12:01.so many we have got them all together in one room. Don't worry, I
:12:01. > :12:11.have done this before. Ladies and gentlemen, a toast to Bev
:12:11. > :12:14.
:12:14. > :12:21.and Dean. BELL TOLL TOLLS TOUGH CROWD.
:12:21. > :12:25.When Sherelle Tucker was getting marries she and her mum went to the
:12:25. > :12:32.Wedding Dress Studio to buy the gown He said this looks fantastic on a
:12:32. > :12:35.bigger girl. It will look beautiful. Dean said the dress which cost �1200
:12:35. > :12:42.would be made to her measurements, it took six months and when it was
:12:42. > :12:49.ready. I fell to bits. I didn't fit properly. It was miles too big.
:12:49. > :12:55.could hear all the beads plopping on the floor The The wedding was weeks
:12:55. > :13:00.away, having taken her money Dean was in no mood to help I was saying
:13:00. > :13:04.please, it is my wedding day, please can we sort this, his response, stop
:13:04. > :13:10.texting me now, any problems you have, put in writing to my
:13:10. > :13:15.solicitors. So, I was like, well, why you being so nasty like this?
:13:15. > :13:20.With less than a fortnight before her big day, Cheryl gave up. She had
:13:20. > :13:26.to buy a new dress, for more than �1,000, but Rebecca Shaw didn't have
:13:26. > :13:31.that option. By the time her wedding came along she had spent �2,500 on
:13:31. > :13:37.dresses from Bev's store, Amazing Brides.
:13:37. > :13:42.It was too small, even though I lost three stone. It was smaller than the
:13:42. > :13:47.new reduced size you We burst into tear, it was no good. There were to
:13:47. > :13:51.way she could wear that dress because it didn't fit. The dress Bev
:13:51. > :13:58.supplied was five inches too small and had to be held together with
:13:58. > :14:02.pin, Bev's attitude? The day before the wedding my mum went to confront
:14:02. > :14:06.her, and she nearly, she said that if my mum didn't leave she was going
:14:06. > :14:10.to phone the police and have my mum arrested.
:14:10. > :14:14.With the wedding days away, it was too late for Rebecca to find another
:14:14. > :14:19.dress, so he paid another seem tremendouses to do a quick fix,
:14:19. > :14:23.Seoing a panel in the back so it would fit. When she walked down the
:14:23. > :14:28.aisle, all you could see was where the dress had been altered. The
:14:28. > :14:31.holes where the pieces were put in so it would zip up. We were told
:14:31. > :14:38.when she knelt down in church, if she weren't careful how she stood up
:14:38. > :14:44.she could leave the bottom avenue half on the floor. Luckily it lasted
:14:44. > :14:49.until about seven, 8.00 at night, then, it started tearing at the
:14:49. > :14:55.bottom, like coming apart. So I flung it over my shoulders and
:14:55. > :15:00.carried on. Alongside the complaints over quality we have heard from
:15:00. > :15:10.brides who ordered unique designs. Fay was assured the dress was a one
:15:10. > :15:12.
:15:12. > :15:18.off then a friend spotted the same design at a wedding fair. She said
:15:18. > :15:22.I've seen your dress and I got a bit emotional. I walked over and I
:15:22. > :15:28.couldn't look. She said, this is your dress. This is a dress you had
:15:28. > :15:34.been told was unique by Bev, but there it was being sold at a bridal
:15:34. > :15:39.fare by someone else? Yes.Fay tried to cancel her order, but received a
:15:40. > :15:49.no, along with another threat of legal action. They have got �1,000
:15:49. > :15:53.it's all right. The wedding's in three months and we have had to
:15:53. > :15:58.change everything. And there was a point where I said, we can't go
:15:58. > :16:05.through with the wedding. Because you put your trust in a company and
:16:05. > :16:10.expect that... Everything will be OK. So two wedding stores and some
:16:10. > :16:14.distressed brides. Yet on the internet you will find a bunch of
:16:14. > :16:18.positive reviews for both companies. They are positive. But there is
:16:18. > :16:24.something weird about them. Take this reviewer, she says she bought
:16:24. > :16:33.her dress from Amazing Brides, but in the same week she posts a review
:16:33. > :16:42.of a dress from the Wedding Dress studio. One bride buys two different
:16:42. > :16:49.dresses from two shops and both are owned by the Shaws. It is a bit of a
:16:49. > :16:53.co-is -- coincidence. It is also a bit odd. It is odd and you know I'm
:16:53. > :16:58.thinking? Exactly! We need to pay a visit to those stores with two of
:16:58. > :17:05.our researchers posing as blushing brides. Want to know how they get
:17:05. > :17:11.on? I do! Thank you. Next Orange again. We have seen it sending bills
:17:11. > :17:16.to customers who no longer have a signal, because Orange removed the
:17:16. > :17:22.phone mast. Now another customer, another bill and a nasty shock.
:17:22. > :17:32.is the customer, Alan. He has had a business account with Orange for 15
:17:32. > :17:38.years and is used to getting bills of and �300 a month. But then his
:17:38. > :17:42.phone developed a fault. We couldn't touch it. It became hot to operate.
:17:42. > :17:52.Orange replaced the phone, but cancelled his service, the reason?
:17:52. > :17:54.
:17:54. > :18:01.The bill he has run up in just one month. 135,934 and 20 pence.The
:18:01. > :18:05.votal with VAT more than �163,000. Orange said it was due today that
:18:05. > :18:10.charges incurred in the three weeks the hand September was mall
:18:10. > :18:18.functioning. -malfunctions. They thought the only way that could
:18:18. > :18:28.occur was the phone dialling the internet every 20 minutes for about
:18:28. > :18:30.
:18:30. > :18:36.20 days. The data Alan is supposed to have used is like 1. 58 million
:18:37. > :18:42.e-mails. Yet, they said the bill was right. For the past nine months it
:18:42. > :18:50.has been an absolute misery in our household. Because of the strain
:18:50. > :18:55.that's been put on us by Orange. they have accepted, he wasn't
:18:55. > :19:01.responsible, they want him to pay �300 for some of the data they say
:19:01. > :19:06.he did down load. For somebody like Orange with millions of profit, it
:19:06. > :19:12.is ridiculous and it is like kicking somebody in the teeth while they're
:19:12. > :19:17.down. Quite right. The response from Orange? Well since we filmed that,
:19:17. > :19:24.Orange have apologised to Alan and say they have refunded all charges
:19:24. > :19:30.from the high bill and offered a gesture of good will and look
:19:30. > :19:35.forward to hearing from him. And now park tickets councils raise around
:19:35. > :19:42.�600 million from drivers in the last year. But how many of those are
:19:42. > :19:45.legal? Watchdog reports opt councils using -- on the councils using
:19:45. > :19:52.confusing signs to catch out motorists. Councils who even admit
:19:52. > :20:00.they're in the wrong, but refuse to give drivers their money back. The
:20:00. > :20:05.letters stand for Penalty Charge Notice. But for moatists --
:20:05. > :20:13.motorists they also spell misery. Council issue one of these every
:20:13. > :20:18.four seconds. So how do you avoid them? The answer seems simple. Pay
:20:18. > :20:27.attention to road signs like these and you shouldn't have any trouble.
:20:27. > :20:32.OK, I said seems simple. Because some councils are making it hard.
:20:32. > :20:38.This is Aylesbury town centre, notice lines away from the kerb,
:20:38. > :20:42.Brian did and assumed it meant the lay-by was a parking zone. It was
:20:43. > :20:48.strange, the double yellow lines were about six feet from the kerb. I
:20:48. > :20:53.had never seen that before. It made an obvious lay-by. So I just
:20:53. > :20:57.thought, suitable place, out of the way of even else and put my car
:20:58. > :21:03.behind the one that was already there. Brian had noticed faded
:21:03. > :21:07.yellow lines near the pavement, but a assumed they no longer applied. He
:21:07. > :21:13.found his car had been ticketed. He saw a sign at the end of the road
:21:13. > :21:18.saying this was a no loading zone. Convinced it wasn't clear, he
:21:18. > :21:24.appealed to Buckinghamshire County Council and then to the independent
:21:24. > :21:31.adjudicator, the traffic penalty tribunal. I went to the aJude skater
:21:31. > :21:36.and they -- adjudicator and they said it wasn't correctly marked.
:21:36. > :21:44.Brian didn't have to pay his �70 fine, because he appealed. But he is
:21:45. > :21:50.in a small minority. In factless than 1% of drivers issued with a
:21:50. > :21:57.ticket in England and Wales take their case to the adjudicator, but
:21:57. > :22:01.50% who appeal actually win. So why do most people pay up? Out of fear,
:22:01. > :22:06.according to one critic, because if you appeal and lose, you will pay
:22:06. > :22:11.more. The council will make it clear if you take up that opportunity and
:22:11. > :22:16.lose, you will lose your discounts as well. So you will pay double and
:22:16. > :22:20.that discourages people and that is what is wrong with the system.
:22:20. > :22:24.has been fighting parking fines for five years. He believes more drivers
:22:24. > :22:29.should appeal, because the tickets they receive are often not worth the
:22:29. > :22:34.paper they're written on. The people that come to my web-site who have
:22:34. > :22:39.been ticketed with poor marks on the road, or poor signage is incredible.
:22:39. > :22:43.It is the biggest come mranlts we get. Parking -e-- complaint we get.
:22:43. > :22:49.It should be about making restrictions clear. My experience is
:22:49. > :22:56.that councils do not take that at all seriously. It is a low priority.
:22:56. > :23:01.Is he correct? We put his theory to the test in the Aylesbury spot where
:23:01. > :23:07.Brian was penalised. It is the same spot the adjudicator had
:23:07. > :23:12.insufficiently clear signs just a week earlier. Had the uncoil --
:23:13. > :23:19.council improved them? No. Were they still issuing tickets. We got one
:23:19. > :23:26.within 11 minutes. But are councils just making money from unclear
:23:26. > :23:31.signs, or is it more serious. How many signs are not legal at all?
:23:31. > :23:36.Motoring groups have found examples of councils installing incorrect or
:23:36. > :23:42.insufficient signs and markings. These Hampshire bays had been
:23:42. > :23:47.illegally marked. Illegal signage for a suspended parking bay was
:23:47. > :23:54.found in London. Just this week, we found this illegally marked park by
:23:54. > :23:59.a in Oxfordshire. We are examples, but authorities keep issuing
:23:59. > :24:04.tickets, even when officials say the signs are wrong, they do something.
:24:04. > :24:08.That is unacceptable. Councils may take their time in removing wrong
:24:08. > :24:15.signs, but once they're made aware of the mistakes, surely they will
:24:15. > :24:21.refunds the drivers they fine? Not always. This is in Westminster. One
:24:21. > :24:27.sign restricts access for lorries to 7. 5 tonnes. But to the left a
:24:27. > :24:33.second sign says that the restriction is 18 tonnes. Confused?
:24:33. > :24:38.So too were the 76 people who have received tickets for breaching the
:24:38. > :24:44.rules. Westminster Council said that while it stood by the use of both
:24:44. > :24:49.signs, one did not meet regulations and accepts for access -- the access
:24:49. > :24:53.sign was missing. The council agreed to suspends fines while they put it
:24:53. > :25:03.right. But when asked about fines they had already issued this was the
:25:03. > :25:08.
:25:08. > :25:12.pay, rather than go to appeal. council is no under no obligation to
:25:12. > :25:17.refund the payment. So in other words, they wouldn't repay fines,
:25:17. > :25:22.even though their sign was illegal. They're highway robbers, bandits,
:25:22. > :25:27.they have taken money and are not going to refund it. That is Ronning.
:25:27. > :25:32.How can -- wrong. How you have trust in a system when you have councils
:25:32. > :25:36.like that? Unclear signs, illegal signs, two very food reasons why you
:25:36. > :25:42.-- good reasons why you should appeal your ticket. Here is a third
:25:42. > :25:47.reason: Councils in England and Wales don't contest an average of
:25:47. > :25:51.26% of tickets once they go to appeal. They don't put forward an
:25:51. > :25:58.argument as to why the ticket should be paid, because they accept it
:25:58. > :26:02.should never have been issued in the fist place. -- first place. They
:26:02. > :26:07.hope that the motorist will get nervous before the appeal and pay
:26:07. > :26:11.up. But anyone they think has an unfair ticket should appeal. Because
:26:11. > :26:18.the signs are getting worse and I think drivers have a better chance
:26:18. > :26:23.of winning, because there are shoddy practices out there. With me is
:26:23. > :26:29.Peter Box who represents councils, this is a wonderful earner, �600
:26:29. > :26:33.million a year income? The fist thing to say is that some 99% of
:26:33. > :26:38.people who get a ticket don't appeal and accept they have broken the
:26:38. > :26:45.regulations. Of course like any big organisation we make mistakes.
:26:45. > :26:50.the money that you're using up, why don't you correct the signs?
:26:50. > :26:55.cash that we get from car parking fines is about �400,000 after
:26:55. > :27:00.running costs. That is used in terms of looking at perhaps subsidised
:27:00. > :27:05.transport, park and ride and in many rural areas, it subsidises the car
:27:05. > :27:11.parking as well. You're not using any of it to correct the signs?
:27:11. > :27:16.accept what we have seen on the report is an issue, clearly is an
:27:16. > :27:23.issue and all local authorities should make sure they take on board
:27:23. > :27:28.the points. Even if you can't get the markings redone, in Aylesbury,
:27:28. > :27:32.why were we being ticketed a week later when you now the signs were
:27:32. > :27:37.wrong? I can't answer the particular case. But obviously as people take
:27:37. > :27:41.money from motorists we have got a duty and we take the duty seriously
:27:41. > :27:45.to make sure that where we can the signs are clear so people know where
:27:45. > :27:52.they can park. Are Westminster taking it seriously? They admit the
:27:52. > :27:59.sign we saw is not in line with the law, but nay won't refund people who
:27:59. > :28:03.have been done by that sign. -- they won't. That is a matter for
:28:03. > :28:08.Westminster Council. But you represent councils. I represent all
:28:08. > :28:11.councils. They have given you that answer. It is not satisfactory.
:28:11. > :28:16.Westminster Council residents should contacts their local councillor and
:28:16. > :28:22.ask them to complain and people have always got the sanction of the
:28:22. > :28:26.ballot box. It seems to me what we all should co-is not just -- do is
:28:27. > :28:33.not just 1% of us complain, we should all aplain. You have nothing
:28:33. > :28:38.to lose. You're still not going to pay the fine. So the moral of the
:28:38. > :28:42.story is just appeal if you get a ticket, just appeal? I don't think
:28:42. > :28:47.it is. Most people who get a ticket acknowledge they haven't parked
:28:47. > :28:52.correctly. That Isola the programme shows. -- that is what the programme
:28:52. > :28:56.shows. In some cases people don't think the ticket is valid. I got a
:28:56. > :29:01.ticket on Saturday and I shall be one of the 1% appealing. Of course
:29:01. > :29:07.you will. Peter Box thank you. have asked becomeshire council about
:29:07. > :29:13.that -- becomeshire -- Buckinghamshire council about the
:29:13. > :29:19.wrongly signed bay. They said it will be replaced and Westminster
:29:19. > :29:25.Council says it is inevitable there will be occasions when signage is
:29:25. > :29:35.incomplete and drivers can accept the fine or a I peel. -or appeal. It
:29:35. > :29:45.says it does not make money from park enforcement. Still to come: Why
:29:45. > :29:46.
:29:46. > :29:54.do do Bosch and Hot Point have to make things so complicated? Back to
:29:54. > :29:57.Bev and Dean who run wedding stores in work inner. West Yorkshire. We
:29:57. > :30:04.have heard from brides who paid for dresses they found somewhere else.
:30:04. > :30:14.So it is time for us to puts their stores to the test. And time to
:30:14. > :30:15.
:30:15. > :30:18.unleash the Bridezillas. Meet Anna and Muir re. -- Muriel. They are
:30:18. > :30:22.reSERPS and single. Today they are brides to be, planning their big day
:30:22. > :30:27.along with their bridesmaids. Which is worrying. They are off to Amazing
:30:27. > :30:37.Brides of Wakefield, and the Wedding Dress Studio in Dewsbury.
:30:37. > :30:41.Ooh Madame. Ooh Madame.
:30:42. > :30:46.That white really suits you. There are just eight weeks to go before
:30:46. > :30:56.Anna's fictional wedding. But Amazing Brides she may have found
:30:56. > :31:02.the dress. What one is this? Ours, we make them. You won't find it
:31:02. > :31:12.anywhere else. Lioneling any self respecting Bridezilla an Anna wants
:31:12. > :31:17.
:31:17. > :31:22.more. I could have a lace up? Amaze ball, you are Amazing Brides.
:31:22. > :31:27.Bev explains this is only the shop's sample dress, she will make Anna a
:31:28. > :31:37.new version complete with requested change, its will fit like a glove
:31:38. > :31:43.
:31:43. > :31:51.and cost �, over �1,000. OK, done Anna's measured for her bespoke gown
:31:51. > :31:55.and pays a �900 deposit. She notices a clause and it is a funny one.
:31:55. > :31:59.I understand that any on line reviews written by me with regard to
:31:59. > :32:09.Amazing Brides will be subject to scrutiny, by amazing brides lawyer,
:32:09. > :32:16.
:32:16. > :32:21.and may result in legal action. the bad review, not the unhappy
:32:21. > :32:26.brides we met earlier, they are chuffed to bits.
:32:27. > :32:36.Any way, back to our gown, Bev guarantees us it will be made to
:32:37. > :32:40.
:32:40. > :32:46.guarantees us it will be made to Suitably reassured Anna forks out
:32:46. > :32:52.�184 for a veil and tiara to complete the look. She is calm,
:32:53. > :32:57.everything is in hand. She can relax. A bit smug!
:32:57. > :33:02.Not so Muriel. She is terrible. The wedding day is closing in, and there
:33:02. > :33:07.is so much to do. I would help, but it is not a real
:33:07. > :33:13.wedding. Yeah, try telling Muriel that. She is feeling the strain.
:33:13. > :33:18.Look. GCSE in drama. She got a B. OK, I think we can
:33:18. > :33:22.agree that Muriel needs to get her dress sorted and quick. So she heads
:33:22. > :33:26.for the Wedding Dress Studio in Dewsbury where Dean is head honcho
:33:26. > :33:36.and he has an interesting turn of and he has an interesting turn of
:33:36. > :33:58.
:33:58. > :34:04.So dark ivory, but not dark or Wow, it is another original. Dean
:34:04. > :34:08.tells Muriel it will cost her �750 for this unique design. She says she
:34:08. > :34:11.needs time to think which gives me time for research. Although I have
:34:11. > :34:16.never had anything to do with wedding dresses I am picking up a
:34:16. > :34:22.bit of knowledge. This is a sweetheart neckline with hand beaded
:34:22. > :34:29.bodies, a mermaid style skirt. This is a strapless neckline, floor
:34:29. > :34:35.length gown. Lined skirt with hand Beding. This is organ za fabric.
:34:35. > :34:42.This is an A line silhouette with a strapless flared pleated neckline.
:34:42. > :34:48.That looks familiar. It certainly does. It is designed and sold by
:34:48. > :34:52.Global -- global dress makers. It bears a striking resemblance to the
:34:52. > :34:57.dress we have been shown, the one said to be unique. Are the two
:34:57. > :35:04.dresses the same? I need the views of an expert. Not any old expert. I
:35:05. > :35:10.am going to see a fashion doyenne who has designed for every A-list
:35:10. > :35:17.A-lister. She helped design that dress, ladies and gentlemen, let us
:35:17. > :35:22.give a big welcome to, it is only Elizabeth Emmanuel. Here comes the
:35:22. > :35:27.bride. I ask her to compare the dress from Dean's shop to the
:35:27. > :35:36.catwalk creation. Looking at the back, it is very very similar to
:35:36. > :35:40.this design. The Burt Burten -- buttons up the back. It is the same
:35:41. > :35:46.shape. That is a dingtive feature. It looks virtually identical. The
:35:46. > :35:50.draping everything. A bit more that coincidence? It is definitely a
:35:50. > :35:55.copy. The fee features are the pleats round the bust, with that bit
:35:55. > :35:59.of embroidery there, you have the criss-cross coming under it and you
:35:59. > :36:03.have that bit on the skirt, where it starts to fan out.
:36:03. > :36:08.It is one and the same dress as far as I can see. I don't see any
:36:08. > :36:13.difference at all. Neither did the maker, when we showed them the
:36:13. > :36:19.design they said it appeared to be a carbon copy of their, Dean might not
:36:19. > :36:24.be alone. It looks like Bev is at it too. At her store we saw the same
:36:24. > :36:34.dress on sale. And again, it was being touted as unique. As be's
:36:34. > :36:36.
:36:36. > :36:41.If that was your dress, your design, and you found out that somebody else
:36:41. > :36:46.was selling a copy of it I would be furious. I would definitely be on
:36:46. > :36:49.the phone to the lawyers. So an original that is not very original
:36:49. > :36:55.and an expert who is not impressed. But what about the other dress? The
:36:55. > :37:00.one that is up is posed to be being made from scratch and which we have
:37:00. > :37:05.been promised it will be perfect. The fitting begins in ten minutes.
:37:05. > :37:09.They have tea and biscuits. It is you and me, I will make you one in a
:37:09. > :37:14.minute. Have a taste of this tea, because it is special. Because it is
:37:14. > :37:18.special, because it has been made not in any old kettle and pot,
:37:18. > :37:22.Annie, it has been made by this. The new Sage tea maker from Heston
:37:22. > :37:28.Blumenthal, what do you think? Does it taste good? It taste like tea,
:37:28. > :37:33.Chris. It is tea, but just have a look how it is made. Now, you fill
:37:33. > :37:36.the canister with water, you fill the basket with leave, tell it the
:37:36. > :37:42.specific type of tea, and then select the strength. It heats the
:37:42. > :37:46.water to the right temperature for that type of tea. Basket lowers
:37:46. > :37:51.itself into the water so the leaves brew and release the flavour. What
:37:51. > :37:55.about that? It is just a pot and a kettle, it is a fancy way of saying
:37:55. > :37:58.pot and kettle in one. All right. It is special, firstly on this tea
:37:58. > :38:02.maker we have different heat settings, that is important because
:38:02. > :38:06.according to Heston the younger a tea leaf is harvested the lower the
:38:06. > :38:16.temperature the bitter Tannins are released. The machine keeps the tea
:38:16. > :38:18.
:38:18. > :38:25.warm, and it costs �199. 99. Nearly �200? Heston isn't the only one who
:38:25. > :38:31.is coming up with household items that are complicated. More and more
:38:31. > :38:36.button, half of which we never use Here is someone who I bet doesn't
:38:36. > :38:42.know how to use any of them. What ever happened to simplicity.
:38:42. > :38:46.Like in the good old days. When life was straight forward. You knew
:38:46. > :38:56.exactly where you were. With a washboard, there was only one
:38:56. > :38:59.
:38:59. > :39:05.setting. Scrub. A bit of gold old fashioned elbow grease.
:39:06. > :39:09.Now it seems like you need a degree in mechanicam engine to turn on some
:39:09. > :39:12.appliances, there are crazy settings, I can't get to grips with
:39:12. > :39:22.them. Good thing generation game is not on
:39:22. > :39:23.
:39:23. > :39:30.the telly any more. Deep steam iron with smaller steam
:39:31. > :39:36.particles. Elements premier lives for toaster. Dyson soft dusting
:39:36. > :39:44.brush with soft bristles and a different shaped head for delicate
:39:44. > :39:49.surfaces. A cuddly toy! The last 20 years or so. Technology
:39:49. > :39:53.manufacturers have been in an arm's race with each other, so they add
:39:53. > :39:59.extra features, when you put the two new TVs side by side they end up
:39:59. > :40:03.looking similar, unless you add things like it can control your DVD
:40:03. > :40:06.player, your free view. The end result you get a TS with a remote
:40:06. > :40:12.control that looks like it will control a small nuclear power
:40:12. > :40:17.station. All it does is make me confused. I
:40:17. > :40:23.yearn for the simple things in life, like a cup of tea.
:40:23. > :40:28.Oh no. Don't tell me, four different heat settings on a kettle. Yeah, 70
:40:28. > :40:32.degrees for white tea,le 0 for green tea, 90 for coffee and one hundred
:40:32. > :40:37.for normal? Apparently these are the correct temperatures for these
:40:37. > :40:42.drink, but how different can white tea really be to so-called normal
:40:42. > :40:47.tea? Clearly me and all of you have been doing its wrong for all these
:40:47. > :40:51.years. How kind of the manufacturers to put us right with all these extra
:40:51. > :40:58.settings. Mind you, those settings will cost you. This kettle is more
:40:58. > :41:03.than twice the price of the average Bosch model. Oh no. I have just
:41:03. > :41:07.spilled some normal white tea on my cuddly toy! There is a sentence I
:41:07. > :41:11.never thought I would hear myself say. And here is the solution I
:41:11. > :41:17.thought I would never find. Yes, this Hotpoint tumble drier comes
:41:17. > :41:22.with a special cuddly toy setting. That is because these things need a
:41:22. > :41:28.cooler dry. Apparently. Of course I could just be old grumpy and out of
:41:28. > :41:32.touch. Maybe I need to move with the times. Get with the programme. Go
:41:32. > :41:37.somewhere where people are used to the latest gadgets and gizmos. Yes.
:41:37. > :41:44.This will do. Right, Rob, you have been in the
:41:44. > :41:49.game of dry cleaning, for how many years? 35, 36.You might be able to
:41:49. > :41:56.help me. It seems the king of the annoying settings seems to be the
:41:56. > :42:02.tumble drier. We have the condenser tumble drier. This has an outdoor
:42:02. > :42:08.setting. What does that mean? have you must have a long lead to
:42:08. > :42:14.plug it in in the garden. So if you have a small kitchen... .s I think
:42:14. > :42:20.so. Now we have the AEG condenser tumble drier, this is special,
:42:20. > :42:27.because not only has this got silence system plus, this has an
:42:27. > :42:32.extra silent system. That is news to me. Extra silent, it is probably
:42:32. > :42:36.more silent than silent. I think you are right. Think it is. And finally
:42:36. > :42:43.we have the Hotpoint vented tumble drier. Now this is interesting
:42:43. > :42:48.because its has 16 levels of drying. You are a pro-. You have been in the
:42:48. > :42:55.game, how many levels of drying have you got? Cool, medium hot. That is
:42:55. > :42:59.enough for me. There you have it. Well, they seem clear about that.
:42:59. > :43:09.But maybe cookery gadgets are different. Maybe they do need those
:43:09. > :43:10.
:43:10. > :43:13.extra settings? Let us go on to toaster, this is the Breville
:43:13. > :43:19.elements premium toaster. It has crumpet and bagel setting. Do you
:43:19. > :43:23.have a bagel toeser? Just for bagels? No we use the one toaster.A
:43:23. > :43:31.crumpet toaster? We use the same toaster. Let us get rid of that.
:43:31. > :43:39.This is the Panasonic combination. This has things like Chaos defrost?
:43:39. > :43:45.That is that? I haven't got a clue! Chaos defrost. Sounds menacing.
:43:45. > :43:50.Quite thunder bird, really. With these innovations they seem bizarre
:43:50. > :43:57.now but five years down the road they seem standard. Mobile phones,
:43:57. > :44:01.when they were first developed, SMS text messaging was for engineers to
:44:01. > :44:04.teem other how the network was working, when the phone companies
:44:04. > :44:07.realised this was built-in to phones they loved the idea and gave it to
:44:07. > :44:11.consumers so these kind of developments that are on the
:44:11. > :44:14.peripheral that seem bizarre the first time you try them, quite often
:44:14. > :44:21.they turn out to be something we can't live without. I still don't
:44:21. > :44:25.care for any of this rubbish. What exactly is an deep steam iron with
:44:25. > :44:29.ionisation process any way. Phillips are charging double the amount
:44:29. > :44:36.compared to the standard model. I will do without it. I have been
:44:36. > :44:42.doing my own ironing for 30 years without any ionisation. Aam doing
:44:42. > :44:49.fine. Where did I put my tea? Here it is. Lovely. OK, lots of
:44:49. > :44:54.responses. Lots of responses, Bosch said different drinks should be
:44:54. > :45:00.brewed at different temperatures and its Styline kettle allows people to
:45:01. > :45:07.do this. Panasonic says the chaos setting allows people to defrost
:45:07. > :45:15.food by weight. Better. Have I says the crumpet bagel function is
:45:15. > :45:20.designed to toast on one side of the foods and gently heat the other. How
:45:20. > :45:30.have we lived without a bagel function? I don't know.Now to
:45:30. > :45:37.laundry. AEG says the extra silent feature is quieter than the silent
:45:37. > :45:46.system plus feature. Siemens say the outdoor setting is for outdoor
:45:46. > :45:50.clothing which need a more gentle heat and the the cuddle toy setting.
:45:50. > :45:54.Hotpoint says children's toys can breed dirt and germs and the low
:45:54. > :46:02.temperature and soft tumble action restores the look and condition of
:46:02. > :46:11.the toy. We are learn soing much! -- we are learning so much. And the
:46:11. > :46:16.soft brush is the brush for soft surfaces. The Phillips say the irons
:46:16. > :46:21.produce smaller steam particles to allow steam to reach deeper and
:46:21. > :46:25.resulting in quicker and easier ironing. Perhaps these are added
:46:25. > :46:33.just to justify the price. Allegedly. Thank you to all those
:46:33. > :46:37.who have been in touch about that and here is a few more. E is my
:46:38. > :46:43.card, but you can't touch this. It is contactless. If you have one be
:46:43. > :46:48.careful going into M&S some people have said theirs have been wrongly
:46:48. > :46:53.debited. The store's terminals are only supposed to record a
:46:53. > :47:00.transaction when the carpeds are held within a distance of four
:47:00. > :47:07.centimetreses. But some say theirs were in their wallet and purse and
:47:08. > :47:13.money was still taken. So they could have paid twice. M&S says it
:47:13. > :47:18.processes 250 thousand contactless transactions a week and says it is
:47:18. > :47:25.robust and fit for purpose. But if you have problems, contact us -the
:47:25. > :47:31.old fashioned way. Want to ward off bad breath, gum disease and plaque,
:47:31. > :47:38.well you need to wash your mouth out according to the makers of
:47:38. > :47:44.Listerine. They said in an ad President Bushing a-- brushing alone
:47:44. > :47:48.was not alone and a survey said eight of ten people suffer problems
:47:48. > :47:55.despite regular brushing, but the advertise standards authority said
:47:55. > :48:00.it was unimpressed that the mouth wash was necessary and banned the ad
:48:00. > :48:09.for being misleading. A story of little interest to me, because I
:48:09. > :48:14.have never suffered from bad breath. Right guys? Guys? I didn't say a
:48:14. > :48:20.word. Flying with easyJet, you should travel light, because they're
:48:20. > :48:27.cutting the size of hand luggage and reducing bag dimensions by a third.
:48:27. > :48:34.Anything bigger is not guaranteed a place in the ka bit. EasyJet blames
:48:34. > :48:39.lack of space. We could only final three stockists with the new bag.
:48:39. > :48:48.And there is barely enough room. Just enough for for a jump,
:48:49. > :48:52.T-shirts, socks and shirt, all that plush a bash bag, flip flops and a
:48:52. > :48:57.hat could fit in the other and easyJet have given thought to the
:48:57. > :49:07.new rule. Oh yes, they're introducing it at the start of July.
:49:07. > :49:14.
:49:14. > :49:20.Just in time for the holiday season. Fabulous! The big day's approaching
:49:21. > :49:27.for Aamazing brides in Dewsbury. They're run by Bev and Dean and they
:49:27. > :49:30.are married to each other. But we found them selling supposedly unique
:49:30. > :49:36.designs that have been copied from others and gowns that just don't
:49:36. > :49:45.fit. Our researcher is about to pick up her made to measure dress from
:49:45. > :49:49.Bev's store. In fact, is that her now?Yes, that is Anna, but that is
:49:49. > :49:55.not Bev. It is her assistant. She shows Anna to the fitting room,
:49:55. > :50:05.where she spots this notice. Please note dresses are standard size
:50:05. > :50:25.
:50:25. > :50:31.nearest to your own. What? I have is what we were promise and what we
:50:31. > :50:41.were paying over �16 hundred for. Our from scratch, made to measure
:50:41. > :50:51.
:50:51. > :51:00.panicking. I must get this dress to Elizabeth. I will put it in my
:51:00. > :51:10.motorcycle where it will fit. Don't panic! Look.It is like silent
:51:10. > :51:11.
:51:11. > :51:18.witness this bit. Unveiled -the dress. The first clue is a size 8
:51:19. > :51:24.label. We were told it would be meat to her -- made to her measurements.
:51:24. > :51:33.That would make me suspicious. Looking at it, this does look
:51:33. > :51:39.factory-made. It is all hand made. .s even the label says poly-Esther.
:51:39. > :51:44.For a lower price point this would be fine, but to pass it off as a
:51:44. > :51:52.�1,600 dress, I would be quite upset. Time for the big question.
:51:52. > :51:56.What is the fit like? It is a bit tight on me. Don't worry, Anna is
:51:56. > :52:02.here to play the bride. But she is blushing more than she should be.
:52:02. > :52:08.What's happened at the front? look. Because I can tell there is
:52:08. > :52:14.room for a mobile phone, a wallet, a purse. Obviously, the fit here is
:52:14. > :52:18.wrong. It is not fitted here. And it is gaping here and it is not the
:52:18. > :52:28.right size. I am close and you can see down there. You can move around
:52:28. > :52:30.
:52:30. > :52:37.in it. I can turn it the whole way around. Yes, I think we can call
:52:37. > :52:44.this dress a disaster. Blokes could look down Anna's Cleevage. I am not
:52:44. > :52:48.going tochlt I was brought up -- I am not going to, I was brought up
:52:48. > :52:51.properly. Is there a chance this could have been made to measure?
:52:51. > :52:58.there is not made to measure. Otherwise they wouldn't let that
:52:58. > :53:05.happen. And they shouldn't have let this happenment remember that new
:53:05. > :53:12.veil, we were given the wrong one. Ex-what nation time -- explanation
:53:12. > :53:21.time. Anna is on the phone to Bev. We can't see what she is saying.
:53:21. > :53:31.thought it had been made from scratch. It has been.So why is
:53:31. > :53:51.
:53:51. > :53:57.two days before you wedding. I mean, obviously we know it is not a real
:53:57. > :54:04.wedding. But Bev doesn't. No wonder she and Dean have left a trail of
:54:04. > :54:10.unhappy brides behind them. Well now, it is time for their special
:54:10. > :54:15.day. Bev and Dean's solicitor they they're on holiday, but we think
:54:15. > :54:20.they're at the studio that doubles as their homement and today they
:54:20. > :54:26.have boarded up the gates. It is in the garage with the boot open. So
:54:26. > :54:33.they're clearly at home. But they're not answering the bell. Here they
:54:33. > :54:40.are. All right Bev. All right Dean? How's it going. It is a small hole.
:54:40. > :54:47.There is a good chance they didn't see me. But I hope the gates don't
:54:47. > :54:52.open. Hello, Bev and Dean! It is Matt here from BBC Rogue Traders.
:54:52. > :54:57.Could we have a chat about the brides you have left in tears zm and
:54:57. > :55:03.the wedding dress you sold us which had this big gap down the front?
:55:03. > :55:07.They just aren't interested. Maybe they see to know what an amazing
:55:07. > :55:17.bride's bride look like. Time for a wedding. If you're going to have a
:55:17. > :55:19.
:55:19. > :55:29.wedding, you need a vicar and some brides maids. You, you and you! Send
:55:29. > :55:38.in the bride and groom!You look really quite worrying. Thank you.
:55:38. > :55:44.You're looking kind of... Yeah. Just keep pulling it up. Look at it!I'd
:55:44. > :55:51.rather not! Dear beloved, we are hear to -- here to celebrate the
:55:51. > :55:56.coming together of a lovely couple, Beverly and Dean without whose
:55:56. > :56:01.intervention and money-making tactics, many people would have had
:56:01. > :56:06.a delightful wedding. We got a few questions and they are obviously
:56:06. > :56:09.hear us and have sent us a gift, our something blue. The police, he
:56:09. > :56:15.feelles it is time for us to move on. I think he has got it just about
:56:15. > :56:25.right. So we are going to move on. Amen to that. We couldn't leave
:56:25. > :56:32.
:56:32. > :56:37.without giving them a wedding gift. selling bridal wear for 20 years and
:56:37. > :56:40.served thousands of satisfied brides. They say their businesses
:56:40. > :56:49.are separate. Bev describes the wedding industry as a stressful
:56:49. > :56:53.trade, where emotions run high. She said she knew our pretend bride wuds
:56:53. > :56:57.different -- -was different and we manufactured a problem situation and
:56:57. > :57:01.nothing she did was right. She said she would have addressed the
:57:01. > :57:08.question, if she had been in the wrong and said the people in our
:57:08. > :57:14.film signped those satisfaction notes. And I'm making Bev and Dean
:57:14. > :57:20.the latest faces on our rogues' gallery. A lot of drivers are
:57:20. > :57:25.getting in touch, Alan received 18 and 12 months in places where
:57:25. > :57:33.restrictions were unenforceable, he appealed all eight. David said
:57:33. > :57:43.service may be bad in London, but you should try chest field.
:57:43. > :57:53.
:57:53. > :57:58.Chester field. You can get tips on an account with them, you may find
:57:58. > :58:03.it frozen. Potholes and one driver fought back and won and going to