Episode 4 Watchdog

Receiving a parking fine? Why you should appeal. Vodafone and orange,

no signal. Bosch, Listerine and is is this the biggest mobile bill

ever. It is Watchdog. The programme Hello and welcome to Watchdog, we

are live as usual, for the next 60 minutes. Tonight. Parking fine, a

legal sign and the council that refuses to refund drivers. They are

basically high way robber, they are bandit, they have taken money they

are not entitled to and they are not going to refund it. That is wrong.

Also tonight, Vodafone, Orange charging for calls even though you

can't make them. EasyJet, cutting the size of hand luggage, and nearly

�200 for a tea maker from Heston. But is it just a fancy kettle?

the kettle on? We can have a cup of tea and watch rogues, a husband and

wife causes misery for other couples but delivering wedding dresses like

this. And this. It is not fitted here. And it is gaping here. It is

not the right size. I am standing close, you can see right down there.

I was too polite the look. When we called to complain I did have a

sneaky listen. I will let you eavesdrop too, but shhhh. Don't tell

the bride! First mobile phone contract, easy to understand, OK,

you pay a monthly fee, in return, you your provider lets you make

call, send text, access the internet. But what happens when you

can do known of those? Do Vodafone and Orange release you from your

contract? What do you think? The city of London. Billion pound

deals. Fat cats and apprentice wannabe bes. Shame that some of

those who work here find themselves cut off from the rest of us.

Vodafone customers have told us about repeated problems, receiving

call, gets text, connecting to the internet. All of this, despite their

phones telling them they have a good signal.

Charlie Ballard began working in an office near St Paul's last August.

His problem started from the off. I could not send or receive a text.

I could not access the internet. I could send no email. I had to let

all my contacts know, unless I am at a land line or check email through a

direct connection I can't communicate. He changed his similar

card and hand set but his provider, Vodafone, stayed the same. As did

his communication troubles. Never had a problem with any other

carrier, I have lived in central Spain, different parts of France and

you would think that London would be So, let us do a little ex per. I

have myself a Vodafone mobile. Have the appropriate transport, let us

see how long it takes before I can find a place to make a phone call.

We have passed Charlie's off first, round about here is where it is

starting to get slow. So I have just put the BBC into the search engine.

But almost two minutes into it and we are still waiting.

So we are in the heart of London, now and someone is trying to call me

and he is not getting through. It is going straight to voice mail,

despite the fact I have three bar, it says I have 3G. So we have been

driving round for about 15 minutes. And the service has been pretty

awful. The internet is painfully slow when the page loads up. I have

been able to make calls and I can't receive calls, so what is going on?

According to Vodafone the network can't cope with the number of people

making calls and downloading data in and round the city. So as they admit

there is a problem they would release customers who work here from

their contract? Right? ? Wrong. They said we have looked at your data,

you have received it once in the past week. There maybe occasional

lapse in coverage, you can cancel your contract but it will be �550.

Vodafone argue because he can get coverage at home they are fulfilling

their contract. Their advice? Sit tight until they launch their 4G

service when the coverage should improve. Call that fair? I think we

better call in a consumer law expert.

If you buy a toaster, you expect to be able to toast bread. The same

thing with a mobile phone. You don't buy a mobile phone for it to sit on

the desk being useless. You expect to use it for the normal services

for which you buy a mobile phone. you think there need to be tougher

rules in place, to make sure that people can get out of their

contract? I think there needs to be stronger guidelines in place,

because there is a real issue at the moment with people with mobile

phones having difficulty. certainly having difficulty 100

miles north of the city. This is the Leicestershire village of Newtown

Linford or the hill behind it. It is one of the few places local

Orange customers can get a signal. Poor representative hundred is not

uncommon in rural areas, but here it was great, until last year. In June,

we were away on holiday, we came back from holiday, used the mobile

as normal, no signal. Which is how it has remained. Orange

customers can rarely make or receive calls or texts in their homes or in

the village. We expect our second grandchild any way now and the

thought of missing that call is distressing.

When Martin and his neighbours complained, Orange said they

switched off the local mast as part of a rationalisation programme. So,

after depriving them of of their signal surely they would let them

leave their contracts? They replied, no, we are not going to allow do you

that. In the end I contacted yourselves, local newspaper, sent a

letter to the local MP, trying to think of every way we can to flag

this up and get something done months of protest, Orange now EE

have finally released Martin and his wife from their company contract.

But they refusing to release his employees, who were only signed up

so they could keep in contact with him What they haven't done is

realised the impact they have had on customer, and handled it dreadfully

afterwards. Orange have decommissioned their

mast, they are not providing the service they contracted to provide

and they are entitled to compensation. So Martin and his wife

have been let out of the contract but his employees have not been.

the contract is all in one, and the company acknowledge they are

breaching part of the contract, it would be reasonable to say, they are

in breach, the whole contract should come to an end.

So, with mobile problems you are on stronger ground if you can prove the

network promised you something they are not delivering, if your provider

gives you coverage at home, getting out of the contract will be much

more difficult. Hardly seems fair given they are meant to be mobile

phones. In my business if we treated the

customers the same way as Orange do it would have disappeared a long

time ago. They need to be able to let people go if you are not going

to get service. For customer like these it is only fair that get the

full service they are paying for. For reporters like me it is only

fair we get to go home in style. Sadly, it looks like I have been

fired! Now Vodafone say they handle more

than 800,000 calls and six million data connections in the square mile

every day and do so perfightly 96% of the time. The nature of the

technology means they can't guarantee service all the times and

that is clearly stated. They have apologised for Charlie Ballard's

customer service, they say his complaint has gone to the

independent ombudsman, and they are waiting for his decision. As for

Orange they say it is not the case that customers who lose their signal

are held to their contracts, if anyone's signal is affected by the

decommissioner of a mast they say they measures that I can put in

place, if it can't be put back in place they will allow them to leave

their contract. They are happy to discuss other problems on a case by

case basis. If if you would like to comment Onna or any of the stories

Coming up. One law for drivers, another for council, why you can get

fined for parking here, even though the markings break the rules.

Spring has sprung. The sap is rising. Love is in the air. And I

can't think of any more cliches, it just as well because we are poving

into original and fresh territory, looking at a industry we have never

covered before. First impressions are everything, so it is important I

look my best, and even more Don't you hate it when this happens?

It is the big day and you will be late. They will be waiting, bride,

the groom, the guests. Even the brides -- bride's mum. The speeches

haven't started yet, because everyone is too busy admiring the

outfits. I will be honest with you, I have never quite got the

fascination with bridle wear, I am more of a dressing down guy. I

understand this, people like big weddings and the dress is the focus

of a big wedding so people deserve to get what they are paying for. Not

her. She is a research. That dress cost �50.

But real brides with a bigger budget deserve more. They have been going

to these two shops for their dress, Amazing Brides in Wakefield and wed

Wedding Dress Studio in Dewsbury, they are not to be confused with

other shops of similar names. They are run by Bev and Dean Hanson-Shaw.

It would be sweet if they hadn't ruined so many weddings. We have had

so many we have got them all together in one room. Don't worry, I

have done this before. Ladies and gentlemen, a toast to Bev

and Dean. BELL TOLL TOLLS TOUGH CROWD.

When Sherelle Tucker was getting marries she and her mum went to the

Wedding Dress Studio to buy the gown He said this looks fantastic on a

bigger girl. It will look beautiful. Dean said the dress which cost �1200

would be made to her measurements, it took six months and when it was

ready. I fell to bits. I didn't fit properly. It was miles too big.

could hear all the beads plopping on the floor The The wedding was weeks

away, having taken her money Dean was in no mood to help I was saying

please, it is my wedding day, please can we sort this, his response, stop

texting me now, any problems you have, put in writing to my

solicitors. So, I was like, well, why you being so nasty like this?

With less than a fortnight before her big day, Cheryl gave up. She had

to buy a new dress, for more than �1,000, but Rebecca Shaw didn't have

that option. By the time her wedding came along she had spent �2,500 on

dresses from Bev's store, Amazing Brides.

It was too small, even though I lost three stone. It was smaller than the

new reduced size you We burst into tear, it was no good. There were to

way she could wear that dress because it didn't fit. The dress Bev

supplied was five inches too small and had to be held together with

pin, Bev's attitude? The day before the wedding my mum went to confront

her, and she nearly, she said that if my mum didn't leave she was going

to phone the police and have my mum arrested.

With the wedding days away, it was too late for Rebecca to find another

dress, so he paid another seem tremendouses to do a quick fix,

Seoing a panel in the back so it would fit. When she walked down the

aisle, all you could see was where the dress had been altered. The

holes where the pieces were put in so it would zip up. We were told

when she knelt down in church, if she weren't careful how she stood up

she could leave the bottom avenue half on the floor. Luckily it lasted

until about seven, 8.00 at night, then, it started tearing at the

bottom, like coming apart. So I flung it over my shoulders and

carried on. Alongside the complaints over quality we have heard from

brides who ordered unique designs. Fay was assured the dress was a one

off then a friend spotted the same design at a wedding fair. She said

I've seen your dress and I got a bit emotional. I walked over and I

couldn't look. She said, this is your dress. This is a dress you had

been told was unique by Bev, but there it was being sold at a bridal

fare by someone else? Yes.Fay tried to cancel her order, but received a

no, along with another threat of legal action. They have got �1,000

it's all right. The wedding's in three months and we have had to

change everything. And there was a point where I said, we can't go

through with the wedding. Because you put your trust in a company and

expect that... Everything will be OK. So two wedding stores and some

distressed brides. Yet on the internet you will find a bunch of

positive reviews for both companies. They are positive. But there is

something weird about them. Take this reviewer, she says she bought

her dress from Amazing Brides, but in the same week she posts a review

of a dress from the Wedding Dress studio. One bride buys two different

dresses from two shops and both are owned by the Shaws. It is a bit of a

co-is -- coincidence. It is also a bit odd. It is odd and you know I'm

thinking? Exactly! We need to pay a visit to those stores with two of

our researchers posing as blushing brides. Want to know how they get

on? I do! Thank you. Next Orange again. We have seen it sending bills

to customers who no longer have a signal, because Orange removed the

phone mast. Now another customer, another bill and a nasty shock.

is the customer, Alan. He has had a business account with Orange for 15

years and is used to getting bills of and �300 a month. But then his

phone developed a fault. We couldn't touch it. It became hot to operate.

Orange replaced the phone, but cancelled his service, the reason?

The bill he has run up in just one month. 135,934 and 20 pence.The

votal with VAT more than �163,000. Orange said it was due today that

charges incurred in the three weeks the hand September was mall

functioning. -malfunctions. They thought the only way that could

occur was the phone dialling the internet every 20 minutes for about

20 days. The data Alan is supposed to have used is like 1. 58 million

e-mails. Yet, they said the bill was right. For the past nine months it

has been an absolute misery in our household. Because of the strain

that's been put on us by Orange. they have accepted, he wasn't

responsible, they want him to pay �300 for some of the data they say

he did down load. For somebody like Orange with millions of profit, it

is ridiculous and it is like kicking somebody in the teeth while they're

down. Quite right. The response from Orange? Well since we filmed that,

Orange have apologised to Alan and say they have refunded all charges

from the high bill and offered a gesture of good will and look

forward to hearing from him. And now park tickets councils raise around

�600 million from drivers in the last year. But how many of those are

legal? Watchdog reports opt councils using -- on the councils using

confusing signs to catch out motorists. Councils who even admit

they're in the wrong, but refuse to give drivers their money back. The

letters stand for Penalty Charge Notice. But for moatists --

motorists they also spell misery. Council issue one of these every

four seconds. So how do you avoid them? The answer seems simple. Pay

attention to road signs like these and you shouldn't have any trouble.

OK, I said seems simple. Because some councils are making it hard.

This is Aylesbury town centre, notice lines away from the kerb,

Brian did and assumed it meant the lay-by was a parking zone. It was

strange, the double yellow lines were about six feet from the kerb. I

had never seen that before. It made an obvious lay-by. So I just

thought, suitable place, out of the way of even else and put my car

behind the one that was already there. Brian had noticed faded

yellow lines near the pavement, but a assumed they no longer applied. He

found his car had been ticketed. He saw a sign at the end of the road

saying this was a no loading zone. Convinced it wasn't clear, he

appealed to Buckinghamshire County Council and then to the independent

adjudicator, the traffic penalty tribunal. I went to the aJude skater

and they -- adjudicator and they said it wasn't correctly marked.

Brian didn't have to pay his �70 fine, because he appealed. But he is

in a small minority. In factless than 1% of drivers issued with a

ticket in England and Wales take their case to the adjudicator, but

50% who appeal actually win. So why do most people pay up? Out of fear,

according to one critic, because if you appeal and lose, you will pay

more. The council will make it clear if you take up that opportunity and

lose, you will lose your discounts as well. So you will pay double and

that discourages people and that is what is wrong with the system.

has been fighting parking fines for five years. He believes more drivers

should appeal, because the tickets they receive are often not worth the

paper they're written on. The people that come to my web-site who have

been ticketed with poor marks on the road, or poor signage is incredible.

It is the biggest come mranlts we get. Parking -e-- complaint we get.

It should be about making restrictions clear. My experience is

that councils do not take that at all seriously. It is a low priority.

Is he correct? We put his theory to the test in the Aylesbury spot where

Brian was penalised. It is the same spot the adjudicator had

insufficiently clear signs just a week earlier. Had the uncoil --

council improved them? No. Were they still issuing tickets. We got one

within 11 minutes. But are councils just making money from unclear

signs, or is it more serious. How many signs are not legal at all?

Motoring groups have found examples of councils installing incorrect or

insufficient signs and markings. These Hampshire bays had been

illegally marked. Illegal signage for a suspended parking bay was

found in London. Just this week, we found this illegally marked park by

a in Oxfordshire. We are examples, but authorities keep issuing

tickets, even when officials say the signs are wrong, they do something.

That is unacceptable. Councils may take their time in removing wrong

signs, but once they're made aware of the mistakes, surely they will

refunds the drivers they fine? Not always. This is in Westminster. One

sign restricts access for lorries to 7. 5 tonnes. But to the left a

second sign says that the restriction is 18 tonnes. Confused?

So too were the 76 people who have received tickets for breaching the

rules. Westminster Council said that while it stood by the use of both

signs, one did not meet regulations and accepts for access -- the access

sign was missing. The council agreed to suspends fines while they put it

right. But when asked about fines they had already issued this was the

pay, rather than go to appeal. council is no under no obligation to

refund the payment. So in other words, they wouldn't repay fines,

even though their sign was illegal. They're highway robbers, bandits,

they have taken money and are not going to refund it. That is Ronning.

How can -- wrong. How you have trust in a system when you have councils

like that? Unclear signs, illegal signs, two very food reasons why you

-- good reasons why you should appeal your ticket. Here is a third

reason: Councils in England and Wales don't contest an average of

26% of tickets once they go to appeal. They don't put forward an

argument as to why the ticket should be paid, because they accept it

should never have been issued in the fist place. -- first place. They

hope that the motorist will get nervous before the appeal and pay

up. But anyone they think has an unfair ticket should appeal. Because

the signs are getting worse and I think drivers have a better chance

of winning, because there are shoddy practices out there. With me is

Peter Box who represents councils, this is a wonderful earner, �600

million a year income? The fist thing to say is that some 99% of

people who get a ticket don't appeal and accept they have broken the

regulations. Of course like any big organisation we make mistakes.

the money that you're using up, why don't you correct the signs?

cash that we get from car parking fines is about �400,000 after

running costs. That is used in terms of looking at perhaps subsidised

transport, park and ride and in many rural areas, it subsidises the car

parking as well. You're not using any of it to correct the signs?

accept what we have seen on the report is an issue, clearly is an

issue and all local authorities should make sure they take on board

the points. Even if you can't get the markings redone, in Aylesbury,

why were we being ticketed a week later when you now the signs were

wrong? I can't answer the particular case. But obviously as people take

money from motorists we have got a duty and we take the duty seriously

to make sure that where we can the signs are clear so people know where

they can park. Are Westminster taking it seriously? They admit the

sign we saw is not in line with the law, but nay won't refund people who

have been done by that sign. -- they won't. That is a matter for

Westminster Council. But you represent councils. I represent all

councils. They have given you that answer. It is not satisfactory.

Westminster Council residents should contacts their local councillor and

ask them to complain and people have always got the sanction of the

ballot box. It seems to me what we all should co-is not just -- do is

not just 1% of us complain, we should all aplain. You have nothing

to lose. You're still not going to pay the fine. So the moral of the

story is just appeal if you get a ticket, just appeal? I don't think

it is. Most people who get a ticket acknowledge they haven't parked

correctly. That Isola the programme shows. -- that is what the programme

shows. In some cases people don't think the ticket is valid. I got a

ticket on Saturday and I shall be one of the 1% appealing. Of course

you will. Peter Box thank you. have asked becomeshire council about

that -- becomeshire -- Buckinghamshire council about the

wrongly signed bay. They said it will be replaced and Westminster

Council says it is inevitable there will be occasions when signage is

incomplete and drivers can accept the fine or a I peel. -or appeal. It

says it does not make money from park enforcement. Still to come: Why

do do Bosch and Hot Point have to make things so complicated? Back to

Bev and Dean who run wedding stores in work inner. West Yorkshire. We

have heard from brides who paid for dresses they found somewhere else.

So it is time for us to puts their stores to the test. And time to

unleash the Bridezillas. Meet Anna and Muir re. -- Muriel. They are

reSERPS and single. Today they are brides to be, planning their big day

along with their bridesmaids. Which is worrying. They are off to Amazing

Brides of Wakefield, and the Wedding Dress Studio in Dewsbury.

Ooh Madame. Ooh Madame.

That white really suits you. There are just eight weeks to go before

Anna's fictional wedding. But Amazing Brides she may have found

the dress. What one is this? Ours, we make them. You won't find it

anywhere else. Lioneling any self respecting Bridezilla an Anna wants

more. I could have a lace up? Amaze ball, you are Amazing Brides.

Bev explains this is only the shop's sample dress, she will make Anna a

new version complete with requested change, its will fit like a glove

and cost �, over �1,000. OK, done Anna's measured for her bespoke gown

and pays a �900 deposit. She notices a clause and it is a funny one.

I understand that any on line reviews written by me with regard to

Amazing Brides will be subject to scrutiny, by amazing brides lawyer,

and may result in legal action. the bad review, not the unhappy

brides we met earlier, they are chuffed to bits.

Any way, back to our gown, Bev guarantees us it will be made to

guarantees us it will be made to Suitably reassured Anna forks out

�184 for a veil and tiara to complete the look. She is calm,

everything is in hand. She can relax. A bit smug!

Not so Muriel. She is terrible. The wedding day is closing in, and there

is so much to do. I would help, but it is not a real

wedding. Yeah, try telling Muriel that. She is feeling the strain.

Look. GCSE in drama. She got a B. OK, I think we can

agree that Muriel needs to get her dress sorted and quick. So she heads

for the Wedding Dress Studio in Dewsbury where Dean is head honcho

and he has an interesting turn of and he has an interesting turn of

So dark ivory, but not dark or Wow, it is another original. Dean

tells Muriel it will cost her �750 for this unique design. She says she

needs time to think which gives me time for research. Although I have

never had anything to do with wedding dresses I am picking up a

bit of knowledge. This is a sweetheart neckline with hand beaded

bodies, a mermaid style skirt. This is a strapless neckline, floor

length gown. Lined skirt with hand Beding. This is organ za fabric.

This is an A line silhouette with a strapless flared pleated neckline.

That looks familiar. It certainly does. It is designed and sold by

Global -- global dress makers. It bears a striking resemblance to the

dress we have been shown, the one said to be unique. Are the two

dresses the same? I need the views of an expert. Not any old expert. I

am going to see a fashion doyenne who has designed for every A-list

A-lister. She helped design that dress, ladies and gentlemen, let us

give a big welcome to, it is only Elizabeth Emmanuel. Here comes the

bride. I ask her to compare the dress from Dean's shop to the

catwalk creation. Looking at the back, it is very very similar to

this design. The Burt Burten -- buttons up the back. It is the same

shape. That is a dingtive feature. It looks virtually identical. The

draping everything. A bit more that coincidence? It is definitely a

copy. The fee features are the pleats round the bust, with that bit

of embroidery there, you have the criss-cross coming under it and you

have that bit on the skirt, where it starts to fan out.

It is one and the same dress as far as I can see. I don't see any

difference at all. Neither did the maker, when we showed them the

design they said it appeared to be a carbon copy of their, Dean might not

be alone. It looks like Bev is at it too. At her store we saw the same

dress on sale. And again, it was being touted as unique. As be's

If that was your dress, your design, and you found out that somebody else

was selling a copy of it I would be furious. I would definitely be on

the phone to the lawyers. So an original that is not very original

and an expert who is not impressed. But what about the other dress? The

one that is up is posed to be being made from scratch and which we have

been promised it will be perfect. The fitting begins in ten minutes.

They have tea and biscuits. It is you and me, I will make you one in a

minute. Have a taste of this tea, because it is special. Because it is

special, because it has been made not in any old kettle and pot,

Annie, it has been made by this. The new Sage tea maker from Heston

Blumenthal, what do you think? Does it taste good? It taste like tea,

Chris. It is tea, but just have a look how it is made. Now, you fill

the canister with water, you fill the basket with leave, tell it the

specific type of tea, and then select the strength. It heats the

water to the right temperature for that type of tea. Basket lowers

itself into the water so the leaves brew and release the flavour. What

about that? It is just a pot and a kettle, it is a fancy way of saying

pot and kettle in one. All right. It is special, firstly on this tea

maker we have different heat settings, that is important because

according to Heston the younger a tea leaf is harvested the lower the

temperature the bitter Tannins are released. The machine keeps the tea

warm, and it costs �199. 99. Nearly �200? Heston isn't the only one who

is coming up with household items that are complicated. More and more

button, half of which we never use Here is someone who I bet doesn't

know how to use any of them. What ever happened to simplicity.

Like in the good old days. When life was straight forward. You knew

exactly where you were. With a washboard, there was only one

setting. Scrub. A bit of gold old fashioned elbow grease.

Now it seems like you need a degree in mechanicam engine to turn on some

appliances, there are crazy settings, I can't get to grips with

them. Good thing generation game is not on

the telly any more. Deep steam iron with smaller steam

particles. Elements premier lives for toaster. Dyson soft dusting

brush with soft bristles and a different shaped head for delicate

surfaces. A cuddly toy! The last 20 years or so. Technology

manufacturers have been in an arm's race with each other, so they add

extra features, when you put the two new TVs side by side they end up

looking similar, unless you add things like it can control your DVD

player, your free view. The end result you get a TS with a remote

control that looks like it will control a small nuclear power

station. All it does is make me confused. I

yearn for the simple things in life, like a cup of tea.

Oh no. Don't tell me, four different heat settings on a kettle. Yeah, 70

degrees for white tea,le 0 for green tea, 90 for coffee and one hundred

for normal? Apparently these are the correct temperatures for these

drink, but how different can white tea really be to so-called normal

tea? Clearly me and all of you have been doing its wrong for all these

years. How kind of the manufacturers to put us right with all these extra

settings. Mind you, those settings will cost you. This kettle is more

than twice the price of the average Bosch model. Oh no. I have just

spilled some normal white tea on my cuddly toy! There is a sentence I

never thought I would hear myself say. And here is the solution I

thought I would never find. Yes, this Hotpoint tumble drier comes

with a special cuddly toy setting. That is because these things need a

cooler dry. Apparently. Of course I could just be old grumpy and out of

touch. Maybe I need to move with the times. Get with the programme. Go

somewhere where people are used to the latest gadgets and gizmos. Yes.

This will do. Right, Rob, you have been in the

game of dry cleaning, for how many years? 35, 36.You might be able to

help me. It seems the king of the annoying settings seems to be the

tumble drier. We have the condenser tumble drier. This has an outdoor

setting. What does that mean? have you must have a long lead to

plug it in in the garden. So if you have a small kitchen... .s I think

so. Now we have the AEG condenser tumble drier, this is special,

because not only has this got silence system plus, this has an

extra silent system. That is news to me. Extra silent, it is probably

more silent than silent. I think you are right. Think it is. And finally

we have the Hotpoint vented tumble drier. Now this is interesting

because its has 16 levels of drying. You are a pro-. You have been in the

game, how many levels of drying have you got? Cool, medium hot. That is

enough for me. There you have it. Well, they seem clear about that.

But maybe cookery gadgets are different. Maybe they do need those

extra settings? Let us go on to toaster, this is the Breville

elements premium toaster. It has crumpet and bagel setting. Do you

have a bagel toeser? Just for bagels? No we use the one toaster.A

crumpet toaster? We use the same toaster. Let us get rid of that.

This is the Panasonic combination. This has things like Chaos defrost?

That is that? I haven't got a clue! Chaos defrost. Sounds menacing.

Quite thunder bird, really. With these innovations they seem bizarre

now but five years down the road they seem standard. Mobile phones,

when they were first developed, SMS text messaging was for engineers to

teem other how the network was working, when the phone companies

realised this was built-in to phones they loved the idea and gave it to

consumers so these kind of developments that are on the

peripheral that seem bizarre the first time you try them, quite often

they turn out to be something we can't live without. I still don't

care for any of this rubbish. What exactly is an deep steam iron with

ionisation process any way. Phillips are charging double the amount

compared to the standard model. I will do without it. I have been

doing my own ironing for 30 years without any ionisation. Aam doing

fine. Where did I put my tea? Here it is. Lovely. OK, lots of

responses. Lots of responses, Bosch said different drinks should be

brewed at different temperatures and its Styline kettle allows people to

do this. Panasonic says the chaos setting allows people to defrost

food by weight. Better. Have I says the crumpet bagel function is

designed to toast on one side of the foods and gently heat the other. How

have we lived without a bagel function? I don't know.Now to

laundry. AEG says the extra silent feature is quieter than the silent

system plus feature. Siemens say the outdoor setting is for outdoor

clothing which need a more gentle heat and the the cuddle toy setting.

Hotpoint says children's toys can breed dirt and germs and the low

temperature and soft tumble action restores the look and condition of

the toy. We are learn soing much! -- we are learning so much. And the

soft brush is the brush for soft surfaces. The Phillips say the irons

produce smaller steam particles to allow steam to reach deeper and

resulting in quicker and easier ironing. Perhaps these are added

just to justify the price. Allegedly. Thank you to all those

who have been in touch about that and here is a few more. E is my

card, but you can't touch this. It is contactless. If you have one be

careful going into M&S some people have said theirs have been wrongly

debited. The store's terminals are only supposed to record a

transaction when the carpeds are held within a distance of four

centimetreses. But some say theirs were in their wallet and purse and

money was still taken. So they could have paid twice. M&S says it

processes 250 thousand contactless transactions a week and says it is

robust and fit for purpose. But if you have problems, contact us -the

old fashioned way. Want to ward off bad breath, gum disease and plaque,

well you need to wash your mouth out according to the makers of

Listerine. They said in an ad President Bushing a-- brushing alone

was not alone and a survey said eight of ten people suffer problems

despite regular brushing, but the advertise standards authority said

it was unimpressed that the mouth wash was necessary and banned the ad

for being misleading. A story of little interest to me, because I

have never suffered from bad breath. Right guys? Guys? I didn't say a

word. Flying with easyJet, you should travel light, because they're

cutting the size of hand luggage and reducing bag dimensions by a third.

Anything bigger is not guaranteed a place in the ka bit. EasyJet blames

lack of space. We could only final three stockists with the new bag.

And there is barely enough room. Just enough for for a jump,

T-shirts, socks and shirt, all that plush a bash bag, flip flops and a

hat could fit in the other and easyJet have given thought to the

new rule. Oh yes, they're introducing it at the start of July.

Just in time for the holiday season. Fabulous! The big day's approaching

for Aamazing brides in Dewsbury. They're run by Bev and Dean and they

are married to each other. But we found them selling supposedly unique

designs that have been copied from others and gowns that just don't

fit. Our researcher is about to pick up her made to measure dress from

Bev's store. In fact, is that her now?Yes, that is Anna, but that is

not Bev. It is her assistant. She shows Anna to the fitting room,

where she spots this notice. Please note dresses are standard size

nearest to your own. What? I have is what we were promise and what we

were paying over �16 hundred for. Our from scratch, made to measure

panicking. I must get this dress to Elizabeth. I will put it in my

motorcycle where it will fit. Don't panic! Look.It is like silent

witness this bit. Unveiled -the dress. The first clue is a size 8

label. We were told it would be meat to her -- made to her measurements.

That would make me suspicious. Looking at it, this does look

factory-made. It is all hand made. .s even the label says poly-Esther.

For a lower price point this would be fine, but to pass it off as a

�1,600 dress, I would be quite upset. Time for the big question.

What is the fit like? It is a bit tight on me. Don't worry, Anna is

here to play the bride. But she is blushing more than she should be.

What's happened at the front? look. Because I can tell there is

room for a mobile phone, a wallet, a purse. Obviously, the fit here is

wrong. It is not fitted here. And it is gaping here and it is not the

right size. I am close and you can see down there. You can move around

in it. I can turn it the whole way around. Yes, I think we can call

this dress a disaster. Blokes could look down Anna's Cleevage. I am not

going tochlt I was brought up -- I am not going to, I was brought up

properly. Is there a chance this could have been made to measure?

there is not made to measure. Otherwise they wouldn't let that

happen. And they shouldn't have let this happenment remember that new

veil, we were given the wrong one. Ex-what nation time -- explanation

time. Anna is on the phone to Bev. We can't see what she is saying.

thought it had been made from scratch. It has been.So why is

two days before you wedding. I mean, obviously we know it is not a real

wedding. But Bev doesn't. No wonder she and Dean have left a trail of

unhappy brides behind them. Well now, it is time for their special

day. Bev and Dean's solicitor they they're on holiday, but we think

they're at the studio that doubles as their homement and today they

have boarded up the gates. It is in the garage with the boot open. So

they're clearly at home. But they're not answering the bell. Here they

are. All right Bev. All right Dean? How's it going. It is a small hole.

There is a good chance they didn't see me. But I hope the gates don't

open. Hello, Bev and Dean! It is Matt here from BBC Rogue Traders.

Could we have a chat about the brides you have left in tears zm and

the wedding dress you sold us which had this big gap down the front?

They just aren't interested. Maybe they see to know what an amazing

bride's bride look like. Time for a wedding. If you're going to have a

wedding, you need a vicar and some brides maids. You, you and you! Send

in the bride and groom!You look really quite worrying. Thank you.

You're looking kind of... Yeah. Just keep pulling it up. Look at it!I'd

rather not! Dear beloved, we are hear to -- here to celebrate the

coming together of a lovely couple, Beverly and Dean without whose

intervention and money-making tactics, many people would have had

a delightful wedding. We got a few questions and they are obviously

hear us and have sent us a gift, our something blue. The police, he

feelles it is time for us to move on. I think he has got it just about

right. So we are going to move on. Amen to that. We couldn't leave

without giving them a wedding gift. selling bridal wear for 20 years and

served thousands of satisfied brides. They say their businesses

are separate. Bev describes the wedding industry as a stressful

trade, where emotions run high. She said she knew our pretend bride wuds

different -- -was different and we manufactured a problem situation and

nothing she did was right. She said she would have addressed the

question, if she had been in the wrong and said the people in our

film signped those satisfaction notes. And I'm making Bev and Dean

the latest faces on our rogues' gallery. A lot of drivers are

getting in touch, Alan received 18 and 12 months in places where

restrictions were unenforceable, he appealed all eight. David said

service may be bad in London, but you should try chest field.

Chester field. You can get tips on an account with them, you may find

it frozen. Potholes and one driver fought back and won and going to