Episode 13 X-Ray

You're watching X-ray. Have you seen this man? He is David Foster.

This is his ban but his customers cannot find him anywhere.

New ID is now back in the spotlight. Photographs sent to non-customers.

The sponsor the weather but PV Solar solutions have not got any

sunshine into this couple's waves. Plenty coming upon tonight's

programme. Rachel has the story of a bathroom fitter who has left

disappointed customers. When you are looking for someone to

install bathroom suite, it is hard to know who will do it. How can you

find someone you can rely on? Lot of people ask their bathroom

supplier or a recommendation. Customers who found their bathroom

fitter do Bath store have been left disappointed. Des Hunt from

Anglesey port a suite from a store or ME. He asked if the doll --

store could suggest a tradesman. spot to the manager. He gave three

names. He told us this man had done work for him. Des was Sean a

portfolio at a stall with pictures of David Foster hard at work in

other customers' warns. A few days later, David Foster arrived to

assess what was to be done. He gave us a court which we were happy mess.

He gave us a date to start. We paid the deposit, �200 and everything

seemed fine. As soon as David Foster started, a la bells rang.

started and he said -- I said the wife wanted it this way. He did

things the way he wanted not to we I wanted. He asked to be paid as

the work progressed. Soon he had paid over 1,500 pounds. He had to

question the standard of work. You have 30 jobs the damage? Yes. The

water tank in the loft, that leaked. He put his feet through one of the

ceilings. That is the water damage in the ceiling in my son's bedroom.

The paint has bubbled. Those are the scratch marks. No one had had a

bath in it. What did he say? said we must have done it. This is

meant to be flush with the bath but it is now and then shout. When he

tried to contact David Foster, he received a surprising response.

text and him to look at the damage. And he would not answer. The

following day, we got a phone call from Bath store and David Foster

said he was not going back to the job. He went back to the store that

had recommended him to make them aware of what had gone wrong. He

did not want anyone else to go through this. The manager said,

they would not use him again and they were taken off the list of

plumbers that they recommend. order not recommend David Foster,

right? Think again. John Butcher wanted to renovate his bathroom. He

asked Bath store who supplied the sweet for the name of a local

tradesman. The person who was most recommended was David Foster, David

Foster Home Improvements Limited. We looked no further. He came with

a good reputation for Bastock -- from Bath store. David Foster said

it would cost �5,500. Work would stop when the family was a week on

holiday. I paid �4,500. I thought and David to make sure everything

was in order. I cannot get hold of him. I phoned Bath store and told

them. They confirmed David Foster had ceased trading. I felt angry.

David Foster has let unhappy customers across North Wales. Later

in the programme, I will be trying to track him down. This time, it is

New ID causing problems. And the past few months, we have

heard from women disappointed by a trip to New ID. Previous viewers

complained about pressure selling on the day, for one woman, the

problem was getting her pictures. When Sian Morris brought her friend

a make-over package, she was keen to make the most of it. My mother's

80th birthday was coming up and it was a special birthday. I wanted to

buy an album for her. With this present in mind, Chan contacted New

ID. She paid to �25 in deposits and was sold a 100 pined package.

enjoyed it. It was a nice day. We got her hair done and had a but --

had a make-over. At the end, we had to choose our autos. She left after

purchasing two extra Fortrose. Her friend ordered 90. She spent a

total of 1399p. She said she made it clear everything needed to

arrive by 2nd October. They said it would be three weeks. I was told on

the day, they would come in one day. They came on five separate

occasions. The first package was not right. The retouching was not

done. Another Ronald arrived with the wrong photograph -- photographs.

There was no sign of my mother's photographs. I picked the pawn up

and had no joy. Album she ordered for her mother arrived on October

10th. It was too late. I broke my heart over it. I told my mother I

had a special present but it did not come. I had to get her normal

present. It's to add insult to injury, when she checked her order,

some of the photos were not hers. 56 photographs are someone else's

wedding photographs. I would love to find out who these people are. I

was speechless. All the money I spent, not having my Fortrose, I

did not know where to turn. New ID receive a cannot find a reasonable

explanation. The apologise and there investigating. They say they

should never have promised delivery by October 2nd. They say they will

follow this up with staff. New ID will not refund the money. They

have offered a second photo-shoot. If you recognise those photos, get

in touch. Last week, I was finding out about the number of public

toilets in Wales. Quite a few of you have strong views. One viewer

said there is this shortage of toilets and Swansea. He suggests

councils should do away with Lord Mayor's and keep toilet soap and

instead. Another viewer told us about it comforts scheme. You can

use the toilet in cafes and pubs that display a sign like this.

Another viewer let us know what about a Web site that tell you

where public toilets are. Please Lucy it is that a solar Park.

The solar panels here are generating energy on an industrial

scale. With rising energy costs, lots of us are investing in them.

It pays to do your research before you buy.

PV Solar solutions looks like a kind of company Wales needs. The

sponsors of S4C's whether he is one of Britain's fastest growing as

energy companies. They have just moved to Cardiff be. In these

difficult times, PV Solar solutions are engaged economic bit of news.

For some customers, it is not a happy story. They were bad news for

teachers Brian and Lynn Lewis. They wanted to make a green investment.

We were interested for a while. We saw something online that would

mean companies would get in touch. They made an appointment and the

salesman came round. What were your impressions? He seemed to be

looking for the best deal -- deal he Kent. I may be gullible but I

thought he was a genuine block. couple agreed to buy a 21 panels

for �10,900. Alarm bells rang when the surveyor turned up. It was then

that we started to feel uneasy. We were not happy with the surveyor

and what he did. What made you uneasy? When he came in, he did not

know where North South East West was. He was disorientated and he

sorted himself out. He took Fortrose. The company denied he was

unprofessional but there is no disputing the importance of a good

service. This is a solar panel it is a high-tech piece of kept. If I

move it 10 degrees, it can lose 4% So knowing where north and south

are is pretty fundamental. We showed Bryan and Lynne's survey to

an industry expert, who said it would have been fine for a

straightforward installation. But this wasn't a straightforward

installation. It was spread over three roofs which made the

calculations far more complicated. The paperwork doesn't show separate

calculations for the three roofs, which experts say is essential. But

although they never told the couple this, the company now say they were

intending to make these calculations during a third visit.

And it wasn't just the quality of the survey which worried Bryan and

Lynne - it was the delay in getting the panels installed. He said it

would be up and running by the end of the month. So at the beginning

of August, he said it would be at the end of the month. So at the end

of August, what was happening? Nothing. So they rang and spoke to

company boss Paul Hughes. He told me that there was a problem because

of the size of the installation they had actually got to apply for

permission to Western Poweer, and they hadn't realised this.

Now, Lynne and Bryan paid their deposits on August 2nd.

But for a whole month, the company did nothing to to get those

permissions. It was only on September 1st that they phoned

Western Power. That day, the company boss Paul Hughes said he'd

applied to install the system. He insists this is the case. But

Western Power say they didn't get an application until October 7th.

That was nine weeks after the company took the couple's deposit

of more than �2,500. With the delays and their worries about the

survey, the couple decided to demand their money back. He flatly

refused and said you are not having your deposit back. We are very

angry about it, obviously. And when he wrote to cancel, he got no reply.

How did that make you feel? Angry. But I think it confirmed our

opinion of the firm, that they were not...perhaps reputable is the

wrong word, but we were very very disappointed with them. So where

does that leave Bryan and Lynne? The Office of Fair Trading has

approved a code of conduct for companies like PV Solar. It's

called the Real Assurance Customer Code. It says that if a customers

cancels their contract, the company can only keep money for any work

they've already done. And Real Assurance have asked PV Solar to

give the couple their money back. And even they have got nowhere.

Real Assurance seem frustrated with PV Solar. In one email, an official

says she's very concerned about their actions. The way the company

treated the Bryan and Lynne seems to be at odds with the glossy image

they are trying to build. PV Solar Solutions could have broken several

parts of the industry's consumer code in this case. They've refused

refunds, failed to answer inquiries and failed to give a written

timetable for carrying out the work. All this has left Brian and Lynne

almost �3,000 out of pocket, and very disappointed. Angry,

frustrated. It's a case of once bitten, twice shy. I would be very

reluctant to look at other firms because of a experiences with this

one. Disappointing for them. Any response from the company? PV Solar

Solutions say they never gave any guarantees about when the panels

would be fitted - even though the industry guidelines say a timetable

should be agreed when the contract is signed. They pride themselves on

the service they provide, and they're striving to be a market

leader. And they add that the surveyor needed to ask questions

about the direction the house faces because the legacy of heavy

industry in South Wales can affect the reading of a compass. But

there's some good news for the Lewis's - PV Solar Solutions have

agreed, as a gesture of goodwill, to a full refund of �2,725.

Although they say they've done nothing to warrant the return of

the deposit. Next - Lucy's on the Jane Type from Merthyr Tydfil chose

a reputable local company when she was looking for a new shower but a

year of problems mean she's had anything but quality service. I'm

on the case. I spent well over �1,000 on a new shower but it's

still not working properly and the company won't help me. Oh, dear,

time for a trip to Merthyr Tydfil. In April 2010, Jane and her husband

decided to splash out on a new shower. So Jane, tell me why you

wanted to get a new shower in the first place. I had one hip

replacement three years ago and was due to have another hip replacement,

so I thought before I have this second one done, I'll get myself a

bigger shower with a wider opening for easier access. And did it take

long to find a shower you liked? looked around and went to local

suppliers and I saw the one I liked in In Home Design. I paid a lot of

money initially, �1,200 and something I think. The shower was

fitted later the same month, but Jane was soon facing problems. We

were scalded every time we went in the shower. Sometimes it would take

five minutes to come on, sometimes half an hour and towards the end of

the year where I'd been back and forth, it wasn't coming on at all.

So what did you do next? We were tearing our hair out so I went to

In Home Design in May and I said, "Look, this isn't working". Jane

went back and forth to In Home Design to get the shower fixed,

without success. She decided to get a second opinion. I thought, right,

let's just get a plumber in now and get it sorted. I'll sort it myself.

A British Gas engineer inspected the shower in August 2011. He said

this pump isn't fit for purpose and that's what's causing problems with

the shower. Because he said it's just not efficient. And this was a

product you bought hoping it would help improve your life? Very, very

frustrating because you think you're doing the right thing, the

best quality, paying a reputable firm to do it and it's backfired.

It's just not working. So Jane, what would you like me to try and

do? I'd just like a shower that works. It doesn't sound like much

to ask - Jane, I'm on the case. Thank you, Lucy. Well, it seems

that Jane did everything right. So let's see what In Home Design have

to say. Well, they've got back to me and say they were under the

impression that Mrs Type's problems had been resolved satisfactorily.

However, In Home Design say that as the problems seem to have persisted,

the only alternative is to supply Mrs Type with a new shower unit

free of charge. They also offer to pay for it to be fitted. In Home

Design point out that they have been in business for over 20 years

and have thousands of satisfied customers. But they have offered

their sincere apologies to Mrs Type for the problems she has

experienced. In Home Design have been in touch and we hope to have a

new shower fitted before Christmas! And that's another case closed!

I'm glad to say that Jane's now had her new shower. Great. Earlier in

the programme, we told you about the problems Des Hunt from Anglesey

had after he paid David Foster to fit his bathroom. Bathstore Bangor,

who Des says recommended the fitter to him, said they wouldn't give out

his name again. But they did - to John Butcher. He paid Foster �4,500

to fit a bathroom, but hasn't been able to contact him since. Rachel

takes up the story. Joe Large from Caernarfon first

heard of David Foster when he wanted to have an en suite fitted

this summer. He ordered the furniture from Bathstore Bangor.

There was a portfolio there at Bathstore, showing how well he'd

worked, what sort of jobs he'd done, and it was very complimentary and

we were quite happy. Joe was shown the same portfolio of David

Foster's work as Des Hunt had seen the year before. Joe met David

Foster and they agreed what needed to be done. We gave him a cheque

for �950 that was in advance for materials and that sort of thing.

He seemed kosher, he seemed genuine, there was nothing there to suspect,

to make me think that this guy's not what he says he is. But when

the date to start work came, there was no sign of David Foster. Joe

spoke to his local trading standards officer, who tried to

contact David Foster to resolve the issue. When he telephoned me, he

was quite aggressive. He implied all this was down to Joe, that it

was Joe's fault, a number of appointments had been made for the

work to commence and Joe had broken these appointments. What did you

make of that? I thought it was strange to say the least. The story

from Joe was slightly different to what I was getting from Mr Foster.

What might be the issues in terms of trading standards? There's a

breach of contract. Under the Supply Of Goods And Aervices Act

1982, there's a requirement if you enter into the contract for the

work to be done. It hasn't been done on this occasion. There's also

an issue under doorstep selling regulations where if a contract is

entered into in a person's home or place of work, there's a

responsibility to offer cancellation. It could constitute a

criminal breach under the regulations. What about the company

that's been involved? There may be issues against Bathstore if they

are recommending traders, under the Consumer Protection Regulations

against the store themselves. interesting twist, David Foster

seems to have some big ideas on business, even if they aren't that

original. He's registered the name B&Q Home Improvements Limited with

Companies House. Unsurprisingly, the real B&Q aren't that happy

about it. In fact they're so unhappy that as well as asking

David Foster to change the name of his company, they're also referring

the matter to a tribunal. So, where is David Foster? Well, he isn't

here. He used an address on this street in Colwyn Bay to register

his businesses with Companies House. It's a civil offence to give false

information to Companies House, or to fail to inform them of

significant changes. The current occupier has no forwarding address

for David Foster. David Foster's van has been spotted on the street

in Colwyn Bay, but its owner has proved harder to trace. There's no

sign of David Foster here at an address in Llandudno where he was

apparently responsible for some of the bills, but it now seems to be

empty. And he's not here. This house in Old Colwyn is where

another unhappy customer was told to contact him. We've done our best

but we can't track David Foster down. We've tried all his known

addresses and phone numbers, and he's nowhere to be found. So how

does that leave Des feeling, after he was promised last year that

David Foster wouldn't be recommended to any other Bathstore

customers? Very angry at the fact that they'll do that and they've

seen what he's done, very angry and not fair to their customers.

weren't looking for the builder who was the cheapest, what we were

after was somebody who came in with quality work and that was the

assurance that we got from the Bathstore, that this was the person

that we should turn to to fit their equipment. Well, a shocking story

there, Rachel, so what have Bathstore said? They insist they

made it clear to customers that they didn't recommend any

individual fitter and advised people to make their own checks as

Bathstore wouldn't be liable for any problems between a customer and

contractor. That's not what you've been told by the customers? Not at

all. They all say that David Foster came highly recommended by staff

they spoke to in the store. So why was Foster still on that list when

Des thought he'd been struck off after he complained last year?

They'll only tell us he was temporarily removed from the list

last year following a complaint, but he was then reinstated as they

weren't able to substantiate it. But he was taken off their list of

customer-recommended fitters for good in August this year after they

received more complaints - but they're not telling us how many.

Thanks, Rachel. It's a very frustrating situation

for customers. If you've go any information on Mr Foster's

whereabouts or if there's anything you'd like us to investigate, do