I won £5,230 back by complaining about bad service – here’s how I did it and how you can too
A BLOKE who won back £5,230 by complaining about bad service has revealed how Brits can cash in on their dissatisfaction.
Consumer expert Scott Dixon, 51, wants to share his wisdom with the world on how to resolve and win your grievances with big firms.
The savvy saver says he has had a "lifetime of bad and unique experiences" that he has won compensation for.
He is a firm believer in the phrase "the customer is always right" - and wants others to realise how moaning could earn you some money back.
Armed with just an A Level in Law, Scott scrutinises the fine print and legislation to ensure he knows how to crack the most difficult consumer disputes.
The UK's biggest complainer even shares his knowledge with people online to help others earn back thousands of pounds by complaining.
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He has tried every avenue over the years to win his disputes - but still stands by putting your protest in writing to the company politely first.
If that doesn't work, the 51-year-old searches for other loopholes that will ensure he is reimbursed for his unsatisfactory service.
Scott has now shared some of his biggest wins he has received after complaining - and how you can do it too.
FAULTY CAR - £2,000
Scott first realised the power of protest back in 2014 when he secured a full refund of £2,000 for a second-hand car that only lasted 11 weeks, the reports.
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Although the dealership denied there was any issues with the motor, he took matters into his own hands and requested an independent report.
This confirmed the validity of his complaints, and gave him leverage to warn the CEO he would take the dispute to the small claims court.
This pre-action protocol letter before formally submitting the claim gives the firm one final chance to resolve the issue - which the dealership did in less than an hour.
Scott urged others to weigh up the cost when threatening to take the matter to a small claims court before going ahead with it.
HOLIDAY - £1,300
The 51-year-old was left furious when his dream holiday to Australia was cancelled when the Icelandic volcano eruption caused chaos in the skies.
Scott's insurance company denied his claim for compensation, telling him the incident was considered an "Act of God".
But he "refused to take that nonsense" and scoured the terms and conditions of his travel insurance policy.
Scott said: "I pointed out that Acts of God were not specifically excluded on the policy including volcanic eruptions, therefore I should be indemnified (covered).
"I took my case to the Financial Ombudsman who ruled in my favour after an 8-month battle and I was given a full refund."
The consumer expert won back £1,300 following the investigation.
SCOOTER - £1,000
Scott had purchased a scooter for £4,500 that suffered a series of issues while still being under warranty - but they refused to pay out.
Even the dealership he had bought it from backed up his complaints, but his request for his £1,000 warranty was still rejected.
He had to submit claims for a corroded engine casing, corroded front wheel, rear springs, right-hand side fork and mirror stems.
The 51-year-old had kept the scooter in top condition as well as servicing it in accordance with the manufacturer guidelines - so he escalated the dispute by filing a Small Claim.
The issue was quickly settled as a goodwill gesture without admission of liability within 60 minutes of the court documents being delivered.
CAR TROUBLE - £500
The consumer champion was left horrified after returning a car to a dealership after three months and finding it on the forecourt on sale for a higher price.
Scott said the vehicle was "riddled with faults", forcing him to demand a refund while informing the firm of the car's issues.
But he was outraged to discover the dealership had hiked the price up by another £500 more than he paid for it.
The 51-year-old complained about the controversial move and received £500 as a goodwill gesture from the company.
LATE SOFA DELIVERY - £200
Scott earned back a tidy £200 after complaining to a furniture company regarding the delayed delivery of his sofa bed.
He forked out £680 for the two-seater and was informed it would take around six to 12 weeks to arrive.
But he says the company were "continually fobbing me off" when he enquired about the overdue delivery and even gave him the wrong contact details when he tried to escalate the matter.
Furious Scott took the issue to the CEO escalated complaints resolution team, who promptly offered him £170 to apologise.
The cunning consumer then managed to get the figure rounded up to £200, after simply "asking nicely".
SPEEDING TICKET CANCELLED - £170
Scott was enraged after being slapped with a speeding ticket while riding his scooter in a rural area.
He was pulled over by the police and issued with a Court Summons for doing 47mph, but was confident he could squash this matter.
The money expert managed to successfully argue that the 30mph road sign was obscured by a hedge - meaning motorists were not adequately informed of the speed limit.
Scott explained: "I went to the local library and found the paragraph relating to road signs in the Road Traffic Act and read the law back to the police who were trying to enforce it.
"A local Sergeant came round to my house the night before I was due in Court and cancelled my court appearance.
"I saved at least £170 in a fine and costs in addition to higher insurance premiums for years to come for being convicted of a speeding offence."
PARKING TICKET CANCELLED - £60
Scott's experience in consumer rights means he is well aware of the lifelines loopholes and technicalities can offer.
The blogger was able to banish his parent's £60 fine from a private parking firm by simply taking a closer look at it.
He explained that private parking tickets, known as Parking Charge Notices, must be issued within 14 days of the alleged offence.
However, his parents was issued 25 days later - meaning the fine was voided after they appealed the invoice as being invalid.
Scott said: "I love to complain about these as they are a disgrace! I know that this is a hot topic and a bone of contention with every motorist.
"This is an unregulated industry that revolves around contract law with nearly 7million speculative invoices issued each year."
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We previously told how Scott saves £725 a year by washing his clothes and showering in the early hours, as well as swapping to a slow cooker.
The renowned complainer also claimed to save £3,811 a year by yellow sticker shopping and heating just one room in his flat.
