From knowing your rights on revenge porn to free IKEA meatballs, our experts share advice and deals
Every Saturday, The Consumer Crew are here to solve your problems.
Mel Hunter will take on readers’ consumer issues, Amanda Cable will give you the best advice for buying your dream home, Maddy Tooke rounds up the best coupons to save you money and Judge Rinder will tackle your legal woes.
Judge Rinder - The Sun's legal expert
I MANAGED to completely flummox one of my ITV court staff the other day.
She asked me what I thought about Demi Lovato and I replied that I would actually prefer a medium skinny cappuccino.
The slightly confused look I received (reminiscent of when my games teacher first witnessed me attempting to play rugby) immediately told me that I had — yet again — got it wrong.
It turns out of course that Demi Lovato is not some sort of overpriced coffee option but an American singer.
The reason I was asked about her was not, surprise surprise, to give my view on her latest album but because she is yet another famous victim of the so-called “Fappening”.
That was the mass attack on celebrity iCloud accounts three years ago, which resulted in private photos of a highly sexual nature being leaked for the entire world to view.
I have little time for 'First World problems' of celebrities but naked picture leaks are a grotesque invasion of privacy
Judge Rinder
This revelation comes in the same week as this newspaper reported that Holly Willoughby has been taunted by hackers claiming that they will publish X-rated snaps of her.
I do understand why some people seem to have little sympathy for Miss Lovato and others like her.
After all, why on earth take these photos when you know that there is a substantial risk that they will end up in the filthy hands of some hacker?
Readers will know that I have little time for celebrities grumbling about their thoroughly boring “first world problems” but in this case there is a really important issue at stake that effects both the super privileged and every one of us.
The fact is that laws which ought to protect private content of materials held on iCloud and other storage systems are unfit for purpose.
As it currently stands, I would struggle to identify a precise charge against any of these cyber criminals.
They could end up being prosecuted for any number of offences, none of which would accurately reflect the seriousness of this crime or the crushing impact of this grotesque invasion of privacy.
This needs to change. Laws relating to data protection and cyber crime need to be updated so that people who steal our most private images are given more than a light slap on the wrist.
Summing up
PURCHASED a chihuahua from a breeder. The dog was meant to be three years old and I was given paperwork and a receipt for the £325 I paid.
When we got home we noticed the dog’s breath was very smelly. The vet told us she had bad tooth decay. We were quoted £375 for the treatment.
The vet also said that, though not impossible, it’s rare that a three-year-old dog would have such bad decay.
This was just two days after I had bought the dog, so I rang the breeder and said that under the Consumer Rights Act she has 28 days to correct the problem or give me a refund. She refused to do either.
This poor dog had never been out on a lead and was not house trained like we were told. I told the breeder I will cover the cost of the treatment if she refunds us the cost of the dog.
She initially agreed to this via text but has since changed her mind and no longer responds to contact.
I have proof of all texts sent, plus vet paperwork. How should I proceed?
TINA, Bradford
A - Firstly, you are absolutely correct. This breeder gave you a clear indication of the dog’s age and medical condition which you completely relied upon.
You are entitled to a full refund. The problem here is that the breeder sounds unscrupulous.
Email her saying you want your money back within 28 days and will return the dog.
You may also have to threaten to take her to the small claims court.
In the meantime, a canine charity might treat the dog for free.
Mr Rinder regrets he cannot answer questions personally.
Answers intended as general guidance, they do not constitute legal advice and are not a substitute for getting independent legal advice.
Got a question for Judge Rinder? Email [email protected]
Amanda Cable – Property expert with the best advice for your home
Quick tips for an Easter sale
IT’S March madness! And that means one thing . . . thousands of homeowners are preparing their properties for the Easter rush.
We asked interior designer Julia Kendell – the star of TV shows 60 Minute Makeover and DIY SOS – for her top tips on preparing your home for sale without breaking the bank.
- Start from the outside in: One of the cheapest – and simplest – of home improvements is to clean your windows. It really adds to the first impression and allows light to flood in.
- Paint your front door and windows: Try navy blue, which is on trend. Or grey will give a funky update to a Sixties or Eighties house.
- Declutter to create space in your hallway and paint the walls light blue, lilac or soft green: It creates the visual trick of making any corridor look longer. Beware of yellow, it will make any entrance feel smaller.
- Once your house is ready for viewings, invite a friend over: They will see it with fresh eyes. Go from room to room asking what they would change. This free, constructive help is the best you will get.
- You can meet Julia today at the Homebuilding & Renovating show at Birmingham’s NEC where she is holding free 15-minute consultations on a first-come, first-served basis.
For details, see .
WHAT happens when teenagers redesign the interior of a traditional thatched cottage?
The answer will be revealed at the Ideal Home Show, at London’s Olympia, until April 9.
Designer Ella Smith, 17, of Chichester College, West Sussex, says: “Inside is open plan, with shocking bright colours.”
Move over Bob, it's Mum
MUM the Builder is far more likely than Dad to take charge of any renovation project, research says.
A survey by the Federation of Master Builders found 29.3 per cent of women have the final say in big projects, compared to 18.6 per cent of men.
Almost eight in ten women have painted a room, 58 per cent of women have unblocked a sink, more than half have changed a fuse and more than a quarter have cleared the guttering.
Brian Berry, chief executive of the Federation of Master Builders, said: “This research shows that in 21st century Britain, you’re just as likely to find a woman up a ladder clearing out the guttering or battling with flat-pack furniture as you are to find her performing more traditional domestic chores.”
Got a question for our experts? Email [email protected]
Mel Hunter – Readers’ champion on fighting for your rights
Q - HAVE spent six months in communication with Monarch Airlines about our delayed flight from Dalaman in Turkey to Manchester.
We took off nine hours late and landed at Leeds Bradford instead.
At first Monarch said we would get compensation. But then it said we wouldn’t because we’d been moved to another flight.
IAN BOX, Kendal, Cumbria
A - Even though you took the option offered by Monarch of coming home on a different plane, you still arrived back in Britain nearly 12 hours late – 50 miles from your intended destination.
The fact that Monarch put you on an alternative flight shouldn’t have made any difference to your claim. Even with my involvement, Monarch initially refused to budge.
I persisted, double checking your rights with the Civil Aviation Authority, and Monarch finally agreed to pay your family £1,045.
The airline maintains it was within its rights not to pay as there is no case law determining whether compensation is payable if the passenger does not actually arrive on the delayed flight in question.
Nevertheless, Monarch agreed to pay “as gesture of goodwill”.
I firmly believe you were in the right and I am very happy that our persistence paid off.
Q - WE bought a Sony TV to use in our caravan but after 14 months, the set wouldn’t turn on.
A TV engineer said it had a defective screen, which he believed was a common problem with that model. Sony has refused to help. I am spitting feathers.
MIKE HARPER, Woking, Surrey
A - Your set was just out of warranty but a brand-new £430 telly should last longer than 14 months.
So I took your situation up with Currys PC World, the shop where you bought it.
Fortunately the retailer recognised your rights.
You weren’t automatically entitled to a refund but the TV qualified for a free-of-charge repair.
They ended up sending you a replacement.
- MILLIONS of us will order flowers online this Mother’s Day, but sometimes your mum won’t get the best of the bunch. Here’s help if you have a bad bouquet.
LATE BLOOMERS: If your bouquet arrives late, you should take it up with the retailer, not the delivery firm.
If you’ve paid for the flowers to be delivered on a specific date or time, that is an agreed part of your contract. You have the right to stop the purchase and a refund if the retailer does not stick to it.
DON’T ACCEPT DROOPS: If your flowers are wilting when they arrive and they’re not of satisfactory quality the retailer should give you your money back.
Take a photo when your mum receives them as proof of their poor condition.
BUNCH OF FIVES: If you ordered ten lilies and only five arrive, you are entitled to a partial refund for the missing blooms.
If the bouquet doesn’t match the description or picture shown online you can reject them and ask for a refund.
Unless the retailer has explained that the type and colour of flowers may vary, they must provide you with exactly what you order.
Do you have a consumer issue? Email [email protected]
Maddy Tooke – Coupon Queen finding you
the best bargains
1. Ikea Family members get a free meal at IKEA after 4.30pm on weeknights when any home furnishing product is bought. Claim the meal cost back when you make your purchase.
2. Get 20 per cent off I WANT ONE OF THOSE orders over £80 with code 20IW80. Order through Quidco for an extra eight per cent cashback.
3. Get 35 per cent off PHOTOBOOK UK gifts with code HOTMARGIFT or 45 per cent off home decor with code HOTMARHOME. Order through Quidco and get five per cent cashback
4. Get £20 off a £250 spend at SAMSUNG with code SAMSUNGSAVE20, or £10 off orders of £150 with SAMSUNGSAVE10.
5. Save 35 per cent off full-price GAP orders and 15 per cent off sale items with code MYGAP. Order through Quidco and get an extra 7.56 per cent cashback.
6. On Mother’s Day at FRANKIE & BENNY’S restaurants get a free bottle of wine (England and Wales) or chocs (Scotland) with two main meals.
7. Save 20 per cent on indoor furniture orders over £150 from ARGOS with code FURN20.
8. Get 25 per cent off UK and European booking at NATIONAL EXPRESS with code MARCH_25 from Voucher codes.co.uk.
9. Save 20 per cent on GROUPON LOCAL DEALS with the code CLOUDL20 from Voucher cloud.com. Ends tomorrow.
10. Get LIDL’s Spring Magazine for a £5 off £30 spend voucher.
Five top freebies
- NEW Topcashback.co.uk members can get a free £5 Easter Egg from any UK retailer. Upload receipt to Snap and Save on their website. See at .
- Free Mars Celebrations 240g from Tesco or Sainsbury’s. Buy in store, upload a pic of the receipt, and claim cost back at .
- Get tickets for Celebrity Juice, Saturday Night Takeaway and more at .
- Free The Body Shop Lip Butter worth up to £4.50 with O2 Priority Moments. Show the app in store.
- Free LoveTheGarden products with Miracle-Gro – sign up at love .