From a Viagogo ticket ‘glitch’ to the best towns for grads to live in, 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
AT the Bar there’d always be a handful of much older barristers ticking along – sitting in the Bar Mess telling stories about the time they nearly defended a handful of Krays, or when they almost prosecuted Emmeline Pankhurst.
I always thought it’d be well worth heading over to them whenever I could and taking the opportunity to hear what they’d have to say.
They’d always be very charming and intelligent, but as the system moved on they’d be asking me what a laptop was, or how mobile phones worked.
I’d see other barristers muttering.
In criminal law, where the entire legal system seems to change every Wednesday, and the whole world of law is online, it can’t have been easy keeping up and shifting to the modern world after a lifetime at law.
It reminds me of HHJ Pickles — who is said to have stopped a trial to ask who The Beatles were.
Even I sometimes find myself sitting in my court and reacting with astonishment as I discover some new iteration of how people interact with one another (Snapchatting on their Tinders, and other such activities raise my eyebrows and drop my jaw).
Experience is invaluable, but when people feel it is time to quit we should salute them for doing something brave
And doubtless, a century from now, when every trial proceeds in cyberspace with quantum chips implanted into one’s brain and my programme is being broadcast on the Moon, I’ll have no notion what all the young lawyers are talking about.
I was reminded of these older barristers when I saw that Prince Philip is stepping down from public life.
He’s put in a solid life of service, and he deserves to put his feet up in front of some high quality tea-time legal television.
But also, although a lifetime of experience is of infinite value, if and when people feel that they aren’t going to be doing the job as well as they’d like to, we should acknowledge that they are doing something brave and impressive and salute them.
It takes me back to the old joke (probably told to me by one of the charming older barristers) about the 90-year-old man who had burgled lots of houses when he was in his eighties.
He was found guilty and sentenced to 30 years . . . as he was being taken to the cells, he shouted to the judge: “I’ll be dead before this sentence is over!”
The judge smiled benignly and shouted back: “Well . . . just do as much as you can.”
Summing up
My husband and I rent out a caravan.
Last winter we had a man stay for about a month.
He paid a week in advance in cash, then on January 2 he disappeared without paying the rest.
We phoned and texted him asking for the money but received no answer and no cash so we took out a claim against him.
We got a judgment in our favour, but he still did not pay so we applied for a warrant which we got and the bailiff went round to his parents’ address, where the man lives.
The bailiff couldn’t get any money and said there is nothing more he can do as he cannot seize goods such as his car, as he needs it for work, and because the address is his parents, he cannot take goods from there.
We are owed £477 now, including our costs.
Do you have any suggestions as to how we can move this claim forward?
— Carole, Burnley
You did exactly the right thing by taking this man to court.
Sadly, sometimes doing everything correctly gets you nowhere.
The reality is it simply isn’t worth suing people who are broke as there is little that one can do to enforce judgment against them.
I am a little surprised the bailiff took the view he cannot take this debtor’s car away.
Assuming that this is his asset (free of any finance agreement), then it could be something that might be taken and sold to pay off this debt.
Ultimately, there is little that can be done here.
You may want to write to the bailliff and complain, but I doubt you will get anywhere.
In the meantime, it seems to me that this is a rather expensive lesson in ensuring that you are far more careful about who you rent to.
— 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 judgerinder@mcb777.site
Amanda Cable – Property expert with the best advice for your home
– WE all know about the bank of Mum and Dad – but research from Plentific shows parents in London, Bristol and Sheffield are most likely to roll up their sleeves and help with DIY projects.
Parents in London are most likely to chip in when it comes to buying a property.
Got a question for our experts? Email property@the-sun.co.uk
Mel Hunter – Readers’ champion on fighting for your rights
Sent barking mad by Corgi
Q. I HAVE boiler and plumbing cover with Corgi HomePlan.
In August, my boiler was running all day and night.
Their engineer said it was a stuck valve but this didn’t solve the problem.
Then Corgi said it was possibly a faulty tap, which wouldn’t have been covered by my policy.
I had to get an independent engineer’s report to prove this wasn’t the case.
In December, I received a letter promising a resolution in four weeks.
This never happened.
The boiler was broken until March.
In desperation I got it repaired by a plumber but we still have no hot water in the kitchen.
I’ve had no contact from Corgi since December.
– JIN SANDHU, Derby
A. You were paying £17.99 a month to Corgi HomePlan for cover but the company abandoned you when you needed it most.
They hopped to it once I told them your shocking story, refunding you in full and paying for you to get your boiler fixed.
After nine long months, you finally have a fully functioning hot water system.
Corgi HomePlan chief executive Peter Southcott said: “We wish to wholeheartedly apologise. There is no way it should have dragged on for so long.”
Q. ON January 31, I purchased four tickets from Viagogo to see Ed Sheeran.
The price came up as £262.99, which seemed about right.
Then I received an email congratulating me on buying four tickets – costing £1,421.38!
Viagogo has refunded some people after admitting a “glitch” but I can’t get through to get any response at all.
– MARJORIE IREDALE, Newcastle
A. Many other angry Ed Sheeran fans joined a Facebook campaign led by Claire Turnham, who had the same problem as you.
She was refunded after Viagogo admitted an online glitch.
But the company wouldn’t help you at all.
In fact, its customer service has proved scandalous.
You struggled to get hold of anyone on their automated phone line and only got your money back when you still hadn’t received any tickets on the day of the concert.
I’d urge all readers to steer clear of Viagogo.
A company that operates like this isn’t worthy of your hard-earned cash.
Q. LAST August, I booked flights to Ibiza with BA for May 2017.
In October, they told me my return flight was cancelled and the alternative was six hours earlier.
As we are only there for two nights this is not convenient so BA said I could cancel and get a full refund.
I did this, spending £440 on flights with another airline, but was then told I wouldn’t get a refund until the tickets were re-issued.
I have sent loads of emails which have all been ignored.
I’m not sure I’ll get my money back before I fly out.
– SAM WILEY Hornchurch, Essex
A. This seemed crazy.
British Airways told me the delay was due to your booking still being live as you were still taking the outbound leg.
You had been more than patient so I’m glad to say they finally refunded you.