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Consumer Advice July 2010

Post questions, comments and answers in the Consumer Advice section on Candis Chat

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Summer's onlineSummer's online

Try these sites to help you to make the most of your summer days out - they should help save you money, too...

Something to see
Sites and attractions for everyone

• You'll get tea-room vouchers or money off your entry fee at one of the 50 participating National Trust properties when you leave the car at home. Find out which properties and how to get to them at www.nationaltrust.org.uk - seach for 'car-free days out'.
• The top free attractions in the UK involve a bit of culture and are mainly in London - the British Museum, National Gallery and Tate Modern, for example though there are a number elsewhere, such as the National Museums in Liverpool and the National Railway Museums in York and Shildon. The size and diversity of the museums usually means there's a lot to see - and often do. Search 'free museums' at http://www.culture.gov.uk
• Become a member of Days Out UK and get access to over 200 discount vouchers worth over £1,500 at family attractions and theme parks UK-wide. Membership costs from £4.99 to £14.99. But you don't have to join up, use the site to get ideas of what to do where you are.

On your bike...
Ways to get about on the cheap

• Megabus offers very cheap intercity coach travel. We got a return journey for two from Leeds to Newcastle for £16+50p booking fee. Go to www.megabus.com/uk to check routes and fares.
• Use the GroupSave option when you travel by train to destinations in London and the South East, and three or four adults or children can travel for the price of two off-peak adult tickets - and you can take up to four more children for only £1 each. Get more details on www.daysoutguide.co.uk.
  • If you r family's keen on cycling, visit the Sustrans site - www.sustrans.org.uk - which has the full 12,000 miles of bike routes that make up the National Cycle Network to download. Or pop in your postcode to find cycle routes near you.

That's entertainment
Grab a ticket for an evening out

• Orange Wednesdays mean those on the Orange mobile network get 2-4-1 cinema tickets every Wednesday and can now also get 2-4-1 pizza and dough balls at Pizza Express. If you're not on Orange, bag yourself a free SIM card and use it on your phone if it works with any network - ie, it's 'unlocked'. Sign up at http://freesim.orange.co.uk/.
• Get along to the recording of a TV or radio show although you're not guaranteed a seat when you apply via sites like www.applausestore.com or you can apply and have your name go into a draw for BBC shows at www.bbc.co.uk/tickets.
• A lot of universities put on concert programmes, presented by their own students or from visiting performers, which tend to be a lot cheaper than other local venues. Just check the website of your local uni.

And if you need something nice to wear...

• Check out eBay's Fashion Outlet store - click on the tab from the main site at www.ebay.co.uk - and get up to 70% off direct from well-known names such as Schuh, House of Fraser and Karen Millen. We found Schuh ballet pumps that were £24.99 for £10 and a lovely Linea sleeveless dress from House of Fraser, £15, down from £79. You may need to search for your size, but there's generally a wide range available.

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Questions and Answers

Holiday let down...

Q: In May I had a week's break in Majorca and paid for a four-star hotel. When we got there, we'd been put in a two star. I complained to the rep, who told us there was nothing she could do as the original hotel had been overbooked. We were actually happy with the two-star place so stayed there but I hoped to recover the difference in price when we got home. The tour operator initially agreed but has been dragging its heels over paying me the money. What should I do?

A: Citizens Advice suggests that you write to the tour operator, copying in the travel agent, if you used one, and your credit card company, if you paid this way - as it is jointly liable. This should be done as soon as possible and you need to include as much information as you can, such as booking references, hotel details and what you tried to do to resolve the problem while you were away.

If you don't get anywhere within a reasonable time, say two weeks, you could use one of the mediation services, operated by the Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO) or the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) - contact them via their sites. And it that fails, there's the Small Claims Court. There is actually no such place, it refers to a smaller claim - £5,000 max; £3,000 in Scotland - made through the county court in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and the Sheriffs Court in Scotland. Write to the company again saying that if you haven't heard within a further two weeks you will have to resort to a small claim.

Do it online - cheaper than the paper route - at www.moneyclaim.gov.uk or go to www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk or www.scotcourts.gov.uk in Scotland. The form you need to fill in comes with guidance notes to help you through the process. File the form or send it in with the appropriate fee - up to £108, but you'll get this back if you win - and the court will then make its decision, though this could take up to six months.

• If you're trying to get money back from a business or organisation and you're unsure whether you're right to make a claim, check at your local Citizens Advice Bureau or go to its site at www.adviceguide.org.uk for further information.

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How to house swap

Q: I'd like to reduce the cost of my holiday and do a house swap. Can you tell me how this works and what else I need to know?

A: A house swap is a simply brilliant idea - you stay in someone else's home while they come and stay in yours. You pay the travel costs to get there and then you live in the house as if it was your own. Sign up with a site - there's usually a small monthly or annual charge for this - browse the other listings and send an email to any you like the look of to see if the other home owner is happy to swap with you on the dates you're after, it's good to have a few alternatives. You could also ask to be put in touch with other families who have stayed in the homes you're interested in to hear their experiences.

Before the swap you will get to exchange emails and photos and a few telephone calls with your swapper so it's not like you're letting a complete stranger into your home. Advice is to leave most things where they are but to lock away anything particularly fragile or valuable; let swappers know of any ground rules and leave a list of important contacts - a neighbour, the plumber, that kind of thing - in case of an emergency or for some local advice.

Most home insurance permits 'invited guests' but check your policy - the same with the insurance for your car if you agree to swap that, too. Some families will want you to take care of their pet but this will be stated clearly in their listing so obviously, don't suggest a swap to a family with a moggie if you have an allergy to cats.

The one main accepted rule is to leave the house as you found it but to treat it as your own while you're there. It's a brilliant idea and could save you a fortune in holiday costs. Have a look at www.homeexchange.com ($9.95 a month for a year or $15.95 a month for a three-month contract), or www.intervac-homeexchange.com (£49.99 a year).