大象传媒

A Pontarddulais couple have been left thousands of pounds out of pocket, after agreeing to have their driveway re-tarmacked by a doorstep trader.

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Terry and Anne Lewis got a knock on the door from Bellway Paving. They came at a great time as the couple wanted their driveway re-laid so that Terry, who is disabled, could get the car closer to the front door.

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Terry told X-Ray鈥檚 Lucy Owen, 鈥淭hey seemed nice. You know they did have paperwork. They seemed genuine enough.鈥�

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Bellway Paving initially quoted them 拢1,000 to do the whole driveway, but after a bit of haggling Terry agreed to pay 拢700. The couple signed a waiver and work started within a couple of days.

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But just hours into the job the workers downed tools. Terry was told that they needed to buy a protective plastic membrane to put under the tarmac. They claimed it would protect the driveway from water and stop the tarmac crumbling. But they said it would cost an extra 拢2,100, and said they needed the cash straight away.

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The couple were suspicious, but as most of their driveway had already been torn up they felt pressurised. Terry went down to the bank to withdraw the cash and handed over the money. It was only then that Bellway Paving continued with their work.

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Five days later the driveway was finished, but the couple weren鈥檛 impressed with the result.

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Anne told us, 鈥淚t鈥檚 not level, it鈥檚 not smooth, it鈥檚 rough. Everything sticks to it.鈥� And as soon as Terry tried to put the car on, it began sinking. There are now tyre marks dotted all over the driveway.

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X-Ray asked chartered surveyor Robert Fisher to take a look at the driveway. He found that the tarmac, which should be at least four-inches thick, was only two-inches thick. And that the hardcore placed underneath the tarmac hadn鈥檛 been compacted properly. Both of which mean the driveway wasn鈥檛 strong enough to support a vehicle. 鈥淯nfortunately the driveway鈥檚 going to carry on getting softer. Really they need to cut it all out and re-lay it, 鈥� Robert said.听

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But when we asked him to inspect the plastic membrane Terry and Anne had been charged 拢2,100 for we were in for a shock. It was actually heavy gauge damp proof membrane costing around 拢50 a roll. Robert told us, 鈥淚t鈥檚 very sad I鈥檓 afraid. They have paid an awful lot of money for a product that's very cheap.鈥�

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Terry and Anne tried to contact Bellway Paving, but the owner Tom Connors was on holiday and they鈥檝e had no success contacting them since.

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Terry said: 鈥淚t鈥檒l take a long time now to get over it. The drive we did have was solid.鈥�

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X-Ray has attempted to contact Bellway Paving but we have had no response to our letter. We have also tried telephoning the numbers on their paperwork but the lines aren鈥檛 working.

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Andrew Bertie, from Trading Standards anti-fraud unit Scambusters, said they have received a number of complaints about Bellway Paving and are keen to speak to Tom Connors.

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Andrew said: 鈥淭hese companies come round the doors saying they鈥檝e got materials left over from a previous job. They鈥檒l do it cheaply and they always ask for cash to try and avoid being traced.

鈥淢y advice in a nutshell is this 鈥� if the contract is over 拢35, you鈥檝e got a seven-day cooling off period. Take advantage of that seven days 鈥� think clearly about what you鈥檙e getting yourself into, because once in, it鈥檚 very difficult to get out of it.鈥�

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It鈥檚 hard enough to sell your house at the moment without having to worry about what鈥檚 happening next door.

Clos-y-Fferm in Aberporth is well known to X-Ray after we visited last year.

The cul-de-sac was built by Rheidol Developments of Aberystwyth between 2004 and 2006.听 But, after a landslide, seven of the properties were affected by shocking cracks and two of them now stand boarded up and deserted.

Now another resident, Hannah Jones, has been in contact with us after finding out her home was worth just half of its original valuation, and she doesn鈥檛 have a crack in sight.

Hannah was trying to sell after finding out that promotion at the bank she worked at meant moving to another area.听 Hannah bought off plan in 2006 and was delighted with her dream house. She told X-Ray鈥檚 Rachel, 鈥淎berporth is just such a lovely village. It was hot off the press, we literally rushed out to see it and we went and put the offer in the next day鈥�.

And so far Hannah鈥檚 had no structural problems at all, 鈥淣o it's great, it's a lovely little property, a great starter home鈥� she said.

But the estate agent who Hannah spoke to told her she would have to sell for about 50 to 70 per cent of the market value and that it would need to be to a cash buyer. She told X-Ray she was devastated.

We asked chartered building surveyor Kevin Thomas why. He said, 鈥淎ny surveyor coming along to look at a property for sale or even if someone applies for a re-mortgage will be obliged to take into account the condition of the adjoining properties. That is blight by association鈥�.

Hannah put it into words for us, 鈥淭he area opposite the property is just derelict and overgrown with these big barriers there, and dotted around are properties which are just boarded up and it looks like an abandoned estate really鈥�.

We wrote to the builder of the estate Ian Jones who has told us his works to stabilise the site have been successful. And he says that a full investigation will produce a report as security for future surveyors, buyers and insurers. He also says the boarded up properties will be demolished in the near future and Rheidol Developments are doing everything they can to restore the site's reputation.

Last year we also featured the story of Rob and Dods Arnold whose garage had developed cracks just months after they bought their bungalow on Clos-y-Fferm in 2007. Last year we wrote to their buildings insurers Zurich who said they were still monitoring movement in the ground. Rob told X-Ray, 鈥淲e bought it in good faith thinking it would be a good investment nice position to have a property and it's just been a complete disaster.鈥�

But we鈥檝e had some great news as Zurich has told us they鈥檝e agreed a settlement of their claim and the couple will be refunded the current market value of their property as if it were undamaged.

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If you were buying a campervan from a mechanic, you鈥檇 probably feel more reassured about what you were buying.听

Ellie and David Morris from Cardiff thought the same when they bought a 1997 transit van from a man called Graham Moore, who owned GMS Autocentre in Prestatyn.

The newlyweds are keen camping enthusiasts but after they were involved in a terrible car crash in 2009 it became too painful for them to lug around heavy tents and sleep on the hard ground. So they decided to put their wedding money towards something a little more comfortable.

David told X-Ray, 鈥淓llie joked and said maybe we should get a campervan or something and I thought that was an excellent idea鈥�.

Ellie started the hunt on eBay and one van in particular caught her eye.听 It was being sold privately by Graham Moore, through the online auction site.听 David and Ellie discovered that Mr Moore owned a garage.听 They told us: 鈥淵ou think we鈥檇 much prefer to buy from a mechanic who knows his own engine, MOT'd it himself in his own garage, was what he told us, just seemed really good鈥�.

Ellie and David offered Mr Moore 拢3,500 after the van didn鈥檛 reach its reserve on eBay but their wedding money didn鈥檛 quite stretch so they took out a building society loan of 拢2,000 to cover the shortfall.

Then they took the four-hour train ride to Prestatyn in September last year to pick it up and with Mr Moore鈥檚 MOT in their hands and a successful test drive completed, they handed over their cash.

After a couple of trips in the van over the winter they took it for its next MOT 鈥� six months after buying the van from Mr Moore. But they were in for a shock - the van failed and was declared unroadworthy. David told X-Ray, 鈥淲e got this MOT back and the certificate was two pages long鈥�.

They were really confused and took the van to two other garages to get it checked over but David said they told him wouldn鈥檛 even touch it. It was gutting for the couple, 鈥淲e weren't allowed to drive it, the only place I could drive it was to places to have it checked out鈥� said David.

So we asked expert vehicle examiner Gareth Rees to take a look over the van. He said, 鈥淚t's totally beyond repair, it's what we call the proverbial rust bucket.
鈥淭he amount of corrosion on here is consistent with having happened over a number of two to three years. It's shocking. And it not only puts the user of the vehicle in danger but other road users鈥�.

And X-Ray has had a look into the van鈥檚 history as well - corrosion has been reported on its annual MOT certificate every single year since 2006. But then in 2011 it passed first time, with no mention of rust at all on the MOT.

Ellie and David wrote to Mr Moore but he responded saying, 鈥渢here was no problem with it and out checked out clear in his MOT鈥� said David.

But since X-Ray got involved Mr Moore has agreed to refund the couple in full and pick up the van. He told us that if the van was described as being in an excellent condition at the time of sale then this was an innocent mistake. He says the transaction was a private sale not connected to his business at the time and he doesn鈥檛 remember making any assertions about his qualifications or the vehicle鈥檚 condition when he sold it to Ellie and David.

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He denies categorically any allegation made that the vehicle should not have been issued with an MOT from his garage, and denies that the van was in an unroadworthy state when this was issued.

Kathryn Lawday from Dinas Powys relies on her mobile phone to keep in touch with her sister who is poorly, but for the last few months she's had major problems getting a signal at home.

Kathryn's been a loyal Vodafone customer for years, but she started having reception problems in April when she took out a new contract. The signal is so weak at home that Kathryn has to go for a walk if she wants to receive texts or calls. For most of us that would be annoying, but for Kathryn it's a lot more important.

鈥淚 have a sister that has a condition that can be life threatening,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd I have to be there to help and take her to hospital or anything like that. So I need my mobile signal to get in contact with her.鈥�

The annoying lack of signal became a serious problem when Kathryn鈥檚 sister couldn鈥檛 get in touch with her recently.

鈥淪he sent me a message to say her condition was flaring up and that she might need to go to hospital,鈥� added Kathryn. 鈥淚 was at home at the time and didn't have the message until two hours later.鈥�

Kathryn first complained to Vodafone in May. They told her the poor reception was due to a fault with the local mobile phone mast.听 Vodafone has repeatedly told her the mast is being fixed, but Kathryn still can't get a signal at home.

鈥淚 didn't think this is how they'd treat me,鈥� she said. 鈥淣o one wants to help, no one wants to listen. It's just a case of that's the problem, off you go.鈥�

Lucy got On The Case for Kathryn and found Vodafone had an interesting explanation for her problems.

They said overgrown trees are blocking the local mast and therefore the signal to Kathryn鈥檚 phone.

Cutting them would seem to be the answer but Vodafone say they don鈥檛 own the land the trees are on, so they can鈥檛 take action.

They say they鈥檙e working on a solution, and in the meantime Vodafone offered Kathryn a special signal device, completely free-of-charge, that will boost reception in her home.