Watchdog names affected sofas
The number of people pursuing compensation through the High Court for skin injuries caused by their sofas has now topped 5,000, making it the largest UK consumer injury claim of all time.
Archives for November 2008
Woolworths and MFI in serious trouble
As 30,000 people stand to lose their jobs at Woolworths, MFI has also gone into administration.
This could be good news for shoppers as the companies slash prices to get rid of stock. But what about people who've already ordered furniture from one of the largest suppliers of kitchens and bedroom furniture in the UK?
Text parking on trial
The days of rushing out to feed the meter may soon be over, at least that's according to Westminster Council who, for the past few years, have been piloting a new way to pay for your parking, Pay-by-Phone.
Energy alternatives
Lots of us are feeling the pinch from higher energy bills. You can use our downloadable letters to write to your energy company and ask them to reduce their charges.
Stinky trainers - update
On 17 November Watchdog uncovered a story about brand new Nike trainers that have been causing a stink.
After hundreds of you got in touch, we knew the problem was much bigger and whiffier than anyone had first thought.
The 'undertaker' with a difference
Richard Sage is an undertaker with a difference - he has a past littered with cons and deception. He tried to sell Rolls Royce cars he did not own, tricked the NHS out of hundreds of thousands of pounds with a bogus air ambulance company, and scammed a foreign exchange bureau out of £23,000. Sage even posed as a Scotland Yard police detective, and with false ID told a cashier that there was about to be an armed robbery and sweet-talked them into handing over the money to him instead.
But it was when it came to burying the dead that Sage sank to new depths.
Are petrol prices too high?
Petrol companies have been announcing record profits in recent weeks, so are some garages still charging too much?
Send us your photos of prices at the pumps in your area - so we can compare the cost of petrol across the UK.
Do-it-yourself bikes
Car sales are down but scooter sales are on the up. Price-conscious consumers have been looking to save on both time and money - particularly when petrol prices were on the rise. When it comes to buying your stylish new motor you would think going with the "UK's Largest Direct Scooter Manufacturer" would be a pretty safe bet. Well, Direct Bikes claim to be just that but if you buy from them you may find that your bike is delivered with a few surprises.
Stinky trainers
Watchdog has discovered a stinky issue with a range of football boots made by the biggest name in sportswear, Nike.
You might expect a pair of football boots to start smelling after you've had them for a while. But Watchdog has received complaints about Nike's Mercurial and Total 90s ranges that start to produce a very unpleasant odour after their first use.
Downloadable letters for your energy company
There was a light at the end of the tunnel for customers of one of the big energy companies last week. Scottish and Southern Energy indicated that it could lower its gas and electricity prices early next year if wholesale prices continue to fall.
For its 8 million customers that may sound like a step in the right direction, but so far Scottish and Southern is the only energy company hinting that our bills could be reduced, and it hasn't said by how much.
The timeshare resales with a catch
'Timeshare' used to be a dirty word, until the industry polished up its act. These days, they're a safe bet with more and more Brits signing up to a guaranteed two weeks in the sun. But while timeshares are easy to buy, they're not so easy to sell.
Have you been the victim of identity theft?
The days of bank robbers carrying shotguns and burglars breaking into homes wearing balaclavas might be numbered. Criminals are finding more sophisticated ways to steal people's money - and ID theft is on the rise.
The new Watchdog studio
The Watchdog team has moved into a new studio space. It's incredible that the whole thing was built in less than eight weeks. We've settled in now but each week the crew are still finding new camera angles.
But there were moments when we weren't sure that the studio would be built on time for the start of this new series.
You can see the studio build condensed into just a few seconds above.
Airlines vote results
We wanted to find out exactly what you think about the airlines you travel with, so last month we asked you to take part in our online vote on the airline industry. The results flew in with nearly 25,000 of you taking part. We sent your answers to market research people ComRes for analysis and here are the results.
Pyramid gifting
As the credit crunch tightens, many of us are looking for new ways to make money, but beware of pyramid gifting schemes. Watchdog uncovers one scheme which seems to be run by someone you might recognise. Lindi Mngaza was selected from 20,000 applicants to compete in one of TV's most successful business shows. The candidate in the last series of The Apprentice has a new business plan.
Dishonest doorstep tactics discovered
Watchdog has discovered that doorstep sellers working on behalf of one of Britain's largest energy companies are still lying and mis-selling to people, even though the company was exposed for doing exactly the same thing in 2005.
Petrol price-wars at the pumps
It's been three months since petrol prices hit their peak, with the average price of a litre of unleaded topping £1.19 this July. On average we're now paying just over 97 pence per litre. While this isn't exactly a bargain, at least prices are heading in the right direction.
Providence Properties Ltd
Leeds is one of the UK's largest university towns. Every year about 14,000 fresh-faced freshers arrive there all looking for somewhere to live - making them easy prey for the more unscrupulous landlords in town.
Freeview owners making their one-off purchase, twice
One night this summer (2008) Charlie and Maureen Hodgkinson settled down for a quiet night in front of the TV. But it turned out quieter than they'd hoped, when their Freeview box suddenly wouldn't work. Charlie thought it was just a problem with his box, but unknown to him, the same thing was happening in plenty of other living rooms right across the UK.
Chip pans up in smoke
Watchdog has received complaints about some Tefal Actifry units blowing out smoke, sparks and even catching fire.
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