I have emailed BBC watchdog and I have also been using the Thomas Cook Customer forum which I have had replies from a lady with Holiday watchdog. Today I have just rung TC/Expedia whoever it is......and they ARE changing my hotel!! But they won't sort my transfer to that hotel as promised!!! arrrhhh....but.....what did I expect. I have had a correspondence from an employee with the TC forum who has passed my complaint on. Lets wait and see how much TC value their customers. (then again...am I a customer???)

Thank you for replying Bazooka Boo. I don't think they are either and I am wasting my time and energy on them now, to the point that I just don't want to go. However, I AM going, and they will pay big time when I get back!!!!! I like your suggestion regarding watchdog, and I will be emailing them this morning. I know I need to take a deep breath now and start accepting they are not going to do anything. I have been on the phone over and over since last Monday everyday the same thing. So if they haven't done anything by now....they are not going to. (Although,I am going to give it one more attempt this morning as I need to book transfers).

Thank you....I did type in a desperate way

Please help!!! I have booked a hotel in Portugal to travel this coming Tuesday 6th Sept. I booked with Thomas Cook.com. I booked this on 29th August. I was careful to choose right hotel as I am taking two children aged 8 and 9yrs. 3 things I wanted. Pool. Playground and close to beach. I had a limited budget and got it down to 3. I chose the one closes to beach. The online brochure read nearest beacg 0.5km next 0.7km. However, after booking, I googled the attraction we plan to visit to pre book tickets but when I put our hotel in it stated it was 20km away?? I was a bit baffled as it had stated on 3,5km on the hotel details. I then google the beach it had stated only 0.5km away to kind it was in a complete different resort!!?? I rang Thomas Cooks number on my booking reservation to be told it was a mistake and I could have a refund...but they would not return for 7-10 days which meant I did not have time or money to book another hotel. (which I explained to them) I was offered another hotel but had to pay £250 more. I refused to pay anymore so they accepted that and told me they would put it through their 'esculation' department and ring me back in 24hrs. Since then, I have rung everyday....NO ONE rings back!!! I rang Thomas Cook head office who refused to help me as the booking was actually with EXPEDIA??? My booking was made with thomas cook...the booking reference says thomas cook....the email says "thank you for booking with thomas cook"....the telephone number is thomas cook. I then had a call from "thomas cook esculation department" who told me the details on the online brochure belonged to the sister hotel and would I be happy to transfere there. I happily said yes. He promised to ring me back to confirm the next day....but guess what????NO!!! I rang them and eventually he rang back....but told me the manager of the hotel hadn't got back in touch. I asked him would he definately be changing my hotel and he has said yes....but he now does not return my calls and no one....no supervisor...no manager will speak to me??!!! I am desperate. Please help. There is no public transport from the hotel booked to the beach and worse still....no resturant. I have booked self catering to eat out in the evenings...which I have to travel now 10 miles round trip every night at my own expense? I have spoken to ABTA who didn't want to know. I have also reported to trading standards....and still the hotel is advertised with the wrong details. PLEASE PLEASE HELP!!! I TRAVEL IN 3 DAYS

I missed the first payment on my council tax last year and was taken to court by the local authority but I was sued for the full years bill!? Bailiffs were then instructed.I accept the payment I missed, but my point here is; 1; How can I be sued for a service I have not yet received? (As it happened I moved out of the property before end of financial year, and therefore did not owe a full year but the liability order stood.Now recieved bailiffs letter pay up or else). My concerns have stemed from this. At the start of the financial year we are sent a full years bill for a service in advance. If we were to miss payment, we then have to pay the whole amount or end up with bailiffs!!!?? What if senario 1; If bailiff had called prior to this I would have had to pay it all? How is this fair? What if Senario 2; Bailffs comes to take my stuff and week later I lose my job? I am then entitled to full council tax benefit and therefore would be owed money. BUT, the rebate I would receive from the council would no way cover the re-purchase of my goods taken??? How is this fair? Why are we paying in advance? If I was on benefit, it would be paid in arrears? Why should I have not been sued for the month I missed??? What can I do now to stop bailiffs? I've rung council and they have reduced the amount by the months I did not live there. Ok fine. But they will not stop bailiffs. Bailiff won't talk to me on phone, they want to come to the house.? HELP???

Did think of the house insurance avenue so will take alook. Thanks for the reminder. Now, local papers??? I like it. Election time to.

Yes good thinking both. Took photos during the tree masacure but not since!! Have not written down dates etc either. Will do both today. I think your right 2 rhodium its definately a thin ice issue. The guy from highways was so rude to me when I rang him on the day and you could imagine the seam coming from his ears when I said I'd rung planning and I mentioned the protection order. I have also read within the highways act (sorry can remeber section) how they have now distroyed the enjoyment of our land?? Not sure where we'd get arguing this case to?? Also the fact that they have left it dangerous?? If I can, I will upload the photos and you can see what an absolute disgrace they have left behind. Also I should argue when and if the bill arrives, that if they are charging me at least do a good job!!

They are saying that as part of a small tree fell onto the road (dead end cul de sac) that it was an obstruction , which yes ok we can go with that. But to cut down further trees and prune back others and claim this as an emergency is shocking. They said they were in danger of falling on to the highway (dead end cul de sac) yet admitted one didn't even reach the pavement?? Foolishgirl - we are considering our councellor. I do think its someone with a grudge. The same people who were beaten at the auction of the land. Neighbours hey!! A work colleague has suggested not replying to the letter until an invoice arrives (if it ever does) They seem to think that as we have argued with highways over this that they may not persue it, especially as they have cut down protected trees. Planning are not happy with them as a TPO is in place for the trees cut down.

Oh yes....can I request a copy of the emergency procedures from Highways as there is nothing in the actual act about emergency procedures??? Did they have the right to take away the trees they cut down or by not offering it back to us, is this theft? They took away a great deal of the trees but they have left the land in a right mess. Stumps and logs everywhere. In fact dangerous!

Thanks rhodium (and DDwales for the bump) We have recieved a letter from highways now outlining the fact it was "an emergency" gave them the powers to remove the trees. They have also indicated they're intention to recharge us. We are now awaiting the invoice for the works carried out. Strangely enough, we have also received notification from the DVLA that we are keeping our jeep (which has been entirely mechanically immobolised since oct 2008) on public property??? (again on our land) We have previous and present SORN documentation for this vehicle. What the bloomin heck is going on??? This is our land! We bought it! We have the land reg documents but yet one government agency is saying its private land (yet they can do what they like on it and charging us) the other is saying its public land ( and wanting to fine us) Where are our rights here!!?? Rant over. Phew!

DO NOT sign any letters to lowells, Red or Hamptons (they are all the same company) with your usual signature!!! They have been know to cut and paste signature onto credit agreements! **** bags.

We own a small piece of land opposite our house which has a very small wooded area. Its a small cul de sac and one of the small trees had fallen down and had partially blocked the road. (Unware to us, as this had happen whilst we were at work) My son rang me at work to say a council inspector had knocked the door and said he was cutting trees down on our land.My son told him it was private land but the man basically said tough. As we knew the trees were protected we called the planning department of the council who had no knowledge of this. After further investigation we discovered it was Highways who had instructed for the trees to be cut as an emergency under the highways act. 4 trees were cut and 2 pruned back and removed from the land as they insisted they were in danger of falling on the highway. During a telephone conversation with the highways department (who was very abrupt) he told me that in fact one tree did not reach the highway???? They did not give us opportunity to remove the tree, which when asked why I was rudely told that it was an emergency and tey did not know who owned the land. (They knocked the door to tell us they were cutting the trees, yet didnot know who the land belonged to?) They are now sending us a bill for 2k. An officer from the council came out from planning re; the protected trees and confirmed the trees were protected and a simple phone call to them from highways could have resolved this mess in a much better way. They are not happy will Highways. My questions are; 1; Can they do this? 2;We can accept that one tree would consitute an emergency, but 4?? 3; Why were we not given the opportunity to resolve this first? 4; Do they have the right to remove the cut down trees from our land? 5; What can we do?

Am I wrong, but wasn't Abbey one of the 4 banks refused the right to appeal due to their t&c not being written in "plain english"?

:roll:mmmm....I have just read through the Human Rights Act 1998 Article 14.....food for thought......Thank you for your interest Mr Shed

Thank you for your reply. Surely the tenacys should be equality evaluated? References etc? There are no guarantees that someone who is fulltime employed will pay their rent? Plus any tenancy envolves a bond and month in advance from the tenant and the local Housing benefit office especially my local office is very quick to arrange benefit which is in place before the next rent payment is due! I agreed there should be some measures in place, example being - not allowing the prospective tenant to lease a home which is completely out of their price range and hugly over their HB allowance and to implement a save level of rent. Plus if rent arrears do occur at least payments can be made directly to the landlord (yes after 7 weeks arrears) but what back up is there if an employed person falls behind? Sorry I feel quite passionate about this as I feel I have been judged on stigma not on the type of tenant and individual I actually am.

I have been claiming Housing Benefit and Income support since I gave up work for the NHS at the beginning of March to look after my children full time. I need to move house as the rental property I am in at present has been sold. All the estate agents in my local town have refused to accept housing benefit more so to do with the change in which it is now paid. (Directly to claimant rather than landlord/lady). What difference does it make how the money gets to the tenant or to the landlord/lady? If was a full time carer for example in a care home and paid by my local government I'd be accepted? But as I am a full time carer for my own family still paid by the local government I am not accepted? Surely this is discrimination? I have looked basically at the Discrimaination Law and by no means understand it but what it does state is under the Human Rights Act 1998 a person cannot be discriminated for financial or employment status???? I am totally wrong here?

Thanks both, I will be lodging my complaint with the FSA.

Hello everyone, I have been impressed by your dedication and information you have provided for us all. So, can anyone tell me....I have made my claim only a few months ago, and I guess I received a standard response from HSBC stating the position of the test case etc etc. I responded with a letter outlining the fact that during the time they have taken charges from my account I was actually in receipt of income support and using the social security administration act reference have asked for my case to be dealt with now as I have been informed that they must deal with this now and not put it on hold?? I closed my account with them a few years ago as they were taking some weeks ALL my benefit in charges leaving me nothing to so much as feed my children on. Does anyone know a little more info for me to use???? xxx