Tonight ` It just breaks down all the time. Just had a gutsful. It's the off-road vehicle that's off-road for all the wrong reasons. Wish I could tip it over a bank. Plus ` I must admit, I'm feeling quite nervous. Are you? You know, just a bit worried about what's behind here. the destructive drip. Original builder who did the job, he, um, put in an estimate of just on $50,000. A tiny leak leads to major structural damage. It wasn't our fault. And ` This is the flat-pack. she's a star on the netball court,... I don't understand what this thing is. ...but will the pressure of the flat-pack challenge cause this Silver Fern to wilt? (SIGHS) Copyright Able 2016 Welcome to the show. When it comes to horsepower, most farmers prefer it encased in steel. And you'd think the 'hardest-working, smoothest-riding' off-road vehicle 'exclusively designed for our local conditions' would be great for ripping around the back paddocks. You would, but what if your back paddocks are steep, wet and muddy? Here's Garth with a vehicle that's been off-read for all the wrong reasons. Farming ` it can be a solitary business. You can find yourself alone out the back of beyond every day. Cell phone coverage isn't very good, so if I ended up at the bottom of a hill, it could be when hubby comes home for tea at night, and it's not cooked before he comes out looking for me, and then he'd probably wait till the morning. Bev needs a sense of humour while she gets around her family farm in the King Country, because the ride she's relied on is giving her a bit of stress. Absolutely totally fed up. It just breaks down all the time. Just had a gutsful. This is a UTV, or a side-by-side bike; quad bike meets ute with a bit of tractor chucked in. Hers is a Polaris. It cost $25,000 new. And it comes with a big rep; ads like this ` Only one utility side-by-side owns the title hardest-working, smoothest-riding. We needed something strong and reliable that was good for NZ conditions. This is the 'Heavy Duty' ` But this one has needed a host of repairs in the first 14 months. Bolt heads have sheared off in the steering system. Drive belts have snapped. After the third belt went, I talked to the dealer, who said I really need to keep it out of the water as much as possible. Back up the truck. What? This is the hardest-working smoothest-riding, and the ads all show it getting very wet. It's actually been quite dry here for the last week, which is good, because Bev's starting to think she might have a fairweather farm bike. We've just had the wettest winter. How do you do that? Do we leave it in the shed on the wet days? The dealer denies giving Bev that advice. There have been problems, all fixed under warranty at no cost. Polaris recommends servicing the bikes after every 100 hours of use. This one does about 80 a month, so most months it's back at the dealer anyway. Sometimes sooner, sometimes later. The dealer also had this advice. People that do big hours, we advise them to change out after their warranty runs out, because the value of the machine drops considerably in two years. Remember, this is the Heavy Duty variant ` 'increased durability, easier ongoing maintenance', Yeah. Not saying you gotta flick it, but we advise people to flick it. The guys should turn them over every two years. What's going on? Because these things are all over YouTube. Polaris makes a big range. It covers all sorts of ground, whether you're farming, hunting or just hard-out hooning with your selfie stick. Had the hardest-working, smoothest-riding machine met its match? This is where they bought the vehicle. The dealer invited us to come and see what the Polaris can do, except that by the time we got here, Polaris had said better not. OK, back to YouTube, then, for the closest we can find ` the Off-Road Nationals sponsored by Polaris. These are petrol models, quite a bit quicker, but they handle some extreme conditions. And these ones on the farm are pulling some loads. The dealer we spoke to reckons Bev might be trying to do a bit of both, hauling heavy in harsh, muddy weather. Except Bev had bought quite a sales pitch ` up to 907kg of pulling power, which Bev reckons they've respected. We were looking for something that we could tow with and do a lot of towing, and they said this is the one. They'd bought it for the farm, so no protection under the Consumer Guarantees Act, but something called the Sale of Goods Act 1908 still covers situations where you feel you may have bought a bit of a dog. That could take a trip to the Motor Vehicle Disputes Tribunal to prove. Polaris prefers to negotiate. I can't say it enough we want to help her. We want to have happy customers. We're the world's number one for a reason. We make very very good products. You don't get to be where we are if you make crap. We don't, and we know how to look after customers. He says most do 500 hours a year on the farm. Bev and her husband do twice as much. If you're doing 1000 hours a year in heavy mud, obviously that's pretty hard on any machine. In those solitary moments you get on a farm, Bev's pondered being ever harder on this machine. I wish I could tip it over a bank, yeah, without me on it. (CHUCKLES) She reckons she's already come close. These machines have a feature that controls the descent on steep slopes ` except this one was faulty from the get go. It never worked from the beginning, but they didn't tell us. Nearly put it over the bank towing a trailer. That was really scary. Polaris says no way. The machines are entirely safe; The best systems known to man, even without that active descent feature working. They have four-wheel disc brakes. You'd need to be in a pretty extreme situation to be scared. Without knowing the situation, I would not say that is a problem. Polaris has tried to get Bev and her husband off the bike. All we want is to make them happy, and we've made a very generous offer over and above market value. How much was that? It was over and above market value. We've told them where they can stick it. They've offered us $15,000. Remember, they'd paid $25,000 just over a year ago. Bev just wants to see the back of this bike; she just doesn't want to give it away. Um, no. I'm a little bit mad. A little bit, kind of, depressed about that one, I gotta say. Down. But wait, because Fair Go put Peter Harvey from Polaris in touch with Bev and Gary. They spoke on the phone; happiness follows. So, Peter tells us it's 'all sorted with an amicable outcome.' Yes. Now, we wanted to check with Bev and Gary, but they said they can't discuss the details now they've agreed to that amicable outcome, but they're very happy. Secretly happy. All right, something completely different, now. Reset yourself. Here we go. Consumer trends are, well, they're always changing. Every now and then, we come across something a little bit weird. Something we're not sure we're that comfortable with. Something that begs the question ` is this cool or creepy? WEEZER'S 'ISLAND IN THE SUN' We're on a bit of a road trip, out of the big smoke to the northern reaches of the Supercity. We're back to test your moral barometer. Today's question ` you apply for a job and get asked for a urine sample to see if you take drugs. Cool or creepy? And we've even got our very cool creep-o-meter to help out. Yeah, it's OK. It's OK. It's understandable, but it's a little bit gross. It's OK, yeah. Creepy. It's cool. Cool. I'd be cool. Oh, that's real cool, yeah, totally. I agree with that, 100%. I'd be cool with that, because I don't have a problem with any of those things. I reckon it's fine. That's fine. Nah, that's fair. That's fair. That's fair. That's` That's cool. For a lot of jobs, I'd be a bit troubled by this, but I can see why some jobs require it, so maybe somewhere around here. And that's kinda where the Privacy Commission is on this one too. It says... Wow. Have you ever found job interviews nervous enough without having` trying to... (LAUGHS) ...summon the courage to, you know, beat the stage fright at the urinal? Anyway, we should` we should move along. We should. After the break ` ever wondered how much damage a tiny drip can cause? I must admit, I'm feeling quite nervous. The tiniest of leaks can penetrate deep into your pocket. The original builder who did the job, he, um, put on an estimate of just on $50,000. So who should pay? It wasn't our fault. Welcome back. Water leaks are one of the most common and costly causes of damage to a home. And because I'm a bit of a maths genius, you probably don't realise that one drip per second equates to more than 12,000 litres a year. That's, like, for 180 showers, give or take as much preening as you do in the shower. As you do, mm. We're not here to judge. Regardless, That's a lot of water, and when it's leaking behind a wall, it can cause a lot of damage. Here's Hannah. KNOCK ON WALL Can you hear me, Phil? I can, Hannah. What's been going on here? So, every time I turn the shower on, water would run down inside the wall. How long's that been going on for? Two-and-a half years. For two-and-a half years, water's been pouring out from behind the shower into the wall cavity, eventually showing up on the other side of the shower wall. On the skirting board down here, I could see a little bump, which I thought was paint initially, but it turned out to be, um, skirting board starting to swell with the water coming through. Then I noticed this brown stain appearing, and I thought, 'That's a water-damage mark.' Phil called in the builder who'd installed this shower two-and-a half years earlier. He cut a hole in the dining-room wall, and they could see the steady stream of water from the leaky shower fitting. Everywhere else ` wet, boggy, toxic black mould. So you know it's a big job. You just don't know how big. Yeah, the shower, this wall, the floor, under the floor. The original builder who did the job, he put in an estimate of just on $50,000. A huge job. But they do know what caused the leak. The fitting here wasn't screwed into the wall properly. It's only gone in one turn. Not adequate to seal properly. So every time we used the shower, that's where it was leaking out. The plumber said, 'My problem'? Yes, he did. Yes, you think, OK, great, someone's admitted to it. It can get fixed. But, really, that was just the beginning of your troubles. It was the beginning, yes. So Phil put in his insurance claim, but the problem is that many insurance companies place a limit on what you can claim for gradual deterioration caused by water leaking or overflowing from any internal water systems, like a leaky tap, or leaking dishwasher or a leaking shower. Under the gradual damage clause, the payout from Phil's insurance was just $5000. Phil and his partner, Mhairi, were well short of the fix-up costs. Mhairi is partially-sighted. Her guide dog's called Peace, But peace of mind has been in very short supply. The couple hoped the plumber's insurance company, QBE, would cover the rests of the costs, because... ...it wasn't our fault. We didn't` We didn't do it. QBE got their own quotes. The first was around $15,000, fixing only the damage to the wall behind the shower. A second quote for around $28,000 included possibly replacing some of the shower itself. The couple said no to both. We don't know how much it's going to cost at the end of the day, but I can see it's gonna be, potentially, well over any of those quotes. It is damaged. It's really damaged. And then QBE upped the offer to $44,000, but again, the couple said no. They just couldn't risk accepting it as a full and final payment. I just don't wanna be stuck with paying for something the insurance company doesn't fully cover. If it comes to $60,000, well, who pays for the extra $10,000? This is how they used to do it in the old days, hey? Yep, old-fashioned, yeah.. No batteries required. When the leak was first discovered, swabs taken from inside the wall cavity confirmed this was stachybotrys fungus ` black mould. It can be extremely toxic, carcinogenic and immuno-suppressive. The tests also showed aspergillus spores - which can produce severe allergic reactions. I must admit I am feeling quite nervous. Are you? Yeah, non, I'm just a bit worried about what's behind here. Yeah, well, just be careful. Don't make too much air movement. The wood we can see here has been temporarily treated, but Phil says it'll all need ripping out. You can see all the rot in the timber where it's all gone brown. And then there's all the stuff we can't see further back in the walls and under the floor. The issue is how do you get in there and treat that mould? Now that I know more about this stuff, toxic mould, I'm very happy to have covered up again with the smiley faces. That's Mhairi's work. It helped me handle that little corner of the room. And she's really needed that sense of humour, because Mhairi is dealing with more than an insurance battle. She recently started feeling unwell with flu-like symptoms and a bit of congestion. She thought it might be reaction to the mould. It wasn't. Her doctor diagnosed... ...stage 1A lung cancer, and, um... Her treatment started immediately. How are you feeling, if that's not a funny question? Lucky to be alive, um, with my darling and got my girl and my son, yeah. Strangely, it was because of the leaking shower and the black mould that Mhairi went to her doctor. I've just been so just so fortunate that it happened then and there, and just` Cos otherwise, a couple of months I would have had on this planet and... yeah, so I'm very fortunate. But now, her lung cancer and low immunity mean the fix-up needs to be done thoroughly and soon. I've looked at Phil and said, 'Get me out of here. I don't want to be here anymore.' It's been hanging over our heads for nine months now. Still no real sign of it getting fixed in a hurry. Someone else has caused this damage, but yet we could end up paying for it. That doesn't sound right. No, it's not, and things have moved pretty fast since we got involved. Now, Hannah's been talking to QBE head office in Sydney, and they're pretty anxious to put things right. Good news. QBE will now pay out the $44,000 ` that's the $50,000 builder's quote, less the $5000 payout from the couple's own insurance ` and they'll for any unforeseen remediation costs needed once work is underway. They'll also pay for mould tests in the house after the work's finished, and they'll cover two-to-three weeks' accommodation costs. They apologise for the way the claim had been dealt with. That's lovely, thanks. Phil and Mhairi are delighted and relieved. They are hoping the work can start as soon as the subbies are organised, because they've got a lot of life to get on with. The prognosis is good? Yes, it is. Been put into remission, which is awesome. Yep, so a few more, hopefully. A few more years. Yep. Including time to travel to play the gypsy. Gypsies or something, yeah. Gypsy. Yeah, a gypsy. Well you've got the headscarf, so you're halfway there. LAUGHTER Cool. Yeah. What an amazing attitude, and I'm so delighted we got that outcome. Yeah, great work, Hannah. Gold star for you. Coming up after the break, it's time to test some celebrity DIY. She's a star on the netball court,... This one's gonna hurt, isn't it? ...but can she beat the flat-pack? I'm feeling a little proud at the moment. And... Can I talk to you about where the money's gone? ...the freight fiasco was worse than we first thought. Thousands and thousands of dollars worth of goods. Where is it? And we're not the only one asking questions. Where are the boxes, Lita? Welcome back. Last week, we brought you the freight fiasco that's left hundreds of Kiwis out of pocket. This is Filipino shipping agent Lita Lee, who has been taking money for parcels but failing to deliver for more than a year. That's way too long. Mm. Well, since our story went to air, we've had good and bad news. Here's Anna. Lita Lee ` Hi. Can I talk to you about where the money's gone? shipping agent, or scammer? Where are the boxes, Lita? You owe people thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars worth of goods. Where is it? Lita's company L&L promises to send parcels, containers, boxes, whatever you want ` wherever you want ` right around the world. The only problem is for the last year, she hasn't delivered. The boxes ` missing. Lita, is where is my boxes? Your business is to deliver our boxes. Our love, our thoughts for our family, is in that box. I work hard for the boxes. I'm really disappointed and hurt. I'm angry. An entire container of household goods, missing. All those things that are the memory of our old days. SOBS: It's all gone. They mean nothing to her. That's what I'm crying over, because, (SOBS) all my things, they is there. All up, more than 100 people ` more than $100,000 worth of goods. After our story, more and more customers came forward. Police opened an investigation, and we alerted the IRD to L&L's cash-only business structure. One container sent to the Philippines has been released, but the boxes inside are yet to be delivered. The other two containers are stuck at the wharf, gathering thousands of dollars in fees. Fair Go's working with Cargo Co-Ordinators NZ to try and get these containers released. And we will be following that story through as well. Time though, now, to test the DIY skills of yet another Kiwi celebrity. OK, this time, it's Catherine Tuivaiti, nee Latu. She is one of the world's most lethal forces in world netball. Don't mess with her. No. Tonight, the Silver Fern takes on the flat-pack challenge. Will she wilt under pressure? Here's Brodie. Right, old mate, this is the flat-pack. Ever built anything at home before? Uh, my husband is a builder, so I've never been required to do it. My advice in this is to patient and read the instructions. I'm not good at those first two. You're not? (LAUGHS) Might have to just change your behaviour. OK. BOX RUSTLES So, Kat is off to a flyer. Or is she? That box is giving her a wee bit of trouble. Ah, there she goes. What the <BLEEP> is that? Oh, look, you're good as gold. Step one ` those things. If I'm doing this wrong, you're not gonna say anything, are you? I actually can't even remember it. I've blocked it out of my life. If nothing else, this part's done. This one's gonna hurt, isn't it? No, no, Kat, you'll be sweet. I just don't know which end they go at. What is this thing? I don't understand what this thing is. Look at you go! You're having fun now, right? I'd still just put my <BLEEP> on the floor. (SIGHS) You see, once she gets in the zone, she's actually really good. 35 minutes. Oh, I'm OK with that. You're not gonna beat Joseph, but you're still` you know, you're still in for some top placing. It's looking like a real thing now. I'm feeling a little proud at the moment. Would I do this again? No. CELL PHONE RINGS That's my agent ringing to see if I've, uh, made him a table. The answer is no. Where does F go? I don't have patience. That you probably have picked up. Doing well, mate. You're 42 minutes. While she may not be the fastest of flat-packers, she's doing pretty well and has got a chance of a top-three placing here, ahead of me, weatherman Sam and Matilda, who's bringing up the rear. Oh, see, look. You can even chuck it around. Still intact. (LAUGHS) Now you've just got the drawer. Have to say, darls, this is looking like one of the best-constructed ones we've had. WOOD CREAKS Oh <BLEEP>. (LAUGHS) Come on, Kat. You're on the final stretch. Not long now. Do I have to see if it gets in the hole before I stop? Just talk to it gently? < Yeah. In you go. (GROANS) Ever so gently. Just get in there. (LAUGHS) Get in! And time! Look, I think that that's... It's in now. I mean... It is, right? I wouldn't wanna try and put anything in the dra` oh, yeah, there we go. Hey. (LAUGHS) (SIGHS) Do you wanna know how fast you were? 54.25, which is great. Oh, I'm happy with that. You beat me. Thank you. I quit. (LAUGHS) Don't worry; I won't ever ask you to do that again. (LAUGHS) Thank you. That was a good effort. That is how you stay cool under pressure. Yeah, very handy with an Alan key. Now, before we go, time for a quick reminder. The cut-off date for the Kid's Ad Awards is fast approaching. 21st of October, to be exact, which means you've got just over four weeks. This year, we have a double-headed challenge. First up, we want you to design and make something out of plastic bottles. You can make a bed, make a kayak, make a chair, make a boat, or even make an igloo. Go on, I dare you. Then we want you to make an ad promoting your waste creation. Parents, teachers, kids, you need to get your thinking caps on, because there's a lot at stake. The prizes really are amazing. The winning school will get $10,000 worth of Smart Board cleverness. Two ` yes, two ` Canon EOS 100D cameras, an accessory pack and a Canon Pixma Printer. On top of all that, there is $2000 in cash. That makes the first prize more than 14,000 bucks. Second place gets the latest Canon video camera and 500 cash. Third place will also receive the latest canon video camera. That's a $32,000 prize package. It is our biggest ever, so a huge thanks to Canon. Yeah, that is a great effort. Right, now, kids, parents, teachers, get entering. The clock is now ticking. The deadline is 21st October. Now, we're a little ruthless on deadlines here at Fair Go. We're also ruthless on the 30-second maximum duration. Yes. All entries are submitted online. We've got all the information you need on our website. Now, The challenge again is to something an ad out of plastic bottles and then make an ad promoting your waste creation. Mm-hm. The deadline again is the 21st of October. So, that's the show, but we'll be on Facebook for the next half hour to answer your questions. Our programme is all about your problems, your thoughts. We do love to hear from you. We're on Facebook. You can email us at fairgo@tvnz.co.nz or, go on, get out the pen and paper and write to us, private bag 92038, Auckland 1142. Until next week, goodnight. Copyright Able 2016