Captions were made with the support of NZ On Air. www.able.co.nz Copyright able 2019 Tonight ` we're on the chase... Can you tell us what you've done with Dale and Nicole's money? ...of a man selling dreams... Richard, where's the house? ...but delivering the stuff of nightmares. What do you call it when somebody sells you something, takes your money and does not produce what you've paid for? Plus ` how long should your appliances really last? Well, you've spent a lot of money on it, so you'd want it to last at least 20 years and hopefully longer. But what are your rights if they don't? I kept going because I thought this isn't good enough. And then, we tackle the big consumer issues. Why are gluten-free chips much more expensive than ordinary chips? Hang about. Aren't potatoes gluten-free, anyway? Tena koutou. Welcome to Fair Go. Good, cheap, fast. If there's anything we've learnt on this show, it's that you can't have all three ` especially when it comes to building a home. And as ongoing housing sagas like KiwiBuild show, finding a quality, affordable home is also damn near impossible. So as Anna explains, sometimes alternative options seem like the best option... Sometimes. (LAIDBACK GUITAR MUSIC) A golden glow warming the surf. The swell curls and crests in the gentle morning light of the wild West Coast. But there's a dark stain on this patch of paradise ` (KNOCKS ON DOOR) Mr Hadlow will you answer any questions about where the Cooley's money is? ...a man who sells dreams, but delivers every homeowner's nightmare. We started to feel quite sick, actually. To start with, it was anger. And then it was disbelief. And then we felt quite sick that we had somehow made this mistake and that somebody had scammed us. You see, this is Dale and Nicole Cooley's patch of paradise ` a piece of land they were hoping to build a future on, here, at Cape Foulwind. The whole area gets a bit of a bad rap with the weather, but every time we go down there, it's beautiful. Dale and Nicole wanted to get away from it all, and this seemed like the perfect spot to build a seaside crib where they could relax and unwind and where Dale could catch some waves. One of my not so favourite things is to sit and watch him surf all the time. (CHUCKLES) We spend quite a lot of time paddleboarding. There's a lot of rivers down there. We go on lots of walks. We spend a lot of time at the beach. They bought the land, but needed somewhere to stay, Nicole found what she thought was the perfect option. For just $30,000, they could get a pre-fabricated tiny home, sold by PopUp Homes. I suppose, a big part of it was what we could afford. It's easier to look after. We're not down there all the time, and we were going to Airbnb it to recoup some of the money, so something simple to look after. PopUp Homes advertises portable cabins shipped direct from China. The one the Cooleys spotted had a bathroom, kitchen and space for a bedroom ` the perfect little starter. What he advertised was that it was a cancelled order, so it was $10,000 off. Even better, it was already in New Zealand ` ready to go. They contacted PopUp Homes, and owner Richard Hadlow was happy to talk them through the deal. But as soon as they paid... When we started not hearing from him for, sort of, a week at a time, and we were requesting updates and not hearing from him, the alarm bells started to sound at that stage. And as we were to discover, this was nothing unusual from Richard Hadlow. Can you tell us what you've done with Dale and Nicole Cooley's money? The Cooleys paid for their cabin in March and expected it would be shipped straightaway. At the end of March, after some chasing, good news. Richard emailed the couple to say the house was being shipped. I was ringing him, and he wasn't answering. And one day I rung him a number of times and got no answer, so I was working with a friend and asked to borrow his phone, dialled the number and he answered straightaway. Got quite a shock that I was on the end of the phone. Richard told Dale the house wasn't far away. Yeah, our building was at Tauranga port. He'd just dropped it off ready to be shipped. Relief. Finally the house was on the way and only a short journey down to Nelson. At least, that's what Dale and Nicole thought until they checked on progress with Richard a week later. Turns out their house wasn't in Tauranga. Oh, no. The Cooley's house. It was coming from much further away ` all the way from China. Then we got an email back from him saying that I was confused, and it was coming from Beijing. The whole house. So, yeah, that's when we started to get very concerned. Richard Hadlow refused to tell the Cooleys which ship it was on, or when it would arrive. Remember, it was already meant to be here. He had $30,000 of the Cooley's money. They had no idea what he'd done with it. They had nothing to show for it. You've seen it. There's just posts in the ground. We can't.. (CHUCKLES) Can't rent that out to anybody. The house isn't on the Cooley's land; it's not at the PopUp Homes showroom in Tokoroa; and there's no evidence to suggest it's on a boat from China either. And as you've seen, we didn't have much luck getting anything out of Richard at home. You've taken their money, and we'd like to know where it is. But just when we thought we'd hit a dead end, Richard Hadlow rang us back. Only, he thought we were a customer. Richard, where is the house? Whose house? The Cooleys' order. Where is the flat-pack house the Cooleys purchased from you that they've paid full price for? Richard, where's the house? So still no answers about where Dale and Nicole's home is. - Richard, where's the house? - (PHONE LINE DISCONNECTS) We said, 'If you can't produce the shipping details of our home that we've fully paid for, then we want the money refunded.' And he's taken that, and twisted it, to mean that we've cancelled the order. What do you call it when somebody sells you something, takes your money and does not produce what you've paid for? A thief. So far, he hasn't produced anything. It actually feels quite terrible that you've spent this money that's gone into a black hole that could potentially put your kids at risk because now we're in a financial hole. So, usually at this point in the story, we'd try to have an outcome for you ` good or bad. That's what we try and do ` sort situations out. Try and get a happy ending or any kind of an ending. And we have tried. We've called Richard. We've emailed Richard. We've even texted Richard. And just like the Cooleys ` nothing. We can't get any answers. So, we need your help. If you know Richard ` If you know anything about his business ` please get in touch because this could be resolved. It might not be as speedy as a pop-up house, but clearly the Cooleys are good at waiting. So, after trying everything humanly possible to get in touch with Richard, guess what's happened? (CHUCKLES) Oh. Last minute, Richard has got in touch with us ` just this morning` Just before we filmed this show, he sent us a very brief statement. Mm-hm. He says that he has cancelled the Cooleys order and that he's in negotiations with their lawyer. Richard says he's offered the Cooleys several solutions, but we've checked with the Cooleys since getting Richard's email, and they say all he's asked for is more money, which unsurprisingly, is a 'no' from them. Now, what Richard did not say ` and what we really, really, really want to know is ` where is the home or (CHUCKLES) where is the money? So, Richard, we wanna chat with you cos you have not answered any of our questions, and we don't think it's fair or right to take people's money and leave them with nothing. Mm-hm. That's right. It's ridiculous. Well, from dreams being shattered to realistic expectations. How long should appliances last? 2,500. 15 years for the oven. By law, a product should be durable. You'd want it to last at least 20 years. But what is durable? Plus ` Why are gluten chips more expensive than ordinary chips? Great question. But hang on a minute. Aren't potatoes gluten-free anyway? Haydo's mailbag is back, and there are some cracker complaints. Like, literally, crackers. That is how much of the box is not needed. * Kia Ora. Welcome back. For 42 years ` who's counting ` we've been uncovering ratbags and cowboys. It's, kind of, been our bread and butter. It sure has. And while we don't like the fact that so many of you keep getting ripped off, we do think it's important you know who to avoid and why. So, Anna's back again with an update on another rogue trader. On the face of it, it looked like a good deal. Do you think it was a good deal now? No. It was really when the freight company denied all knowledge, and then I was getting fake track-and-trace numbers. That's when I was go, 'Uh-oh, got a problem here.' Wayne was right. There was a problem, and it came in the form of this man ` Robert McTague. How did you go, Robert? No comment. Eh? No comment. Robert's the owner of NZ Telescopes. He was brought to our attention in May last year, and after our investigation, police took action. Did you get what you wanted? No comment, Brian. Robert was on Fair Go because instead of helping his customers see the wonders of space, he gave them first-hand experiences in a real black hole. I phoned` I've lost count of how many times. All I get is his answering machine. I leave messages. I have emailed him. He does not reply to emails. There's no response at all. You know, it's not a business model that's sustainable by any means. (CHUCKLES) And it's just` It's just shocking. It's the first time I've come across a, you know, an outfit like this. And it's so blatant. It's unbelievable. Wayne and Gavin are just two of the 13 star gazers we know are owed money by NZ Telescopes, and it's a lot of money. In total, they're out of pocket by more than $60,000. I'd say I'd like my money back, but I've probably got a few choice words about the way he operates. Gavin and Wayne didn't just complain to Fair Go. Along with others, they took their cases to the disputes tribunal and the police, and that resulted in this. And we can now tell you that saw Robert charged with 20 counts of obtaining by deception, which is legal lingo for getting money by deceiving people. 18 of those charges are for amounts of more than $1000, and he also faces one count of procuring or possessing methamphetamine ` also known as P. Robert's just been back in the Timaru District Court where he pleaded not guilty. He'll go to trial in October. It's fair to say ` telescope or no telescope ` his disgruntled customers will be watching those proceedings very closely. At least it will end the problem because he's doing the hobby of astronomy a lot of harm. He's just taking money off good, honest Kiwis. And we will, of course, let you know what happens at Robert's next court appearance later this year. Righty-oh, we're gonna change pace just a little. We want to turn our attention to, you know, your toaster, your toast sandwich` Anything with toast, really. Appliances, we're talking about. (CHUCKLES) Yes. Specifically, their lifespans because it seems most of us are a little confused about how long appliances should last. (EASY-GOING MUSIC) They just don't make things like they used to. And here at the Auckland Repair Cafe, they're trying to put that right. Whether it's fixing appliances, sharpening knives or repairing clothes... Anything that's going to stop something going into a landfill has to be good. In our throw-out culture, we send roughly 3,500,000 tonnes of waste to the landfill every year. Now, if you're struggling to get your head around that number, imagine a rugby field filled 30 storeys high every single month. And around two thirds of that could have been reused or recycled. One of the problems is this. That one looks a bit more serious. This has just fully broken away. Items that are too expensive or too difficult to repair. By law, a product should be durable, so it should last for a reasonable amount of time. But what is reasonable? I would expect 10 years. Glennis is talking about this ASKO oven, which is clearly not where it should be. The controls on top of the stove no longer work. I couldn't see how the elements were actually functioning. In fact, lots of times it just didn't turn on at all. Given it was only six years old, Glennis assumed it would be easy enough to fix. I never gave it a thought that parts wouldn't be available for it. It wasn't a cheap stove. It was two and a half grand, you know? So, after visits from three different technicians, Glennis is left with an oven that won't work and can't be fixed. I kept going and I thought, 'Well, this just isn't good enough,' knowing the Consumer Guarantee Act ` that they're meant to keep parts for the life of the stove. And I couldn't call six years the life of the stove. So, a two and a $2,500 oven, how long should that last for? Oh, 2,500. 15 years for the oven. Probably 10 years, 10 to 15 years. And that. Well, you've spent a lot of money on it, so you'd want it to last at least 20 years and hopefully longer. My mother had the same one all whole life. And Consumer NZ agrees. It says ovens should last for a lot longer than six years. Ovens, pretty much, last as long as they're in your kitchen. So, I think that that should last for probably 10 or 15 years. Under consumer law, Glennis would've had a good case to get some sort of remedy, like a new oven, but in this case the retailer has closed down. The ASKO distributor has changed hands, so after months of to-ing and fro-ing, understandably, Glennis gave up and bought a new oven, which means, sadly, this one may end up adding to those millions of tonnes of waste. That is so frustrating. I'm trying to keep a hold of my plastic forks, and we've got whole ovens and stuff. I'm not joking. (CHUCKLES) That's terrible, the waste we've got. (SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY) Oh, yeah. It's horrible. Horrible. Look, and under the CGA ` the Consumer Guarantee Act ` manufacturers must guarantee that there are spare parts and repair facilities, but they can opt out of that guarantee by letting you know when you buy that parts will be limited or no longer available,... Mm-hm. ...which also doesn't really seem fair. No. Look, Glennis' case was even more complicated because even though her oven was labelled ASKO, it was actually built by a European company, and that company went bust not long after she bought her oven, so the only parts available were those in stock. Right. That really is a tricky one. (CHUCKLES) Yes, it is. Very, very tricky. Yes, I do have good news, though. I have tracked down the original distributor of the oven ` Award Appliances ` and they've said they'll chat through some options with Glennis. So, we'll keep across those chats to make sure they actually happen and turn into something. Let's start a campaign. Save the oven. Save the oven. Put it on a T-shirt. All right, next week, we're going to focus on some other appliances, but next, we tackle the big consumer questions, like,... Why are gluten-free chips more expensive than ordinary chips? And not only that but... Lately, I've been disappointed with the number of slices that are in this can. How many mushroom slices should come with the sauce? One, two, three, four, five, six. But wait, there's more. Jack and I have heaps of fun playing with our Fisher`Price chatter box, making pretend phone calls, but why has the cord become so short? Who you gonna call when the product doesn't match your expectations? Hey, Fair Go. Hey, Fair Go. * Kia ora. Welcome back. Now, they say variety is the spice of life,... Yes. which is why we love all your complaints ` and it's why we say at the end of the show ` no matter how big or small. And thank goodness you really do oblige with the small ones. I mean, like, tiny, because without them, we wouldn't have Haydo's mailbag. And, I mean, without Haydo's mailbag, what is there to life? Welcome to Haydo's mailbag. - (LIGHTS BUZZ) - (METAL SCREECHES) Don't worry. That's under warranty... I think. Hey, Fair Go. Why are gluten-free chips much more expensive than ordinary chips? Bluebird gluten free chips cost $3.79 a bag at Countdown. Regular chips ` $1.49. Hmm, hang on a minute. Aren't potatoes gluten free, anyway? Michael has a point. All Bluebird plain chips are gluten free and much cheaper. Only flavoured chips have gluten, so you could save your self $2.30 by just buying plain chips rather than gluten free ones. Hi, folks. This is Wattie's Pick-of-the-crop mushrooms in a butter sauce. This is Des. He loves his Wattie's mushrooms. Lately, I've been disappointed with the number of slices that are actually in this can. Des doesn't think the packaging matches the product. OK, so, let's open up this can here. Let's take a look. As you can see, it's more of a pulp than of mushroom slices. Des is thorough when it comes to mushrooms. ...Two, three, four... Wattie's say it's not a lack of mushrooms in the tin. Rather, it's the way these fragile fungi can be affected by recipe, canning and cooking processes. Des can be assured, though, nutritional value of these mushrooms is not affected by the matter he has highlighted. We don't think Des was concerned about nutritional value. He just wants to see more slices of mushrooms and less sauce. Hey Fair Go, Jack and I have heaps of fun playing with our Fisher-Price chatter box, making pretend phone calls, but why has the cord become so short? That's Rebecca. She's sleep deprived. It's frustrating. You either have to pick it up right up to your ear or bend your head right down low to try and get it. Fisher-Price says unfortunately the answer isn't as humorous as the question. The cord length is dictated by regulatory and safety standards. It's limited to ensure the size of the loop is not a strangulation hazard. Hello? Yeah. He's right here. Jack, it's night time. Mummy wants her sleep back. (JACK MURMURS) (CHUCKLES) Brian's crackers are driving him, well, crackers. Been wondering why you have to look so far down into the packet to see them. And when he does find them... Those biscuits there take up only three quarters of the length of the box. That is how much of the box is not needed. We tend to agree. Here's our crackers. And Brian says he's been writing to Griffin's for 18 months. But every time we get a generic reply, 'We'll send you a voucher,' or something like that. So, they're not really getting to the bottom of the problem. Griffin's say the problem is the variation in cracker thickness. The photos sent by Brian indicate that he purchased a packet of crackers that is on the thinner end of the height specification. To address this, we are in discussions with our bakery team to review the product packaging, so that the product content not only meets the weight requirement, but also fills the packet appropriately. Finally tonight, on Haydo's mailbag, an apology. I would like to say sorry sincerely to Wayne who bought a bee suit and it was the wrong size. You see, when Wayne says bee suit, he means one of these. He's a bee keeper. As in, like, little buzzy things and honey and stuff. Unfortunately, when we read bee suit, we thought he meant one of these. Another type of bee suit. We sincerely apologise for the confusion. Now we have to buzz off. Dad joke. Haydo's mailbag ` an occasional series maybe we should do... less occasionally. (CHUCKLES) Don't say anything. So, that's the show, and we're always here to help. You can get hold of us on Facebook and Instagram. We love Instagram. You can write us a letter, even, at PO Box 38192 in Auckland. That address could be wrong. (CHUCKLES) Until next week, uh... Ka kite apopo. If you do wanna write to us, Private Bag 92038, Auckland 1142. Thanks for watching. A big hi to all the bee keepers out there. (CHUCKLES) Until next week,... BOTH: Po marie. www.able.co.nz copyright able 2019