DIAL A BILL'S RIP-OFF JOBS; Shock pounds 1,700 charge for 'one hour's work'.

Byline: Penman; Sommerlad

SMASHED glass, door kicked in... for some reason people don't like Dial Group.com.

"I was taken on in June and I've walked into this warzone," says office manager Clare.

Dial Group.com claims to be a nationwide umbrella for a range of domestic services.

Call its 0800 number and you'll be quoted pounds 65 per half hour plus parts. So, when as much as pounds 1,700 is taken from their credit cards, you can see why customers are furious.

That's how much Martin Blain lost after Dial Group.com's 'Dial A Kill' tackled a wasps' nest in his London home. "No invoice, just the money taken," he said.

Lauren Atkins had mice in her one-bed London flat. She was quoted a cost of pounds 65 plus pounds 8 for materials. "They did a terrible job and then charged my credit card more than pounds 1,600," she said.

Michelle Attwood contacted 'Dial A Lock' and expected to pay pounds 65 plus pounds 30 for a new lock for her home in Ottershaw, Surrey, but was charged pounds 855.

"I have been abused and no one will resolve the issue," she told us.

Chris Tully of Henley, Oxfordshire, also used 'Dial A Lock': "About one hour before their engineer arrived a payment of pounds 1,650 was taken from my credit card.

"Later I was told that the work took 10 hours, despite witnesses at the property substantiating the engineer was on site for just one hour."

We went to the offices of Dial Group.com Limited in Bromley, Kent. Manager Clare insisted we were at the wrong place. Although it used to be the head office of Dial Group.com, it is now the offices of Dial Group International - an entirely separate op eration, apparently. Clare said we'd find Dial Group.com in Dartford at an address - which turned out to be just a maildrop.

While we were in the Bromley office we phoned Dial Group.com and - funny thing, this - and our call was answered in what is now the offices of the Dial Group International. Then we saw an in-voice on the counter on Dial Group.com paper. "We have to use it until the new invoices are printed," said Clare.

That's not all that's similar.

The website of Dial Group.com is virtually identical to the Dial Group International site.

Dial Group.com had two directors, Paul Parker and Emma Plummer of Bromley.

They resigned in March, three days before becoming directors of Dial Group International. Clare told us they weren't available.

According to Companies House records, Dial Group.com now has one director, Matthew Cruz.

We'd like a chat, but can find no trace of him in the phonebook, electoral roll or at any other company.

CAPTION(S):

OLAND NEW Spot the difference WARZONE Penman quizzes manager Clare HEAD OFFICE? No, says Dial