In a new series of monthly features, Brent and Harrow Trading Standards officer STEVE PLAYLE offers readers tips on how to become wiser consumers and avoid being ripped off by unscrupulous traders.

In his first column, he turns his attention to the seasonal topic of the travel trade, with guidance on how to avoid being sent on a holiday in Hell.

You save up all year round for a week or two in the sun. The brochure said that the beach was a short stroll from the hotel, when it is a half-hour hike away. The hotel chef was a losing contestant on Can't Cook Won't Cook and the "tranquil setting" consists of a lively disco right beneath your wafer-thin floorboards blasting out 120 decibels until five in the morning.

This is holiday Hell and it happens to a surprisingly large number of holiday makers.

Before booking a holiday, take a few simple precautions. Look for travel agents who belong to the Association of British Travel Agents (Abta) and tour operators who belong to the AITO. Carefully check brochure descriptions and ask the agent if you are unclear about any of the facilities on offer. Ask the agency if you can check your holiday hotel out in their hotel gazetteer which will give you an objective and independent assessment of your accommodation which may be surprisingly different from the brochure. And, if possible, pay for your holiday using a credit card: this will help if things go wrong later.

If you have a complaint while on holiday, speak to the tour company rep straight away and try and solve the problem. Take photos and, if you can, video footage which will help you prove your allegations. And don't forget to exchange details with other disgruntled holidaymakers before you come home.

When you get home, write to the travel agent and the tour operator and explain your complaint in full. Make clear how much compensation you are claiming and request a response within 28 days -- and warn that otherwise you will be taking matters further in the county court. If your complaint is justified, most tour operators will try to reach a compromise, but be prepared to go all the way to court if you don't get what you want.

Finally, if the brochure is misleading or deceptive, contact Trading Standards who may be able to launch an investigation under the Trade Descriptions Act and fight for compensation on your behalf.

If you have any particular areas of concern that you would like covered in The Watchdog Files, drop me a line and I will see what I can do.

Brent and Harrow Trading Standards Service is based at 249 Willesden Lane, Willesden Green, London, NW2 5JH. Or call us on 0181 937 5555. We are open Monday to Thursday 9am to 5pm and on Fridays from 9am to 4pm.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000.Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.