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Original poster

Elderly mother scammed - again.

21 replies

SphincterSaysWhat · 08/04/2023 23:30

You can do everything right. Check a company out, look at recent reviews, ring them, speak with them, tell them of your concerns re: mum who's been the victim of tradesmen scamming before and still, they'll find a way to fuck use over.

She, and my sis and her daughter, went to visit a bathroom centre to choose a new show as she cannot now get onto the bath. seat, hand rail and low tray then replacement wall panels.

Great, all organised -£2k all in all (or thereabouts).

She calls me and says "I don't think they've put the right shower in". I ask my sis to go check (she lives 10 mins down the road, I live 4 hours away). And it turns out, they've just left her with what she has there before.

Called the company, said he was waiting for paperwork from the fitter.

I said surely you know what she ordered and paid for and I can tell you now that wasn't put in.

Some more guff about waiting so I said ok, call back tomorrow (forgot Good Friday) - so called today, still no paperwork.

Alright fella, my sister is on her way. I'll call back later hoping paperwork in - although I fail to see how YOU can't look your YOUR system and tell me what she ordered.

He says he'll look for it, give him 5 minutes. Call back in 6 mins - did you find it? Well, your sister is here (so he recognised her - she'd not said anything at this point to him, he was serving someone else) but I'm just serving so I'll speak with her.

Fine.

Sis speaks with him, no paperwork. Ok, check the system. He goes in the back, brings out the paperwork - oh, thought you said there was no paperwork. He starts sweating st this point, caught in a lie.

My fault, he said. Didn't put it on there. She says well mum paid over £2k for some panels for the wall and a new shower tray, and the removal of the bath? She also shows him in the shop what they ordered that HE wrote down on the day. The shower was the whole fucking point of the trip (her one is crap) and she also wanted a seat and a rail, the latter they didn't do.

He asked for a week to sort it out. We'll give him the week, then release the hounds...

Photos of what she bought v what she got (which is her own fucking shower).

Is this a scam? Are they selling £££'s worth of shower to elderly people and then just not putting them in? Hoping they don't notice/protest?

Elderly mother scammed - again.
Elderly mother scammed - again.
OP posts:
twolilacs · 08/04/2023 23:34

Oh that's shit. Please tell me they weren't paid in full up front.

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 08/04/2023 23:36

I wouldn't say it was a scam, just a shit company.

ReadersD1gest · 08/04/2023 23:38

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 08/04/2023 23:36

I wouldn't say it was a scam, just a shit company.

Quite extraordinarily shit?

alexdgr8 · 08/04/2023 23:49

it's pity that you did not consult a community physio/OT before doing this.
they can give expert advice on disability aids, and may even have local fitters that they have experience of.
that is no excuse for the v poor performance of the trader of course.
have you paid in full.
i would not trust them with the job, and she needs a proper seat etc.
so as they cannot supply that, they are not the right trader.
can you limit your expenses.
report to trading standards. see if you can get some of the money back and go elsewhere.

that shower and panel/tiles does not look the best for an elderly disabled person, imo.

EmmaEmerald · 09/04/2023 00:02

It sounds like a shit company
there's a high number of incompetent chancers around
Elderly mum had some essential work done in the house, it fell apart, now chasing refund and trying to find alternative

friend of mine had large, well established companies do work in her flat
recently and they caused damage from various things, including pouring unused concrete mix down the loo...a well known company.

Original poster
SphincterSaysWhat · 09/04/2023 13:10

alexdgr8 · 08/04/2023 23:49

it's pity that you did not consult a community physio/OT before doing this.
they can give expert advice on disability aids, and may even have local fitters that they have experience of.
that is no excuse for the v poor performance of the trader of course.
have you paid in full.
i would not trust them with the job, and she needs a proper seat etc.
so as they cannot supply that, they are not the right trader.
can you limit your expenses.
report to trading standards. see if you can get some of the money back and go elsewhere.

that shower and panel/tiles does not look the best for an elderly disabled person, imo.

Hi Alex, we did - the plans were made with their approval (it was a private physio, the one following her hip op we're still waiting on - just a couple of piece of papers and one visit in the hospital (which, again, we paid for).

There should be an aid in there alongside the seat, and other bits.

I can't find someone to deal with her house - properly - for love nor money. They come, or don't, they quote then never get back to us. I love so far away, it is almost impossible to organise.

Anyway, perhaps it's just a really, really shit company - that's the benefit of the doubt view.

But I was so clear on the phone, and they (my mum, sis and niece) were so clear when they went to the shop - DM and DS - I honestly can't see how much wriggle room they had to misinterpret.

Anyway, we'll give them the week they've asked for and see how things go.

I'll not let this happen to her again.

It's so shit getting old.

OP posts:
Original poster
SphincterSaysWhat · 09/04/2023 13:13

DM is well about to get around (now the hip is done) so there was no need to talk "wet room" etc or specialised flooring (not even future proofing, the physio thought) so she'll be fine with what she has which is a million times better than what was there (a bath she couldn't get into) so she's ok with it, physically. It's just not what she fucking ordered!

OP posts:
LIZS · 09/04/2023 13:15

Looks a pretty shoddy job even if it were what you had ordered. Are the panel joints sealed, electric wires just boxed in , not chased behind. Is it safe?

JJ8765 · 09/04/2023 13:17

report them to trading standards as it’s likely they are scamming others. Did she pay on a credit card as then she can also recover via the card company if the retailer doesn’t sort it.

Original poster
SphincterSaysWhat · 09/04/2023 14:13

All paid up in cash (she's old school). Will go to trading standards when all sorted - am still wondering if it's a mistake or on purpose. DSis is adamant they're pulling a fast one and she would likely know more than me, being on-site and all. She also caught that guy in his lie, so she's probably right.

I wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of her 😂

OP posts:
AfraidToRun · 09/04/2023 14:54

exhaust the complaints process with this awful company, give them an opportunity to resolve, then get someone better to fix it and take original company to small claims court for cost of rectifications. They will be banking on you (or DM) on giving up.

hedgehoglurker · 09/04/2023 15:05

I'm no expert, but did they know that her existing shower was electric? Is there the correct water pressure/ combi boiler that can feed the ordered shower, as it looks like a standard shower?

I know that our bath is supplied by a vented system (hot water tank in airing cupboard and header cold tank in loft), therefore can't supply a standard shower.

To get around this, we have an electric pumped shower over the bath in the family bathroom. We then have a shower pump in the airing cupboard to supply decent pressure to the ensuite shower, which is a similar style to your first photo.

2bazookas · 09/04/2023 15:55

This isn't just "bad workmanship", it's out and out fraud, which is a crime.
Report it right away to your local Trading Standards office (council website). Name the person who sold, the person who lied and denied, etc. TSO will tell you exactly how best to proceed.

I generally follow this up to the offender with a formal written letter worded as per TS advice , and under the signature I write

Copy to Trading Standards Complaint number

LakeTiticaca · 09/04/2023 15:59

Trading standards and I would be calling the police as well.since they have stolen money from your mum

PussBilledDuckyPlait · 09/04/2023 16:02

Do they think you were born yesterday? Unleash the hounds.

GreenClock · 09/04/2023 16:05

Is it safe? It might be worth posting the pics on the Property/DIY board. There are knowledgeable people on there.

RichardsGear · 09/04/2023 16:09

hedgehoglurker · 09/04/2023 15:05

I'm no expert, but did they know that her existing shower was electric? Is there the correct water pressure/ combi boiler that can feed the ordered shower, as it looks like a standard shower?

I know that our bath is supplied by a vented system (hot water tank in airing cupboard and header cold tank in loft), therefore can't supply a standard shower.

To get around this, we have an electric pumped shower over the bath in the family bathroom. We then have a shower pump in the airing cupboard to supply decent pressure to the ensuite shower, which is a similar style to your first photo.

I was also going to say exactly this. It's an entirely different system.

FrogFairy · 09/04/2023 16:57

For future jobs it might be worth checking if you have a service like this in your area. I believe they are council approved and should be more reliable.

https://careandrepair.org.uk/

Care & Repair

Care & Repair Cymru is a Welsh charity, working to ensure that older people can live independently in safe, warm, and accessible homes.

https://careandrepair.org.uk/

Minimalme · 09/04/2023 20:01

What did they actually do? Did they remove the bath and make it a wet room?

alexdgr8 · 09/04/2023 20:29

calling PigletJohn.
(have i got the name right?)
the person who knows everything about plumbing and associated trades.
please help advise this OP.

EnchentButteler · 09/04/2023 20:39

That is definitely not the same shower! How on earth did they think she wouldn't notice?!

We changed from electric to system shower and apart from disconnecting the electrics behind and making safe the off/on pulley thing it was a doddle. No reason not to fit one if she's paid for it. Apart from incompetence or deception.

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