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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Was I unreasonable to send this window company on their way..

68 replies

Annabel7 · 07/10/2015 10:51

So... a guy from a well known window company comes to my door. They are doing some work up the road and touting for local business as they are here. Great - we are thinking of getting the remaining 3 windows updated on our house. He asked if my husband was around. I said yes but working from home. Arranged for him to come and measure up at 4 and then give me a quote that would stand for 2 years. He mentioned that his manager would call to confirm. All good.

So the manager rings later. Very pleasant. Asks if my husband will be at the house when his colleague comes as he'd like him to see the samples too. I explain that he'll be here and it should be fine unless he's stuck on a call. 'Oh' he says, 'we should re-arrange a time when he's definitely available'. I said it's fine if he doesn't get to see the samples. If I'm happy with them, he will be too. No, he says. Apparently it's their policy that both home owners are there. I said well you can come this afternoon and definitely get me and probably my husband too or let's just leave it. He said maybe we should leave it so we did.

I think he's a fool/their policy is foolish as they've just lost a customer. WIBU or is this standard procedure? I've just managed the entire extension and renovation of our home all by my little old self so this all seems rather bizarre. I wonder also if DH had answered the door and said, 'my time's limited, no, the wife's not around but if you want you can measure and quote this afternoon', if they would've refused?

What do you think?

OP posts:

Tiggeryoubastard · 07/10/2015 10:53

Yes they would, as they assume you're joint owners and need to speak to both owners before doing the work. No reason for him to be rude, though, the prat.

Anastasie · 07/10/2015 10:56

I think it means you don't get the excuse of 'well I was happy with the quote but my other half said no' or something.

I'd be suspicious of anyone who had that policy simply because they want to put you in as difficult a position as possible, and may well engage high pressure tactics.

Ditch them and choose someone yourself (try checkatrade?)

LemonBreeland · 07/10/2015 10:57

He did this as he wanted you to sign up for windows today, not a quote that would last. If you were both there they would have offered you a 'dicount' of you signed there and then. If your DH wasn't then you would have had the easy get out of, I need to confer with my husband.

It's pure sales tactics.

Original poster

Annabel7 · 07/10/2015 10:57

Well he wasn't rude and I'm not asking them to do the work - it's just a quote at this stage. I'll probably get 2 or 3 quotes before we do the work. Will this happen every time then?

OP posts:

WorraLiberty · 07/10/2015 10:59

Yes they would have refused.

Giving quotes is time consuming so it's imperative that anyone who owns all or part of the property is there.

Otherwise they could get down the line to the signature bit, and find one person is unhappy.

It's completely standard procedure and something I've seen Mumsnetters moan about a lot, because they've assumed sexism.

Original poster

Annabel7 · 07/10/2015 11:00

Yes, will check out checkatrade. Thanks..

OP posts:

Scobberlotcher · 07/10/2015 11:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WorraLiberty · 07/10/2015 11:01

No reason for him to be rude, though, the prat.

How was he rude?

Anastasie · 07/10/2015 11:01

No, there will be reasonable companies out there who operate within moral standards...I find checkatrade very good so far, but see who other people recommend.

ouryve · 07/10/2015 11:01

Yes, but if only the husband is at home, do they insist the wife is there, too?

Backforthis · 07/10/2015 11:04

Exactly Ouryve

Original poster

Annabel7 · 07/10/2015 11:04

Worra - I get your point. Guess it just felt as odd as I've done the whole house without having to involve DH in every minor detail. It does feel like sexism when I'm told my husband must be there to get a quote but I appreciate perhaps it's not...

OP posts:

Noodledoodledoo · 07/10/2015 11:07

Yes they do insist on the wife being at home as well. When we sorted our windows out I booked the appointments and said oh you can come at xxx but I won't be able to be there and they refused.

I just took it as it removes the possible excuse of 'I need to talk to my other half before I make a decision'

I complained about Anglian Home Improvements years ago as I felt bullied in my own home when I lived by myself as I wouldn't sign. When I phoned to complain told them that even if there quote was a quarter of the price of others I wouldn't touch them with a bargepole and would tell others the same. Opted for a local company who were fab and went back to them when I moved even though we are a lot further away from them!

Scobberlotcher · 07/10/2015 11:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WorraLiberty · 07/10/2015 11:09

Yes, but if only the husband is at home, do they insist the wife is there, too?

Yes.

In fact they insist on anyone who has a financial interest in the property being there.

Original poster

Annabel7 · 07/10/2015 11:10

That was my gut feel too, Ouryve. It was Zenith if anyone needs to get windows done and wants to try it out with the husband but not wife around. Though as others have said, it may just be policy that all homeowners are present...

OP posts:

WorraLiberty · 07/10/2015 11:12

Can you imagine if they spent ages sorting out the choice of windows/doors, and a finance agreement with just one of the people on the mortgage?

The other could come along at the last minute and say, 'No way are you putting them in my property'.

Original poster

Annabel7 · 07/10/2015 11:14

Scobber - it sounds awful. We are going to have some other work done by builders we trust. I might just get them to do the windows at the same time and bypass all the sales patter..

OP posts:

Original poster

Annabel7 · 07/10/2015 11:17

Well, I'm not after a finance agreement. Probably won't do the work until next year. Just 3 windows, 1 no-obligation quote...

OP posts:

VulcanWoman · 07/10/2015 11:18

Best not to answer the door to people you don't know or are not expecting.

exexpat · 07/10/2015 11:23

It's funny how it is only high-pressure double glazing sales (and similar) which insist on both home-owners being there when they do a quote.

I have never heard of a normal building contractor doing this - maybe because they actually give you a realistic quote and expect you to make up your mind in your own time, rather than getting you in a room and putting you under pressure, offering you 'discounts' from the over-inflated initial quote if you sign up immediately, calling their manager etc etc.

I would avoid any company that resorts to sales tactics like that. I recently had all my windows replaced by a reputable local company after a very polite and helpful bloke came round to measure up and talk through the options, then emailed me a very detailed, fully-costed quote with different options for me to consider in my own time, rather than under pressure.

specialsubject · 07/10/2015 11:27

I think that the 'cooling-off' period for contracts doesn't apply if you sign at home, which is why they are so keen.

if you want double-glazing done, call THEM for quotes and NEVER sign on the day. That special offer will still be there.

for some reason the industry is rogue central so be very careful.

Original poster

Annabel7 · 07/10/2015 11:27

Agree exexpat. I got quotes from a number of builders for tens of thousands ££s of work without the need for both homeowners to be there. It's a high-pressure sales thing. I guess they're more likely to get a signature for the work when both there. We don't actually have the money to do it right now so wouldn't have worked anyway...

OP posts:

LeaveMyWingsBehindMe · 07/10/2015 11:28

This is standard procedure for large companies that employ pushy salespeople who do two hour long fancy presentations, as opposed to a local company where the bloke who owns it will just come and measure up and give you a fair price, take it or leave it.

A dedicated salesman wants to close the sale there and then. He wants both decision makers there so you can't send them off with a 'I'll discuss it with my partner later and get back to you.'

Why don't they want you to do that? Because it gives you time to check out other quotes and either play one company off against another, or just go elsewhere.

The salesman always knows what the base cost of the product is, and he knows what his target percentage of commission is, and what his bottom line is. He will quote you some vastly inflated price that includes (he hopes) a massive commission for him. You will refuse the first price (unless you are an idiot or very old/young and gullible) and he will come back with a second price which he still hopes gives him a massive profit. When you still say no he'll go through the ridiculous charade of phoning his boss and discussing whether he can offer you an even better price (of course he can) but only if you agree today, because he and his boss have really pushed the boat out and made a special exception for you.

If you have the chance to go away and speak to other companies he risks you finding out how overpriced his quote was in the first place.

NEVER NEVER NEVER agree/sign for something like that on the day. Always insist on some thinking time and make it clear you will be getting otehr quotes. If he says he's offering you a price that is for that day only and it will be more expensive next week he's just a liar. If he can offer you X price today, he can offer you X price next week.

The line about working in the area is crap too. If it's a large well known company of the sort that advertises on the TV then the salesman and the fitters will probably never even meet, let alone be present on the job at the same time. He's just cold calling.

Some of the other tricks they like to employ is to compliment you on the decor of your house, or they look around your home to find some common ground to bond with you over, like noticing that you support Man U or like a particular rock band or golf or whatever and they will engage you in conversation about it to make you feel a connection to them. This apparently makes it much harder to say no when they quote you a price that's about 40% more than you should really be paying.

HTH.

Anastasie · 07/10/2015 11:29

I think that the 'cooling-off' period for contracts doesn't apply if you sign at home, which is why they are so keen.

No, you do have the right to cancel within 14 days I think. I did this recently with a crappy aerial company who made me sign the quote on the pavement outside our house.

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