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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To cancel this window firm quoting a job only with husband present?

123 replies

Beachhairdontcare · 17/05/2017 20:59

So a nice chap knocked on the door, currently fitting new windows for neighbour. He noticed that our windows could do with replacing, we were in fact only discussing this recently and intended to look into this in a few months time. He asked if we would like a quick measure up and quote after he finished neighbours job, I said sure why not. He said the office would call to confirm.
Five minutes later I receive a call from the 'diary manager' at the office. He was calling to confirm the appointment, and to also confirm that my husband would be present too. Err no, it's just me I'm afraid. 'Ah well, it's company policy that both home owners are present, so I will call in the morning to confirm a time when you are both likely to be home'.
AIBU to tell him to do one? Or is this normal practice? Sounds to me like they intend to do a hard sell and want to ensure they get a signature. AIBU to be annoyed that they assume only my husband can make big decisions regarding our finances?!

OP posts:

InvisibleKittenAttack · 17/05/2017 21:55

Urgh, we'll have to deal with this shit soon as ours will need doing in the next year or so.

I understand why they do this - they want you to sign up there and then, not get a few quotes then decide which is best, not take some time to think about it... basically to try to force you into signing up straight away. Sign of the sort of company I'd not want to give my business to.

dworky · 17/05/2017 21:55

Yes, had exactly the same - told them I'd take my custom elsewhere & did.

Sara107 · 17/05/2017 21:56

I had this with a solar panel company who refused to come out if only me here. I can't remember the exact wording, but their explanation basically was that it is to do with the fact that one person on their own might then claim they were bullied or coerced into signing up to something they didn't really want or need.

JaneEyre70 · 17/05/2017 21:56

We were looking at doing ours when a rep from Safestyle knocked on the door....and gave me some shit about a grant from the Govt to replace wooden windows. So stupidly I booked an appointment, and they insisted on having our landline no and that DH would be here. Within 15 minutes our phone was ringing repeatedly....I didn't answer as I was in the kitchen rolling out pastry. Then the door went again, it was the rep asking why I wasn't answering the phone . That started off nearly 7 months of non stop harassment from them. They quoted a ridiculous price and DH literally had to threaten the rep (that called one evening so DH was here) with the Police to get rid of him. He wouldn't take No for an answer and tried every trick under the sun to get us to sign. We had to go through Trading Standards to stop the phone calls, and all of this was during DH's father passing away. It was horrific, the worst sales tactics I have ever seen. DH was threatening to divorce me for giving them our phone number...........!!! I can't put into words how awful it was at the time. It shouldn't be legal for companies to operate in such a way.
When we did get ours done, we used a local company who were reliable, non pushy and did the job for 1/5 of what SS quoted!!

alphajuliet123 · 17/05/2017 21:58

I once kept getting hounded on the phone by a conservatory company, who, despite my explanations, continued to ring saying I must have signed up with them. After about the tenth call I invited them round to give me a quote. I saw them turn up and I saw them drive away looking annoyed.

I lived in a 2nd floor flat.

Notalotterywinner · 17/05/2017 21:59

Anglian? That's how they work, just lie and say DH will be in. When you get quote bear in mind that our £8k quote was reduced to £2750 with haggling.

Good products but not great sales techniques

Grilledaubergines · 17/05/2017 22:01

It's normal practice if the property is in joint names. They can't put windows in to a house without the consent of all owners. Would be the same for any major works. Nothing to do with sexism or anything else.

buntingqueen · 17/05/2017 22:01

Yes, I had this recently! I also thought it was very odd, but I guess it's so, as others have said, they can try to nail a 'deal' there and then. We told them we didn't want to spend too much as we are doing the house up to sell on, and they didn't even bother pushing as clearly weren't going to get anywhere with us.

HolidayArmidillo · 17/05/2017 22:01

I have only read the OP but I had to say that this sounds like dunraven. If it is please stay as far away from then as possible. The customer service is shocking. I worked there for a week in cold calling and I went home in tears most days.

They like to say that they're doing work in the area too, which is a lie most of the time.

ratspeaker · 17/05/2017 22:02

I often wonder how these companies deal with single women or widows. Or any single person.

I think they want todo a hard sell and get you to agree finance .
I had all this a few years back trying to get replacement windows.
One company said they needed DHto be here for " insurance purposes"

And dont get me started on sales reps that dont know Edinburgh building regs or that you CAN NOT use upvc in a listed building ( we had to get building control approval for the work )
We ended up with a local firm who quoted well under big upvc company, didn't need DH anddidntwant paid til job done

ememem84 · 17/05/2017 22:03

Was going to ask if it was Everest.

We got a quote from them. They were the most patronising they could be to me. Explained to me how a window worked in both open and closed. And it allows light in. Wow!!!

Then they kept calling. The trick here is to tell them to update your details and give them their number as yours. They soon stop calling.

phoenix1973 · 17/05/2017 22:05

I used to work in double glazing.
They want you both there so they can pressure you both into having finance.
They need his signature on the finance agreement and the contract.

It really is a grubby, old fashioned, sexist industry and unless legislation forces them to change, they never will.

Tell them you no longer want the appointment and will not be available so do not come around.

averylongtimeago · 17/05/2017 22:05

I know someone who works selling windows for a well known company mentioned here.
They insist on both partners being present so they can push for a sale that day. They cover large areas so it is expensive come back another day.
However, don't be taken in by all the "special discount prices" and "just phone my boss for a better deal" , it's all crap. They all know the bottom line, anything over that is their commission, that's why they push so hard.
If you really want to know how much plastic windows cost, Google trade Windows direct, you might be shocked.

Flyinggeese · 17/05/2017 22:06

I need a couple of double glazed windows. Have been putting it off for years because of hearing about crap like this from window companies.

PeaFaceMcgee · 17/05/2017 22:09

Find someone on FENSA, Flyinggeese - even better if they're an individual or small co. Compare a few quotes.

dotdotdotmustdash · 17/05/2017 22:09

Many years ago my parents were pressurised into buying from a national window company. I didn't know about it at the time or I would have tried to be there. The guy arrived at 6pm and didn't leave until he had his sale at 1am. When my parents tried to have him leave at 10pm because they had to walk their dog, he phoned his friend to come round and take the dog out for them.

I was furious when I heard it about it several months later!

DollyLlama · 17/05/2017 22:11

Funnily enough I had this conversation with my MIL the other day. Her mum wanted windows a long time ago and had the same problem and was furious! It was her money and her husband couldn't give a monkeys.

Apparently lots of women confirm they want it for the husbands who apparently control the purse string insert eye roll cancel the job as the woman has stepped out of line and they won't pay for it!

Personally I'd be furious and tell them to shove off like she did!

MistressPage · 17/05/2017 22:16

We had a massive issue like this with Anglian the other week. The guy came for what we were told would be 15 min quote. At 6pm. After an hour he announced it would take another hour so we chucked him out and made an appointment for another day, the next appointment he stayed THREE AND A HALF HOURS. We kept explaining that we wanted to discuss it before committing and he kept pushing. It was a fucking disgrace. He used every trick in the book, saying he'd come a long way, saying prices were going up tomorrow etc. Luckily we are both intelligent to see through shoddy sales techniques and got to the point where there was no way we were signing, on principle. And we will never use them now. I would never do business with a company who uses such awful sales techniques and treats people like mugs. The salesman was also really fucking creepy, a tit-gazer, over familiar, patronising, misogynistic and dressed straight out of the eighties. Wanker.
Everest however, came and quoted us, stayed less than an hour and put no pressure on so well done them.

Walkingthedog46 · 17/05/2017 22:16

It is not only double glazing firms. I recently phoned a company advertising nationally as I wanted a quote for a patio blind. We agreed an appointment date but then they asked if I owned the property by myself or if It was owned jointly with someone else. When I asked what relevance that was, they said they required all the owners to be present when the man called to give a quote! I cancelled the appointment.

Flyinggeese · 17/05/2017 22:22

Thanks PeaFace

jcsp · 17/05/2017 22:25

It sounds a bit of a control tactic.

Not unlike the Kirby vacuum cleaners of the past and their techniques of channeling you into a purchase.

Find someone local with a decent reputation.

Oldraver · 17/05/2017 22:31

I had this with solar panels people...I actually had an appointment when I was 'curtesy called' to make sure my DH would be there. I told them I had a DP who wouldn't be there as it didnt interest him...I told them it was MY house anyway but they ended up not turning up...

Alexandra87 · 17/05/2017 22:34

We had this when we were looking for windows. Every company asked for both home owners to be present. I asked why and they said they get a lot of people agree to the quote and then oh doesn't agree and nothing comes of it so it's time wasting. Didn't make sense to me though as surely we could both say no? But then I suppose if we'd both been there we would have both been subjected to the salemans patter....

ThisIsStartingToBoreMe · 17/05/2017 22:38

It's not misogony, it's hard sell.

ThisIsStartingToBoreMe · 17/05/2017 22:42

Oh, and if they won't leave when you ask them too, just call the police.

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