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

[Beachhairdontcare]

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?!

Yup had this with Safestyle Uk. Also had two local firms quote without DP present. They both laughed when I told them about Safestyle, said it was a sales technique and sexist. One of the local guys got the job and we now have a lovely front door & replacement porch. The other local guy who didn't get the job (they were a bit more expensive, no other reason) we have never heard from again i.e. no hard sell post quote tactics. When we come to replace the rest of the windows we'll ask them both back but keep away from Safestyle. They lost a customer.

This thread has got me thinking - if you DO sign up for a finance agreement with the windows - don't you get a 14 day cooling off period????

We had this from Anglian and they BOMBARDED me with phone calls and still ring now from time to time like a jilted ex.

I had this twice recently. Once with Safestyle, who despite being told the house was in my name alone, and I would be funding the windows, would not quote unless OH was present. Second was a cold call (didn't get their name) and appt made. 25 windows, 2 doors and a conservatory to quote for. Courtesy call the day before to confirm OH will be present. Said no as he is always out at work and they asked to reschedule. Well I knew where this was going,
I said I can't make commitments to his time but they are welcome to quote with me alone. They kept on until she even said to me "what exactly does your husband do that he can't find an hour to be home for the quote"! I'd already told them it was a quote for the future and we wouldn't be getting it done for at least 12 months. She said that it is company policy to have both homeowners present. I reiterated that I am sole owner but this made no difference. They phone me now between 3 and 5 times a day to reschedule. This has been going on for weeks and I wonder who will give up first. Them to stop calling or me to block them or answer and tell them to fuck right off. I still have no idea how much new windows are going to cost me.

I can't believe window companies still use these high pressure techniques. Well, it must work I suppose

I remember my parents being unable to get rid of a salesman to the extent that he was still there at 11pm! And this was twenty odd years ago.

I got so miffed with some guy who looked and talked only to my DH during a quote that I interrupted him and said "you know, if you get the job, it'll be because I made the decision, and then when you finish, it'll be me writing the check" FFS.

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.

That is shocking. I've worked in sales before and never had that much front!

Similar happened to DH's 88-year-old widowed aunty. She spent £14k on having some windows and a door replaced because the sales people just refused to leave. She kept asking to call her daughter to talk it over with her and they wouldn't let her. We tried to get her to call the police after it was done but she was too ashamed and worried she'd get into trouble. Fucking cunts.

AIBU to be annoyed that they assume only my husband can make big decisions regarding our finances?

That isn't what was happening, though is it. You're unreasonable twisting "it's company policy that both home-owners are present" into something about your husband being in charge.

Of course they wanted you both there as there's more chance of selling their product and that, after all, is how commerce works.

Our of interest, who does make big decisions in your marriage regarding finances?

Un-twist your knickers a little.

I'd love to know what they'd do with me...

joint owners but have a restraining order against my violent ex. He's not allowed here but I'm allowed to live here for donkeys years under the divorce.

guess I'm not getting new windows then lol

I work for the biggest home improvement company. This is one of our selling techniques. Unless your husband and yourself are their. It's not about in charge of finances etc. It's about both parties been forced into buying on the day. If your husband or wife isn't around. The main get out of sale line for a potential customer is "I'll have to speak to my husband/wife and get you to call back around if we decide to go ahead"

We went direct to a local fitter. He came out & measured up and sent the details over to our local window store. I paid the store direct for the windows (and chose designs etc) and paid fitter £100 per window. Worked out about £1000 for 4 all in & no hard sell appointments!

Wouldn't you be a little angry if you got home to find your dh had installed diamond leaded windows everywhere? All owners of the property need to agree about any significant modifications, and they would have told your dh the same thing in the equivalent situation.

But I think I would be much more cautious than to ask for a job to be done by a builder who just happened to be working nearby. It's a big investment that could easily go wrong, and you kay well be able to get a much better deal elsewhere.

That's fine if both parties are joint home owners but rather insulting if for example myself, my house is in my name, owned outright, paid for by myself, my money to be spent how I choose but it is expected that my partner is there.

Is it Everest? I had to throw the salesman out of my house because he was so rude and pushy. Not normal for me I'm normally a confrontation avoider but he was so bad I couldn't let it go.

Just refuse. Tell them you won't be buying on the night either way, you will be comparing their quote and service with others so there's really no need for your husband to be present, nothing will get signed or 'closed down' because it's purely a fact finding mission at this stage.

That should pretty much guarantee they won't want to come at all.

Then phone some small independent window companies for a straightforward honest quote with no smoke and mirrors and no expensive ad campaigns to pay for.

Haven't read the whole thread but this smacks of needing both the "decision makers" there.

They could come out and measure, quote and spend a few hours only for your dp (or whoever) to turn around say F off.

It's not ideal but I can understand why they've done it, stops a lot of time wasters etc

However on a personal level I'd tell them to jog on making assumptions that you wouldn't be the sole decision make or bread winner etc.

I'm not sure if there is a statutory cooling off period, is there, unless they have dropped in uninvited. So if you have agreed the visit then if you sign up you are committed (though may be different with finance).

We once had to put up with a 3.5 hour presentation until we said we had to go to bed. Oddly, he wouldn't give us a figure orally, he just wrote it down. In fact, if he'd given us his final quote at the start we would have accepted it, but we were so hacked off by the end that we threw him out and got a local builder.

Is writing down the figure on an envelope another hard-sell technique? it just looked a bit silly as it came down from 17.5K to 5K.

@samG76 it's so they can gauge your body language and reaction. You've got to try and communicate with your partner without giving too much away. Speaking you can cover up emotions easily whereas reading you're not as conscious of your reaction (because it's not to a face).

Bin them!

Thanks, glitters. That makes sense. Of course if he'd been an expert on body language he might have noticed that we were bored to death and were hating him more every minute. I suppose if he'd stayed for half an hour and then quoted 5K he would have got the job but missed out on the chance of overcharging us ludicrously, which is presumably how the salespeople make their money...

When I had my windows done a few months ago, one guy asked if my husband would be here soon as he might have some "more technical questions". We didn't use him.

@samG76 lol sounds about right. I worked in sales for a long time and the best sales people don't f**k about. They get in, flush out the objections, are not scared to hear no and then deal with everything. It should be personable and quick.

This is often lacking in double glazing sales. They fanny about and make up daft discounts etc.

Best advice I ever give to people when buying from a sales person is keep quiet. If the sales person speaks first they've lost 😂

A lot of the double glazing companies are owned by the same people and their sales people are trained in a particular style. Google Weatherseal and the Entu group.