Double glazing company won't talk to wife unless husband is present?

[PrettyPickle]

Just been at my friends house and there was a knock at the door. It was a young lad canvassing for work for a double glazing firm. My mate is interested in having a couple of windows replaced and would be interested in a quote. The young lad asked when her husband would be home and she explained he worked away from home and she dealt with all stuff like this.

He explained that the husband had to be present. She asked why as the house is in her name only and has no mortgage and she would be paying for the windows in cash (not finance) from her money, not her husbands. She explained it was her 2nd marriage and he rented his home out. Well my mind was boggling about why she should have to share this info.

The young lad said he understood but his guidance was that the husband had to be present to allow it to progress. She asked why her husband, why not the three adult kids who also lived in the home and actually had a bigger stake in it as its their inheritance. He seemed perplexed but said that is how it works. My mate thanked him and said that she understood he had to follow the rules so thanks but no thanks.

Apparently this has happened before and whilst she would discuss it with her husband as part of their daily life, she didn't need him to be present, it was her decision, not his.

10 minutes later he returned saying he had explained to the office and they said it would be OK as it was all her property, so they agreed to ring at 4pm. My friend said if they brought up the subject of her husband needing to be present she would not be happy.

4pm came, someone rang and they said her husband had to be present. She explained the earlier conversation and that her husband had no say in the house (they have this legally tied up as they both have kids from a previous marriage) but he was adamant that they could not attend without her husband being present.

Now we both would get this to a certain extent if he was an owner of the property or was contributing to the home improvements but he is not.

Vote:

YANBU for refusing to have her husband present
YABU for her not understanding her husband needed to be present

As a widow - now that I am out of the initial grief phase, my reply to that is "well shall we pop down the cemetery then cos he's been dead for the last 13 years".

In the UK, properties generally belong to the individual named on the title deeds, even after marriage. A second marriage does not automatically merge property ownership, meaning you own your house and your husband owns his unless you legally change the deeds to joint ownership. However, the spouse not on the title deeds may have rights to occupy the home as a "matrimonial home".
Key Considerations:

• Ownership Rights: If your name is not on your husband's house (and vice versa), it is his sole property.
• Matrimonial Home Rights: Regardless of ownership, you have a right to occupy the home you live in as a married couple, preventing a sole owner from selling or evicting the other without a court order.
• Divorce/Separation: In the event of a divorce, a court can order the transfer or sale of any property owned by either party, regardless of whose name it is in, to ensure a fair settlement.
• Inheritance: If you die without a will (intestacy), rules differ from automatic ownership. A spouse may inherit, but it depends on the value of the estate, and children from a previous marriage may have claims.

This has nothing at all to do with the house ownership is 100% about high pressure sales.
Removing the easiest get out - i want to discuss with 'the other adult who lives here'. Its about getting clients to sign on the dotted line before they have a chance to get a second quote.
Anyone who does high pressure sales also do highly inflated prices - why else would it be worth some sitting on someone else couch for 5 hours, 5 flipping hours - I can't even work how he manged to keep talking for 5 hours!

Apparently it's a case of having both present as otherwise one agrees and the other objects.

So what if you don't want to sign there and then? For something that will cost thousands, it is not unreasonable to take the quote, peruse the spec etc and do some due dilligence before returning to say "yes please book me in." (Assuming it's a fair deal).

Use a small, local company that doesn't cold call.

I had no problems when I organised our windows last year. I dont think DH was involved at all. Wasn't even around during fitting and I am in charge of finance. In his mind the windows just magically appeared one day.

Did you read the poster who said they had a salesman in the house for 5 hours?

Others have also resorted to threatening to call the police to get high pressure sales people to leave?

By telling you they need you both there they are admitting they are going to subject you both to high pressure sales.

Btw I've also heard of someone arrange to have 2 double glazing people in the house at the same time, one refused to price!

Yes I did read those posts?

Forgive me but I'm not sure what it is we disagree on? Do we disagree? Did you mean to quote me?

It's likely that they will try to hard sell you the finance, so want both parties there, we always made it clear that we just wanted a quote and fitting lead time, and did not want to discuss finance as we were paying out of savings. When one firm said they still had to talk through the finance package we told them not to bother coming round then. I used to work for a finance company that handled the Kirby vacuum cleaners back in the 90's, similar hard sales tactics, 100 % you don't have to both be there it's ridiculous.

Read the OP's post back and see how much of the lady's private business she has shared with a total stranger 🚩🚩 scary

Agreed. I had that with them. Don't engage. Speak to a local rated installer and you won't have that (non) problem

You questioned what if you don't what to sign there and then (which nobody in their right mind would) I answered, as previous posters pointed out, they'll sit and sit until you cave in to the pressure.

TBH the second they mentioned wanting both parties I'd have said fine, I'll call you later, and binned the number

The lad is obviously stuck in the 1950s. How very odd!

I remember being asked if anyone else was involved in the decision making.

You took the words right out of my mouth. I always vote with my purse and they would not get a penny of my money CFs!

😂 Brill

yes it’s a high pressure sales tactic but more to save time in return for their best offer - not to rip anyone off. there is a 14 day cooling off period after you sign so you can still cancel if you really want to

She'd already told them she was the decision maker.

I work for my DH window company, if they need to employ salesman then id avoid, our work comes from recommendations, ask around and find out who has a good reputation. I would say though i come across a lot of sexism from customers (male and female) who seem to think only men can know all the technical stuff..

Most people still want thinking time after getting a first quote, especially if the quote is wild, I want to think about it gets hit back with "what is there to think about, this is a great deal", "well I want to discuss..." you can't use that if DH is sitting there.

Back in about 1970 we had just bought our first house and we spent an afternoon at an Ideal Homes type of event, looking at all the things we couldn't afford! A few days later a representative of a double glazing company called, OH was at work, for the 'appointment' he had with me! This puzzled me, we couldn't afford double glazing and I'd never spoken to the company, he explained that he'd spoken to my husband and they'd made the appointment then, he was furious at having his time wasted. When OH came home he said he'd been so pushy and he, OH, didn't know how to get away so he's agreed the appointment!

I wouldn't have even taken the telephone call. I'm not begging misogynist people to take my money.
There are plenty of other double glazing companies out there who behave appropriately.
For what it's worth, if you only need a few windows replaced because the glass has blown, the frames are probably good so just get a glass replacement firm in. Far cheaper.

I can't wade through ; was it.safe style windows ?

I imagine it's because people like me and DP want to check with the other before making a decision, and they're trying to avoid timewasting. However, if she said she is the decision-maker, they should have gone ahead.

I'd have made the appointment & when they turn up say hubby is present & point to an urn on the table & wait for their reply.