Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Other subjects
Original poster

MIL's been charged £3,000 for a new garage door!

15 replies

edam · 18/03/2009 18:56

Seems extortionate to me... she's a little old lady who is vulnerable to salespeople and keeps signing things. Latest is this garage door which I assume is yet another rip off. Anyone had their garage door replaced and know how much it should cost?

OP posts:
ScummyMummy · 18/03/2009 19:26

I don't have a garage but that does sound v steep.

BCNS · 18/03/2009 19:29

£3000 is a hell of a lot..
£1800 for a brill and fab auto roll up one, or even less for a normal up and over.

when did she sign, and was it a sales rep who came to her house?

thisisyesterday · 18/03/2009 19:40

that sounds ridiculous.
when did this happen??? surely there is a cooling off period for her to cancel? or has it already been done?

MollieO · 18/03/2009 19:42

I'd find out the company, find out what she should have paid and contact Trading Standards and possibly police.

Kbear · 18/03/2009 19:44

About £500 for a regular up and over door - kick their arses edam, sounds like she's been ripped off. My IL's sign up to lots of stuff and I had to get them out of a £10,000 kitchen recently that they didn't realise they had signed a credit agreement for. "He was such a nice man too" GRRR I went mental, called Trading Standards who were very interested and helpful and told the company that I would expect the cheque in the post or there would be TROUBLE. Cheque arrived pronto.

Original poster
edam · 18/03/2009 20:46

Thought so. Bloody hell. She must be on some sort of list that tips con-men off 'vulnerable old lady willing to sign expensive contracts without understanding them over here'. Sigh...

Dh has cancelled SO many agreements for her, I don't know why she keeps doing it. After the last one I really thought she understood that she wasn't to sign anything else on her own at home. (I'm not bossing her around, she was very upset about it and finds it difficult to stand up to salespeople.)

She doesn't know how long ago she signed this one. Apparently her financial adviser is looking into it - I have no idea whether he's another parasite or actually a decent guy who wants to stop her being ripped off.

She told me tonight she'd rather give dh an enduring power of attorney as she doesn't trust herself not to sign any more deals. I suggested she just TELL any salesmen that her son has a power of attorney and she can't sign anything but think she really wants dh to take the responsibility off her shoulders.

Does anyone know what EP of A is called now? Have a feeling it's been replaced under some new legislation so will have to try to find out about it.

OP posts:
Original poster
edam · 18/03/2009 20:48

Oh, apparently there's another firm that has convinced her to have all the soffits replaced 'to get rid of asbestos'. I've no idea whether there is any asbestos in her house (doubt it, tbh, but even if there was, she doesn't need it replacing!

OP posts:
thisisyesterday · 18/03/2009 20:50

i think giving him power of attorney is a good thing actually.
you should DEFINITELY contact trading standards and the police, they will be interested in this

Original poster
edam · 18/03/2009 20:58

yes, you are right. She's on the local neighbourhood watch committee and always reads me their notices when we go round - so WHY doesn't she pay a blind bit of attention about con-men preying on little old ladies?

Could be complicated though as dh has a sister who might be pissed off if dh takes charge of MIL's money. (I think MIL is probably quite well off although don't really know - just worried it might start family disputes about ££££.)

OP posts:
DorisIsAPinkDragon · 18/03/2009 21:15

Just had a fab sectional one fitted with eletric etc for £1400 ( oh and that's not a standard size....

Maybe you can cancel the order ( or if not contact trading standards

DorisIsAPinkDragon · 18/03/2009 21:18

That she doesn't trust herself is worrying Is there something she's not telling you regarding her memory / state of mind???

I wonder if you could get both dh and his sis named and both have to sign??? ( be open with sis secret invariably lead to upset!

runnyhabbit · 18/03/2009 21:22

Dh works in the door industry, and we have a remote control automatic garage door, which is paint finish. He's told me that it would retail at 900 max.

Sounds like she's being ripped off

Original poster
edam · 18/03/2009 22:27

she is getting forgetful - but the examples she gives are always things any of us could do, like going upstairs and thinking 'what did I come up for again?'. Seems to be functioning well to me - I suspect it's loneliness, really. Her daughter lives half an hour away but works and has her own family - she goes across once a week. We are a bit further away and again, dh is at work all week (as am I).

It's sad but we can't move in with her and we don't have a spare room for her to come here.

Anyway, turns out dh's sister is aware of her mother wanting to give dh power of attorney and doesn't want to be joined with him or whatever it's called. Think she's not interested in all the paperwork.

Now we have to find out quite what it involves...

OP posts:
annh · 18/03/2009 22:40

Well, we have just been quoted 1500 pounds for a sectional door, not automatic. Apparently a roller one, which would be automatic, would not be much more. Looking at some of the posts on here, even that seems to be too high, never mind the 3000 your poor MiL has been quoted! Runnyhabbit, I don't suppose your dh works in Surrey, does he?!

Original poster
edam · 19/03/2009 10:50

thanks for all the advice and info guys.

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread