Question about safestyle windows - sexism?

[LeavesOffTheCactus]

Hi all.

I had safestyle out today to quote me for windows. I have spoken to them on the phone about 3 times over the last week and each time they’ve said “we’ll see you and your partner on Thursday” and each time I’ve said that it will just be me as my partner is working. I even spoke to someone from head office this morning and repeated this to them.

When the guy turned up he asked where my “husband” is (I’m not married but that’s by the by). I explained that he’s working and that I keep telling them that he won’t be coming. The guy said ooooh I’ll have to call head office and check. He does so and they say no - he can’t quote me without my husband’s authorisation. His explanation was “because we have our own factory and make our own windows”. I don’t get it. We had another company out just before safestyle and there was no issue. They also make their own windows.

I could have gone and got my partner as he works from home but by this time I’m just annoyed that they ignored me all the times I warned them on the phone that it’s just me and I’m also suspicious about how they would have responded if it was just my “husband” and not me.

So my question is this: has anyone had safestyle out for a quote to just their male partner? And did they insist on speaking to the second partner to seek authorisation? Or did they just get on with it?

I might be paranoid but I really want to know…

Thanks for reading

[Eleusa]

DH has had this experience (not with this company)- tradespeople refusing to come and quote unless I'm also there. It's because they want to do a hard sell and get you signed up there and then- if the partner isn't also there then people don't sign up because they need to discuss it. So, a shitty coercive sales technique rather than misogyny, necessarily, but of course there could be misogyny involved as well. I'd steer clear.

[Pootles34]

All these big window companies are atrocious - get local ones in.

[Blossomtoes]

I used Safestyle to replace the windows and external doors when I refurbished my parents’ house. I now know just how much I was ripped off. Don’t go near them.

[Flapjackquack]

I know this is an old thread and people will say oh they need all decision makers present. This is absolute crap, it’s sexism mixed with a whole heap of pressure selling.

I had two local companies out, both times it was just me, they measured up, gave me a rough idea of price, went away, sent an exact quote by email, I emailed them back saying if I’d like to go forward or not. Window fitting day, my husband was in and I wasn’t. Again nothing said. I assume if one homeowner did something the other didn’t like that’s between them to solve.

[Elphame]

I remember years ago a friend of mine (divorced and single) ringing me one evening in tears that she could not get rid of a salesman from her house.

I sent DP round to rescue her. Some of these firms are disgusting.

We only use small local firms. Safestyle are infamous for the hard sell and I would not even be asking them for a quote.

[terriblyangryattimes]

We had this with Anglian. My husband couldn't give two shiny shits what doors or windows I chose, and more importantly it wasn't his money being spent. Would the Anglian guy accept this? No. So he lost a 6k contract and we went with a local, friendly firm who were happy to deal with the female half of a married couple.

[Wombat27A]

My tenant wanted a patio door changed and she was very distressed when they said they wouldn't quote her without me being there. We got a local firm to come in and quote. She felt discriminated against for renting but it's the hard sell thing, so she couldn't say "I'll ask the landlord.".

[Lougle]

I was with my parents when Safestyle came to quote. He kept banging on about special deals only available if they signed that day. I looked him straight in the eye and said "I'm here for one reason, which is to make sure that Mum and Dad don't sign anything today.

[LadyMarmaladeAtkins]

Very normal for them apparently, seems to be a national policy.

It's so they can pressure sell. Run a mile.

I can understand that when doing the final paperwork that both/all owners of the house need to be there unless written authorisation has otherwise been given, so that contracts can be signed. Although there will be plenty of cases where the owners of a house are far-flung or indisposed, and it is their representative dealing with it on site and signatures acquired via the post if needed.

However it's a massive assumption that the owner of the house and person contracting the services, even if she has a husband or partner, is not the woman alone. They're disgusting.

[LadyMarmaladeAtkins]

I was with my parents when Safestyle came to quote. He kept banging on about special deals only available if they signed that day. I looked him straight in the eye and said "I'm here for one reason, which is to make sure that Mum and Dad don't sign anything today.

Ha ha ha. Nice one. (Not funny though when this is needed, really though. Yuck.)

[Coffeetableposhbooks]

Honestly tell them to fuck off it’s so they can do the hard sell and want both decision makers there, as in many house holds this level of cost would be a joint decision. Additionally if they think you don’t work then they assume you cannot make the decision.

[LadyMarmaladeAtkins]

ringing me one evening in tears that she could not get rid of a salesman from her house. I sent DP round to rescue her.

I have found "get the * out of my house now or I will ring the police to have been effective on a small handful of occasions with pushy salespersons or meter readers. However, if there is an inkling of a vibe that they might get aggressive, I would do what your friend did. When I was doing viewings (online estate agent) I made sure they were in daylight, rang someone before and after. I always make sure the back door and GF windows are unlocked when I have trades or viewers round alone. And I am far from paranoid about personal safety. Lots of really good people in these jobs but too many rotters, even if they aren't going to physically harm you, pushy sales tactics to the point of fraudulent are not on.

[Tdcp]

This casual sexism drives me insane. I had someone come to pick my car up for an MOT and he told DD that he'd be "dropping Daddy's car back later". My name is on the deeds for the car, my name was on the booking and I answered the door. There was zero mention of a man anywhere. I said "actually it's my car, he doesn't drive". 4 times they asked for / mentioned my husband for one reason and another. I didn't go back to them.

[Flapjackquack]

@LadyMarmaladeAtkins

Very normal for them apparently, seems to be a national policy.

It's so they can pressure sell. Run a mile.

I can understand that when doing the final paperwork that both/all owners of the house need to be there unless written authorisation has otherwise been given, so that contracts can be signed. Although there will be plenty of cases where the owners of a house are far-flung or indisposed, and it is their representative dealing with it on site and signatures acquired via the post if needed.

However it's a massive assumption that the owner of the house and person contracting the services, even if she has a husband or partner, is not the woman alone. They're disgusting.

I don’t think this is true. I own my house jointly with DH, we each jointly own 100%. I have had the house torn apart and put back together again just on my say so as far as the builders were concerned. No one said anything. Surely if DH has an issue it’s me he’d have to sue not the builder? The tradesperson takes the persons word for who owns the house don’t they? I doubt they look up deeds on land registry to check.

[Hannahbrown123]

@Onnabugeisha

It’s not sexism because the same would have happened to your partner if you were absent. As a pp said, it’s a hard sell tactic. They want all the decision makers in the room with the salesman so they can use pressure tactics to get you to sign a contract for windows on the spot.

The thing is - it is sexism if safestyle are more likely to refuse to quote for a women because her partner is not around, than to refuse to quote for a man in a similar situation. And it is sexist (or at best extremely old fashioned) to refer to peoples 'husbands' as default and repeatedly even when corrected. I certainly felt it was sexist when i was questioned 'but is it really you that will be paying for this?'. Also (assuming happytoday73 is a woman) their experience of not being believed when they told safestyle they lived alone is absolutely shockingly sexist.

I assume that the accounts above are mostly from women - would be interesting to hear if any men have had a similar experience of being refused a quote in the absence of their partner, or being questioned about the whereabouts of their partner in the same way.

Regardless of the intention of this 'sales tactic' it does come across to me as sexist, rude and totally out of touch. I cannot recall another circumstance where I have been refused a service or product simply because my partner was not accompanying me - intentional or not, this practice is discriminatory and sexist because it harks back to a time not so long ago when women couldnt go to a pub without a man, couldnt own property, couldnt vote...the list goes on....and because sexism in many areas of life is a very real and very present problem. We rightly should expect higher standards from companies that are trying to sell us something.

I wonder if David Seaman (new face of safe style adverts) is aware that he is representing such an antiquated company....probably not even aware.