Anglian Windows 25% charge for cancelling help please!

littleonyxguppy

Hi,

Firstly I'm not sure if this is the right forum to post this in. If it's not please let me know!

I have recently bought a house and decided to enquire about new double glazing prices. Anglian windows called me to arrange someone to come round and give me a quote. The guy that came round did his measuring and worked through various calculations to bring the price down from £17000 to £7500. He offered me a lot of choices for payment including the GE bank finance deal. He assured me that if I was to sign up for this I could cancel within a 14 day cooling off period. Nothing to lose. As he was a very pushy salesman I ended up signing up for it (basically to get him to leave) knowing that I could instantly cancel.

The instructions he gave me for cancelling were "Wait for confirmation from GE and send off the tear off slip to the address stated and it will be cancelled". I did this 4 days later after receiving confirmation from GE bank. Done (I thought)

2 weeks later I got a call from the Anglian surveyer saying they wanted to arrange a visit to measure up. I informed them that I had cancelled the order. They went back to check with their head office.

1 week later I received a letter from Anglian that as I had cancelled with the surveyer outside the 7 day cooling off period (original salesman told me 14 days) I am now liable for 25% of the order value.

I phoned to inform them I had sent back the cancellation slip as instructed so shouldn't be liable. The guy I spoke to said that should be fine and to expect a call from the branch manager to sort it out.

He has just called and basically said there is nothing I can do about it as it states I must send the slip back recorded delivery. Stupidly I went by what the salesman said and sent first class.

Obviously I don't want to pay £2000 for nothing apart from the pleasure of hosting a pushy salesman all day. Is there anything I can do about this?
Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!

Matt

Tom_Jones

littleonyxguppy wrote: »

Hi,

Firstly I'm not sure if this is the right forum to post this in. If it's not please let me know!

I have recently bought a house and decided to enquire about new double glazing prices. Anglian windows called me to arrange someone to come round and give me a quote. The guy that came round did his measuring and worked through various calculations to bring the price down from £17000 to £7500. He offered me a lot of choices for payment including the GE bank finance deal. He assured me that if I was to sign up for this I could cancel within a 14 day cooling off period. Nothing to lose. As he was a very pushy salesman I ended up signing up for it (basically to get him to leave) knowing that I could instantly cancel.

The instructions he gave me for cancelling were "Wait for confirmation from GE and send off the tear off slip to the address stated and it will be cancelled". I did this 4 days later after receiving confirmation from GE bank. Done (I thought)

2 weeks later I got a call from the Anglian surveyer saying they wanted to arrange a visit to measure up. I informed them that I had cancelled the order. They went back to check with their head office.

1 week later I received a letter from Anglian that as I had cancelled with the surveyer outside the 7 day cooling off period (original salesman told me 14 days) I am now liable for 25% of the order value.

I phoned to inform them I had sent back the cancellation slip as instructed so shouldn't be liable. The guy I spoke to said that should be fine and to expect a call from the branch manager to sort it out.

He has just called and basically said there is nothing I can do about it as it states I must send the slip back recorded delivery. Stupidly I went by what the salesman said and sent first class.

Obviously I don't want to pay £2000 for nothing apart from the pleasure of hosting a pushy salesman all day. Is there anything I can do about this?
Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!

Matt

Well obviously the salesman has lied to you regarding the 'cooling off' period, but you have complied with a cancellation within the 7 days period, so you should not be liable. I would make a complaint about the salesman and his tactics, and they can't say they've started to make the windows as you ain't had a survey so they have negligible costs.

littleonyxguppy

That's what the guy at the call centre said when I queried the letter. "No work has started so you shouldn't be liable". Apparently the 25% charge is to cover the preliminary work(?!)

The branch manager said I should have read the small print which states to return the cancellation slip recorded delivery. I know I should have checked that but I was told "send it back first class". Basically I was verbally misinformed by the salesman.

Don't worry... I'm not letting this one go!

anna.bloom

Go on to Consumer Direct website, and print out one of their template letters. They are breaking Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982

knowloads

No way will they take it to court, 1st thing to do is call and write to the finance co, YOU HAVE 14 days minimum because they came to your house to sell to you. but tell GE that you can not pay the agreement, have no intentions of ever signing off the job (satisfaction notice required for Anglian to get paid), and inform Anglian they will NOT be allowed on the premises. Bully them back and tell them you have support of the Trading Standards and have been told that 25% is not legal. You have been miss sold. Don't panic

littleonyxguppy

Thanks for all the support. I'm not panicking about it yet. It's more the convenient excuse of "not receiving the cancellation slip because I didn't send it recorded delivery" I'm annoyed about. I don't consider myself to be naive or suseptible to sales pitches but this guy wouldn't seem to except no for an answer. All I wanted was a guide quote.

After this I wonder how many poor people get roped into these overpriced contracts. I have since had my doors done for £850 with a window quote of £2000 by a local firm. Exactly the same kite marks, glass, warehouse made UPVC and superbly fitted.

The salesman also brought a list of local suppliers that have gone out of business in the past month to prove that local suppliers guarantees are worthless. Very naughty I thought. I would recommend to anyone to find a reputable local supplier to keep them in business.

Sorry... I realise this all sounds a bit bitter but there you go!

sindersoot

anna.bloom wrote: »

Go on to Consumer Direct website, and print out one of their template letters. They are breaking Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982

I have used Consumer Direct website on a few occasions. I have phoned them and discussed the issues with them and they have always been very helpful and guided me along the way. Try giving them a phone and know what your rights are then you have the confidence to go ahead with whatever is necessary. As stated, they have template letters which are a great help as it saves a lot of work. Hope everything works out for you.

Has the company you sent the slip to confirmed in writing or verbally that they received your letter even although it wasn't sent Recorded Delivery. If so I don't understand how Anglian can say they can hold you to that. If they have confirmed they have your letter, you could try asking them for a copy of it and ask them to confirm in writing the date they received your letter/slip. Most businesses will date stamp or record incoming mail for their own records.

I thought all those pressure salesmen's tactic were supposed to be illegal nowadays, obviously not.

ormus

illegal is one thing. stopping them doing it is another thing.

a bit like the local area 30mph speed limit.

inmypocketnottheirs

sindersoot wrote: »

I thought all those pressure salesmen's tactic were supposed to be illegal nowadays, obviously not.

Well, yes and no.

You are covered, as is anyone who buys at home, by a seven day cooling off period. This is extended when paying by finance arranged by the supplier.

However there is no substitute for Caveat Emptor.

themanbearpig

You signed up for £7500 of debt to get the salesman out of your house?!

Its your property, and just telling him to get out would be the best option if things were getting a little tense, no?

Good luck getting it sorted anyway, I wouldn't give them a penny. I can't see them suing you.