Rip off window repair man – what do I do now

loopyloulou_3

I went shopping a few months ago and was approached by one of these “Glasweld repair men” about a chip in my windscreen. I decided to get it repaired while I shopped as he informed me that it would be completely free and I wouldn’t have to do a thing, they would claim it back from my insurers. I asked him tons of questions about it all and he promised me that it would not impact on my no claims or cost of policy. He explained again that they claim directly from your Insurer therefore it has no impact on me whatsoever.

I had a friend with me and we both thought it sounded fine from what he had said, and I got it repaired. Once I came back from shopping I went to collect my car and he took some details off me and then explained that I would need to pay £81 as they can’t claim direct from my Insurance Co. they are an exception apparently. (I get the feeling they say this to everyone!) I refused and said I didn’t have the means to pay £81 anyway and therefore he could whistle for it, but obviously by this stage he had my car keys and my name, address and registration. I said I was not prepared to pay on the basis that I have to be out of pocket and claim money back, as he couldn’t guarantee that my Insurers would definitely pay me back. He promised that I would be paid by them in 5 working days.

I still refused to pay (after he said he would take my CC details – er no!) and said that I would go home and call my insurance company before anything else and check it out. I called them and they said that the charge was excessive and they would look into my claim and send me a cheque in 5 days if it was all ok. This was in September and I hadn’t heard a peep from either my insurers or the repair man since.

Last week I received a cheque made payable to me for the £81. The man is now not working at the shopping centre where I got it repaired and I had his mobile number, but can’t find it now. He has made no effort to contact me at all, even though he said I would be paid within 5 working days. I would have been out of pocket for months!!! So glad I didn’t pay it there and then.

I’m not sure what to do now. I don’t know his name or anything and don’t want to go to too much effort as I feel very cheated by the whole thing.

Do I cash the cheque and wait for him to contact me?!

lynzpower

so effectively
you had the work done and didnt pay him as it sounded like a scam
the cheques come from the insurer anyway - they have agreed it & paid up
you dont know how to pay him?

Personally Id cash the cheque, use it for debt then if they come after you later pay it later ( by credit card if need be)

have i got that right

tyllwyd

If you think you are going to have to pay the debt at some point, you need to cash the cheque, because banks can get funny about accepting cheques more than three months old (it's not a hard and fast rule, but it can happen). Did you give the insurance company any paperwork? Have you tried contacting the company to see if they have any record of the work?

loopyloulou_3

yeah thats right. after all the scam like behaviour (and i think i am pretty clued up on these things in the scheme of things!!) i feel like cashing it and waiting for him to come find me. he does after all have my address and phone number.

at the time he looked gobsmacked that i dare question him and was astounded that i didnt just pay it (which i imagine a lot of people do)

my insurers said i was right not to pay as it could have well been a scam, and they say what you want to hear in order to get the work done and then argue the toss with you later (as they have targets to meet)

i felt so stupid at the time as i thought i would never have the wool pulled over my eyes like that!

loopyloulou_3

i havent tried to contact them at all. i thought that he was a franchise. i am going to cash the cheque, i just am not sure whether to go out of my way to find someone who quite happily scammed me into something, when surely if he wants his money that much he would come and find me!

loopyloulou_3

i gave the insurance co a slip of paper that the repair man gave me,

Storm

I would say cash the cheque - it's going to gain you interest (or save you interest) in the meantime, and at least the money will be there should the company contact you.

I think you were quite right to not pay out on the day, cos apart from anything else it's taken a couple of months for the cheque to reach you from your insurers so you would have been paying interest on it!

savvykaz

I think that if he hasn't been in touch in nearly three months, then he is probably not going to now. I bet he couldn't believe you stood up to him, and if he's not still working there, I bet you've frightened him off - good on you:rotfl: