Pls help, dodgy driveway workers!!

marleyboy

Well done OP, you did well, incidently in case he failed to explain what a Gypsy is, Its someone who lives in a caravan, nothing more nothing less.

Unless he was claiming to be some Super Gypsy with special Magic Gypsy Powers, he is and always will be nothing more than the stuff you have to wipe off your shoe when you tread in it. Its people like him who give Gypsies such a reputation.

marybishop

I know of some who have.

marleyboy

marybishop wrote: »

I know of some who have.

peterbaker

Yes I used them once. Never again.

You did extremely well budgetgirl.

These people on the tarmac driveway surplus to local contract requirements scam are completely evil and I would seriously think nothing of putting two bullets between their eyes and walking away and then sitting down to a comfortable dinner. That doesn't mean I am callous. It means I know the problem.

Often the front man is young and likeable and might even dress in a suit. The Romany/Irish accent is often the giveaway however. And the guy that leads the working team and knocks on your door to tell you that the first guy was young and made a mistake about the price or whatever is often far less presentable.

I am over 6'4" tall, but they love to do business with young families, and on the second or third 'courtesy' visit that means they might touch the heads of the little ones clinging to their mothers at the door. They leave you with your imagined ideas that they could steal or harm your children unless you agree to their ever changing demands for extra cash. They worried me, but luckily I quickly worked out what the b*stards were using to worry me and realised I could think as coldly as them.

You need to be very big indeed with a hard searching stare that penetrates their very souls in order to do acceptable business with them.

Because my house was still a building site when I said "Yes" to their deal, with a huge heap of subsoil where the drive needed to be, I was marginally happy with what I paid at the end of the day in order to get a reasonably looking driveway where I could park a normal car not a landrover. However, they actually did a p*ss-por job in terms of laying a long-lasting base and maintaining an even thickness, and had I paid what they demanded with menaces, I would have been very unhappy indeed.

If you must deal with these people because you've let them start, then think "Dirty Harry", look them hard in the eye when they are messing with you, be strong and try to show no fear or get a big friend or relative to do it so there is no doubt about the full force of your contempt for their disgustingly evil upbringing and ways.

They are Scum.

Na1play

Oh mrsbudget, I've just read your posts and replies on the EDGE OF MY SEAT! How awful for you, and well done, I would have been shaking too.
I was reading through so hoping you would update and there it was, I was telling my hubby your misfortune and we were so in awe of your guts!!
Please, please, please, let us know any more updates, I shall check everyday, I hope they catch the mongrels!!!
Hoping to hear from you shortly,
Na
xx
:T

mrsbudget

hello,guys,,thanks again, I was smiling while i was reading your posts and i feel, you dont need to see/meet your friends and still share whatever you want to share with them anytime...

Well, so far so good, but my hubby and I are worst than watch patrol here in our front room, everytime there is a vehicle passing by, we could not help but look if it was them..:eek: ,,and to add more security, a big bench was just accross our door, so that any movement we can here it...but hopefully that will be the end of it..Im praying while saying it...:A

But with all these nerve wracking experience, i do feel good..and thanks to all of u,,learned a lot from u guys,,

will still update u,,

marleyboy

You keep your head high with pride, you have many freinds here and we are all standing right behind you if they appear again. Like all Gypsies, eventually they move on to the next village. Get yourself a big dog if your worried when your alone. But please dont constantly stay up all night worrying about them comin back, your stronger than that and I think they know this already.

mpython

This is such an inspiring thread, I think I'll nominate it for post fo the month.

spuds_2

Well done, you should be very proud of yourself.

Bamber19

Well done on standing up to him, some of the stories here remind me of a similar situation with a friend. His girlfriend had agreed to someone doing work as they were looking for work on their driveway and the price offered was very low. Of course the work wasn't done too well and the price quadrupled. Now my friend decided to invite some people round coincidentally(so he claimed) at the same time that they'd be coming to get the money. When he turned up my friend pointed out the vast difference in original price and also that he didn't think the job had been done well. The guy on the doorstep menacingly informed him that there were a few "big lads" in the van. At this point my friend tells him to hold on a second and shouts through to one of us (not me) and gets him to come through. Whilst waiting the guy on the door probably thinks the threatening talk has scared him into paying, but when our (probably one of the tallest people in the country i guess) 7 foot 7 mate walks through and the guy at the door is asked "Are any of the big lads as big as this?" he seemed to not be as threatening anymore and ended up accepting less money than the original quote. (probably still wasn't even worth that though)