I think I've been Conned

I think I might have been conned, never happened to me before, ever, I'm far too streetwise!

Needed a new front door. It's a stable door so decided to have one professionally made by a joiner coz it's a difficult oddbod size, and I didn't want a white plastic one when I had the new windows, I like my stable door coz I have a nice view over the top and I leave this open most days.

Anyway, out came the yellow pages. Phoned a joiner. He came round measured up sent me a written quote for £1200. Thought this was a bit steep but having chatted to my plasterer back in May when I got the quote, he said that's cheap, he paid more for his new front door. So, phoned and ordered it from him, back in MAY. Heard nothing until the 22nd June when he called round to get a cheque off me (deposit 40%)£430 and he measured up AGAIN. Heard nothing, couldn't get hold of him on his phone number only an American bod saying I couldn't leave a message. His mobile was answerphone. Got hold of him two weeks ago by using my mobile phone ( )and he said it wouldn't be ready in time to go in before the new carpets last Friday, but it would be done this tuesday. Heard nothing, couldn't get hold of him on either phone but managed to get his wife answer the mobile and say he was laid up with a bad back!!! He would ring me Tuesday morning - nothing! Tried again today, same old thing. Phoned Trading Standards just now, they don't have a record of him (thank goodness!) but told me I must write a letter to him giving him 7 days to fit this door or I want my money back and to send it recorded, and she gave me a reference number coz I have to ring them back if he hasn't done it. I just spoke to him having rung him from another mobile phone I have on his mobile, and he claims he's stuck in bed with this bad back. I told him I am getting very "concerned" to which he replied "fair comment" and I also said I have never been conned in my life but I'm thinking this might be a first, to which he again replied "fair comment, but you haven't been conned"!! The latest is, he will try and get into the office tomorrow and arrange for someone to come out and fit it. I am posting my letter to him tomorrow, but I haven't told him that.

What d'ya think then??? Trouble is, I'm always right!!!!! Methinks I will see him in court, and I will, I won't let this go!!!! Such a nice man too,but then I suppose they always are!!!

If it turns out you're really being had over, Aitch, rip his lungs out........

I HATE being ripped off!

Can you tell?

um sounds abit IFFY ....i would give hi 24hrs from going in the office before i post the letter ...that way he has 24 hrs to arrange another fitter

if he's om the level he will do that in 24hrs

Oh yes,I have plans Vicki, don't you worry!!!!!! I hate being made a fool of coz I'm not a fool - well, I wasn't up till this happened!!!

No Inca, I'm not wasting any more time on him, afterall he did tell me a week ago last Monday when I actually got to speak to him that it would be fitted last Tuesday.

I asked him if he was a one man band then for the business to come to a grinding halt when he's laid up, but he assured me there are 4 of them, so I said, well get one of them to come and fit it if it's now ready which he says it is. I didn't mince my words, so I think he got my message that I mean business! Lol! I don't think he knows who he's dealing with here, I'm not a little frail old lady who can't fight back, he'll wish he never quoted me by the end of this I can tell you that!

Then again, he might be legit and I might get a phone call tomorrow, but like I told him, he's never rung me before, so why should I expect him to ring me tomorrow! We'll see. I'm up for a good fight at the moment and I need something to keep me busy now that everything else is finished, so I'm quite looking forward to this one!

His website is a really good one too, that's why I chose him, but of course he never answers any e-mails from it!

Get someone else to ring and arrange for him to go to there House to give them a quote for a New Door and get loads of big blokes to be waiting when he arrives to talk him in to returning your money

Not to beat the cr*p out of him

Ooooooooh I like that Amie!!! I could set him up, I've got some tough looking friends, as well as Dave of course, who's 6ft2" and he's never met him

You've given me a great idea there Amie - on a par with Vicki's of course,but less harmful to me!!!

Dave is going round to his workshops tomorrow coz his garage is in the same town, so he'll go and check it out for me. I might lend him my baseball bat for the visit!!! Not really, we don't like violence, I'd rather take the legal route - first!

Aaw Helena, hope it works out OK.

He sounds quite shoddy with very poor customer skills/service. He sounds the type that will probably get round to doing it but in his own time!! Which is obviously no good whatsoever to you!

Cough cough, you do know that I sell doors now don't you ? (www.doorsandmore.biz )

I couldn't resist that one . I know what you mean, I hate to be ripped off, or to even think that I'm being taken for a ride.

Fingers crossed it all works out for you.

Sheree xx

I liked my reply so much I posted twice!!!

Lol Amie!!!

I will wait and see if he rings me tomorrow, coz he did state he might be able to do it Friday - yeah, yeah, yeah

No I didn't Sheree! Dave reckons a qualified joiner would make this door in 3 hours, not 12 weeks!!! Maybe it was too small a job for him (coz his website says he does kitchens and can't think of the word, but posh furniture! You would know that £1200 is a reasonable price for a made to measure stable door then Sheree? I thought it was??

I just had a thought though, he arrived in a big white transit to collect his cheque, BUT, it was signwritten with his company name, and I don't think a conman would drive around in a signwritten van? I wouldn't if I was a conwoman, I'd want to keep a low profile and keep my head down!!