Cheeky b******s

[Jonboy_t]

Was sat at home this afternoon and my missus popped home from work for lunch. We had a knock on the door and it was some smarmy tt in a T.K Maxx suit with his clipboard, 'here we go' I thought.

'Sir' (I'm 28, he's about 50) 'Did you realise your gas and electric meterage is against regulation 50 of the modern home code?'. I'm pretty switched on with all things 'home' and had never heard of this, so I thought I'd give him a chance to explain. What he said next just left me open mouthed - 'in order to remain legal and compliant with this newly enforced code, it is now a requirement to upgrade outdated equipment such as your electric meter (he says pointing to the gas meter outside) and your gas meter to a new style. Luckily, we can exchange these for you as we are working in your area now'.

I told him politely to do one as I'm not interested. After being expressly clear to him about my lack of intention to listen to what was clearly bks, I asked to see his I.D card. He now produced a Scottish Power I.D card and what he actually wanted to do was come into chez Jonboy and get me to sign up to Scottish Powers new energy saver tariff!

I was not a very impressed little bunny so gave him a couple of choice words and closed the door on him. As I walked into the living room, I could see him pull what appeared to be one of the gas meter keys out of his pocket and bend down right where my gas meter was. Hmmmm...

He soon left the area safe in the knowledge that if he tried to step foot onto my property again, he would not be welcomed with open arms. I just couldn't believe the cheek of him! If he had been straight up and honest (i.e. 'do you want to buy some gas'), I would have been more than happy to say 'no thanks, but good luck next door' or similar, but he was so underhand and devious about it, I was absolutely fuming! If I was some doddering old chap without all my faculties, he could have quite easily been welcomed in without a second thought, purely on the fear factor of not being 'legally compliant', inevitably putting me through hell signing me up to all sorts of stuff that I neither need nor want.

Has anyone else had this happen to them? Is this a 'normal' sales tactic that these companies used? I have to say I've had shed loads of utilities salesman come round door-to-door, but have never seen such blatant lies spouted in all my life!

[Carlton Banks]

If you want to do something about it contact Scottish Power about it to prevent some old codger falling for these tactics.

[10 Pence Short]

Give a guy a TK Max suit, a crap basic, huge commission structure and a housing estate full of gullible, Sky TV reliant imbeciles and everyone's happy.

[Sheets Tabuer]

At least you didn't fall for "just sign this to say I've been"

[CypherP]

Carlton Banks said:

If you want to do something about it contact Scottish Power about it to prevent some old codger falling for these tactics.

This. Definitely. Deception and misrepresentation on quite a serious level by the sounds of it, especially if he is quoting an 'Act' that isn't even real. Sounds like a job for Watchdog or the like. If I had a knock at the door to be confronted with similar bullst, I would have done exactly the same, so fair play OP.

I really hate to think how many people have been 'duped' by his and probably many others' lies and cons to drum up new business.

[Tyngwndwn]

Carlton Banks said:

If you want to do something about it contact Scottish Power about it to prevent some old codger falling for these tactics.

This is what I thought ^^ I would be on the phone straight away.

[Jonboy_t]

I've already contacted the company this afternoon, I'm waiting for a call back from their team leader, who presumably will offer me his/hers sincerest apologies before asking me if I've had time to consider their tariffs!

[anonymous-user]

Sadly doesn't surprise me.

One of my jobs involves managing 21 housing estates and their residents. 9 of these estates are for retired people.

In short, you wouldn't believe the st that goes on. Sales reps from a lot of the big names in energy, phone, tv etc, all trying their luck with all manner of sales pitches to our elderly residents. Usually along the lines of "in order to stay legal you have to agree to this contract" or "please sign here to ensure that your current supplier doesn't cut you off".

Residents started ringing me one day because one chap discovered a number of estates of mine that were for the elderly and was going round knocking on doors telling people he was from BT and they needed to 'sign their contact again' to ensure they didn't get cut off. Loads of them signed his paperwork, but one got a glimpse of his ID that he had hanging the wrong way round and it said TalkTalk.

Long story short, he was selling for TalkTalk and was signing all the old dears over by blatant 100% deception.

I rang/emailed TalkTalk and kicked off big style, told them I was calling the police. They weren't interested at all and in fact told me this chap was one of their better salesman, who perhaps just needed a little retraining.
They claimed that the misunderstanding was the fault of the residents he signed up.

They don't care, they just want stuff sold. The more the better.

[Mobsta]

Jonboy_t said:

Has anyone else had this happen to them? Is this a 'normal' sales tactic that these companies used? I have to say I've had shed loads of utilities salesman come round door-to-door, but have never seen such blatant lies spouted in all my life!

I know how you feel, as precisely the same thing happened to me in a dream. Only he broke down the door and chased me. I was naked and at a disadvantage as he was riding a fully grown female Tyrannosaurus Rex and he'd put the t-Rex eggs in my elvis shellsuit pockets without me knowing. His dinosaur could run faster than the petrol tanker I'd stolen so I rolled it and watched us all from floating dream cam mode. Id been made to sleep on the couch that night and weed the curtains I'd rolled myself in when he leapt off his dinosaur waving his clipboard when I realised how powerfully built he was. Then Jesus the carpenter appeared and handed me a mithril machine gun which fired skeleton bone door stops (the only way to kill a gas man) but I woke up, so I can't fairly comment on his tactics as I never saw the end. Sorry.

[Tyngwndwn]

Mobsta said:

Jonboy_t said:

Has anyone else had this happen to them? Is this a 'normal' sales tactic that these companies used? I have to say I've had shed loads of utilities salesman come round door-to-door, but have never seen such blatant lies spouted in all my life!

I know how you feel, as precisely the same thing happened to me in a dream. Only he broke down the door and chased me. I was naked and at a disadvantage as he was riding a fully grown female Tyrannosaurus Rex and he'd put the t-Rex eggs in my elvis shellsuit pockets without me knowing. His dinosaur could run faster than the petrol tanker I'd stolen so I rolled it and watched us all from floating dream cam mode. Id been made to sleep on the couch that night and weed the curtains I'd rolled myself in when he leapt off his dinosaur waving his clipboard when I realised how powerfully built he was. Then Jesus the carpenter appeared and handed me a mithril machine gun which fired skeleton bone door stops (the only way to kill a gas man) but I woke up, so I can't fairly comment on his tactics as I never saw the end. Sorry.

You're NUTS!^^^^

[ascayman]

Mobsta said:

I know how you feel, as precisely the same thing happened to me in a dream. Only he broke down the door and chased me. I was naked and at a disadvantage as he was riding a fully grown female Tyrannosaurus Rex and he'd put the t-Rex eggs in my elvis shellsuit pockets without me knowing. His dinosaur could run faster than the petrol tanker I'd stolen so I rolled it and watched us all from floating dream cam mode. Id been made to sleep on the couch that night and weed the curtains I'd rolled myself in when he leapt off his dinosaur waving his clipboard when I realised how powerfully built he was. Then Jesus the carpenter appeared and handed me a mithril machine gun which fired skeleton bone door stops (the only way to kill a gas man) but I woke up, so I can't fairly comment on his tactics as I never saw the end. Sorry.

[joewilliams]

Jonboy_t said:

As I walked into the living room, I could see him pull what appeared to be one of the gas meter keys out of his pocket and bend down right where my gas meter was.

Getting the serial number off it? I'd be very very suspicious. Even suspiciouser than you already are

[MK4 Slowride]

Mobsta said:

Jonboy_t said:

Has anyone else had this happen to them? Is this a 'normal' sales tactic that these companies used? I have to say I've had shed loads of utilities salesman come round door-to-door, but have never seen such blatant lies spouted in all my life!

I know how you feel, as precisely the same thing happened to me in a dream. Only he broke down the door and chased me. I was naked and at a disadvantage as he was riding a fully grown female Tyrannosaurus Rex and he'd put the t-Rex eggs in my elvis shellsuit pockets without me knowing. His dinosaur could run faster than the petrol tanker I'd stolen so I rolled it and watched us all from floating dream cam mode. Id been made to sleep on the couch that night and weed the curtains I'd rolled myself in when he leapt off his dinosaur waving his clipboard when I realised how powerfully built he was. Then Jesus the carpenter appeared and handed me a mithril machine gun which fired skeleton bone door stops (the only way to kill a gas man) but I woke up, so I can't fairly comment on his tactics as I never saw the end. Sorry.

That's some good st man.

[philthy]

Mobsta said:

I know how you feel, as precisely the same thing happened to me in a dream. Only he broke down the door and chased me. I was naked and at a disadvantage as he was riding a fully grown female Tyrannosaurus Rex and he'd put the t-Rex eggs in my elvis shellsuit pockets without me knowing. His dinosaur could run faster than the petrol tanker I'd stolen so I rolled it and watched us all from floating dream cam mode. Id been made to sleep on the couch that night and weed the curtains I'd rolled myself in when he leapt off his dinosaur waving his clipboard when I realised how powerfully built he was. Then Jesus the carpenter appeared and handed me a mithril machine gun which fired skeleton bone door stops (the only way to kill a gas man) but I woke up, so I can't fairly comment on his tactics as I never saw the end. Sorry.

Somebody got hold of some good st at lunchtime !

[GTIR]

I've got a Victor Meldrew (aka RemainAlloof) sticker saying "NO COLD CALLERS OR CANVASSERS"

It works. But not against Mormons.

[Pork]

Carlton Banks said:

If you want to do something about it contact Scottish Power about it to prevent some old codger falling for these tactics.

This. Shocking, out of order sales tactics. Would OFGEM be interested too?

[bimsb6]

joewilliams said:

Jonboy_t said:

As I walked into the living room, I could see him pull what appeared to be one of the gas meter keys out of his pocket and bend down right where my gas meter was.

Getting the serial number off it? I'd be very very suspicious. Even suspiciouser than you already are

welcome to scottish power !

[Babu 01]

joewilliams said:

Getting the serial number off it? I'd be very very suspicious. Even suspiciouser than you already are

Out of interest what could they do with the serial number?

[Andy_GSA]

Babu 01 said:

Out of interest what could they do with the serial number?

Possibly try to forge a customer agreement, given that they'd have the meter serial number and a current reading and maybe the OPs details from the electoral roll.

[zetec]

Sae thing happened to my Dad, fortunatly, allthough he's approaching 70 he's still got all his marbles. Guy rung the doorbell and spilled off some crap about how he could save £££'s on gas/electric, now my Dad was interested but being one not to do business on the doorstep asked for the figures so he could make a descision. Cue the "this deal only valid now, with me, here" type bks, again my Dad asked for the paperwork. Unwillingly the guy gave my Dad some forms and left, my Dad looked through the forms, lo and behold the guy was talking crap.

He too was from Scottish Power, are their salespeople the new double glazing salespeople???