Cleaning these windows cost $1240 on Home Services

Mar

Cleaning these windows cost $1240

posted by admin in Window Cleaning

Mr Samways, 82, paid $1240 to have the windows of his small Waikanae villa cleaned and was shocked to discover the job should have cost no more than $120.
Though initially a bit uneasy about paying two men the %26quot;hell of a price%26quot;, he felt reassured when they told him they charged other clients the same amount.
The superannuitant first employed the men in October last year, when they charged $25. They returned in January and charged $600, then reappeared this week and charged $1240.
A bank teller raised the alarm when she rang Mr Samways and queried his cheque, presented to the bank by an unknown man, made out to %26quot;window cleaning%26quot;.
He told her to go ahead and make the payment but said alarm bells started ringing when he got off the phone.
Another window cleaner told him the maximum price for the job would be about $120.
%26quot;It seems to me I have been a sucker and taken for a ride. They did not give me their names, I did not get an invoice or receipt. Maybe I have become a bit bloody gullible, but they seemed like jolly good fellows.%26quot;
He rang the bank back to see if there was anything he could do to recover his money but was told it was impossible as the money had been paid out.
He reported the incident to Kapiti police so other elderly residents could be warned.
Community constable Mike Tahere said police were concerned about a sharp increase in similar complaints from elderly people, mainly in the Waikanae area.
%26quot;We are getting far too many complaints like this. They are just ripoff artists offering services like window cleaning, section clearing and tree maintenance. It is disgusting what they are doing to elderly people.%26quot;
Police believed the men were from Upper Hutt and hoped the banks security video footage would reveal their identities. They are described as white, and aged about 20 and 40.
Mr Tahere urged elderly people not to employ people unless they knew who they were.
%26quot;If you do not know them, ask them to leave and, if they refuse, call the police.%26quot;
He said Kapiti police wanted to hear about any similar incidents.