Gutters cleaning, did I just got scammed?

Fiordy · 28-10-2024 01:35PM #1

Hi there lads, I've a feeling I've just been scammed out of lots of money, but without any expertise it's hard to quantify.

I just had some workers ringing the bell this morning, saying they've cleaned our neighbors gutters and saw ours were in quite a bad shape, and offered to do the front for 120€. We are new homeowner and already noticed last summer's the gutters needed to be done so they were spot on. I showed them the back too and they said we absolutely needed to get them cleaned, but because of the condition the back would be 200€.

We live in a three storey house, with extension too which makes really hard to reach the top roof.

Then they came in saying that the seals were all gone and it looked like nobody cleaned the gutters in years and years. He explained me the damage of leaving the water dripping down the holes and he replaced 6 seals at the back. Then "surprisingly" informed me about the terrible state of the front and told me I really had to get them changed and it would be worth to have it all done and sort at once.

I tried to say it was completely out of my budget, but he insisted he was going to do me a good offer and I caved in. I realise now I was probably naive to just have all this work done without getting some info beforehand and without any assurance the job is done well and properly. They did show me pictures of before and after in fairness but their job was done quickly enough and they took 650€... That's way too much, isn't it?

Really annoyed at myself to let this happen.

Definitely wasn't in a position to afford such a cost.

Quigs Snr · 28-10-2024 01:41PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058378177/gutters-cleaning-did-i-just-got-scammed

I reckon so. Had mine done.. only a 2 storey house but much larger roof space than the average house. Gutters had 12 inch tall weeds growing in them… couple of brackets had broken and had to be replaced. 200 all in.

… then again I called these guys in, they weren't one of the professional-looking-leaflet with a mobile number and gmail address on it (usually travellers - who send whichever one of them sounds least like a traveller to the door - I get at least one of these a week wanting to do roof, driveway, gutter cleaning etc… )

Don't beat yourself up. Life lesson. Make a note for next time.. dont accept unsolicited work. If you want the work done, call someone yourself.

Cuddlesworth · 28-10-2024 01:49PM

Yeah, the rubber seals on gutters are like 2 quid at most and last decades. So you paid for what would amount to at most a hours work of unskilled labor, to I guess 2 people, a rate of about 300 euros a hour.

You might want to use this as a opportunity to address your own issues, like your inability to say no. And that you are very susceptible to con men.

Fiordy · 28-10-2024 01:55PM

Yes the lads were definitely travellers and I'm Italian and was also in the middle of cooking and minding my two young kids so definitely distracted. I was actually delighted to get the gutters fixed finally and all the things he said made sense. I do know the previous owners didn't keep up with maintenance so I trusted them.

I do hope I fecking learnt my lesson! I didn't imagine door to door gutters /windows/gardening was a no no. Definitely will remember next time.

How often are you meant to clean the gutters?

endacl · 28-10-2024 02:00PM

We’re the seals changed, or just charged for…

10-10-20 · 28-10-2024 02:02PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122772177#Comment_122772177

Once every five years for me as I have tall trees within a short distance - but all roofs are different. Some don't need much maintenance at all. I'd leave it until there is an issue such as a drip, blockage or growth, as mentioned above.

893bet · 28-10-2024 02:04PM

They (or someone they know) will be back as you are a mark now. Be ready next time to say no.

Oscar_Madison · 28-10-2024 02:11PM

Gutters cleaned every year OP - same guy every year does a number of houses in the locality at the same time - I wouldn’t leave them longer than that - just creates other issues over time

DeadHand · 28-10-2024 02:12PM

If people are approaching you unsolicited and offering to do paid work for you, they are almost certainly scammers.

enricoh · 28-10-2024 05:39PM

These guys or their cousins will be back in a month or two to power wash your roof.

Tell them never call again, do not be polite about it!

Atlantic Dawn · 28-10-2024 06:14PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058378177/gutters-cleaning-did-i-just-got-scammed

Was it these lads, seems identical 'sales' approach…

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058377939/we-were-scammed-out-of-680-by-gutter-cleaners-in-dublin-south

Atlantic Dawn · 28-10-2024 06:16PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122772828#Comment_122772828

The power washing of the roof is a big new cash cow for them, they can tell you all sorts of yarns about what is wrong with your roof while they are up there washing it and bill you accordingly.

Mamasnpapas · 28-10-2024 06:39PM

Oh OP you have definitely been scammed and yes as other posters have said its most likely travellers. Ask your neighbours who they use for gutters, windows etc they will be a great source of info. I lived alone when I first bought my house and they were at my door every week. I found it very intimidating. One day they knocked while I was having floors laid and the guys doing them actually came to the door and ran them out of it. I still get the odd knock but nothing like before.

Fiordy · 28-10-2024 06:50PM

Yes!! I've just come upon this post myself, exactly the same people and same exact way to go. Bastards!!

kirving · 28-10-2024 06:57PM

Don't feel too bad about it. As you say, they needed to be done, and you have a three story house which makes things more complicated. Forget about it and chalk it up to experience.

I don't mean to generalise too much, but it can be very hard to find genuine people do specific low skilled jobs like this, so if you were to call someone out specifically to do this job, it would have cost you a couple of hundred anyway, if not more.

Going up a ladder is dangerous work, and so even the genuine guys charge accordingly.

enricoh · 28-10-2024 08:09PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122772940#Comment_122772940

Saw a lad in his Nike Air Max on neighbours roof one day with power washer. Neighbour lives alone n not tuned in, I rang the daughter n she was after organizing them.

All ridge cappings removed and re cemented. Stevie Wonder would have done a better job.

Tell me how · 28-10-2024 08:16PM

OP, make sure that your wife, or partner or anyone else in the house is told to absolutely refuse anybody who comes to the door suggesting they can do work.

They could call when you've gone to work and say that you gave the go ahead and then claim work was done.

28-10-2024 08:23PM

Why the hell would you power wash a roof. Its called rain. I never get anyone who knows at the door to do anything. Too much risk and unknowns. Go for word of mouth everytime.

29-10-2024 09:54AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122773056#Comment_122773056

the problem is its unknown if they were done right. With it being a 3 story id say it wasn't done right if even at all. And the unfortunate piece is that it is very hard to check if they were done other than get someone else out.

ted1 · 29-10-2024 10:05AM

yea you were robbed.

The standard of the job is probably pretty poor. Travellers aren’t exactly known for their craftsmanship.

Gerrymandering reborn · 29-10-2024 11:24AM

Just curious, did these people arrive in a vehicle similar to this?

cgc5483 · 29-10-2024 01:49PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058378177/gutters-cleaning-did-i-just-got-scammed

Unfortunately this is the way these people work. They point out something that you can easily see and which you want sorted and then start upselling a load of nonsense. Seems to nearly always involve roofs as well.

Been caught twice but luckily stopped them in their tracks when they tried to upsell. First time was to fix a roof tile which have moved and had noticed it. They did that but then tried to get me to part with €1200 to put a row of membrane under the ridge of roof (~ 6 M) and remortar the ridge caps. Refused which they accepted eventually.

2nd time was for gutters as well. My wife was there and since we needed them cleaned and only charging something like €40 agreed to let them clean them. But they tried to upsell something which I told her to refuse when she called me to ask, think it was something about seals as well if remember. They were doing lots of houses on our row including our neighbours who we share a porch roof with. Their side was missing a slate so they told her would fix it and "seal" it with high tech . They lifted a slate from my side which they fixed down on their side with some kind of white silicon or adhesive. They ran (literally scappered into a van which drove off) when neighbour came out to inspect the work and told them wasn't paying for that.

Anymore I just refuse anything offered by someone calling to the door, even if something need doing!

Gutters cleaning, did I just got scammed?

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