Sash draught proofing and servicing

I got quotes from three local window repair/restoration specialists, as well as from a local joiner, to draught proof and service my house's sash windows in Cambridge. Mr John Flynn, from East Anglia Period Windows came back with the most expensive quote (c. £350 per window). He estimated that the work would take two days instead of the one day that the others had estimated. I thought it surely must mean the quality of the work would be better as he is taking longer (and therefore charging more). How wrong I was! Mr Flynn ended up doing the work in one day. The results were far from satisfactory: windows not operating smoothly (some not opening at all), and not properly draught-proofed. I was also kept guessing what the "servicing" was supposed to mean, as there was no servicing whatsoever that had been carried out. No wonder the job took half the time he had estimated. On the same day he "finished" the job, he left a hand-written note asking for payment - for an amount nearly £200 higher than the quote! When challenged about this and about the incomplete work, he admitted the wrong amount had been an error (errors can be so convenient sometimes!) but ignored my complaints about the incomplete work. Instead, he sent a letter indicating that he would begin legal proceedings if the invoice was not paid within 7 days. Never mind that the work was not completed, that he was trying to rip me off by charging one day at the price of two, or that no invoice was even ever sent!! I am now seeking legal advice, certainly not prepared to let any cowboy builders run over me! And I hope this review helps others avoid falling into the same trap.

J P - 20/04/2013 | report this review