cash deposits

minark

Hi all
I just have a quick question with regard to buying windows and having to pay 30% up front on placing the order.
In todays economic climate is this still a normal situation or is there some way of making your deposit more secure .
I am a bit worried about handing over such a sum of money as i know it has turned out bad for some people in the past .
any help would be greatly appreciated

gizmo555

I got replacement windows from an Irish manufacturer last year and had to pay a deposit up front.

It's not surprising really, if windows are being made to order according to your specification and measurements, which would limit their resale value if you found yourself unable to pay after the windows were completed and the window firm was stuck with them.

All you can really do to protect yourself is make whatever checks you can to satisfy yourself that the supplier is financially sound and has a good reputation.

JuniorB

I had the same concerns and raised them with our window supplier.
Turns out that they have some sort of 'bank' guarantee with BOI that our deposit is gauranteed by BOI if the window company goes bust. I'm think there's more chance of BOI going bust !!
Ask your solicitor and he might be able to sort some agreement that he keeps the deposit 'on account' until the windows arrive.
Or pay by credit card if possible and you should be protected by that insurance.

mr_edge_to_you

We had to pay a deposit of 50%. The manufacturer in Denmark then guaranteed our order in the event of the importer/supplier going bust.

Mrs C

You are SO right to raise these concerns - we have just lost all money paid for our windows to the <SNIP>...My story below should serve as a warning to all.....


Just lost ALL money (yes the full amount) to the <SNIP> liquidation. I ordered and paid my deposit on 9th September 09 - yes that's right folks a whole 5 months ago and my windows should have been delivered 24th October. I was informed on the 24th October and only then after much email sending, ringing and texting that there would be a delay....wait for it, I could expect my windows sometime in JANUARY 2010 and <SNIP> could not give me an exact date or offer any compensation for this delay.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing and looking back we should have walked away, as this was definitely the taste of even more woeful customer service (disaster) to come. We didn't and paid the price. We were finally given a delivery date of 18th January....not great but at least we had a date, well or so we thought.

Eventually got confirmation that my windows were ready, again after days of phoning, emailing and texting, along with a request to pay the remaining balance. As this came only a few days before shipment was due I quickly put the payment through as I did not want to delay the windows any further - HUGE MISTAKE!!!!!

<SNIP>(the distributer) received my money and did transfer it into the bank account of <SNIP> (I have proof) and my windows were indeed loaded onto a lorry at <SNIP on 18th of January (I have proof). However at some point that day <SNIP> went into liquidation and <SNIP> decided to unload my paid for windows from the truck....still don't know why he did that, he had my money and so much so that he had given the all clear to load my windows onto the truck!!!

He still has my money in his bank account....and he still has my windows sitting in his factory. He would not speak to us or answer phone calls, so we hired a german speaking lawyer. SNIP told him that he wanted the full amount for our windows AGAIN and did not recognise the fact that we had paid him already, he said that was being used to off set the debt <SNIP> It gets worse.... I had paid <SNIP> 50K already (16.5K on 9th September and 33.5K in Jan 2010) and he asked for another 40K (why <SNIP>....I've already paid you 50K?) - can you believe that oh and that was without the shipping & fitting that'd I paid for and there would be no guarantee with them - WHAT A DEAL <SNIP>

So as you can imagine....not a good situation to be in, but with the Haiti quake going on during this time it did help me not to go into total melt down - yes things could be worse I know.

Anyway...sad story over and hopefully a heads up to anyone considering <SNIP>- let me be a lesson to you all DONT!!!! We will take the legal route with SNIP but this could take years to get any money back at all we are little fish against a large company.

ADVICE

• Make sure you understand who your contract is with and the implications. If it is with a distributer make sure the manufacturer has a policy to cover the client if the distributer goes into liquidation. <SNIP>don't have this policy but lots of window manufacturers do I now know.
• Always use bank guarantee rather than direct payment - even for deposit. We could have walked away or at least had more power over the supplier who was running an 20 week lead time for Irish clients (Austrian clients received their windows first and on time).
• Make sure the manufacturer speaks English. No one at <SNIP> speaks english (apparently), this is an nightmare when dealing with them for issues big or small.

Mod Edit: I do understand your anger and frustration, but do not use this forum to air your laundry or vent your anger at a particular company. I have left your message in tact as much as I could have as I believe there is valuable information here for anyone who is asked to pay up front for any product in the building industry at this time.

Mrs C

Dear Mod,

understand your comments....but think it's important to let people know who the company is, especially as I actually got the recommendation for the company I mentioned through a forum post. If you can let me know what would be acceptable I will happily re-word and re post.

My blog of my build can be viewed at www.theconlonhouse.blogspot.com I am just a genuine customer, please accept my apologies.

Mrs C

imitation

God, that sounds horrible. I wish luck in getting either your money or your windows. Thank you for your advice.