Travelers offering driveway cleaning

fyfe79

Some fine cultural enrichment in the UK:

https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/rogue-roofers-jailed-scamming-138000-dozens-elderly-victims-104315506.html

BrokenArrows

I had some call around to my house in London offering new driveway services.
He said he was working in the area already which he kept referring to as "out the back". I asked him to elaborate on what he meant by "out the back", he really couldnt.
I quizzed him for an address so i could have a look at his work. He didnt know the address. Then his called his colleague who gave me an address that doesn't exist.

Got really pushy looking for me to say yes to start the work TODAY.

My wife overheard this (shes not Irish and didn't recognise the accent) and said "you cant start today because were going on holidays for the next week". I was thinking OH FFS the house will be empty when we get back.
I managed to work into the conversation that friends were staying in the house for the week.

I asked for any pictures of their previous work and he produced this laminated book with hundreds of pristine looking driveways which looked like it came fresh off the printing press and the driveways were perfect beyond the point of being realistic.

Off he was sent.

Dr Brown

BrokenArrows wrote: »

I had some call around to my house in London offering new driveway services.
He said he was working in the area already which he kept referring to as "out the back". I asked him to elaborate on what he meant by "out the back", he really couldnt.
I quizzed him for an address so i could have a look at his work. He didnt know the address. Then his called his colleague who gave me an address that doesn't exist.

Got really pushy looking for me to say yes to start the work TODAY.

My wife overheard this (shes not Irish and didn't recognise the accent) and said "you cant start today because were going on holidays for the next week". I was thinking OH FFS the house will be empty when we get back.
I managed to work into the conversation that friends were staying in the house for the week.

I asked for any pictures of their previous work and he produced this laminated book with hundreds of pristine looking driveways which looked like it came fresh off the printing press and the driveways were perfect beyond the point of being realistic.

Off he was sent.

They always say that they are "working in the area" that alone is a major red flag.

When they tried to scam my parents they claimed to be "working" on the neighbours house next door who happened to be out at the time so we couldn't check if it was true but surprise surprise we did eventually find out that these lads had nothing to do with our neighbours house.

Shurimgreat

Gerrup Outta Dat! wrote: »

They called up to me one evening before and did a fantastic job. I also had an old cylinder and a few radiators (soiled with paint) and they were happy to relieve me of what I considered rubbish. Gave them tea and sangiches when they were working. Lovely gents. They're not all bad before the venom starts spouting here.

Is it not illegal for someone to remove rubbish or depose of something without having a licence to do so?
Too many cases of people calling around to collect rubbish only for it to end up dumped somewhere. The truth is you have know idea where it ended up, it could have been sold on, it could have been fly tipped somewhere.

c_man

BrokenArrows wrote: »

My wife overheard this (shes not Irish and didn't recognise the accent) and said "you cant start today because were going on holidays for the next week". I was thinking OH FFS the house will be empty when we get back.

:D:D Classic. I'd have been setting up the house like Home Alone.

Seth Brundle

BrokenArrows wrote: »

My wife overheard this (shes not Irish and didn't recognise the accent) and said "you cant start today because were going on holidays for the next week". I was thinking OH FFS the house will be empty when we get back.
I managed to work into the conversation that friends were staying in the house for the week.

You should never tell this to anyone at the door regardless of who they are.
You should sit her down and explain things simply for her!

Shurimgreat wrote: »

Is it not illegal for someone to remove rubbish or depose of something without having a licence to do so?
Too many cases of people calling around to collect rubbish only for it to end up dumped somewhere. The truth is you have know idea where it ended up, it could have been sold on, it could have been fly tipped somewhere.

I find it somewhat ironic: travellers offering to dispose of rubbish for someone.

Dr Brown

kbannon wrote: »

You should never tell this to anyone at the door regardless of who they are.
You should sit her down and explain things simply for her!


I find it somewhat ironic: travellers offering to dispose of rubbish for someone.

Hows it ironic ? they will just dump the rubbish in the nearest field.

A very cost effective way of getting rid of rubbish:D

alan1963

Dr Brown wrote: »

Hows it ironic ? they will just dump the rubbish in the nearest field.

A very cost effective way of getting rid of rubbish:D

Its ironic because travellers don't clear their own rubbish ,allegedly.

cbreeze

anna080 wrote: »

I don't know anything about the driveway cleaning but there's a young traveller lad who calls around to my mam every so often and cuts the lawn for her. He does a fine job and she does be damn glad of it so she does.

If your mam is over 65 she can get this all done for free through one of the EU funded leader schemes. Details of all the areas covered are listed in the Age Action website. They can also move furniture, put in smoke alarms, put up shelves and any other little jobs.

Berserker

Complete scam, run them as quick as you can. I used to work in a petrol station when I was younger and got to know the local travelers well. I still talk to one of them, settled man and he was telling me that gangs of lads are travelling up to Dublin and Kildare from Limerick and Westmeath with this scam. Most of them are just going to do a rubbish job and make a few quid but one gang uses the operation as a front to look for houses to rob. The guards were asking him to keep an eye out for one particular well-known member of the community.

Oldtree

Had the tarmac crew here today.

Said had come to do house third on the left but didn't know the customers name. Did I know if anyone that wanted a small bit of tarmac done?

Said no and walked them to the gate saying they were lucky the dog didn't bite then.
Made sure they saw me get their no plate.

Cheeky new story as excuse to access property.

nailer54321

Run them, only looking to case your house, no interest in doing anywork just robbb you blind

gozunda

Oldtree wrote: »

Had the tarmac crew here today.

Said had come to do house third on the left but didn't know the customers name. Did I know if anyone that wanted a small bit of tarmac done?

Said no and walked them to the gate saying they were lucky the dog didn't bite then.
Made sure they saw me get their no plate.

Cheeky new story as excuse to access property.

Maybe they were just looking for some old rubbish?

Oldtree

gozunda wrote: »

Maybe they were just looking for some old rubbish?

Is that your personal experience? Did they rob some old rubbish from you?

gozunda

Oldtree wrote: »

Is that your personal experience? Did they rob some old rubbish from you?

No I thought that's what you were talking about.

Oldtree

gozunda wrote: »

No I thought that's what you were talking about.

No... that's what I thought you were talking about.

gozunda

Oldtree wrote: »

No... that's what I thought you were talking about.

There's that echo again - you sometimes get that with old trees alright ...

Oldtree

gozunda wrote: »

There's that echo again - you sometimes get that with old trees alright ...

You know something about old trees? I'm delighted that your education is progressing. Soon have that horticultural cert under your belt.

gozunda

Oldtree wrote: »

You know something about old trees? I'm delighted that your education is progressing. Soon have that horticultural cert under your belt.

Ya most of them are rotten in some way or other. But no matter young healthy trees always look better imo

Oldtree

gozunda wrote: »

Ya most of them are rotten in some way or other. But no matter young healthy trees always look better imo

Decay is part of a trees life. There are 3 stages, an oak for example takes 300 years to grow, 300 years to mature and 300 years to die. There is somthing yo be said for the more mature specimen imo.

BrianD3

Several more callers to my elderly relatives since I last posted in this thread. There seems to be much more of it this year than previously. I have been there on a few occasions when they have called and it is the same sales pitch each time. Polite demeanor, talk about being "in the area" and doing work for others and can give a good price. Try to convince you that if you don't get the work done the tarmac will break up or the roof will leak or the hedge will die off.

One self proclaimed "fully insured tree surgeon with 20 years experience" wanted to cut down an ash tree that was growing through a leylandii hedge. Well it is actually a sycamore.

A relative made the mistake of getting driveway cleaning done a few months ago and is now being called to about once every couple of weeks. Hedge cutting, roof and gutter cleaning, driveway cleaning (again)

I have informed the local Gardai and wasn't surprised to be told that nothing can be done unless, say, a threat is made. Taking advantage of old people with mild cognitive issues and who are trusting of strangers isn't a crime.

sonofenoch

NIMAN wrote: »

I had this service offered to me about 10 years ago, my driveway was maybe 30 ft x 10ft.

Guy said he could do a good price of €700.

Needless to say I chased him.

I got to thinking that maybe they were just knocking to see if anyone in the house? Or am I prejudging them?

Had a spate of them a couple yrs ago, knocking on the door looking for such and such a body ......must have been half a dozen of them over 2 weeks, wasn't just us they were knocking on various doors on the street......oddly enough 1 gave the name of someone who actually lives a few doors down .........they got the message and never called round again

lightspeed

Gerrup Outta Dat! wrote: »

They called up to me one evening before and did a fantastic job. I also had an old cylinder and a few radiators (soiled with paint) and they were happy to relieve me of what I considered rubbish. Gave them tea and sangiches when they were working. Lovely gents. They're not all bad before the venom starts spouting here.

Im sure them radiators and that cylinder was taken to an authorised facility to be properly and legally disposed off rather than dumped in some lane.

What facility did they say they were taking them to when you asked?

Homer

lightspeed wrote: »

Im sure them radiators and that cylinder was taken to an authorised facility to be properly and legally disposed off rather than dumped in some lane.

What facility did they say they were taking them to when you asked?

My sarcasm detector just spiked

lightspeed

Homer wrote: »

My sarcasm detector just spiked

lightspeed

How could anyone be stupid enough to let them near their house?

It was in the news recently when that Australian politician got in trouble for telling people not to answer the door to people with an Irish accent. That was because there were Irish traveller gangs scamming people into hiring them to tarmac their patio.

Clearly travellers here have thought, thats a good idea boss and are trying it here. Irish people know this and still hire them?

Dr Brown

BrianD3 wrote: »

One self proclaimed "fully insured tree surgeon with 20 years experience" wanted to cut down an ash tree that was growing through a leylandii hedge. Well it is actually a sycamore.

If you see him again you should ask him for his insurance policy number so that you can check it with the insurance company.

wandatowell

They are mad to clean my gutters.

I don't like them around at all so I'm just polite and say thanks but no thanks.
I get the feeling they are scoping the places to rob.

robarmstrong

I'm in two minds over this thread.

I've had incidents with travellers trying to mug me before only to end up them being given a hiding but at the same time I've come across people from the same "ethnic group" who have been so helpful and so kind.

My father in law lived in Finglas and grew up having traveller friends, when he passed away last year they were the first ones to the door expressing condolences and asking if there was anything they could do to help.

They actually helped out quite a lot, some of the fathers were that close to him that they actually contributed to the funeral costs and regularly leave flowers at his gravestone and often drop flowers into the house. It's such a shame that because there's so much negativity surrounding them that this bunch in particular get tarred with the same brush, despite them being so genuine and caring. When we lost our son they were again amongst the first to express condolences and left a card with a lovely message in it along with a beautiful christmas tree ornament (a little star bauble with my son's name on it) in the porch.

Just my two cent's but sure look.

lazybones32

@robarmstrong: i know a few who are decent individuals too. But they don't knock on my door offering to powerwash the yard, clean the chutes and sell me a new couch, in the one conversation...

DK man

Only one experience with a similar outfit and it wasn't good. Was renting a room from a widow woman in cork. Guy called and offered to rip up concrete drive and put in brick paving. Landlady agreed a price and then started to think and reflect and was considering changing her mind after a phone call to her son. Too late big diigger arrived and her concrete slab was no more. Work was done and done fairly badly imo. Then there was a major bust up over the so called agreed price! I was called in as a backup / witness. Landlady said that I was her witness - 'tradesman' replied that we could get him shot if we want!!!! I didn't think he was messing and I don't think that landlady did either as she forked out the extra money that she argued wasn't mentioned in the original deal.

I personally would stick to a local man who you know if you need handyman jobs done and stay well away from anyone knocking your door offering a service

Ps I know there are many honest travellers despite my bad experience

robarmstrong

lazybones32 wrote: »

@robarmstrong: i know a few who are decent individuals too. But they don't knock on my door offering to powerwash the yard, clean the chutes and sell me a new couch, in the one conversation...

No these do the same, but they only do it when they're doing their own house (they live a few doors down from the father-in-law's house) and at that, they do powerwash the driveway and clean the gutters etc, they never actually asked for payment nor accept money when I tried to pay them for it.

We have bought furniture they've offered us though (if we want it), I'm guilty for that I'll admit.