Overbearing Salesperson

ergonomics · 15-09-2018 9:49am #1

Bit of an odd one but hopefully someone can give some advice.

We live in a rural area and for the last month a guy offering tree removal/landscaping services has been calling to the house to offer his services. He often comes before we're out of bed so we just hear the doorbell and, before we're up, he's gone and has just left his flyer.

The first time he came around I spoke to him and told him we weren't interested. I missed him twice and then I spoke to him again. I firmly told him the same thing and asked him not to come around again as I had already told him we weren't interested and that wasn't going to change. He's been back a few times since but we haven't been here. I'd say he's been here 9 or 10 times in total.

This morning he drove all the way around to the back of the house, got out of his van and moved something by the back door and then drove off again. He didn't leave a flyer or knock. He came and went so quickly that he was gone before I could catch him, even though I was standing at the window looking at him.

Is there anything further I can do or should I just grin and bear it? I threw away his flyer so don't have his contact details but will check with my neighbours to see if they have it.

CeilingFly · 15-09-2018 9:53am

A wild guess - he's from an "ethnic" group that also is well known for tarmac and gutter scams on elderly and rural communities.

Make a report to the Gardai saying that you did not give permission to take anything and that you consider it trespass.

You may not want to take it further, but good for the Garda report to be there.

punisher5112 · 15-09-2018 9:54am

Is this a certain ethnic group????

Put up notices of no cold callers and no junk mail, I'm guessing you have CCTV as you know he has been there.

Put all your evidence together and contact the Gardai as this is now beyond sales as it's harassment.

Is there a way of blocking drive such as a gate or security pole or just parking car as to stop him driving around.

I know what I would be doing but I would be banned from the site for saying it.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 15-09-2018 9:55am

If I was speaking to him I'd tell him he was trespassing and that I would contact the Gardaí. Even if you could get his details it may be worth talking to the local Garda about it. There's something very suspicious about his constantly calling when he has been told you aren't interested. I have found that this is the type of behaviour rural Gardaí are interested in.

Icsics · 15-09-2018 9:56am

Get his car reg & report to Gardai

ergonomics · 15-09-2018 9:56am

CeilingFly wrote: »

A wild guess - he's from an "ethnic" group that also is well known for tarmac and gutter scams on elderly and rural communities.

punisher5112 wrote: »

Is this a certain ethnic group????

Don't be so quick to assume. He is not foreign or a member of an ethnic group. Just a regular Joe Soap who doesn't seem to get the message.

punisher5112 · 15-09-2018 9:59am

ergonomics wrote: »

CeilingFly wrote: »

A wild guess - he's from an "ethnic" group that also is well known for tarmac and gutter scams on elderly and rural communities.

Don't be so quick to assume. He is not foreign or a member of an ethnic group. Just a regular Joe Soap who doesn't seem to get the message.

You know something don't be so quick with remarks like that.

You asked for advice and I and another poster asked a question.

This is the exact behavior of these groups so if you don't want to be asked you know what to do.

Wow just wow.

Oh and what does foreign have to do with anything.....

You must be one of those ones that think everyone is a racist.

mrcheez · 15-09-2018 10:03am

ergonomics wrote: »

Don't be so quick to assume. He is not foreign or a member of an ethnic group. Just a regular Joe Soap who doesn't seem to get the message.

Soap doesn't sound like an Irish name....must be a sneaky foreigner

davo10 · 15-09-2018 10:04am

punisher5112 wrote: »

ergonomics wrote: »

You know something don't be so quick with remarks like that.

You asked for advice and I and another poster asked a question.

This is the exact behavior of these groups so if you don't want to be asked you know what to do.

Wow just wow.

Oh and what does foreign have to do with anything.....

You must be one of those ones that think everyone is a racist.

I think you need your cornflakes.

To every other poster, the implication of what was being posted about "ethnic" group is obvious. Now you are attacking the op without reason, chill out. The op is asking for advice, not abuse.

vectorvictor · 15-09-2018 10:04am

ergonomics wrote: »

Don't be so quick to assume. He is not foreign or a member of an ethnic group. Just a regular Joe Soap who doesn't seem to get the message.

Can you lock your gates? Put up a CCTV sign at the gate entrance even if you don't have CCTV.

The bit about him moving something sounds well dodgy.. looking for keys under a plant pot maybe? From what you've written this sounds like a scam to get into peoples properties rather than landscaping so I would certainly give the local force the heads up. At least they'll have a record if something does happen even if they can't act now.

If you have fliers for him, send them into Revenue, doubt he's registered or paying tax

Signore Fancy Pants · 15-09-2018 10:05am

ergonomics wrote: »

Is there anything further I can do or should I just grin and bear it? I threw away his flyer so don't have his contact details but will check with my neighbours to see if they have it.

You should not have to 'grin and bear it' when someone consistently arrives uninvited after previously being told never to come back.

Next step is secure your entrance or report to An Garda Siochana.

Tbh, from the information you have provided, it looks like he is casing you house, regardless of his ethnicity.

Is he known to people in you town?

davo10 · 15-09-2018 10:06am

vectorvictor wrote: »

If you have fliers for him, send them into Revenue, doubt he's registered or paying tax

You got that from the op?

dudara · 15-09-2018 10:07am

@punisher5112 - That’s not acceptable in Consumer Issues. The focus here is on helping people.

dudara

mikemac2 · 15-09-2018 10:07am

ergonomics wrote: »

Don't be so quick to assume. He is not foreign or a member of an ethnic group. Just a regular Joe Soap who doesn't seem to get the message.

He's probably a lovely guy, well as sales people go

But gangs need local knowledge and if they don't have any they need to scope out properties. Yours sounds ideal since anyone can just drive around the back

Report to the gardai

Teyla Emmagan · 15-09-2018 10:09am

I would most definitely be telling the guards. Is he self employed or has he left the details of a company you could report him to? That is harassment.

vectorvictor · 15-09-2018 10:13am

davo10 wrote: »

You got that from the op?

If someone has that level of fly by night approach that the op has described, I think it's a reasonable assumption that they might not be overly concerned with what's required to do business properly. Weird part of my post to pick up on tbh.

OP also consider is there something particularly attractive about your property. Is it overly isolated, very nice cars, regularly unoccupied etc...

_Brian · 15-09-2018 10:20am

To me the property is being cased out for a burglary.

Checking times op is/isn’t there, going up behind the house to see if there is any bother from that.

I’d be down the Garda station with one of his flyers today, say you feel your being set up to be broken into and feel intimidated by this person. Ask them to have a word. He’s clearly trespassing as he’s been asked not to call again.

gozunda · 15-09-2018 10:43am

Agree your property is being cased and checked whether anyone is in.

I've had 'visitors' caught on camera checking under a flower pot for keys previously.

Get his registration and description and contact the guards asap. Make sure every incident is logged and lock your gates.

CeilingFly · 15-09-2018 12:52pm

I can't see it being cased for burglary especially as a leaflet was left in and he calls regularly when it's probably obvious someone was in.

It was a valid possibility that it was a Traveller from the op as they tend to look for rubbish to collect, charge €100, and then dump it somewhere and it's very prevalent.

Others do it too and that's probably what it's about - problem is that the owner of the rubbish gets the fine if it's found tipped.

Iodine1 · 15-09-2018 1:18pm

This house and area is definitely being surveyed (cased) with robbery in mind. You have no idea what they are looking for. However nowadays most cars are stolen by taking the keys from the house etc, hence lots of looking to see where keys are kept etc. The visitor will pass on the info and a third party from far away will arrive to carry out the robbery, which will only take minutes. The visitor whom you know will have a cast iron aliby, ie he was out of the country or in the local Gardai station when crime is committed. But all robberies have local knowledge and this is classic of how it is collected. I think you have been warned and you need to take action, first close off casual access to rear of the house. Report to guards. And if its a local guy tell him clearly you do NOT want him trespassing on your property for any reason in future.

wexie · 15-09-2018 1:27pm

gozunda wrote: »

Get his registration and description and contact the guards asap.

And ideally make sure they see you taking a picture of the registration, they just love that

CeilingFly wrote: »

I can't see it being cased for burglary especially as a leaflet was left in and he calls regularly when it's probably obvious someone was in.

a leaflet means nothing though, could be completely rubbish info on there, or at best a number for a disposable phone. And it's a handy excuse to explain why you're in someone's yard.

gozunda · 15-09-2018 1:37pm

CeilingFly wrote: »

I can't see it being cased for burglary especially as a leaflet was left in and he calls regularly when it's probably obvious someone was in.

It was a valid possibility that it was a Traveller from the op as they tend to look for rubbish to collect, charge €100, and then dump it somewhere and it's very prevalent.

Others do it too and that's probably what it's about - problem is that the owner of the rubbish gets the fine if it's found tipped.

It's never the boys that call who do the robbing. They are not that stupid.

Lambay island · 15-09-2018 1:38pm

wexie wrote: »

And ideally make sure they see you taking a picture of the registration, they just love that

a leaflet means nothing though, could be completely rubbish info on there, or at best a number for a disposable phone. And it's a handy excuse to explain why you're in someone's yard.

indeed - and it could even be someone elses leaflet, he just uses as a distraction if someone answers door

Iodine1 · 15-09-2018 2:03pm

Also remember, it will not happen tonight or maybe not next week, but it will be some time later when they strike, when they are ready, and you have forgotten Mr Salesman and his leaflet is long recycled. (After a successful robbery, Mr Local contact will be paid cash for a job well done).

road_high · 15-09-2018 11:31pm

He’s sussing you out for a burglary. The fact he came and left so quickly the last time (must have thought you weren’t there) isn’t the behavior of someone trying for the 11th time to sell tree clearing services.
Also the fact he moved a flower pot or something outside the door sounds like he was rooting around for where a spare key might be left.

TerrorFirmer · 16-09-2018 4:02pm

This thread has to be a joke, surely?

He's been scoping out your house almost a dozen times when you've told him you're not interested.

He further literally drove around the back of your house and got out and start mooching uninvited.

If this isn't a wind up, you need to go the Gardai immediately with the details you have, and look at ensuring your property is secured.

16-09-2018 4:12pm

ergonomics wrote: »

Don't be so quick to assume. He is not foreign or a member of an ethnic group. Just a regular Joe Soap who doesn't seem to get the message.

It seems to me whoever this guy is, who has left you loads of leaflets, and you threw all away, and has been at your rear entrance without apparent motive at all, might not be that interested in making improvements to your home/garden one way or the other. Personally I would have been on to the guards way before reporting it on boards.

Rubberchikken · 16-09-2018 4:24pm

If someone was doing this to my home id be reporting them after the 2nd call.
A genuine professional will get message. An honest person will not poke around peoples yards, back or front.

punisher5112 · 16-09-2018 4:25pm

I'm sure the op will be grand.

Iodine1 · 16-09-2018 5:55pm

punisher5112 wrote: »

I'm sure the op will be grand.

I'm sorry I fail to share your confidence. Experience and I think numerous posters would say the OP must take action now to protect their property before it's too late.

punisher5112 · 16-09-2018 6:37pm

Iodine1 wrote: »

I'm sorry I fail to share your confidence. Experience and I think numerous posters would say the OP must take action now to protect their property before it's too late.

It's just a sales tactic, he wanted to find the key so he could leave it on the kitchen counter.

I see absolutely no issue at all as he seems very friendly.

Overbearing Salesperson

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