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Thread: Broken windows... How to deal with slippery customers...?

  1. #1
    Senior Member conrad's Avatar
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    Default Broken windows... How to deal with slippery customers...?

    This is not related to a customer really, it's the neighbour who's being a bit tricky and I kind of feel as if they're trying to take me for a ride...

    Was clearing a badly overgrown vacant block - had to get a brushcutter with blade to finish the job. All done, no worries. One month later I'm back at the same job for more maintenance to keep the grass under control. I was there late and a lady next door got home and came to see me. She said that there was a cracked window with a small hole in it, seemed legit. Said she wouldn't worry about it usually except that she was moving out next month. Sure enough I could see the window, if it's my fault I'm not going to try and weasel my way out of it, figured that there's a fair chance it was from the brushcutter. Told her yeah there was stuff flying everywhere, sorry for the hassle will get that fixed up for you no worries and left my business card.

    Anyway received a repair quote for three window panels ($570 repair and my insurance excess is $500). Asked the real estate agency to check with the tenant as they only showed me one cracked window - now get the story back that they had the windows cleaned before I was first there clearing the block and no cracks/damage then. But that they didn't realise the other 2 windows were damaged... (if you find one hole, wouldn't you check the other windows right away..???)

    Okay, first of all no one was at the house the first time I was there, no one saw the window get broken, no one came out and spoke to me immediately. But fair enough, the lady caught up with me a month later and yeah I'll cop that. But the 2 additional windows (no holes in them BTW, just cracks near the corners) which she "hadn't found yet" - seems fishy to me.

    What do you guys reckon?

    I was just going to pay the repair of that one window in good faith, any good faith is disappearing now that they try to spring two additional windows on me...

  2. #2
    Senior Member kevinsuzanne's Avatar
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    Default Re: Broken windows... How to deal with slippery customers...?

    Fair enough the first window the rest sounds suspicious

  3. #3
    Senior Member BSD's Avatar
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    Default Re: Broken windows... How to deal with slippery customers...?

    One month later, she's moving out, they probably did it doing their own yard clean up for the agent. Or its just an old breakage and putting the blame on you. Personally, because they're trying to scam you for others, ignore.

  4. #4

    Default Re: Broken windows... How to deal with slippery customers...?

    Quote Originally Posted by conrad View Post
    This is not related to a customer really, it's the neighbour who's being a bit tricky and I kind of feel as if they're trying to take me for a ride...

    Was clearing a badly overgrown vacant block - had to get a brushcutter with blade to finish the job. All done, no worries. One month later I'm back at the same job for more maintenance to keep the grass under control. I was there late and a lady next door got home and came to see me. She said that there was a cracked window with a small hole in it, seemed legit. Said she wouldn't worry about it usually except that she was moving out next month. Sure enough I could see the window, if it's my fault I'm not going to try and weasel my way out of it, figured that there's a fair chance it was from the brushcutter. Told her yeah there was stuff flying everywhere, sorry for the hassle will get that fixed up for you no worries and left my business card.

    Anyway received a repair quote for three window panels ($570 repair and my insurance excess is $500). Asked the real estate agency to check with the tenant as they only showed me one cracked window - now get the story back that they had the windows cleaned before I was first there clearing the block and no cracks/damage then. But that they didn't realise the other 2 windows were damaged... (if you find one hole, wouldn't you check the other windows right away..???)

    Okay, first of all no one was at the house the first time I was there, no one saw the window get broken, no one came out and spoke to me immediately. But fair enough, the lady caught up with me a month later and yeah I'll cop that. But the 2 additional windows (no holes in them BTW, just cracks near the corners) which she "hadn't found yet" - seems fishy to me.

    What do you guys reckon?

    I was just going to pay the repair of that one window in good faith, any good faith is disappearing now that they try to spring two additional windows on me...
    If she was really concerned she could have tracked you down a lot earlier - If it was me I would have! Would you have?

    After 1 month I would reckon it's almost up to her to prove you did it rather than you prove you did not do it.

  5. #5
    Senior Member steveo's Avatar
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    Default Re: Broken windows... How to deal with slippery customers...?

    It seems that neither of you have evidence you broke even one window, let alone 3.

    She is taking your good faith as an admission of guilt.

    Rule no 1. Deny everything (unless you know you did it).

  6. #6
    Senior Member Bluey's Avatar
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    Default Re: Broken windows... How to deal with slippery customers...?

    After a month who knows what else could have happened. I would have said give me proof it was me. She read you like a book and shafted you
    Cheers

    Bluey
    Adelaide Home & Garden Solutions
    http://www.ahgs.com.au


    "Success occurs when no one is looking, failure occurs when everyone is watching."

  7. #7
    Senior Member Bluey's Avatar
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    Default Re: Broken windows... How to deal with slippery customers...?

    And then deny it even more
    Cheers

    Bluey
    Adelaide Home & Garden Solutions
    http://www.ahgs.com.au


    "Success occurs when no one is looking, failure occurs when everyone is watching."

  8. #8
    Senior Member Bluey's Avatar
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    Default Re: Broken windows... How to deal with slippery customers...?

    Quote Originally Posted by South East Mowing View Post
    If she was really concerned she could have tracked you down a lot earlier - If it was me I would have! Would you have?

    After 1 month I would reckon it's almost up to her to prove you did it rather than you prove you did not do it.
    And even if you did do it.Is it not the property owners liability
    Cheers

    Bluey
    Adelaide Home & Garden Solutions
    http://www.ahgs.com.au


    "Success occurs when no one is looking, failure occurs when everyone is watching."

  9. #9

    Default Re: Broken windows... How to deal with slippery customers...?

    Quote Originally Posted by steveo View Post
    It seems that neither of you have evidence you broke even one window, let alone 3.

    She is taking your good faith as an admission of guilt.

    Rule no 1. Deny everything (unless you know you did it).


    And as your insurance company will most probably say " never admit fault"

  10. #10
    Senior Member glassngrass's Avatar
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    Default Re: Broken windows... How to deal with slippery customers...?

    Tenants often hide/ignore damage whilst they are living there, but when a tenant is moving out, they want others to fix their damage at no cost to them.
    David
    Mr Sparkle Car Spa

  11. #11
    Senior Member simo's Avatar
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    Default Re: Broken windows... How to deal with slippery customers...?

    I had a similar instance where a neighbour claimed I broke their window
    Didn't tell the property owner till 3 weeks later, there was also a 5 ft fence between property's making it that the offending rock would of had to curve over the fence or rebound of something to hit the window
    After two demands for payment they fell silent
    No proof no payment
    ....Nothing like a good whipper....

  12. #12
    Senior Member conrad's Avatar
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    Default Re: Broken windows... How to deal with slippery customers...?

    All fair points - this is actually the very first instance anyone has approached me regarding damage. I think you got it spot on steveo, she has taken my good will as an admission of guilt. Lesson learnt, won't go the same way if there is any question of damage in the future.

    Repeat a thousand times: Rule No.1 Never admit guilt...

    But I have learnt a lot about glass from this! All the windows in this case have diagonal cracks (multi-pane windows with that frosted/ripple effect glass), what happens is that over time if not taken care of the putty around the window lets moisture in, metal sprigs that hold the glass rust and expand which cracks the glass. Hence the single cracks with no impact damage - because the glass moves from the edge. Anyway I'll keep that one filed away for future reference... No clear impact damage on any of these panes at all. Mind you - this is after she found my business on Google and left a 1 star review saying that I broke all three windows and "don't use this company they will break your windows and make you pay for it". She deleted the text from her review (so now I can't get Google to remove it either) and phoned me almost begging to get me to pay for one pane... I offered to pay for half of one pane ($75) to just get past this. Anyway after I went back this time either she or the real estate have decided it's too difficult I guess, or maybe she got a guilty conscience from that angry review she wrote... but I think they also might have realised what you said Bluey - that it's the property owners cost liability. Either way I haven't heard back from anyone yet, good riddance!

    I just hope they've moved out before I need to go back and do more maintenance at this vacant lot next month.

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