[Richard iSparkle]

Had a custie call today to say we'd damaged her paintwork on her bay window yesterday when we cleaned.  She said we've knocked 2 large pieces off.

We went back and the window has an old paint job on it, which has peeled away and cracked...  and been painted over.  We could well have taken the paint off, as there are plenty of cracks and chips on it...  but the only reason that would have happened is because the woodwork hasnt been maintained properly and so anything can take the paint off.

What should we do?  She's saying we will need to have the whole bay window repainted so it doesn't show....

I havent been able to speak to her yet so though I'd see what the forum thought of all this...   

[PoleKing]

If you want to keep the job, do what she asks.
If you're not bothered tell her to call your insurance. They won't pay and you won't get anymore earache

[Richard iSparkle]

If you want to keep the job, do what she asks.
If you're not bothered tell her to call your insurance. They won't pay and you won't get anymore earache

she's taking the p so i think you;re right.  i'll put it through my insurance 

[ben M]

If you want to keep the job, do what she asks.
If you're not bothered tell her to call your insurance. They won't pay and you won't get anymore earache

she's taking the p so i think you;re right.  i'll put it through my insurance 

NO WAY!!! don't do that! tell her off and tell her to get a painter! don't be too soft!

[AuRavelling79]

Do not engage her by telephone.

Write a letter:-

29th August 2013

Dear Mrs. Crazydumb,

In response to your telephone message I am writing to inform you that our cleaning process is used on hundreds of properties every month year in and year out. Please be assured it is impossible for our methods to have any detrimental effect on properly maintained windows and frames.

Yours sincerely,



Then if she phones or writes simply politely and firmly say:-

"thank you for your phone call; I refer you to my letter of 29th August 2013."

Mrs. C.  "But you've ruined my window! Mr. Crazydumb spent all weekend painting it! I'm sueing you for a new one!"

You. " I repeat - I refer you to my letter dated ... "

Mrs. C. "You'll never window clean in Much Dymness by the sea ever again! You've not heard the last of this! I'm seeing my solicitor ... "

You. " Like I said - I refer you to my letter dated ... "

Mrs. C. "Rant moan grumble threaten ..."

You. "I'm sorry you feel that way - such action will be robustly defended and I refer you to my letter dated ... "

And so on ad infinitum 'til she runs out of steam.

edited to add: don't offer to put it through your insurance, it might be taken as  an admission of liability. And anyway most insurers don't pay for windows being worked on.

[EandM]

I've been a painter for 25 years. She trying to scam you. At the very worst if she says you've knocked off two lumps of paint then offer to touch in the two lumps. This is a bit like me running into your car and cracking an indicator and you demanding I respray the entire car !

[Richard iSparkle]

I've been a painter for 25 years. She trying to scam you. At the very worst if she says you've knocked off two lumps of paint then offer to touch in the two lumps. This is a bit like me running into your car and cracking an indicator and you demanding I respray the entire car !

thanks for that.  good analogy!  i might use it 

[Richard iSparkle]

Do not engage her by telephone.

Write a letter:-

29th August 2013

Dear Mrs. Crazydumb,

In response to your telephone message I am writing to inform you that our cleaning process is used on hundreds of properties every month year in and year out. Please be assured it is impossible for our methods to have any detrimental effect on properly maintained windows and frames.

Yours sincerely,



Then if she phones or writes simply politely and firmly say:-

"thank you for your phone call; I refer you to my letter of 29th August 2013."

Mrs. C.  "But you've ruined my window! Mr. Crazydumb spent all weekend painting it! I'm sueing you for a new one!"

You. " I repeat - I refer you to my letter dated ... "

Mrs. C. "You'll never window clean in Much Dymness by the sea ever again! You've not heard the last of this! I'm seeing my solicitor ... "

You. " Like I said - I refer you to my letter dated ... "

Mrs. C. "Rant moan grumble threaten ..."

You. "I'm sorry you feel that way - such action will be robustly defended and I refer you to my letter dated ... "

And so on ad infinitum 'til she runs out of steam.

edited to add: don't offer to put it through your insurance, it might be taken as  an admission of liability. And anyway most insurers don't pay for windows being worked on.

thanks granville.

i like the way you've worded that

it winds me up...   

[Richard iSparkle]

If you want to keep the job, do what she asks.
If you're not bothered tell her to call your insurance. They won't pay and you won't get anymore earache

she's taking the p so i think you;re right.  i'll put it through my insurance 

NO WAY!!! don't do that! tell her off and tell her to get a painter! don't be too soft!

 

[dave0123]

i had one the other month saying id broken there pavent slab?? god knows how.. i replied by email this was explaining i dont see how by walking on it etc..never heard anything again.. then she cancelled lol.


why dont you just try replying saying.. oh we noticed that we thought you already new about it it was there last time we come?   

[Perfect Windows]

...We could well have taken the paint off...

In which case, organise a painter for her and pay him to repair the damage (and the damage alone), to a good standard.

Wriggling out of something you think you may have done is indefensible.

Vin

[EandM]

...We could well have taken the paint off...

In which case, organise a painter for her and pay him to repair the damage (and the damage alone), to a good standard.

Wriggling out of something you think you may have done is indefensible.

Vin

You'd actually need to repair it to the standard that it was BEFORE the incident - so if it was rough but just about stuck on then that's all you realistically need to aim for.
Granville's letter is excellent !

[SPE]

...We could well have taken the paint off...

In which case, organise a painter for her and pay him to repair the damage (and the damage alone), to a good standard.

Wriggling out of something you think you may have done is indefensible.

Vin

Best answer so far.

Not long ago I chipped paint off someones door whilst carrying backpack through the house, took all of 15 mins the following morning to put right. They were very pleased 

[Perfect Windows]

...We could well have taken the paint off...

In which case, organise a painter for her and pay him to repair the damage (and the damage alone), to a good standard.

Wriggling out of something you think you may have done is indefensible.

Vin

You'd actually need to repair it to the standard that it was BEFORE the incident - so if it was rough but just about stuck on then that's all you realistically need to aim for.
Granville's letter is excellent !

Why?  What's wrong with making the customer happy?

Vin

[robertphil]

you need to talk to her with a manner that goes on the offensive without sounding offensive .
 i use " look u bloomin dildo"  as an opening line 

[EandM]

...We could well have taken the paint off...

In which case, organise a painter for her and pay him to repair the damage (and the damage alone), to a good standard.

Wriggling out of something you think you may have done is indefensible.

Vin

You'd actually need to repair it to the standard that it was BEFORE the incident - so if it was rough but just about stuck on then that's all you realistically need to aim for.
Granville's letter is excellent !

Why?  What's wrong with making the customer happy?

Vin

Nothing. It's a very commendable attitude. If I genuinely caused damage to a customers property I would make sure that the issue was resolved out of respect to the customer and honesty - But if I was being held accountable for the customers lack of judgment / tight fistedness / or failure to take responsibility 'so I'll get someone else to pay for it' attitude then I would have a problem - hence the course of action being minimum restitution..I refer again to Granville's excellent letter.

[bobplum]

at the speed you guys work at ............it was probably blistered by the heat

[Roy Harding]

They had a DIY expert on the radio the other morning saying that even though he had painted his window last year, because of the cold winter and extreme heat this summer. The paint had cracked and split, hence for people to check and re due before winter.

I think it was Wednesday morning on Suneshine radio about 9:00am

Mined you I do think wfp is harder on the paint work.

Roy

[EandM]

They had a DIY expert on the radio the other morning saying that even though he had painted his window last year, because of the cold winter and extreme heat this summer. The paint had cracked and split, hence for people to check and re due before winter.

I think it was Wednesday morning on Suneshine radio about 9:00am

Mined you I do think wfp is harder on the paint work.

Roy

Gloss paint ceased to be any good in the eighties when legislation had the final lead content removed. Old Lead Gloss Paint had a life expectancy of up to 20 years but these days 3-5 is about all you'll get. Every time you see the words Reformulated or New Formulation on the tin it generally means it's become worse - Mostly down to EU Directives and environmental concerns. It costs the paint companies a fortune every time and no one seems to equate that something could be painted with a non-friendly paint once, or seven times with something a bit friendlier to the environment in the same time.

[Jim Waugh(Albright & Shiny)]

What makes Leaded paint dangerous, No one eats it and very few go round licking it !!!