[ewanc0]

Lately i've been reading about a lot of bogus window cleaners in the papers, so the question is quite simple. Would you support a licensing system throughout the UK?

Your views please

[ewanc0]

Bogus Window Cleaner Warning 
Thursday June 1, 2006 
 
Police are urging residents to be on their guard following numerous reports of a bogus window cleaner. 
 
A man knocked on numerous doors in the Woodmancote and Bishop's Cleeve areas on Tuesday (May 30) and demanded payment for work that had not been done. 
 
None of the elderly residents had been asked if they wanted their windows cleaning and some say they felt intimidated into handing over cash. 
 
The man is described as white, of slim build and in his sixties. He has greying hair, carries a bucket and cloth and is understood to use a bicycle to get around. 
 
Urging people to contact police immediately if they are approached by the man, Crime Reduction Officer PC Damon Blandford advised: "Residents, particularly the elderly, should always use a door chain and look through a spy hole or a window to check who is calling on them. If the caller is not known then they should be asked to show their identitiy card. If residents are still not sure, they should ask the caller to come back later and in the meantime check their story. This should be done using a number from the telephone directory, not the number on the identity card." 
 
Incidents should be reported to police on 0845 090 1234, or using the 999 number if the suspect is still believed to be within the immediate area. 

[ewanc0]

Bogus official warning 
(11 October 2006) 
 
Police in Chase are issuing a warning to their local communities, particularly elderly residents to be on their guard against bogus officials following several incidents that have occurred throughout the division over the last few days. 
 
 
A little later a similar incident occurred in Eskrett Street, where another man claiming to be from the Water Board gained entry to the address of an elderly lady, claiming there had been a water leek. The man left empty handed but the resident was very afraid and upset. This man is described as approximately 30 years with black curly shoulder length hair and wearing a dark jacket. It is believed this same man called at another house earlier claiming to be a window cleaner.

[ewanc0]

Warning Over Bogus Window Cleaner 
Thursday March 30, 2006 
 
Police are reminding people to make sure they are aware of the identity of strange callers after a series of incidents in Tewkesbury. 
 
Several people have reported a bogus window cleaner knocking on their door and demanding money after claiming to clean their windows. 
 
On each occasion he has not had ladders or window cleaning equipment with him and no windows appear to have been cleaned. 
 
Recent similar incidents have taken place in Willow Close, Woodmancote on March 20 and in Hardy Road and Odacre Road in Bishops Cleeve on March 26. Police are linking all the incidents together. 
 
Police would advise homeowners to be on their guard when people call at the door and they should always ask for a form of ID to be produced before allowing them access to their homes. 
 
You should also be sure that the services the caller is offering are genuine before you hand over any money. 
 
If you are unsure of a caller's identity you should ask the caller to make a formal appointment for a later time as genuine companies and callers will be happy with this arrangement. 
 
You can also contact the Bogus Callers hotline, which is manned 24-hours a day by Glevum Security and can be contacted on 0808 1000 777. 
 
The hotline provides advice and practical help should an unexpected and strange caller arrive at the door of an elderly or vulnerable person. If Glevum Security believes the caller is in any danger then they will call the police. 
 
Police also strongly support the use of door chains and intercoms for the elderly, which mean the resident can talk to the caller without having to open the door. Both these items as well as other safety equipment can be purchased from police stations throughout the county. 
 
Police would appeal to anyone who may have also been approached by the man as well as anyone who may have any information on his identity to contact officers. 
 
You can contact Gloucestershire Police on 0845 090 1234 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, quoting incident number 350 of March 22.

[ewanc0]

Bogus tradesman in Southport 
 
Merseyside Police has issued a warning after a number of reports of a bogus tradesman operating in the area. 
 
The offender has been targeting addresses between Birkdale and Churchtown over the past few weeks. He has called at a number of homes posing as a window cleaner and asking for payment for work which has not been completed. if challenged, the offender says that he is either new to the team, or covering for colleagues sickness. 
 
To help prevent you from becoming a victim of this kind of crime, Merseyside Police would like to remind you of the following security advice: 
 
Always use a stout door chain where possible when answering the door to strangers 
Make sure visitors are who they say they are by asking to see their identity card 
If the caller leaves and you are still unsure about their credibility write down the details of the person and the registration number of any vehicle they have travelled in and contact the police 
Anyone who has information about those responsible for this kind of burglary is urged to contact police, or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111

[ewanc0]

This one is a cracker, once you've opened the page do find for window cleaner. 
 
http://www.nfcg.org.uk/ConsNews/cnews210.pdf 
 
The cheek of the guys

[ewanc0]

44 views and only 16 votes 

Do you not have an opinion??

[DASERVICES]

I'm all for licensing as this is the only way it will improve our industry, everything else has failed.

And I'm sure the AWPC and Clear Choice and Fed will back me on this.

So would like to hear from you members.

Doug

[macc]

Its just another tax on the honest who will pay up. The dole scum that do it for extra cash will stick their fingers up & carry on anyway. So i vote NO.

Macc

[rugby]

but if the public can be educated into only useing licensed window cleaners it could stop the dole scum from window cleaning.and if all window cleaners have to be licenced by law maybe the thought of the police checking their license and hence finding out they are dole cheats could at least make dole scum have second thoughts about doing window cleaning on the side. im all for it

[JM123]

I have voted FOR licensing - only I don't agree with paying £100 or so for a license - £5 or so to cover admin costs would be fine, especially if it stops dole cheats.

[Londoner]

The only problem is that it would create another situation where nobody is there to control the thing and it becomes a total waste of time.

Bogus window cleaners would just claim to be licensed and nobody from the council would be around to enforce the regulations.

[Mr. S]

I voted for licensing, but as vince said nobody would enforce it!!!!

So whats the point really, if i could vote twice i would for different reasons!

How do we know any of our fellow forum users arent dole dossers (NOT BEING FUNNY TO ANY OF YOU) BUT, think if you were you 100% definately would say no to licensing!!

As previously mentioned it would be improper for the decent honest ones of us on here to pay for our licenses while those dole dossers wouldnt care, just as long as they can get their beer money and scrounge off the  benefits!

Training the public will NEVER happen, people always want things done on the cheap!!! Saying that i am training my customers that they pay for their windows to b cleaned by a legitamate business, one that takes pride in their work and is not some fly by night signing on the dotted line until other employment turns up or they get bored!!!!!! Hence why sometimes prices may b slightly higher but they reflect a quality service!!!!

NOW ive had my first rant for a long time, i hope some of the local scum working in my area read this, and take note us legit businesses are watching!
Its up to us to stop cheats not the government or whover they aint got a clue

NO INTENTIONS TO UPSET ANYBODY ON THIS FORUM OTHER THAN CHEATS!!!!

[Londoner]

In London any night of the week you will see dozens of illegal minicabs touting for work. Many of the cars are rolling deathtraps and the sort of people driving them would make any sensible person run a mile.
Yet you see people getting in them, including lone females. There were twenty one rapes in London last year attributed to illegal minicabs and hundreds of assaults and robberies. These guys routinely carry knives and baseball bats.

What do the authorities do about it? Nothing. They put up silly notices warning of the dangers and every now and again have a little purge where they round up a few and they end up in court. Average fine about £200.

So you tell me.  What good is it going to do licensing window cleaners? It would just be a scam to extract money from those honest enough to register.

[Paul Coleman]

House burglar used window cleaning job to pick targetsDec 14 2006

 

 
Rupert Hall, Merthyr Express
 
  
A junkie burglar with more than 45 convictions to his name stole more than £50,000 worth of goods from a Treharris home after casing it out when he worked as a window cleaner.

Heroin addict Richard Bernard Munkley of Twynygarreg, Treharris admitted stealing electrical goods and thousands of pounds worth of jewellery to feed his habit.

Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court heard Mrs Williams left her home at Reservoir House, Treharris at 9.50pm on the evening of Tuesday November 21 this year and returned at 2.15am to discover a slab of concrete had been used to smash open her French patio doors.

Prosecutor Heath Edwards told the court the victim saw a £350 22inch LCD television screen and a cloth money bag containing £160 in cash were missing.

Mr Edwards said drawers had been searched in every room in the house and jewellery had been taken from the bedrooms.


http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/2000localinfo/merthyrexpress/news/tm_headline=house-burglar-used-window-cleaning-job-to-pick-targets%26method=full%26objectid=18269291%26siteid=50082-name_page.html



 from the national website of wales, how close is this to you


the rest of the story  



He said Mrs Williams now feels uneasy leaving her house and the stolen jewellery was intended to be a retirement nest egg for herself and her husband.


Police were called and officers found the television and DVD player in undergrowth near to the property.


The defendant was seen shortly after the incident by his sister and was eventually located by police at her house where he was arrested.


Tom Crowther, defending the 29-year-old with 66 offences for 47 occasions, said this was his client's first conviction for a dwelling house burglary.


Mr Crowther said: 'This has all the hallmarks of what has become the standard burglary committed by somebody who wants readily saleable goods top fund a heroin habit.'


Judge John Curran jailed Munkley for 21months and said: 'This was a dwelling house burglary involving the theft of a very large amount of property.


'Your addiction to heroin may explain it but it does not excuse it.


'You had been cleaning the windows at the house the month before and you picked on it at a time when you knew the occupants were out.'

 

To put a bit of perspective on it, it also needs to be asked how many burglaries are carried out by NON window cleaners.

Did you know that all burglaries are carried out by people who drank milk when they were chidren?  Maybe children should be banned from drinking milk.

Not being funny.  Just trying to show what can be done with statistics.

[KarlJones]

I voted yes purely and simply because I know a few people that will not have a window cleaner because they do not know how trustworthy the person is.  A lot more houses would say yes to a window cleaner if they had some sort of assurance.  A lot of people would not be able to just start up over night and try to undercut and steal work. 

Increase in customers
Decrease in undercutting

It has to be yes.

[JohnL]

The only problem is that it would create another situation where nobody is there to control the thing and it becomes a total waste of time.

Bogus window cleaners would just claim to be licensed and nobody from the council would be around to enforce the regulations

Absolutely!

More regulation and  more money down the drain. 

What would be the criteria for joining - membership of an established trade association I suppose, because there is no other way to do it! So the trade ass' boys would be for it to boost their membership.

How would it be policed? - the police and the Government cant control an immigration situation so I dont think a WC license would get much attention - accept of course it would be a bit like chasing burglars, vehicle theft  and real crime -  the police would be more interested in chasing WCers for their license.

Are we seriously suggesting bringing in a nationwide license system because of maybe a couple of dozen break-ins out of how many thousands are put down to the ''window cleaner'.

The main reason a license is useful is to deter the nuisance factor of casual guys seeing the trade as an easy target for a bit of extra income to add to the dole money for beer, cigarettes and drugs and that you will never stop because they will always find a way around the regs.

And please dont quote the Corgi system for heating engineers as an example because that membership is full to the brim of unqualified, untrained, non - apprenticed people dating back from when British Gas was desperate for engineers to fulfill work for them! and of course the 'real' Corgi guys are fully trained and completed a 5 year apprenticeship to receive their qualifications which I dont think is a criteria for WCers.

I am sympathetic to the ideals of such a scheme but it is impractical and unworkable.

JohnL


 

[Grafters Cleaning Services]

although i have voted yes i don't think it could really work as it would not get policed

[Davew]

Would it not be the same if health and safety issues forced window cleaners to use only wfp? who would enforce that on domestic houses? Plenty of homeowners are scaling ladders round our way to dangle their Christmas lights from the gutters.

[EasyClean]

Even if the insured window cleaners were registered it wouldn't make a blind bit of difference because unless it's enforced on a regular ongoing basis the license wouldn't be worth the paper it was written on. The only ones who would suffer would be the mugs who paid out honest money for the license in the first place.