[dave0123]

Hi


I did a new clean last week to an old barn windows come up great and no probs! no one was in at the time but when i got home i  had a call saying all water had come into the house fru the windows! and they wanted to cancel so they did 1 or 2days after that.

she said all the water has come fru the windows onto the window ledges in about 3 rooms and under the door which i could understand with the door because it was a stable door. Now these windows arnt old wood windows there new only say 2-3 years old as its a converted stables or what ever. Today her sister rang up because the house owner was away aparently in france saying can i come and look at the windows because its started to crack the plaster on the walls  i dont no how! and she said we mite have to put a claim in on my liabitly insurance.

the person next door was in at the time and told her i  used a jet wash  : 2 clean the windows i said  its not a jet wash at all! on the phone... so im thinking shes trying to scam an insurance job because surely there is no way WFP could crack plaster even if water did go in??  shes thinking its a jet wash really powerful thing.. if shes got water pouring in then theres a problem with her windows.

what do you guys think?? can it crack the plaster on the walls?

[Pj]

It's hard to say for sure, based just on your comments, but.....You are probably right.  They think you're using a pressure washer, and like so many today they're trying it on a bit.
It is unlikely in such a short time (1 week0 for cracks to be appearing.  More likely settling cracks, as their old barn copes with it's new materials being slapped on it.

[Nathanael Jones]

I reckon they prob have a long term water seepage problem and they're trying to pin it on you. You used prob less than a litre of water per window right? In the very worts case scenario maybe 10% got in,... realistically it prob less than 1% if any at all.
So thats 100ml per window.

I will quite happily go around my house and throw 100ml of water on each window sill, happy in the knowledge that it will evaporate, dry, and do no lasting harm.

She's having a laugh,.. go round and talk to her,.. be nice,.. show her the wfp and how little water it uses. Then tell her that there will be more water hitting her windows each time it rains. Don't admit any responsibility because it is clearly NOT YOUR FAULT!

[dave0123]

Thanks for the reply's


well im going round in an hour to look so we shal see!! carnt see it being my fault not 2 crack the plaster off the walls    its hardly a forcee so if any did get in itl be a little bit as nathanael says.

[Tosh]

Dave,

What's your 'gut feeling' about these customers?  Honest or scammers?

Personally, I'd say it's next to impossible for you to have cracked their walls, even if water did seep through the windows.  

I clean an old hotel with anchient real leaded windows and most of these windows leak (especially the ones with missing 'diamonds' of glass); I know I'm getting water into the rooms; (Wor Lass mops it up as she does the insides following behind me); and we've not cracked any plaster.

And although I'm no builder; I do know that new builds suffer from 'cracking plaster'; from the building settling down.  Even though this is a old barn; I bet some firmer foundations were put in (somehow) and it's the building settling that's causing the cracks.

I would avoid getting into any sort of dialogue with the customers; ignore them.

[dave0123]

Thanks for the reply tosh.


well iv just seen the damage its not cracks its more like stains from water and abit of paint mite have cracked i couldnt take any photos shame really. but i highly doubt its wfp because.

the water is on celing like were you would have your coving and then down the side by where the curtins are and some by the window sils but not on the actull sill because its tiled but on the side am not sure what you call it. but i mean theres is quite abit of damage you would need litires and liters of water to do this  : iv used 1 or 2 litres at the most on this window nothing above it either and its ground floor.

then she goes on2 say we have had someone out 2 look at it then abit later on 4mins later she says we will get someone out 2 look at it  am sure she said that i will check with the lad how come with me.

that was the only window aparently she said o my sister said there was one up stairs but i looked and it looks ok to me! so all the other windows are fine. i said if they would look anywere it would just be a little dribble and most proberly be in the middle of your double glazing.

iv done old laded windows too tosh and not been shy with water and had no problems only a smill drip down the other side of the window.

[Paul Coleman]

I know that plaster hgas drying out cracks in the first few months of being newly applied.  This is normal and is caused by slight shrinkage.  It may be that they had some re-plastering done when the new windows were first put in and they are trying to pint the ol;d drying out cracks onto you.
Do not admit liability.
Do not get drawn into any conversation about it that could be (mis)interpreted as an admission of liability.
Contact your insurance company ands supply them with the company's details.
Admitting liability can void your insurance.

[dave0123]

i admited to anything iv said you must have a problem somewere else either a leak in your house for it 2be on the celing i dont no.

but aprently shes geting a building inspector out and putting it in writting 2me! she jus wanted to let me look before she took it further.


iv said i disagree its not me iv only used around 1-2 litres of water and said iv spoken to the company who suppllies wfp and all that.

basicly she hasnt got a clue her self she just keeps saying your not a building inspector and neither am i.... :

the window is all sealed around as so its something alot bigger of a problem i think. Well after looking its not actully the plaster cracked it just water stains on the paint it just needs paiting really but.. she could have a leak so.

this is the sister speaking to btw when the woman who owns the house originally phoned to complain she was all sorry to bother you etc etc... think just trying to blame someone i think

[rugby]

i would never admit liabilty for this,if the window is leaking to the extent that it is causing the damage you say it is then the window cant have been fitted correctly can it 

after all a window is supposed to keep out all kinds of weather and heavy rain,doesnt sound as though this window will.if they insist it is your fault i would get my own builder/surveyor to have a look,dont take their word for it

[dave0123]

im not going to admit liabilty...



deffrently something wrong somewere. if it is a faulty window then thats not my fault i done what i got asked to do.

i think there is a bathroom above she says its not a bathroom but its a tiny tiny frosted window which 2me i would say its bathroom so maybe something has leaked there i dont no. deffo not wfp problem there just wasnt enf water put onto the glass to do that damage.

if it did leak then maybe so down the edges of the window at most but defently not all the way down from celin going across the room by about a foot sort like

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if that makes sence 

Am not worried anyway she can do what she wants she isnt getting any money out of me after all am only a window cleaner

tbh she is sposed to be getting a building inspector so if she does fair enuf just i shal be expecting a call? because if he says yes its my system without even looking at the water fed pole system how much water it users and working how can he say its that?? he doesnt no anything about window cleaning... so if i get a call saying the building inspecter says its ur system il say rubblish!! how can he say that without looking at the wfp system ... then either get my own or something or what ever.
   

[NWH]

Watch out for those stable doors,they do let water in.

[Neil Williams]

I would say there's a building fault here but please remember when discussing it with customers don't say that the wfp system just mimics rain because it doesn't. Yes we do get heavy rain from time to time but never truely horizontal rain.

[dave0123]

I would say there's a building fault here

Mee too Neal. i would accept water in the window area on the internal window sills and sides but this is above the window from the celing down over to the right so its abit strange as to were its come from. not the windows i dont think