Cooling Off Period

oldmisery | 19:33 Tue 08th Jul 2014 | Civil

21 Answers

My neighbour, an elderly widow, had problems with her front door and porch locks. She was given the number of a locksmith who came and examined the locks on Monday and told her that the locks had to be ordered and would be delivered to himself and fitted Wednesday 9th July.
Her friends son inspected the locks and found that the plates the lock fitted into had slipped and adjusted them.
On contacting the locksmith she was told, "Sorry, too late I've already ordered them and you will have to pay £300 (three hundred pounds) and
I will fit them Wednesday".
Is there a cooling off period whereby she can refuse to have the work completed or is she legally contracted to pay.

Cavityy Trays

Changes To Title Deeds

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decmangan

He can return the locks

black_cat51

it depends what she signed i suppose

decmangan

No contract was made, no estimate given, no chance of payment.

decmangan

Sorry meant if ......

oldmisery

Question Author

she signed nothing.

-- answer removed --

oldmisery

Question Author

Many thanks for all advice I'll recommend she contacts CAB first thing tomorrow.

decmangan

Sounds like a chancer!

237SJ

Most decent locksmiths keep a stock of locks in their possession - after all, they are called out for emergency work and have to have a stock of necessary parts. I think he might be pulling a fast one and he has given an incorrect diagnosis of the problem. If I was your neighbour, I would tell him that the problem has been identified as a slipping plate and new locks are not required. If she feels daunted at the prospect of telling him, she might want to get her friend`s son or someone else to do that.

chrissa1

I bet he wouldn't be doing this, if she wasn't an old lady, living alone.

Peter Pedant

trading standards

oh and that short-a+rse, Dom Thingey

EDDIE51

Make sure someone is there with her when the locksmith comes and just tell him to 'take a run
Better still report him to the police as harassing a vulnerable lady and ask if an officer can attend when he arrives.
As you have been told he is trying it on, even if he did have to order the locks he can return them. Again as you have been told an locksmith keeps a stock of locks with him they do not have to order them unless it is a very unusual lock or door.

Peter Pedant

I agree Chrissa - I am passing into that category
and it distresses me so much when tradespeople treat me like some half-wit.

saintpeter48

Not legally obliged at all. If it were me I'd offer the locksmith 10%, £30 for his time, as a good will gesture, but tell him that I know longer want him to do the job.

oldmisery

Question Author

everything worked out okay, he broke the law by failing to give a written estimate, needed if the cost was above £42 ( confirmed by trading standards). Beat a hasty retreat when confronted. Happy Days !