Left feeling vulnerable…
We had our windows replaced at the beginning of October and while the windows were fitted well one of the guys took it on himself to smash open the Victorian sash window boxes in the bedroom, using a screwdriver and hammer, and remove the iron weights, they replaced the wooden edge of the box with a upvc panel to effectively hide the damage. We wouldn't have known about it except it was all caught on CCTV including the bit at the end where he tells his colleague we'd never ever know he'd done it. We've been left feeling incredibly uncomfortable in our own home, uneasy that someone would do something like this without our knowledge and seemingly without reason. The sash weights had been there since 1893 and were removed without a word and without permission. When we contacted the company we were informed that it is standard practice to remove the old window parts when replacing a window and were asked, quite ridiculously, if we would like the weights back because they still had them... or perhaps the old upvc windows since those were also removed. The frames aren't part of the old upvc windows that we had replaced and we’d specifically requested the box frames be left intact, as it says on the surveyors notes. The first person we spoke to at the company gave a false name, the second person was the installations manager who was so rude, sarcastic and unhelpful that he successfully got their number blocked. We then contacted the police to try to get it resolved and were assured the company would write an apology and we were happy for that to happen, the matter would have been closed, until the apology arrived and it’s an apology for them doing their job and not for the theft or the behaviour of the employee or the attitude of the installations manager. On their own those weights are worthless but if you collect enough of them you have a nice value in scrap weight. If you've had windows replaced by this company I advise checking the frames to see if they've done the same to your Victorian home. Given two stars because as a wheelchair user and homebound I feel betrayed and left feeling vulnerable, like I can no longer trust workmen to get on with their job when working in my home. The trust is broken.